Thib's Q&A

Training
4841

hey coach ,

alot of stuff has been happening to me lately so every couple of weeks something happens and i can’t train properly for a week or sometimes two, today i broke my pinky and i can’t do anything with my hands at the moment, and iam really pissed because this is like the 3rd setback in 2 months.

i thought about doing squats 3 days a week maybe some 20 reppers or anything but also i have to have some assistance to help me put the weights and spot me because i can’t use my left hand at all. do you think this is the way to go?

4842

Hi Coach,

Once again, I have a few questions, if you don’t mind.

Calf imbalance: My right calf is a complete half an inch smaller than my left. I have no idea how or why this happened, but it’s always been that way since I first measured them at age 18.

  • Is it possible that this could have been a birth defect? Damn my parents for not measuring my calves when I was born :slight_smile:

  • Do you think that such an imbalance can hold me back in progressing on my 1 RM on the squat and dead-lift?

Being on a caloric deficit diet due to contest preparation, I know that all I can do right now is maintain calf size, but after the contest I will start a controlled growth phase right away.

The only thing that comes to my mind to address this imbalance is do one-legged calf raises with the right leg till the cows come home.

  • Is there something else that you can suggest?

Also, I would like to specialize the following muscle groups during the growth phase: hamstrings, calves and forearms.

Is it possible to specialize these 3 muscle groups all at once or is the best that I can hope for is hamstrings and calves as they are part of the posterior chain.

To give a bit more detail, I have never focused on developing my forearms even though they are naturally small. This is because I find doing wrist curls and their variations mind numbingly boring.

My plan is not have a special forearm day during my training cycle but to use these

http://www.tylergrip.com/

on every barbell and dumbell movement used in training any muscle (chest, back, shoulders etc). I train at a commercial gym that does not have fat bars unfortunately.

  • Do you think this approach is superior to having a dedicated ‘forearm day’ in the training cycle?

I haven’t bought that piece of equipment yet. Have you ever used that or something similar while training yourself or your clients?

As always, thank you for your time and answering questions on this forum.

4843

[quote]Ripped Fury wrote:
Calf imbalance: My right calf is a complete half an inch smaller than my left. I have no idea how or why this happened, but it’s always been that way since I first measured them at age 18.

  • Is it possible that this could have been a birth defect? Damn my parents for not measuring my calves when I was born :slight_smile: [/quote]

It’s not likely to be a birth defect. I would be more tempted to say that it could be related to having one hip slightly higher than the other or one leg slightly longer. But the only way to know for sure would be a postural analysis.

Could also be due to a tendency to shift your weight more toward your left side.

[quote]Ripped Fury wrote:

  • Do you think that such an imbalance can hold me back in progressing on my 1 RM on the squat and dead-lift?[/quote]

The size imbalance per se would not. However if there is a STRENGTH imbalance (try doing single calf raises and compare both legs) it could become problematic, but moreso in the squat than the deadlift where the calf plays a significant role in maintaining proper lifting posture.

If the imbalance comes from a postural problem (longer leg) then that problem will eventually hold you back, but not the muscle per se.

[quote]Ripped Fury wrote:
The only thing that comes to my mind to address this imbalance is do one-legged calf raises with the right leg till the cows come home.

  • Is there something else that you can suggest? [/quote]

Don’t go overboard with this. Switching to single leg variation of the calves exercise is a good start. But do train both legs this way. However always start by the smaller side.

You can add some more sets for the smaller leg, but stay conservative. More volume is not always equivalent to more size.

I would do this program:

A. Single leg standing calf raise 4 x 8-10 reps (1-2 more sets for the smaller side) with a 2 sec. stretch at the bottom of each rep

B. 2/1 seated calf raise 4 x 8-10 per side. Lift with both calves, lower with only one calf in 3-4 seconds.

C. Siffie lunges (lunges performed while being on the tip of your tows at all times). 4 x 8-10 per side

[quote]Ripped Fury wrote:
Also, I would like to specialize the following muscle groups during the growth phase: hamstrings, calves and forearms.

Is it possible to specialize these 3 muscle groups all at once or is the best that I can hope for is hamstrings and calves as they are part of the posterior chain. [/quote]

That shouldn’t be a problem. Calves and forearms are very small muscle groups with a short range of motion thus they do not cause much systemic stress.

[quote]Ripped Fury wrote:
To give a bit more detail, I have never focused on developing my forearms even though they are naturally small. This is because I find doing wrist curls and their variations mind numbingly boring.[/quote]

Me too. You could do that I like to do, stagger forearms sets during the rest period of pressing and lower body exercises.

4844

Coach Thibaudeau

What’s a good breakfast to have before working out? I’m doing Get Jacked Fast, weeks 5-8 right now, and might have to do the weightlifting 45 minutes after waking on lifting + HIIT days. I’d usually knock back a scoop of Surge, a scoop of whey and some fish oil, plus maybe a small fruit, but I’m guessing the Surge is now off-limits.

Perhaps I should just work-out fasted, à la intermittent fasting?

And, two minor questions, if I may

  1. Is a scoop of Metabolic Drive (low-carb) an acceptable replacement for a serving of protein?
  2. The amount PWO nutrition perscribed seemed huge today. I’m thinking this may be because the oranges around here are the size of a fist. Should I tone down on the carbs in my shake, or eat just half a fruit?

Apologies for the huge amount of questions, but I’m trying to follow the program to the letter, so kinda afraid of screwing up.

G

4845

Thib,

I was looking at your get ripped program for weeks 5-8 and it lists for the post workout meal 2 scoops protein powder, 1 fruit, 20g glutamine, and 2 scoops Surge recovery.

Is this correct? I’m just surprised because that seems like one heavy post workout shake.

Thanks

4846

Coach,

Regarding meal timing for your “Get Jacked” program, what meal order do you recommend for someone that works out in the morning and has about 30-45 minutes between waking up and starting the workout?

Also, stutter reps are extremely evil/humbling. I love 'em.

Thanks Coach!

4847

Hi Coach,

I have 4 weeks to go on an all-out fat loss plan before going on vacation. From a bio-sig a did a few months ago, insulin and cortisol were the main culprits. This time I’m going to add phosphadityl serine to my supplimentation plan and switch to low carb once again with glycine and glutamine. I plan on adding more walks and general activity to my daily routine to help with fat loss.

As I understand it, muscle loss may not be too big of a risk in only 4 weeks? I’ll still lift heavy and monitor my strength. Should I use the phosph. serine the whole time, or change up my plan after say 2 weeks? What about adding HOT-ROX for a couple weeks?

I’m currently sitting at 170 lbs and ~12%BF.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

4848

[quote]agent9041 wrote:
As I understand it, muscle loss may not be too big of a risk in only 4 weeks? I’ll still lift heavy and monitor my strength. Should I use the phosph. serine the whole time, or change up my plan after say 2 weeks? What about adding HOT-ROX for a couple weeks?

I’m currently sitting at 170 lbs and ~12%BF.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks![/quote]

Muscle loss risk depends on the severity of your diet as well as your activity level.

If you cut calories/food intake too much you WILL risk losing muscle way before the 4 weeks mark.

However it is possible to do a short fat loss blitz, using a restrictive method and avoid much muscle loss for 2 weeks. 4 weeks would be a bit long to use a blitz approach approach, if you are concerned with muscle loss.

You should use PPS the whole time, especially if cortisol is one of your main problem. And I prefer the use of HOT-ROX EXTREME to going even deeper in food/caloric restriction.

4849

[quote]MorphingMatt wrote:
Coach,

Regarding meal timing for your “Get Jacked” program, what meal order do you recommend for someone that works out in the morning and has about 30-45 minutes between waking up and starting the workout?

Also, stutter reps are extremely evil/humbling. I love 'em.

Thanks Coach!

[/quote]

You can’t have a big meal if you train 30-45 minutes after you wake up. Digestion will divert too much blood flow to the muscles.

I would suggest 10-20g of BCAAs and 1/2 scoop of whey protein 30-45 minutes before the workout to minimize intra-workout catabolism, have your post-workout shake after the workout, which would constitute your ‘‘breakfast’’ and then resume the regular schedule.

4850

Coach, is it true that is very rare that carbs are stored as fat -similar to protein-?.

4851

[quote]Addweight wrote:
Coach, is it true that is very rare that carbs are stored as fat -similar to protein-?.[/quote]

Sadly no, it isn’t.

Carbs are stored in 3 main sites:

  1. In the muscle in the form of glycogen
  2. In the liver also in the form of glycogen
  3. In the adipocytes (fat cells) in the form of triglyceride (fat)

The amount of carbs you will store in each of these sites depends on several factors:

  1. Your genetic predisposition to handling carbs. Some people genetically have a better tolerance for carbs, also referred to as ‘‘insulin sensitivity’’.

Each of the storing site has its own level of sensitivity. Without making this too complex, let’s just say that the more sensitive a storing site is, the more likely the carbs are to be stored there.

Some people can eat a ton of carbs and not gain fat from them. Others will get fatter just looking at a slice of bread!

My ex-girlfriend could diet down to bodybuilding contest shape by eating 400g of carbs per day while I had to avoid going above 50g per day to get the same job done.

  1. Your previous activity level: if you were active RIGHT BEFORE a meal containing carbs, you are less likely to store these carbs as fat.

If you were inactive physically you are likely to store a lot more of them as fat.

  1. The type of carbs ingested. Carbs with a high glycemic index lead to a greater spike of insulin which leads to more carbs being stored as fat.
4852

Coach,I`ve read your article on building back for those with big arms and poor back.
In this article, you mentioned people who has:
big triceps, big back, poor biceps and poor chest.
Is there an article written for this kind of people?

Sorry for English…
Thanks from Brasil

4853

Hi Thibs,

I have been dieting for 3 months using the principles you have outlined in some of your articles. In this time, I have lost about 23 pounds, going from about 20% BF to 12% BF. I am about to finish a 6 week run of HOT-ROX and would like to know how long I should wait to start using another fat burner product (not HOT-ROX). Thanks in advance.

4854

Thibs have you had any experience with, or heard of anything related to Fenugreek and increased natural test levels. I’ve read in a few places that taking 2-3 grams of fenugreek can have a positive effect on test levels. I believe you have used it in your insulin protocol, but was curious if there is any truth to these claims.

Thanks

4855

[quote]cally wrote:
Thibs have you had any experience with, or heard of anything related to Fenugreek and increased natural test levels. I’ve read in a few places that taking 2-3 grams of fenugreek can have a positive effect on test levels. I believe you have used it in your insulin protocol, but was curious if there is any truth to these claims.

Thanks[/quote]

Improving insulin response and the way the pancreas functions will always have a positive impact on testosterone levels over the long run.

4856

Hi,
Usually it is advised to have recovery days in between heavy intensity workouts so that the muscles and CNS can recover. However, what would happen if the workout was split so that half of the workout was done each day? An example would be if, instead of working out Monday and Wednesday, I did half the sets of the Monday workout on Monday and the other half on Tuesday and the same thing for Wednesday and Thursday. Thanks for the help.

4857

[quote]sprinter23 wrote:
Hi,
Usually it is advised to have recovery days in between heavy intensity workouts so that the muscles and CNS can recover. However, what would happen if the workout was split so that half of the workout was done each day? An example would be if, instead of working out Monday and Wednesday, I did half the sets of the Monday workout on Monday and the other half on Tuesday and the same thing for Wednesday and Thursday. Thanks for the help.[/quote]

That wouldn’t be as effective. CNS-intensive work can have a strong effect even at a somewhat low amount of work and it is best to allow the systems to recover by having non-CNS intensive or OFF days between CNS-intensive sessions.

You CAN split the workload in two halves, but in this case it is best to do both halves on the same day. 6-8 hours apart. This way you’ll partially recover so that in the second half exercises you would perform better while still having your CNS rest between draining days.

Now. Can you actually do what you recommend and have two or more CNS-intensive days in a row. Yes, it is possible. But it does require a lot of fine tuning of volume, intensity and loading methods. A complex job even for the best coaches out there.

4858

Hey Coach,

When it comes to biosignature modulation, do YOU still recommend a energy nutrient deficit when getting a client lean?

I.e for someone insulin resistant, on a low carbs(keto) diet, would you still ensure their fat intake is reduced if they are not losing fat, even whilst on a insulin protocols?

It may seem like a stupid question, but as far as I’m aware that with biosig, there is no counting fats…just dropping carbs and increasing protein when insulin resistant.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
GJ

4859

[quote]Gymjunkie wrote:
Hey Coach,

When it comes to biosignature modulation, do YOU still recommend a energy nutrient deficit when getting a client lean?

I.e for someone insulin resistant, on a low carbs(keto) diet, would you still ensure their fat intake is reduced if they are not losing fat, even whilst on a insulin protocols?

It may seem like a stupid question, but as far as I’m aware that with biosig, there is no counting fats…just dropping carbs and increasing protein when insulin resistant.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
GJ[/quote]

That’s actually the achilles heal of several Biosig practitioners.

Understand that to lose fat, regardless of the diet’s composition, you do have to be in a deficit.

The thing is that the keto diet is generally lower in calories because you cut out a lot of energy-dense food that people splurge on, so they do end up with a deficit.

However this is mostly true of the normal individual who tend to grossly overeat carbs. Dropping them naturally cut a ton of calories from their diet. In fact, with regular folks you actually have to remind them to keep their fat up otherwise their deficit is too high.

But this problem doesn’t present itself with individual who are used to a more precise way of eating, and controlling nutrients intake becomes important.

4860

[quote]Gorichen wrote:
Hi Thibs,

I have been dieting for 3 months using the principles you have outlined in some of your articles. In this time, I have lost about 23 pounds, going from about 20% BF to 12% BF. I am about to finish a 6 week run of HOT-ROX and would like to know how long I should wait to start using another fat burner product (not HOT-ROX). Thanks in advance. [/quote]

The first thing to do is to stop your diet for 7-10 days. Don’t eat like crap, but do increase food intake. In my experience, nobody should diet for more than 12 consecutive weeks.

Then resume your plan gradually and include your fat burner around week 4-6. You can still use HOT-ROX, it will be effective again. There is no need to rotate supplements when you give them a proper washout period.