Thib's Q&A

Training
781

[quote]AlterEgo721 wrote:
CT here is a program I created through reading over your article and some others. It is by no means great and is sure to change up.

The intended goal is hypertrophy with a priority on upper body>specifically arms. Also calves are a priority. I followed a tip from Poliquin on the calves.

Any feedback would be appreciated. Sorry if it’s not up to par…it is my first program ever written on my own. Just trying to get off the co-dependency of ready made programs. It is a a 5 day split.

Workout A

Back Squat 8x4-6 (rest 100 secs)

Leg Exten 4x8-10 (rest 60s)

DB Static Lunge 5x10-12 (Rest 45s)

BB Calve Raise 3x30 (Rest 60s)

Workout B

A1- BB Bench Press 5x5 (rest 45s)
A2- BB Row (Supinated Grip) 5x5 (Rest 45s)

B1DB Incline Press 4x6-8 (Rest 45s)
B2Wide Grip (Prone) Cable Row 4x6-8 (rest 45s)

21’s with Triangle on Cable Row

Workout C (2Days Later)

Standing BB Curl (10 Sec rest in between grip changes)
2x8-10 Med Grip
2x6-8 Wide Grip
2x4-6 Narrow Grip

Lyin Tricep Exten w/ EZ bar 6x4-6 (60s)

Zottman Curl 5x8-10 (60s)

Sincle DB Tri Exten 5x8-10 (60s)

DB Hammer Curl 5x10-12 (35s)

One Arm Cable Reverse Pressdown 5x10-12 (35s)

Workout D (next Day)

Romanian Deadlit 8x4-6 (100s)

Leg Curl 4x6-8 (90s)

Good Mornings
1x15 (90s)
1x12 (90s)
1x10 (90s)
1x8 (45s)

BB shrugs (Wide Grip) 3x8 (45s)

Workout E (Two Days Later)

Pull Up 6x4-6 (100s)

Standing Shoulder Press 6x4-6 (90s)

Pulldowns (Supinated) 6x3 (70s)

DB Lateral Raises 5x10-12 (60s)

The rest periods are kind of ambiguous, I am still on the fence about them. Thanks again for any and al constructive criticism! =) [/quote]

This is my ‘‘rules’’ post that has already been posted 6-7 times. Read point no.3

VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE

For professional reasons I will not answer questions regarding:

  1. My opinion of other coaches or specific training systems (DC training, Max-OT, etc.). The reasons are that

a) often people ask those questions to gain ammunitions for online debates on other sites or forums. They end up misquoting me and this puts me in a bad situation.

b) you can’t argue with results. If a system has produced results it means that it works. Now, nothing works forever, so I am not ‘‘pro-systems’’ in that I think that sticking to one precise methodology blindly is a mistake over the long run. I feel that it is much more important to understand the underlying principles that make training effective.

This is my answer to ‘‘is the XWZ system effective?’’: if it’s based on systemic progression, yes it will be effective. But every effective program needs to be changed or cycled to progress over the long run.

c) I think that every successful authority, writer or coach in this field has something to contribute and we can learn from all of them. Some have more to contribute than others and with some you have to weed through more BS to get to the good part. BUT I feel that it is a big mistake on my part to burn any bridges by critiquing a colleague.

  1. Anabolic steroids and other drugs: they are illegal and I do not want to be associated with them. I’m a trainer and a coach, not a pharmacist.

  2. Complete program critics: understand that a thorough program analysis actually takes me more time than writing a new program! My schedule is way too busy to critique every program sent my way, and answering only to a few would be unfair to others.

Furthermore, it is a paying service that I offer so it wouldn’t be fair to my paying clients.

  1. Question reposts: I mentionned this a million times already… I DO NOT respond to people who repost their questions. I feel that this is rude… kinda like saying in a somewhat aggressive voice ‘‘dude, answer me now’’. As I mention I have a limited schedule. I do try to answer as many questions as I can but I sometimes have to make choices. So if I don’t answer you it doesn’t (always) mean that I don’t like you or that you can’t ask other questions. BUT if you repost a question you can be sure that I will be much less tempted to answer you in the future.

  2. Injury questions: I feel that it is irresponsable to answer specific injury questions without being able to assess the individual myself.

I WILL PERIODICALLY REPOST THIS MESSAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FORUM RUNS SMOOTHLY AND THAT EVERYBODY ENDS UP SATISFIED.

782

Thib… i ve been considering this course… i know this is no look into the course materials but at a glance how do you think the curriculum looks. naturopathic & functional medicine does interest me and i do want to get into herbals and acupuncture. would it interest you?
http://www.naturopathy.ie/courses-ireland/courses-nutrition-ireland/#mod1

thanks Thib sorry to put you out looking at a course.

783

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Bachovas wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
You need to consume alkaline foods like veggies (especially green veggies) and fruits, neutral foods like nuts and supplements that help to get rid of the acid (glutamine).

For those of you that will read this and freak out because your reading comprehension sucks, he’s NOT saying glutamine is acidic. He’s saying glutamine is one supplement that helps to get rid of acid.

Correct. BTW, I do have an opening on my staff :)[/quote]

While I know this was a joke, maybe a few trusted moderators could help keep this thread moving along smoothly and make Thibs life a little easier. IMHO the nutrition and supplement info here is pure gold, but sometimes it gets lost in the shuffle with all of the reposts, repeat questions and unintelligible posts.
(And the training info is great too, I just take more of an interest in nutrition.)

784

Hey Thib
I am currently at a job I am not happy with and thinking of becoming a personal trainer. I would like to go back to school and get my degree in Kinesiology or something but at this point that is not possible. Anyway I was wondering what kinds of books you read, and if you could recommend anything to kick start the learning process. Thanks Thib!!!

785

Hey coach,

I’m not looking for a complete critique, just a quick recommendation. My routine i’m planned to do is
vertical push/pull
legs
horizontal push/pull

However legs have pretty low volume (3 exercises and i’ll add calves) and each workout is done only once a week. What would you add to make that more optimal for hypertrophy for an individual with average recovery capacity?

Currently i’m thinking of either adding more to the leg day, adding another low volume leg day, or working on a 6 day cycle instead of 7 (once a week)(but in that case im still not doing much legs and doing even more upper body).

                                      Thanks a lot
786

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
CrewPierce wrote:
PhDguy wrote:
Thib,

No offense, but don’t even think about teaching in an academic environment. With your tone and attitude, you’d be out on your ass in nothing flat.

Talk about rude good lord! You’re not paying him like your students are so stop acting like he owes you anything. He didn’t answer my last two questions, yet I went through his Q&A sections (current, past, and old) and found similar answers to my questions.

I suggest you doing the same. For a professor you sure suck at research.

Did I really miss your questions Mike? Sorry about that.[/quote]

No problem coach it was related to adrenal fatigue but you covered it in your other responses. I especially liked the caffeine suggestion for 100-200mg pre-workout only 3-4 times a week. That hit the nail on the head for me!

787

Reading about Biosignature Analysis in your Poliquin’s Insulin Protocol thread and your explanations of the skin fold tests in Damici’s “Had My First Biosignature Analysis Done” thread, has recently had me thinking about my hormonal profile and what I could do to improve it (naturally).

I have reason to believe that my hormones are out of whack (a small case of gynocomastia, low energy levels, etc). Basically I think my testosterone is too low and my estrogen levels are too high.

What are some things an 18 year old could do beside sound nutrition, training, and rest to improve their hormonal profile?

I’m too young for Alpha Male. I was thinking Rez-V or following some of Poliquin’s supplement protocols on his site.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

788

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
FutureKing wrote:

Besides that if i can ask 1 question is my brother is doing the 400m sprints for fat loss from the high threshold book… from the years after would you make any changes to it ?
Or is it still a fat loss choice for you.

It’s a good fat loss approach IF you are not on a low carbs diet. If you are on a low-carbs diet (less than 100g per day) then it might become counterproductive.

FutureKing wrote:
One more question and this may seem weird but you know when you started did you know you were going to be good ?

I don’t even feel that I’m ‘‘good’’ right now! I mean, my clients get results, I’m pretty well known in the industry, respected by most of my peers and I am successful professionally.

I KNOW that I’m a good coach… but I don’t FEEL like I’m a good coach!

I think that it’s a good thing too, because it’s what drives me to always look for ways to better myself.

FutureKing wrote:
Like i love this stuff i dont mind reading hard stuff and i really try understand it and i want to try do what you do.

But my mother says there is not alot of money in it and i should do something else is it true ? Like my brother knows a guy who did a Poliquin course buts its like 2500 !

Being a trainer is not like being a doctor… with most professions, you get your degree, and simply have to get hired somewhere.

However when you are a coach if you want to make a lot of money you have to start your own business (being a coach hired by a gym doesn’t pay sh*t), market yourself, find clients, etc.

So in that sense it is not easy to make a lot of money. However the best trainers DO make a very good living. I make more money than my brother who is a medical doctor.

Several top coaches makes 250 000 - 500 000/year (some more than that)… but there are plenty of coaches who barely make 15 000 a year. There is no guarantee in this fiel. You have to make your own business.

Regarding the Poliquin seminars, yes they are expensive… but look at the average Poliquin-certified coach… these guys all make at least 100 000/year. When you follow Charles’ certifications you are not only paying for knowledge, but for contacts in the industry.

FutureKing wrote:
My mother thinks id be better off going to college when im finished school instead of these “silly” things.
do you have any advice for me or that i can say to my mother ???

Not really. I’m a coach, not a salesman or psychologist. And I would be lying if I said that it’s easy to make a good living as a coach.

Those who are successful are REALLY successful, but they have to work extra hard to get there. And to get there you need to have a ‘‘hook’’… something that makes you special compared to other coaches.

Most of the top coaches, those making a lot of money have AT LEAST 1 of these things… and the more of them they have, the more successful they’ll be:

  1. A physique that most clients dream of having. As a trainer YOU are your best publicity. If you only look average you have much less chances of attracting clients. If you have what most potential clients see as the perfect physique (normally under 8% body fat, muscular without being freaky… think about a 100m sprinter’s physique) you will be a muc easier sell.

Now, there are PLENTY of guys with great physiques who are shitty trainers. But normally they still have plenty of clients just because of their appearance.

  1. A solid reputation. Normally this comes from having trained a lot of people who had success. For some reason, having trained elite athletes is always a GREAT selling tool (most people don’t understand that elite athletes are often genetic phenoms and any half decent coach can get results with these guys).

If you can say ‘‘I trained Michael Owens’’ (it better be true if you say it though!) then you will have about a zillion clients per day.

However when you are just starting out as a coach it is obviously hard (if not impossible) to score some of these great clients. Another good way to have a positive reputation is if you are/were yourself an accomplished athlete.

  1. Extreme knowledge. The more you know, the more likely you are to retain clients. Knowledge will RARELY get you clients. However it will often facilitate keeping them as clients because you are able to answer their questions and are great at teaching them how to train.

  2. Papers. I do have a college degree in exercise science and I’ll be the first one to tell you that this formal education didn’t really contribute to making me a good coach. Heck, I wouldn’t trust 95% of the people who studied with me to design a beginner’s training program!

HOWEVER to the average Joe/Jane a college degree equals competence. A lot of clients will actually not trust you unless you have a degree.

[/quote]

Em thanks alot and i really mean it i showed this to my mother just now and she just said hhhmmmm and nodded her head so i think my idea is not so silly anymore.
thanks again man i think you have changed her mind NOT an easy thing to do.
YAY!
im just finished jumping around the place !!!

789

ok so i have calmed down a bit !

1.I think i can get this my brother is HUGE but a bit fat (i didnt say that) and he has been teaching me for 2 years im ok built but being so tall is TERRIBLE ! Every now and then my mother gives me grief for the shopping bills !
How much weight do you think i need for 6ft5" especially at low body fat i need LOADS. So maybe not No. 1

  1. A solid reputation. Well i think this i can aim for. I spent some of the day yesterday looking you on this google thing and was reading about it (not slaking) you have done EVERYTHING imaginable !!! my city or my country i dont think does much olympic lifts so how i do them is probably wrong so i dont think i can compete with that. A bodybuilding show like you did if i work hard for a long time i might be able to do but changing into speedos and getting on stage with a load of guys cheering might give my mom a heart attack !
    as for getting athletes i will wait and see !

  2. Extreme knowledge. This i think i can do some books give me bad problems with REALLY BIG words and some books explain stuff REALLY weirdly ! But if i keep going i think this is the 1st one i can guarentee. If i can save enough money to buy all the books !

  3. Papers. My mother said that this is most truest one. That it doesnt matter WHAT you do in colllege its thats you WENT to college that will get people. Is this true ?
    I dont mind learning but i really dont want to go to college for 4 years and waste that amount of time for something i do not want to do! but if all comes to all is it true ? are people that silly that because you went to college your better than someone who didnt ???

Your a really nice guy sir.
Thanks for all your help now my future is a little clearer what i need to do i better start getting to it !
But its just that me or my brother dont have time not to do the right thing straight away my mom cant work forever so one of us needs to get alot of money.

790

[quote]David1991 wrote:
Hey coach,

I’m not looking for a complete critique, just a quick recommendation. My routine i’m planned to do is
vertical push/pull
legs
horizontal push/pull

However legs have pretty low volume (3 exercises and i’ll add calves) and each workout is done only once a week. What would you add to make that more optimal for hypertrophy for an individual with average recovery capacity?

Currently i’m thinking of either adding more to the leg day, adding another low volume leg day, or working on a 6 day cycle instead of 7 (once a week)(but in that case im still not doing much legs and doing even more upper body).

                                      Thanks a lot[/quote]

Strange, i planned on doing almost that exact routine split in a few months. CT i would also be interested in any general modifications you would make to make this better if you could.

791

Hey Coach, I found your Get Strong, Get Fast, Get Vertical! program and I think it fits me pretty well to prepare for the season. Nothing better than surprising the guys with some extra hops.

I have one question about the program:

It’s a 4 day split - what’s the best way to spread it in a week? Could I do it Monday to Thursday or would it be better to fit a rest day in between?

Thanks!

792

Good morning coach,

I got a question about recovery, especially sleep. Do you agree with the statement that sleep is important but it doesn’t matter if it’s continous sleep or a kind of a “sleep split” (e.g. 2x4h over the whole day??

793

[quote]Germanbadenglish wrote:
Good morning coach,

I got a question about recovery, especially sleep. Do you agree with the statement that sleep is important but it doesn’t matter if it’s continous sleep or a kind of a “sleep split” (e.g. 2x4h over the whole day??[/quote]

No I don’t. While an afternoon nap can really help with recovery, it cannot compensate for a shortened night of sleep. You need a relatively long period of deep sleep to fully recover, and you can’t get that in 4 hours.

794

[quote]Mart J wrote:
Hey Coach, I found your Get Strong, Get Fast, Get Vertical! program and I think it fits me pretty well to prepare for the season. Nothing better than surprising the guys with some extra hops.

I have one question about the program:

It’s a 4 day split - what’s the best way to spread it in a week? Could I do it Monday to Thursday or would it be better to fit a rest day in between?

Thanks![/quote]

2 days on, 1 day off, 1 day on, 1 day off, 1 day on, 1 day off

795

Coach, unlike the US, are there some kind of standards for the manufacturing of nutritional supplements over in Canada? I keep running across Canadian products that actually are of better quality than most of their US counterparts…

796

[quote]RitesOfSpring wrote:
Reading about Biosignature Analysis in your Poliquin’s Insulin Protocol thread and your explanations of the skin fold tests in Damici’s “Had My First Biosignature Analysis Done” thread, has recently had me thinking about my hormonal profile and what I could do to improve it (naturally).

I have reason to believe that my hormones are out of whack (a small case of gynocomastia, low energy levels, etc). Basically I think my testosterone is too low and my estrogen levels are too high.

What are some things an 18 year old could do beside sound nutrition, training, and rest to improve their hormonal profile?

I’m too young for Alpha Male. I was thinking Rez-V or following some of Poliquin’s supplement protocols on his site.

Thanks in advance for any advice.[/quote]

  • Rez-V in the morning on an empty stomach
  • Zinc (in orotate and/or aspartate form… I would go with Uberzinc by Poliquin) at 2 x 150mg per day for 4 weeks
  • TRIBEX 3 capsules in the evening, 3 capsules before bed
797

[quote]Bachovas wrote:
Coach, unlike the US, are there some kind of standards for the manufacturing of nutritional supplements over in Canada? I keep running across Canadian products that actually are of better quality than most of their US counterparts…[/quote]

Yes, the supplements are much more tightly controlled in Canada. This is both good and bad. Good because you know for sure that the product only contains what is on the label and that it respects the label claims. You also know that there will be no impurities in the product.

Bad because a ton of supplements that are legal in the US are not legal in Canada.

798

[quote]David1991 wrote:
Hey coach,

I’m not looking for a complete critique, just a quick recommendation. My routine i’m planned to do is
vertical push/pull
legs
horizontal push/pull

However legs have pretty low volume (3 exercises and i’ll add calves) and each workout is done only once a week. What would you add to make that more optimal for hypertrophy for an individual with average recovery capacity?

Currently i’m thinking of either adding more to the leg day, adding another low volume leg day, or working on a 6 day cycle instead of 7 (once a week)(but in that case im still not doing much legs and doing even more upper body).

                                      Thanks a lot[/quote]

DAY 1 horizontal push/pull
DAY 2 lower body quads dominant
DAY 3 OFF
DAY 4 vertical push/pull
DAY 5 OFF/abs
DAY 6 lower body hamstrings/hips dominant + calves
DAY 7 OFF

799

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
David1991 wrote:
Hey coach,

I’m not looking for a complete critique, just a quick recommendation. My routine i’m planned to do is
vertical push/pull
legs
horizontal push/pull

However legs have pretty low volume (3 exercises and i’ll add calves) and each workout is done only once a week. What would you add to make that more optimal for hypertrophy for an individual with average recovery capacity?

Currently i’m thinking of either adding more to the leg day, adding another low volume leg day, or working on a 6 day cycle instead of 7 (once a week)(but in that case im still not doing much legs and doing even more upper body).

                                      Thanks a lot

DAY 1 horizontal push/pull
DAY 2 lower body quads dominant
DAY 3 OFF
DAY 4 vertical push/pull
DAY 5 OFF/abs
DAY 6 lower body hamstrings/hips dominant + calves
DAY 7 OFF[/quote]

awesome, thats what i was thinking about from reading your “training strategy”. i really appreciate the help.

the original leg day is Snatch grip DL, lunges, and step ups. i would generally say deadlifts are hip dominant but in your recent article you say “the snatch-grip deadlift is just as effective as a squat for building the quads and glutes.” so would that make that the quad dominant day? i would think i should put squats in at least one of the leg days now that i’m doing 2.

800

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Germanbadenglish wrote:
Good morning coach,

I got a question about recovery, especially sleep. Do you agree with the statement that sleep is important but it doesn’t matter if it’s continous sleep or a kind of a “sleep split” (e.g. 2x4h over the whole day??

No I don’t. While an afternoon nap can really help with recovery, it cannot compensate for a shortened nigh of sleep. You need a relatively long period of deep sleep to fully recover, and you can’t get that in 4 hours.[/quote]

Hi Coach,

thank you for your opinion!