[quote]TMT wrote:
Hi Coach…
What kind of split would you recommend for somebody who is trying to prioritize arms and shoulders for more mass (chest and back are strong points)?? Thanks for your time![/quote]
Read my article ‘‘The specialisation zone’’
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=753073
But spec training should only be used by ADVANCED lifters.
Plus, you mention chest and back (good) and arms/shoulders (bad)… but what about legs?
[quote]OctoberGirl wrote:
hey Coach!
do you ever consider pyruvate for your low to no carb clients?
[/quote]
No.
It’s one of those supplements that looked great on paper, but never really worked well in real life.
Technically it should be interesting since it can be used for energy production. But from my experience it is not worth investing in.
[quote]crod266 wrote:
Hey thib, what do you think about basing a leg session around the leg press instead of a back or front squat if your sole purpose was for hypertrophy. Like leg press first then something like machine hack squats and finishing with extensions.[/quote]
Pretty bad leg workout.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
shoelessjones wrote:
Coach,
Just got my lab results back from my annual physical… and my question is about my testosterone serum level… what does my number below mean to a Coach such as yourself? I am 41 years of age.
Cholesterol -144
Triglycerides - 39
HDL - 63
LDL - 73
Testosterone, serum - 413
Thank you very much for your time and opinion if I get one.
It means that you are TECHNICALLY in the average range. But to me it is EXCEPTIONALY LOW. To maximise muscle growth and body comp, serum test should be at least 1000ng/dl.[/quote]
Thanks for your candor! I know better than to ask how to raise it as that is how you make a living and I am not a client 
so let me ask this…will the BioSig course I am attending in Arizona help me understand how to increase that number significantly? Or would you recommend some reading? I am reading the Cortisol Connection right now.
Also, for the past 5 or 6 months I am at 50 carbs or less every day just eating green veggies, fat and protein… with some fruit PWO every 10th to 14th day along with the protein, glutamine, glycine protocol after every workout.
Thanks again Coach!
Hey coach thib,
I’m very confused on flax seed oil supplementing… some trainers recommend and others say it has something to do with estrogen. I’ve looked online. still REALLY REALLY confused!!! Your thoughts on this?
Coach,
I’ve done some reading around on low volume training, more specifically, rest-pause training lately.
The popular opinion seems to be that the rest-pause method is not for anyone that is a “beginner” or “CNS inefficient”. Now what exactly qualifies someone as being “CNS inefficient” ? What type of lifter (looking for a very rough generalization) would be able to use rest-pause effectively? How would you really gauge if someone is ready for method of training?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
shoelessjones wrote:
Coach,
Just got my lab results back from my annual physical… and my question is about my testosterone serum level… what does my number below mean to a Coach such as yourself? I am 41 years of age.
Cholesterol -144
Triglycerides - 39
HDL - 63
LDL - 73
Testosterone, serum - 413
Thank you very much for your time and opinion if I get one.
It means that you are TECHNICALLY in the average range. But to me it is EXCEPTIONALY LOW. To maximise muscle growth and body comp, serum test should be at least 1000ng/dl.[/quote]
computer/power error at home. my apologies.
CT,
You seem like the right person to help answer a question I’ve had about posterior chain exercises and which portion of the strength curve gets targeted the most. I will list some choices below, and if possible, I’d like to get your thoughts on which portion is stressed the most(top 1/4, 1/3, or 1/2; mid-point, lower 1/4, 1/3, 1/2; somewhere between these distinctions, etc.)
RDL’s with 2 barbells braced against a wall or using “The Grappler”(exercise “finished” position pictured above)
barbell RDL’s
cable RDL’s with pulley positioned slightly forward of trainee
pull-throughs
back extensions
reverse hypers
seated goodmornings
conventional deadlifts
[quote]shoelessjones wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
shoelessjones wrote:
Coach,
Just got my lab results back from my annual physical… and my question is about my testosterone serum level… what does my number below mean to a Coach such as yourself? I am 41 years of age.
Cholesterol -144
Triglycerides - 39
HDL - 63
LDL - 73
Testosterone, serum - 413
Thank you very much for your time and opinion if I get one.
It means that you are TECHNICALLY in the average range. But to me it is EXCEPTIONALY LOW. To maximise muscle growth and body comp, serum test should be at least 1000ng/dl.
Thanks for your candor! I know better than to ask how to raise it as that is how you make a living and I am not a client so let me ask this…will the BioSig course I am attending in Arizona help me understand how to increase that number significantly? Or would you recommend some reading? I am reading the Cortisol Connection right now. Also, for the past 5 or 6 months I am at 50 carbs or less every day just eating green veggies, fat and protein… with some fruit PWO every 10th to 14th day along with the protein, glutamine, glycine protocol after every workout.
Thanks again Coach![/quote]
Yes, you will learn hoe to increase testosterone at the Biosig seminar.
A low carbs diet will not lower testosterone, in fact, it should increase it because of the higher fat intake and lower insulin level.
coach, do you think that some people’s bodies optimally build muscle and/or burn fat with a moderate carbs approach? see, whenever im on a low carb diet, i always feel bloated and my stomach distended. but when i have a higher carb meal, i dont feel it as much and i even “feel” leaner, even though i know thats impossible after one day.
hello cristhian i saw you article about three elementes to lose fat and even lean mass und force in cutting planig
please tell sometihng about me did you see my topic maybe in begginners
I´m going to try you plan may u helpe me please
hello coach i was wonderin if you can help me i posted a topic in beginners I have a pic to show how i´m
in begginers
may you tell me if i need consider lose fat like cuttig maybe
or gain mass
i tried to gain masss but just gain fat and a little bit lean mass for that reason
y wannan take off this fat
i¨m going to follow up sugestion about you please
there is my diet plan my work out plan
if you consider that somethings are worn tell me please
[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:
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.
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.
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.
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]
Coach Thib,
I’m in at a crossroad at the moment, and I don’t expect you to be the one to guide my choice. However, I was hoping I could run my dilemna past you (don’t worry, it’s not long).
If you think getting into the industry is hard, as hard as it is in the US and Canada, it’s ridiculous here in the UK.
I just finished my bachelors, with a 2.1 and a very bad taste in my mouth for further education (my nutrition lecturer almost failed me for outlining nutritional principles similar to that of you and Dr. Berardi, even with scientific evidence. Heck, one of his reasons is that the role of acid-base balance has no relevance).
I’ve been trying to look for a job in the industry for months now, with no success(even though I have almost 3 years worth of voluntary experience). I’m now considering a Masters.
I already have a bad taste for further education after my experience of uni (another note, I was marked down in my strength & conditioning module for using your own training principles and disagreeing with linear periodisation), but I’ll do anything to further my career development.
I guess my question is, do you think your Masters has further developed your career? Not your knowledge base?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
shoelessjones wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
shoelessjones wrote:
Coach,
Just got my lab results back from my annual physical… and my question is about my testosterone serum level… what does my number below mean to a Coach such as yourself? I am 41 years of age.
Cholesterol -144
Triglycerides - 39
HDL - 63
LDL - 73
Testosterone, serum - 413
Thank you very much for your time and opinion if I get one.
It means that you are TECHNICALLY in the average range. But to me it is EXCEPTIONALY LOW. To maximise muscle growth and body comp, serum test should be at least 1000ng/dl.
Thanks for your candor! I know better than to ask how to raise it as that is how you make a living and I am not a client so let me ask this…will the BioSig course I am attending in Arizona help me understand how to increase that number significantly? Or would you recommend some reading? I am reading the Cortisol Connection right now. Also, for the past 5 or 6 months I am at 50 carbs or less every day just eating green veggies, fat and protein… with some fruit PWO every 10th to 14th day along with the protein, glutamine, glycine protocol after every workout.
Thanks again Coach!
Yes, you will learn hoe to increase testosterone at the Biosig seminar.
A low carbs diet will not lower testosterone, in fact, it should increase it because of the higher fat intake and lower insulin level.
[/quote]
Thanks Coach! Just think how low it must have been BEFORE I went to the low carb/high fat diet after reading all of the stuff you write.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
ricardowesley wrote:
Coach, the max is 3 sesion a week of CNS intense work? sorry to ask but west side would be 4 a week? i sometimes follow, and i am thinking if it is not aproprieted for a regular drug-free athlete?
I’m not saying that it’s the ‘‘max’’, but most people will do better on 3 CNS-intensive sessions a week. Do not forget that what the elite does, is not always what the average individual should be doing.[/quote]
what makes it “CNS-intensive”? I’ve noticed you have recommendations for 4-5 day routines sometimes…even 4 for the average person so maybe i’m missing something?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
youngoldguy wrote:
Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
youngoldguy wrote:
Cool. I take a ton of fish oil to combat that anyway.
It wont protect you against an excessive workload. It can help with imflammation, but it cannot prevent knee problems for overuse.
Oh, OK. You think HIIT for 15-20 mins is a better idea?
No… I’m not saying that what you are doing is right or wrong. Just that running, especially on a hard surface puts a lot of stress on the knee joint, which when added with the frequent squatting can eventually lead to overuse injuries.[/quote]
In your running man article you said you felt people should always include some ESS, then gave 3 examples of running you believe are good. I am just wondering what you would include then other than running to not deal with overuse injuries
Coach,
I know you believe in not neglecting anything in the beginning. But if a beginner (tall 6’2", relatively long limbs and torso) is starting off with whole body 3x a week to “experience their body”, how do they go about adding in iso and/or unilateral work, if one exercise per muscle group (mainly compound exercises squats, romanian deadlifts, pullups, rowing, bench press, etc.) is the general recommendation for such an approach?
Should one wait to get their strength and conditioning up in whole body, before adding in iso and/or unilateral work?
From your Training Strategy Handbook article and newer articles it seems one should wait to move to an upper/lower split before adding in these exercises and more work.
hey coach,
which glutamine supplement and protocol would you suggest for somebody trying to increase digestive health?
[quote]
Common man… I answered that EXACT question at length something like 7-8 posts back in this thread.[/quote]
but is it possible i could regain muscle quicker than 1-2 lbs a month as i have been alot heavier with alot more muscle? or is it 2lbs max only possible or does it just depend on the individual?
thanks.
Coach,
I have heard you state muscle gain/fat loss is an energy-dependent process, meaning it is impossible to do both at the same time. However, I also read that Coach Poliquin believes it is very possible to achieve both and states his clients regularly do. Does he have any specific strategies that you are aware of, have you experienced this yourself or with your clients? Thanks.
Best of luck and best wishes for the wedding next week,
James
CT-
I was wondering if you had any insight to my problem. I havent directly trained chest in awhile (like 3 months) . So I’m not suprised my bench went down, I went from doing 185x6 to 145x6. which sucks but heres the kicker, since I started back up my right arm has been giving out way before my left, more specifically my right tricep. Whats going on?
(I still did dips and all when I wasnt working chest)
I’m right handed by the way!
Thanks