Thib's Random Thought of the Day

Christian_Thibaudeau · February 2, 2010, 2:16am

[quote]ironshaolin wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
FEBRUARY 1ST

THE PUSH-PULL SPEC CYCLE

The following workout is one that I used (still use in fact) with a female powerlifter preparing for a push-pull meet. I find it to be a very effective way to bring up the bench press and deadlift simultaneously.

For those who enjoy a minimalist, hardcore basics routine, it also fits the bill quite well. It is built around 5 weekly workouts… well 4 are actual workouts and 1 is a contest simulation day.

Each lift is trained at every workout but hard only once a week. The other sessions are just to keep ‘‘in the groove’’ and work on technique and acceleration, a concept that I learned from my days as an Olympic lifter.

DAY 1 - HARD BENCH PRESS
A. Max effort bench exercise (a bench movement that is similar to the bench press, but not the competition bench itself*)
Week 1: Work up to a max triple
Week 2: Work up to a max double
Week 3: Work up to a max double, than 3 x 3 with 10% less than the max double
Week 4: Work up to a max single

Could be a 2,3,4 or 5 boards press, floor press, pin press, decline press, incline press, close-grip bench, etc. Stick with the same movement for 4 weeks.

B. Competition style bench, volume work
Week 1: Double ramping sets of 5 reps (perform 2 sets with each weight, go up by around 10% every two sets, start at 60%)
Week 2: Micro-ramping sets of 5 reps (Start at 60%, add only 5lbs per set until you reach your max force point)
Week 3: Normal ramping sets of 5 reps (Start at 60%, add 10% per set, work up to max force point)
Week 4: 3 sets of 3 reps with 70%

C. Deadlift, technique and speed work
3 sets of 3 reps with 70-75%

DAY 2 - HARD DEADLIFT
A. Max effort deadlift exercise (a deadlift movement that is similar to the deadlift, but not the competition lift itself*)
Week 1: Work up to a max triple
Week 2: Work up to a max double
Week 3: Work up to a max double, than 3 x 3 with 10% less than the max double
Week 4: Work up to a max single

Could be a pin pull below the knees, pin pull above the kness, sumo deadlift (if your deadlift is conventional style), conventional deadlift (if your competition style is sumo), snatch grip deadlift, deadlift on a podium, etc.

B. Competition style deadlift, volume work
Week 1: Double ramping sets of 5 reps (perform 2 sets with each weight, go up by around 10% every two sets, start at 60%)
Week 2: Micro-ramping sets of 5 reps (Start at 60%, add only 5lbs per set until you reach your max force point)
Week 3: Normal ramping sets of 5 reps (Start at 60%, add 10% per set, work up to max force point)
Week 4: 3 sets of 3 reps with 70%

C. Bench press, technique and speed work
3 sets of 3 reps with 70-75%

DAY 3 - BENCH PRESS ASSISTANCE WORK
A. Floor press
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

B. Top half pin press
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

C. Push press
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

D. Deadlift, technique and speed work
3 sets of 3 reps with 75%

DAY 4 - DEADLIFT ASSISTANCE WORK
A. Deadlift on a podium
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

B. Top half pin pull
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

C. Power clean from the hang
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

D. Bench press, technique and speed work
3 sets of 3 reps with 75%

DAY 5 - COMPETITION SIMULATION
A. Bench press
Work up to maximum

B. Deadlift
Work up to maximum

The ideal schedule is:

DAY 1
DAY 2
OFF
DAY 3
DAY 4
OFF
DAY 5
OFF
Start over[/quote]

This looks great. I love the layout. Are you keeping a training max, something to base the percentages off of, or just taking an estimate of your max and working to max force point?
Also, what do you do after week 4? If you have a training max to work off, I would think you just add 5-10lbs to that max and start the cycle over again. But if its not an actual training max and just working off what you’re capable of that day, where do you go?

Thanks for your time, the work you dedicate to this is great. [/quote]

The percentage (when it is used) is based on the results on the previous week’s DAY 5.

Dont_Want_None · February 2, 2010, 5:29am

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Heracles_rocks wrote:
CT, fwiw i tried one armed pushpresses and db swings in my warmup last week and it really did prime my cns for more work(even though i got some weird looks from what i was doing). Thanks for the great info. Keep up the great work coach and happy february. [/quote]

No doubt about that. I now start every single workout with at least one single-arm lift.[/quote]

I was wondering what One Arm exercises you recommend for a Bench Day, Squat Day, and a Chin-Up day??? I really like the idea of priming the system prior to even starting the main lifts.

Thanks Coach

T_Bone81 · February 2, 2010, 6:10am

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

DAY 4 - DEADLIFT ASSISTANCE WORK
A. Deadlift on a podium
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

B. Top half pin pull
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

C. Power clean from the hang
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

[/quote]

Thib,

Do you find that the power clean from the hang helps a lifter to be more explosive/blast through the middle portion of deadlifts?

Mondy · February 2, 2010, 6:17am

Thibs,

For the routine you just posted, is it the max weight you can do without grinding? or just the max weight you can do with grinding?

bedruz · February 2, 2010, 8:32am

Coach Thibaudeau,
i know what im about to say some people might find to be really corny or lame. but i just want to thank you for all the work youve put into this website. youve truly helped me throughout the years, ive been a big fan of all the work you put out to help all of us. i really appreciate it. anyways i just wanted to thank you man. keep it up

Christian_Thibaudeau · February 2, 2010, 11:33am

[quote]Mondy wrote:
Thibs,

For the routine you just posted, is it the max weight you can do without grinding? or just the max weight you can do with grinding?[/quote]

Without grinding days 1-4… true max day 5

ulesim · February 2, 2010, 12:32pm

Hey CT

I read in one of your articles that you think 12 sets per body part over a week is optimal for most people. I train each body part twice a week. If I’m ramping up to 6 sets, do I count that as 6 full sets and end my exercises for the particular body part or should I only count the sets from a particular intensity percentage? Or only count the final 2-3 sets.

Hopefully this makes sense…

Thank you in advance

Christian_Thibaudeau · February 2, 2010, 12:34pm

[quote]ulesim wrote:
Hey CT

I read in one of your articles that you think 12 sets per body part over a week is optimal for most people. I train each body part twice a week. If I’m ramping up to 6 sets, do I count that as 6 full sets and end my exercises for the particular body part or should I only count the sets from a particular intensity percentage? Or only count the final 2-3 sets.

Hopefully this makes sense…

Thank you in advance[/quote]

It was actually 12 sets per workout… but that recommendation was when I was dabbling in higher reps stuff. With autoregulation you don’t have to worry so much about it.

Christian_Thibaudeau · February 2, 2010, 12:37pm

[quote]Dont Want None wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Heracles_rocks wrote:
CT, fwiw i tried one armed pushpresses and db swings in my warmup last week and it really did prime my cns for more work(even though i got some weird looks from what i was doing). Thanks for the great info. Keep up the great work coach and happy february. [/quote]

No doubt about that. I now start every single workout with at least one single-arm lift.[/quote]

I was wondering what One Arm exercises you recommend for a Bench Day, Squat Day, and a Chin-Up day??? I really like the idea of priming the system prior to even starting the main lifts.

Thanks Coach[/quote]

Bench day would be one arm DB clean and press

Chin-up day would be chinese DB row (explosive 1-arm row with the opposite arm supported on quad) and braced 1-arm hammer curl

Squat day 1-arm DB swing and 1-arm DB swing (although I would prefer the jump squat with 20% of your max squat)

Christian_Thibaudeau · February 2, 2010, 12:37pm

[quote]T-Bone81 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

DAY 4 - DEADLIFT ASSISTANCE WORK
A. Deadlift on a podium
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

B. Top half pin pull
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

C. Power clean from the hang
Week 1: Ramping sets of 6 reps
Week 2: Ramping sets of 4 reps
Week 3: Ramping sets of 5 reps
Week 4: Ramping sets of 3 reps

[/quote]

Thib,

Do you find that the power clean from the hang helps a lifter to be more explosive/blast through the middle portion of deadlifts? [/quote]

Yes, no doubt.

Shockwave · February 2, 2010, 8:51pm

Christian,

Now that I read your workout above,
I recalled a question that I have.

Are board presses as equally useful as exercises for raw (non suit) competitors?
Or it is recommended to pick some other alternative like decline or incline for example?

zxp99 · February 3, 2010, 1:59am

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Dont Want None wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Heracles_rocks wrote:
CT, fwiw i tried one armed pushpresses and db swings in my warmup last week and it really did prime my cns for more work(even though i got some weird looks from what i was doing). Thanks for the great info. Keep up the great work coach and happy february. [/quote]

No doubt about that. I now start every single workout with at least one single-arm lift.[/quote]

I was wondering what One Arm exercises you recommend for a Bench Day, Squat Day, and a Chin-Up day??? I really like the idea of priming the system prior to even starting the main lifts.

Thanks Coach[/quote]

Bench day would be one arm DB clean and press

Chin-up day would be chinese DB row (explosive 1-arm row with the opposite arm supported on quad) and braced 1-arm hammer curl

Squat day 1-arm DB swing and 1-arm DB swing (although I would prefer the jump squat with 20% of your max squat)[/quote]

Thib,

For the hammer curl, is it a fairly strict 1-arm curl where you simply hold onto something, or are you adding a bit of total body action in addition to bracing with the free arm?

the_pale_writer · February 3, 2010, 3:08am

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
FEBRUARY 1ST

THE PUSH-PULL SPEC CYCLE

The following workout is one that I used (still use in fact) with a female powerlifter preparing for a push-pull meet. I find it to be a very effective way to bring up the bench press and deadlift simultaneously.

For those who enjoy a minimalist, hardcore basics routine, it also fits the bill quite well. It is built around 5 weekly workouts… well 4 are actual workouts and 1 is a contest simulation day.

Each lift is trained at every workout but hard only once a week. The other sessions are just to keep ‘‘in the groove’’ and work on technique and acceleration, a concept that I learned from my days as an Olympic lifter.

DAY 1 - HARD BENCH PRESS
A. Max effort bench exercise (a bench movement that is similar to the bench press, but not the competition bench itself*)
Week 1: Work up to a max triple
Week 2: Work up to a max double
Week 3: Work up to a max double, than 3 x 3 with 10% less than the max double
Week 4: Work up to a max single

Could be a 2,3,4 or 5 boards press, floor press, pin press, decline press, incline press, close-grip bench, etc. Stick with the same movement for 4 weeks.

B. Competition style bench, volume work
Week 1: Double ramping sets of 5 reps (perform 2 sets with each weight, go up by around 10% every two sets, start at 60%)
Week 2: Micro-ramping sets of 5 reps (Start at 60%, add only 5lbs per set until you reach your max force point)
Week 3: Normal ramping sets of 5 reps (Start at 60%, add 10% per set, work up to max force point)
Week 4: 3 sets of 3 reps with 70%

C. Deadlift, technique and speed work
3 sets of 3 reps with 70-75%

DAY 2 - HARD DEADLIFT
A. Max effort deadlift exercise (a deadlift movement that is similar to the deadlift, but not the competition lift itself*)
Week 1: Work up to a max triple
Week 2: Work up to a max double
Week 3: Work up to a max double, than 3 x 3 with 10% less than the max double
Week 4: Work up to a max single

Could be a pin pull below the knees, pin pull above the kness, sumo deadlift (if your deadlift is conventional style), conventional deadlift (if your competition style is sumo), snatch grip deadlift, deadlift on a podium, etc.