I won’t ever have the time to fit in all the workouts of your “Perfect 10,” but I would like to increase the frequency that I work certain body parts and use the concepts that you’ve laid out in that and other articles.
On an ongoing basis, is it a good idea to cycle the set/rep/load/exercise variation parameters from week to week? So, you’d look at the parameters from the day before and the day after and merely choose a significantly different set/rep/load (and a different exercise) than those surrounding it? So, from day to day, and week to week, the parameters rarely (if ever) repeat.
Thanks,
Lost Dog[/quote]
Yep, that will work. Just be sure to avoid failure training as you work to increase your frequency.
[quote]as wrote:
Chad there’s been a lot of discussion on higher frequency training especially when it comes to improving a single specific body part. I would like to improve my upper chest since it’s very deficient but I only see whole chest routines, and was wondering if I would just rotate different incline movements. On a side note the imbalance of my upper chest seems to be getting worse the more I work it. It seems my front delts and lower pecs are getting even bigger and my upper pecs even smaller. I’m also starting to have a tougher time attaining a pump. I’m not sure if it’s a problem of innervation or what.[/quote]
Yes, it does sound like a neural issue. I suggest you find a reputable chiro and ART practitioner.
If you want to train your chest more often, use variations of: incline, flat, decline presses; dips; flys.
In your old article “Build A Huge Chest in Six Weeks” it says that the optimal path for the load on the pecs is 45 degrees? So you suggest the slide pushup for horizontal adduction and the low pulley bench press for the 45 degree thingy. But to get that 45 degrees from the body such as in the low pulley cable press, can’t you just do decline bench press, lowering the bar to about the clavicle or slightly below the clavicle, and pressing straight up. Would that be an alternative to the low cable bench to get a 45 degree angle (provided the bench is at the proper decline)? Thanks Chad, it’s been buggin’ me since I stumbled on it a few days ago.
[quote]GhostOfYourMind wrote:
Hey Chad, got a question nagging me.
In your old article “Build A Huge Chest in Six Weeks” it says that the optimal path for the load on the pecs is 45 degrees? So you suggest the slide pushup for horizontal adduction and the low pulley bench press for the 45 degree thingy. But to get that 45 degrees from the body such as in the low pulley cable press, can’t you just do decline bench press, lowering the bar to about the clavicle or slightly below the clavicle, and pressing straight up. Would that be an alternative to the low cable bench to get a 45 degree angle (provided the bench is at the proper decline)? Thanks Chad, it’s been buggin’ me since I stumbled on it a few days ago.[/quote]
I think it’s 45 degrees from the sides and back, not 45 degrees verticle.
If you’re laying on a flat bench, in between cable stacks, with the pulleys down low, you’re pushing up, but the resistance is coming from a 45 degree angle from your sides and below the plane of your body. Imagine you’re laying in a pup-tent, each wall is a 45 degree angle from each rear-side, coming to a peak at the top. When you do the cable press, your pressing up and into that peak.
I just started the OVT. As far as diet is concerned, I want to gain some more muscle. I was on a cutting diet (Berardi) and I have lost the weight that I want too.
I want to concentrate on gaining more muscle. Is there anything you can recommend as far as food requirements? more carbs? I take Grow! and Surge.
Wanna try your “Perfect 10” training on hamstrings however i’m having difficulties coming up with 10 exercises for the hammies. Any suggestions.
[/quote]
Just use the same exercises, but change them around a bit to make them a different exercise. You can even use some of those “creative” machines that are out on the main gym floor. They’re different.
Here’s a few…
RDLs
Good Mornings
Straight Leg Good Mornings
Seated Good Mornings
Plate Drags
Lying Leg Curls
Standing Leg Curls
Glute Ham Raise (on floor, with feet held by partner or hooked under something)
Glute Ham Raise (on swiss ball)
Glute Ham Raise (with machine)
Band stomp (although I’m just making the name up. Attach a band to something high up, put your foot in the bottom and stomp backward)
Cable stomp (Same as above, but use a cable station. Put your foot in one those stirrup looking grips and stomp backward)
Leg Curl in a cable station (rig it up somehow)
I think a reverse hyper is a ham exercise, too. I’m not sure, though.
If one is primarily concerned with maximal strength as opposed to LBM gains, would it be advisable to repeat three separate (completely different exercises) Waterbury Methods as a year-round program? By repeating, I also mean to add 2.5% - 5% to each 10x3 and 4x6 after each month-long cycle is completed. Point being, I plan on competing in my first USPLA meet this March and would like to stay at my current body weight. With all due respect to the Westside guys, I feel overtrained when using their system for too long...
In your old article “Build A Huge Chest in Six Weeks” it says that the optimal path for the load on the pecs is 45 degrees? So you suggest the slide pushup for horizontal adduction and the low pulley bench press for the 45 degree thingy. But to get that 45 degrees from the body such as in the low pulley cable press, can’t you just do decline bench press, lowering the bar to about the clavicle or slightly below the clavicle, and pressing straight up. Would that be an alternative to the low cable bench to get a 45 degree angle (provided the bench is at the proper decline)? Thanks Chad, it’s been buggin’ me since I stumbled on it a few days ago.
I think it’s 45 degrees from the sides and back, not 45 degrees verticle.
If you’re laying on a flat bench, in between cable stacks, with the pulleys down low, you’re pushing up, but the resistance is coming from a 45 degree angle from your sides and below the plane of your body. Imagine you’re laying in a pup-tent, each wall is a 45 degree angle from each rear-side, coming to a peak at the top. When you do the cable press, your pressing up and into that peak.[/quote]
I get what your saying. I understood it as a 45 degree angle from horizontal, heh. The things you learn on T-Nation eh? Thanks lost_dog.
[quote]GhostOfYourMind wrote:
Hey Chad, got a question nagging me.
In your old article “Build A Huge Chest in Six Weeks” it says that the optimal path for the load on the pecs is 45 degrees? So you suggest the slide pushup for horizontal adduction and the low pulley bench press for the 45 degree thingy. But to get that 45 degrees from the body such as in the low pulley cable press, can’t you just do decline bench press, lowering the bar to about the clavicle or slightly below the clavicle, and pressing straight up. Would that be an alternative to the low cable bench to get a 45 degree angle (provided the bench is at the proper decline)? Thanks Chad, it’s been buggin’ me since I stumbled on it a few days ago.[/quote]
The problem relates to resistance against horizontal adduction. With the barbell decline, there’s very little. That’s why the “line of resistance” should flare out 45 degrees from your pecs. With decline benches, the line of resistance is pointing straight down, not out to the side.
Wanna try your “Perfect 10” training on hamstrings however i’m having difficulties coming up with 10 exercises for the hammies. Any suggestions.
Besides the GPP program is there another kick-ass GPP version that you have currently devised to torture us mere mortal.
[/quote]
Work your hamstrings from the hip and knee. 1 leg deads, romanian deads, seated/standing/lying leg curls, cable ham curls, etc. You can come up with enough variations.
I was thinking of making a routine based on your ABBH program for a friend, tell me what you think
day1: horizontal plane (bench press and rows)
Day2: Squats, calves, abs
day3:active rest
Day4: vertical plane (military press and chins)
day5: deadlifts, calves, abs
Day6: active rest
Day7: rest[/quote]
It looks fine because that’s how ABBH is designed. I see you omitted the rest in day 5 - that’s fine providing the person can recover from the fatigue.
[quote]mikeyball428 wrote:
I just started the OVT. As far as diet is concerned, I want to gain some more muscle. I was on a cutting diet (Berardi) and I have lost the weight that I want too.
I want to concentrate on gaining more muscle. Is there anything you can recommend as far as food requirements? more carbs? I take Grow! and Surge.[/quote]
If one is primarily concerned with maximal strength as opposed to LBM gains, would it be advisable to repeat three separate (completely different exercises) Waterbury Methods as a year-round program? By repeating, I also mean to add 2.5% - 5% to each 10x3 and 4x6 after each month-long cycle is completed. Point being, I plan on competing in my first USPLA meet this March and would like to stay at my current body weight. With all due respect to the Westside guys, I feel overtrained when using their system for too long... [/quote]
It’s not advisable to use the same parameters all year long. You must alter your load/sets/reps every 4-6 weeks for maximum results.
I have a question for you. I think I might have become a victim to using the same parameters for too long, but I wanted to see what your thoughts were on this.
I started doing SC this week and when I got to the 3x18 days, I picked a weight where I was able to do 18 reps with good form and had a few left in the tank, but on the second and third sets, I wasn’t even coming close to getting 18 reps for most of the exercises. I usually fell between 10-14 reps. Normally, I can handle a higher load for say 10 reps, so I’m curious as to why a 20RM was kicking my ass so much.
Lack of conditioning? Too much emphasis on the lower rep ranges? Is this normal?
g’day chad,
Just had a quick question about posture. I’m sure you have come across this a few times I have the shoulders rounded forward syndrome (sorry not sure of the technical term). Just wondering if you know of any way to correct this?
Thanks again for your time
I have been eating heavy and following 5x5 for about six weeks now and happy with progress but could stand to lose a few pounds now bf has went up.Going into the winter here and I allways seem to eat alot more in cold weather working outside.How would you feel about going to higher reps and maybe half an hour of light cardio in the am.
I have a question for you. I think I might have become a victim to using the same parameters for too long, but I wanted to see what your thoughts were on this.
I started doing SC this week and when I got to the 3x18 days, I picked a weight where I was able to do 18 reps with good form and had a few left in the tank, but on the second and third sets, I wasn’t even coming close to getting 18 reps for most of the exercises. I usually fell between 10-14 reps. Normally, I can handle a higher load for say 10 reps, so I’m curious as to why a 20RM was kicking my ass so much.
Lack of conditioning? Too much emphasis on the lower rep ranges? Is this normal?[/quote]
Yes, too much lower rep training. Your system is very inefficient at higher rep ranges, as of now. If you seek hypertrophy, I suggest you stick with higher rep ranges for the next 4-6 weeks. Just be sure to alternate the rep schemes.