Waterbury PT 8/8

Out of all the T-Nation programs I’ve tried, I’d have to say that OVT and TBT have worked the best for me in terms of size and strength gains.

Chad, I’m currently doing your ATOW program (just started Week 2 yesterday)and man is it a killer! My question is since my forearms are a weak point, would you suggest throwing in a few sets of whatever forearm exercise at the end of a lifting session or should I hold off on forearms and train them on the active rest days?

Thanks Chad and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next step is after ATOW.

[quote]Xfactor88 wrote:
Chad! I am currently hung up on the topic of periodzation. Would you mind giving me (and all the rest of T-Nationers) your input on the different types of periodization? How many types are there out there? Whats the difference between Non Linear Periodization, the Conjugate Periodization, and Undulated? These are just the ones I have heard of. What type of periodization do you incorporate with your training, and which ones do you find most effective?

Thanks![/quote]

Looks like it’s time for you to hit the books. Those topics are well beyond what I could write out in a short period of time, but here’s an overview:

Linear: initiate phase with high volume/low intensity. Progressively increase intensity while decreasing volume.

Conjugate: training multiple strength qualities within each microcycle (Quattro Dynamo).

Undulating: this consists of changing set/rep parameters throughout the microcycle without an emphasis on different strength qualities (Big Boy Basics, ABBH).

[quote]AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
Hey CW! Awsome to get you online.

You just mentioned straight sets generally leading to poorer strength gains. Why is this?
The reciprocal inhibition/innervation should allow for greater recovery and fatigue management I think and that statement would make sense but Im thinking along the terms of applying this to something like westsides ME day.
Would they better off supersetting an anatagonist muscle movement with thier max effort work?

And the best gains Ive seen myself were from westside conecepts of ME and DE days WITHOUT rotating ME movements but simply changing grips (something I picked up from supertraining and then you came along and solidified it for me, hell everything youve written works too well to not take your word for it) That was two years ago and in the beginning of this year, when I was still very motivated to lift, your 10x3 and 4x6 set/rep parameters done in 6 workouts a week (two workouts a day three times a week) was INCREDIBLE. I hadnt been that strong in a long while and I was clean and only 20 pound off my best squat and 15 off my best overhead press. Your mutliple sets and low reps really does the trick.

Amir

Chad Waterbury wrote:
basementD wrote:
Chad,

1-You get a lot of substitution questions. I was wondering if someone who has either substitution difficulties or limited exercise equipment could do some of your routines by using the same exercise more than once. i.e.- in some your routines you alternate bench presses and dips. Could someone just bench on both days instead? On one day they would do wide benches and the other day they would do close grip benches? The same for other lifts, i.e.-someone would do parallel squats one day and atg squats on another day.

2- You have answered this before but if someone does straight sets instead of antagonistic style, should they just add another minute of rest? Is there an advantage to doing straight sets over doing them antagonistic style? Thanks for your time.

And to answer your question, the programs that gave me the most immeadiate size increase were a chest specialization routine Jack Reape made for me it involved 83 benches twice a week and 310 db floor presses and some other accessory work, it was brief and effective. ABBH for size/strength increase combined. EDT for arm size increase.

BD

  1. Yes, I’m constantly inundated with substitution exercise recommendations. If a trainee cannot follow my program as prescribed, then variations of the similar movements (as you described) are recommended.

  2. Straight sets generally lead to poorer maximal strength gains. No, the rest periods shouldn’t be altered. Straight sets are recommended with the same rest periods as prescribed.

[/quote]

Yes, between the reciprocal innervation design and longer rest periods, maximal strength gains are very profound during antagonist pairings. There also seem to be other neural factors at work that we don’t yet fully comprehend.

I often prescribe 60-70s rest periods. Such a timeframe is insufficient to allow for full neural recovery during repeated max efforts. Therefore, longer rest periods (during antagonist pairings) leads to greater maximal strength gains.

[quote]Djwlfpack wrote:
Out of all the T-Nation programs I’ve tried, I’d have to say that OVT and TBT have worked the best for me in terms of size and strength gains.

Chad, I’m currently doing your ATOW program (just started Week 2 yesterday)and man is it a killer! My question is since my forearms are a weak point, would you suggest throwing in a few sets of whatever forearm exercise at the end of a lifting session or should I hold off on forearms and train them on the active rest days?

Thanks Chad and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next step is after ATOW.[/quote]

Sure, throw in whatever forearm exercises tickle your fancy. You can refer to my Old School Grip Training article for exercise recommendations. Just be sure to focus on your wrist extensors.

Haha I see. Which one would you recommend, or see the most fitting for size and strength? Are those the only types of Periodization out there? Which 1 would you find more effective?

You use different periodizations in your programs??! Would you mind going more into detail on this? Thanks

What is the Dual Factor theory? Are any of your articles based on it? I understand that its basically 4 weeks of uping volume, while keeping intensity, then you deload for a week and then go onto a Intenisty mesocycle, Correct?

Also, How is that peridization article coming along? I can’t wait for that.

LOL thats it…for NOW. I am sure I will have more questions after this response, but thanks!

Chad,
i just finished abbh for the second time (did the original program, inversed it as per ABBH II, but then, instead of going on to ABBH II, i did the original program again due to me being away from a computer for a month and having no way of reading the article in full), and now I’m looking to start a strength/conditioning program before soccer season starts. I skimmed over both QD and SFM, but I don’t know which would be best to do while doing gpp/sprints/endurance running on off days and playing rec tennis (nothing excrutiating really) 2-3x a week. I’m also going to be near maintanance calories,so im wondering the programs might be too demanding, in which case i’ll cut back on tennis or gpp.

I’ve just got into doing pre-made routines, so between the first few parts of HGM and ABBH, I’ve noticed the most gains with ABBH (hypertrophy/strength).
An old method of mine seemed to work well for strength gains, but little size came of it.
I’d pick a lift, say barbell bench, and do 5x5; working up from my warmup weight (set 1) to my 5RM. I’d start a five week cycle by doubling the first weight increment, then each subsequent week the doubled set would move up. Example:

week 1: 135x5,135x5,155x5,175x5,195x5
week 2: 135x5,155x5,155x5,175x5,195x5
etc.

I’d take the 6th week light, then go back and make set two into set 1, and add 10 lbs to the previous set 5 to make the new one. It would become

155,155,175,195,205 etc.

I used that to take my BP 5RM from 155 to 230, and deadlift from 90 to 250 during last school year.

On to my question. I started to develop shoulder pain after benching, sleeping on my side, and pullups. After noticing my arms were beginning to internally rotate, I added Eric Cressey’s Cracking the Rotator Cuff conundrum routine into the mix and it has helped to alleviate the problem. However, I have no clue where to fit it in during ABBH. I’ve been adding it on lower body days, but since have failed to make any improvements on the cuban press. would you suggest I drop it for now or possibly alter the set/rep parameters to be more in keeping with abbh?

Chad,

All of your programs have produced really great results for me. ABBH was a great start; getting used to training each bodypart twice a week. Strength and size coninued to increase with SOB Training. Total Body Training took everything to the next level in terms of size and strength - amazing - along with a big leap in conditioning. It was also around this time that I followed 100 Reps to Bigger Muscles faithfully, without missing a day.

I really liked Charles’s EDT For Big Arms - I did that at the begining of last summer and my arms blew up; they seem to be able to withstand a HUGE amound of volume. My arms looked really big when I finished that program; the thing is, I weighed about 190 lbs at the time and weigh a little over 215 lbs now; that’s 25 more pounds added to my frame at similar bodyfat levels! With that much more lean mass on my torso, I’m sure my arms are probably as big or bigger then they were last June.

The Art of Waterbury has me feeling like a professional athlete in the gym; moving serious weight, eating a lot, getting thicker by the day, and increasing my work capacity/conditioning. While this is the most rewarding program so far; I’ve had to place much more emphasis on my recovery mehods (sleep (8-10 hours), much food post-workout, lots throughout the day honestly (not just AM carbs), light aerobic activity on my off days(walking in the evening for 30-45 minutes (anything more intense and it took away from my weight training efforts; if I feel like having a “total off day” I take it and don’t think twice))/restorative measures (long, hot showers and deep tissue massages from hot, blonde women whenever possible).

My right knee tendon has flared up a bit, so I’ve been training legs 3 times a week and varying the rep ranges a little from that of the original program (including more high rep work for legs); dropped the power cleans and replaced them with standing barbell rows. So far, so good.

The Art of Waterbury is the best program yet! I’m halfway through and preparing for what you have in store next.

JamminJS

From my training logs: 103 and 122 seem to be best for strength increases (along with size); ranges like 412 seem to be great for size (230 from SOB seemed to really increase size as well, even though I know it’s on the low end of the intensity range on your Rep/Set Bible).

Chad

Is there any relation between bone size (say wrists and ankles) and maximum amount of muscle (say on the upper body and lower body) ?

I seem to recall reading info suggestion that (maybe it was in one of the Brawn books but not sure) but then I read an HST faq and it suggested the opposite…

Any thoughts either way ?

Thanks

Chad, I’ve only tried your SFM, and ABBH I & II, and I’m almost finished with part II.

ABBH I was great, and better than most others I’ve tried previously.

Charles Ploquin had a routine layed out in an ebook that I bought that worked well also.

My question is, would you say that the following progression of your routines is redundant due to the fact that you have a lot of great articles now?

ABBH 1 Size/Strength
ABBH 2 Size/Strength
SFM Strength
SOB Size/Strength
Hybrid Hypertrophy Strength
TTT Fatloss/conditioning
Waterbury Method Size/Strength
Primed for Muscle Strength
Total Body Training Size/Strength
The Art of Waterbury Size/Strength
Quattro Dynamo Strength

Don?t know where to put these yet:
Singles Club
Outlaw Strength&Conditioning Fatloss/conditioning
Next Big 3 Fat loss/conditioning

Would you say that the goals next to each program are accurate?

And finally, would you say that once a person is used to the increases in volume, are there any routines in particular that one should rotate continually for a particular goal?

Thanks!

Chad

Another question. I wonder if you could elaborate or at least point me to a reference. I seem to recall reading somewhere that women are more neurologically efficent than men (sorry, I can’t say where) I think the comment was in regards to strength gains without size (powerlifting or whatever). Given the fact that some women can squat(or DL) 3 plates a-2-g and many men can’t and on average, I think women have 1/10 the testosterone of men, this implies to men that it is because of being superior neurologically …

Any comments ?

An additon to my post above - I looked at my arms closely in the mirror tonight (ok, several mirrors) - they are bigger and thicker now than they have ever been. If I had to guess; it’s all the work my triceps are getting on The Art of Waterbury (my biceps might be bigger also, but my tricep growth is very noticable) - my forearms also look really thick. I’m amazed with all the pressing work already; plus, the direct work - good stuff!

JamminJS