Let’s get to the burning questions! (But not in an STD sort of way)
I talked to you last night through the private message feature, which I sincerely thank you for responding so promptly, in which you recommended to me:
“The Perfect 10 program for the chest/back. Use a 50/50 combination of compound and isolation exercises for each body part.”
1a. T-bar Row
1b. Dumbell Flys
2a. Wide Grip Row
2b. Incline Dumbell Press
3a. Wide Grip Lat Pull Down Palms Facing Out
3b. Dips
4a. One Arm Row Dumbells
4b. Deadlift
4a.Close Grip Lat Pull Down Palms Facing In
4b. Barbell Bench
Repeat
I’m planning on using the outline you provided in your article to determine the sets, reps, rest, load, and the schedule. How does my plan look? Can I still do limited isolation/compound arm lifts (reverse curls, forearm flexion, tri extensions) or will that cause overtraining?
Thanks!
RetailBoy
Hello,
I’ve been doing TTT and have been having real problems with day 2. I’ve never trained anywhere near 24 reps/set and when chosing a load roughly 26rm, I have trouble completing the workout. Halfway through (after first set of dips/upright rows) I get incredibly light headed/nauseated. When I have been able to finish both my front delts spasm (think charlie horse but in the shoulder) for about 10-15 minutes after the last set.
How would you suggest I go about altering the load/rest to make it a little more bareable while still benefiting. Part of the problem, I think, stems from a difficulty in weight selection. A 5lb increment is too large.
Do you believe its necessary at all times to prioritze scapula retraction work. Vertical pulling and pushing and horizontal pushing all cause some degree of internal rotation and scapula pronation. should horizontal pulling equal out these three movement patterns in terms of volume. Currently I am doing three total body routines a week and trying to equal out the numbers is a little difficult without completely leaving out a movement.
I know you could just do 5 sets of 8 for rowing along with 5 sets of 5 or 3 for horizontal pulling but wouldnt this kind of work essential work different muscle fibers in the chest and back.
a second question would be how would you determine quanitatively the difference between doing 8 sets of 3 with a 5rm max of a given exercise or doing 3 sets of 8 with a 10rm. obviously one is higher in intensity and equal in volume so that exercise would be more intense, but is there any way to determine by how much. this same question would apply to different exercises that work the same muscle group. deadlifts or good mornings should be harder on the posterior chain then pull throughs even though all three are compound movements, but is there a way to predict how much more so. i gave a similiar question to mike but i really want to know your opinion on the matter as well
Chad -
Just wrapping up my first week of WM. I love it!
For the second week, I’m supposed to increase the load 2.5%. If using DB (hammer curls) for an exercise and they only go in 5lb increments, should I just aim for another rep? It’s kind of hard to go from 40lb to 41 with only 5 lb increments.
Suggestions?
sorry one more question chad. i have just got done doing an upper/lower routine recently. in that routine i did one hip dominant, quad dominant then i did some acessory posterior chain work such as the exercises mentioned in mike robertsons designer athlete. the first hip exercise switched from either 5 sets of 5 too 8 sets of there or 6 sets of 4. then second posterior chain exericse was more in the functional to total hypertrophy range of 3 sets of 8 or maybe 3 sets of 10. i would do this workout twice switching the exercises during each session.
might this be too much overkill in your eyes for that particular muscle group. i would do similiar things with back training. one heavy row and one acessory row using the same parameters as above
Hey Chad,
just wondering, when doing the BBB workout, how do you suggest someone would go about warm ups? I’m pretty sure you don’t just go into doing your 5RM in 3 reps, right?
Would you do one set of light weight and high reps(12-15) for each major body part being trained?
ex: upper body day, one set bench press and one set rows? for chest and back?
Chad,
I’ve been doing your Outlaw program for a couple of weeks, and I’m having trouble maintaining my balance with any semblance of form on the 1-legged lifts. I’ve never done any of these before. Am I correct in assuming that I should just keep plugging away as best I can, and the balance will come as my stabilizers get stronger?
Thanks for all the information you provide here. You’ve made a huge impact on the way I train and the results I’m getting.
During a fat-loss training period, will excessive volume actually hinder body composition progress, or will it just affect recovery? Or do the two go hand in hand? I am currently doing full body workouts, 3x a week, using a major push, pull, and lower body lift. I work up to a near max triple on each on day one, do basic recovery/maintenance work with different lifts on day two, then work up to a near max five on the day one’s lifts on day three. I do very little assistance work, and perform some type of cardio on at least two other days. For the most part, I feel fine, and seem to recover just in time for the next workout, but my fat loss has seemed very inconsistent.
Does this sound like too much volume, or is the intensity a concern?
[quote]retailboy wrote:
I talked to you last night through the private message feature, which I sincerely thank you for responding so promptly, in which you recommended to me:
“The Perfect 10 program for the chest/back. Use a 50/50 combination of compound and isolation exercises for each body part.”
1a. T-bar Row
1b. Dumbell Flys
2a. Wide Grip Row
2b. Incline Dumbell Press
3a. Wide Grip Lat Pull Down Palms Facing Out
3b. Dips
4a. One Arm Row Dumbells
4b. Deadlift
4a.Close Grip Lat Pull Down Palms Facing In
4b. Barbell Bench
Repeat
I’m planning on using the outline you provided in your article to determine the sets, reps, rest, load, and the schedule. How does my plan look? Can I still do limited isolation/compound arm lifts (reverse curls, forearm flexion, tri extensions) or will that cause overtraining?
Thanks!
RetailBoy
[/quote]
Your plan looks good, but don’t forget about upright rowing variations. I suggest an upright row instead of deadlifts (4b).
Yes, any and all single-joint variations are recommended. The more, the better.
[quote]JohnGalt wrote:
Hello,
I’ve been doing TTT and have been having real problems with day 2. I’ve never trained anywhere near 24 reps/set and when chosing a load roughly 26rm, I have trouble completing the workout. Halfway through (after first set of dips/upright rows) I get incredibly light headed/nauseated. When I have been able to finish both my front delts spasm (think charlie horse but in the shoulder) for about 10-15 minutes after the last set.
How would you suggest I go about altering the load/rest to make it a little more bareable while still benefiting. Part of the problem, I think, stems from a difficulty in weight selection. A 5lb increment is too large.[/quote]
Your problem lies in your loading selection. Don’t alter any of the parameters, except for the load. Lower the load as much as necessary in order to finish the workout. Once you find a viable starting load, follow the progression as closely as possible. Based on your statements, I highly recommend you err on the lighter side of intial loading.
I don’t think I wrote what I meant, sorry let me try again (hehe):
Can I do the perfect 10 outlined below in addition to isolation/compound arm lifts (reverse curls, forearm flexion, tri extensions) or will that cause overtraining?
Thanks!
RetailBoy
[quote]Chad Waterbury wrote:
retailboy wrote:
I talked to you last night through the private message feature, which I sincerely thank you for responding so promptly, in which you recommended to me:
“The Perfect 10 program for the chest/back. Use a 50/50 combination of compound and isolation exercises for each body part.”
1a. T-bar Row
1b. Dumbell Flys
2a. Wide Grip Row
2b. Incline Dumbell Press
3a. Wide Grip Lat Pull Down Palms Facing Out
3b. Dips
4a. One Arm Row Dumbells
4b. Deadlift
4a.Close Grip Lat Pull Down Palms Facing In
4b. Barbell Bench
Repeat
I’m planning on using the outline you provided in your article to determine the sets, reps, rest, load, and the schedule. How does my plan look? Can I still do limited isolation/compound arm lifts (reverse curls, forearm flexion, tri extensions) or will that cause overtraining?
Thanks!
RetailBoy
Your plan looks good, but don’t forget about upright rowing variations. I suggest an upright row instead of deadlifts (4b).
Yes, any and all single-joint variations are recommended. The more, the better.
[/quote]
[quote]brotzfrog10 wrote:
Do you believe its necessary at all times to prioritze scapula retraction work. Vertical pulling and pushing and horizontal pushing all cause some degree of internal rotation and scapula pronation. should horizontal pulling equal out these three movement patterns in terms of volume. Currently I am doing three total body routines a week and trying to equal out the numbers is a little difficult without completely leaving out a movement.
I know you could just do 5 sets of 8 for rowing along with 5 sets of 5 or 3 for horizontal pulling but wouldnt this kind of work essential work different muscle fibers in the chest and back.
a second question would be how would you determine quanitatively the difference between doing 8 sets of 3 with a 5rm max of a given exercise or doing 3 sets of 8 with a 10rm. obviously one is higher in intensity and equal in volume so that exercise would be more intense, but is there any way to determine by how much. this same question would apply to different exercises that work the same muscle group. deadlifts or good mornings should be harder on the posterior chain then pull throughs even though all three are compound movements, but is there a way to predict how much more so. i gave a similiar question to mike but i really want to know your opinion on the matter as well[/quote]
Your first question: It’s almost always a good idea to perform more scapular retraction work compared to internal rotation work. At the very least, they should be balanced. But due to postural issues, you’d be better off performing more upright and horizontal pulling variations.
Your second question: I’m not really sure what you’re asking but I’ll take a stab at it. The two sets of parameters you mentioned don’t necessarily differ in terms of intensity. Intensity is defined by the amount of force you can produce at any given state of fatigue. In other words, a 20 rep set taken to absolute failure is more intense than performing 3 reps with a 5RM (even though the load is larger in the latter example). Intensity is not necessarily based on load if the other parameters differ. The issue of good mornings and deads being more “intense” on the spinal erectors compared to pullthroughs is an issue of physics. The answer has to do with the line of resistance pull in relation to position of the muscles during contraction.
[quote]Southpaw wrote:
Chad -
Just wrapping up my first week of WM. I love it!
For the second week, I’m supposed to increase the load 2.5%. If using DB (hammer curls) for an exercise and they only go in 5lb increments, should I just aim for another rep? It’s kind of hard to go from 40lb to 41 with only 5 lb increments.
Suggestions?[/quote]
For the WM, you’re better off using a load that’s a little high, instead of adding another rep. Yes, you won’t meet the rep requirement, but continue using load until you can.
Hey CW,
I just wanted to take a sec to say thanks for your great articles and workouts. I finally feel like I’m working out smart and making awsome progress following your workouts. I just completed your Waterbury method and tested my 1RM’s last week. My bench, squat and dealift numbers all shot up.
So again thank you, and keep up the good work!
G’Day Chad,
Just a quick question I’m currently doing the TBT program .Would you recomend changing the exercises every workout(more variation) or stick to one exercise for a couple of weeks and try to increase the weight.
Thanks for your time
[quote]brotzfrog10 wrote:
sorry one more question chad. i have just got done doing an upper/lower routine recently. in that routine i did one hip dominant, quad dominant then i did some acessory posterior chain work such as the exercises mentioned in mike robertsons designer athlete. the first hip exercise switched from either 5 sets of 5 too 8 sets of there or 6 sets of 4. then second posterior chain exericse was more in the functional to total hypertrophy range of 3 sets of 8 or maybe 3 sets of 10. i would do this workout twice switching the exercises during each session.
might this be too much overkill in your eyes for that particular muscle group. i would do similiar things with back training. one heavy row and one acessory row using the same parameters as above[/quote]
I can’t tell you if it was excessive; that depends on your indivdual state of conditioning (something I know nothing about). But on the surface, it doesn’t seem excessive.
[quote]MiniTank wrote:
Hey Chad,
just wondering, when doing the BBB workout, how do you suggest someone would go about warm ups? I’m pretty sure you don’t just go into doing your 5RM in 3 reps, right?
Would you do one set of light weight and high reps(12-15) for each major body part being trained?
ex: upper body day, one set bench press and one set rows? for chest and back?[/quote]
Perform 2-3 sets of 3-4 reps with 70% of your TRAINING load.
[quote]Myopic Rhino wrote:
Chad,
I’ve been doing your Outlaw program for a couple of weeks, and I’m having trouble maintaining my balance with any semblance of form on the 1-legged lifts. I’ve never done any of these before. Am I correct in assuming that I should just keep plugging away as best I can, and the balance will come as my stabilizers get stronger?
Thanks for all the information you provide here. You’ve made a huge impact on the way I train and the results I’m getting.[/quote]
Since your hip/knee/ankle stability is insufficient, it’s good that you’re performing one-leg variations. Keep at it.
[quote]leon79 wrote:
During a fat-loss training period, will excessive volume actually hinder body composition progress, or will it just affect recovery? Or do the two go hand in hand? I am currently doing full body workouts, 3x a week, using a major push, pull, and lower body lift. I work up to a near max triple on each on day one, do basic recovery/maintenance work with different lifts on day two, then work up to a near max five on the day one’s lifts on day three. I do very little assistance work, and perform some type of cardio on at least two other days. For the most part, I feel fine, and seem to recover just in time for the next workout, but my fat loss has seemed very inconsistent.
Does this sound like too much volume, or is the intensity a concern?[/quote]
This is where it’s very important to monitor your progress. If you’re progressing, the work volume isn’t excessive. Since you feel fine, and since you’re recovering, stick to it.