I am training 1 lift per session, 3 sessions per day.
DAY 1
1.1 Bench press
1.2 Military press
1.3 Close-grip bench or dips
DAY 2
1.1 pull-ups
1.2 barbell row
1.3 upright row
DAY 3
1.1 back squat
1.2 leg press
1.3 front squat
BTW I do have a small gym in my garage so it makes it easier.
Each workout lasts around 30 minutes and consists of doing 8 sets of 3 reps with the maximum weight I can accelerate (around 85%) then drop down by 20-40lbs (depending on the lift) and perform 5 sets of 5 reps.
I ramp up the weight relatively rapidly until I reach the max force weight, because I’m neurally efficient I don’t need that many ramp up sets
I train two competitive bodybuilders at the moment, and to keep them going as the diet and preparation take its toll I will sometimes train with either one of them when they are doing something that wont interfere with my main workouts (which is why I trained 4 times yesterday… I did biceps with one of the guys on my pulling day).
I have 2 scoops of Anaconda and 2 scoops of MAG-10 for the first session (half before, half during) and 2 scoops of Anaconda with 1 scoop of MAG-10 for the other sessions.
I take 2 FINiBARs 30 min. prior to the first workout and 1 for the 2 other workouts.
The Anaconda and MAG-10 are mixed in a big jug with 2000 ml of water (CRUCIAL! Fluids are KEY for growth, I can’t overemphasize that.)
I have 2 scoops of whey protein 15 minutes after my workouts
I use 1200mg of Alpha-GPC 60-90 minutes prior to the first workout
The other supplements I’m using are:
vitamin D3 20 000IU
Flameout 4 caps
FA3 4 caps
Magnesium (after my last session and before bed)
Zinc (morning and lunch time)
Curcumin 500, 8 caps
My diet is not super strict, but I normally have 3 solid meals a day (trust me, with the 3 peri-workout protocols you wouldn’t want to eat more than 3 times either!) which are mostly:
Yogurt, nuts and a small portion of meat in the morning
Chicken and rice at lunch
Red meat and green veggies in the evening
I wake up at 5:30 and go to bed at 9:30 (unless there is a hockey game on TV)
I like the way your rep scheme is devised. So simple. Also I like the three a days with short sessions. I used to train similarly to that when i worked at a gym, and I was at my biggest then. Coincidence?
I like that you have decided to take whey protein post workout. This makes the protocol much cheaper, and most likely just as effective. Care to comment on your thoughts about using whey for this pulse and how it compares to using it instead of CH?
PS I thought you were taking Alpha-GPC before bed as well. Is that still true?
Just curious as I recall you said something along the lines of when you hit the 235+ area you weren’t comfortable with various ailments.
Are you gonna try to maybe get there again as fast as possible just to see how effective this new style is?
Cheers[/quote]
I had problems, I suspect, because I gained weight too fast. A lot of it probably was water retention which caused blood pressure problems and sleep apnea.
I went to my cardiologist and my heart’s function is now normal (it was dangerously low due to a cardiomyopathia which turned out to be viral not a malformation like they had suspected) and my blood pressure is under control (actually I had some bouts of HYPOtension last week) so I think that I can try to put on size again. I dropped down to a low of 205lbs (in the experimental arms video) and am now up to 223lbs. I would like to gradually work my way up to 240 again, but be smarter about it.
But I also want to gain strength. I have been running after a 500lbs bench press for what seems to be forever (hit 435 earlier this year) and that is my ultimate goal, but 485 by this summer would satisfy me, along with a 650lbs full squat. I’d also like to hit those in a raw, tested powerlifting competition.
[quote]BulletproofTiger wrote:
I like the way your rep scheme is devised. So simple. Also I like the three a days with short sessions. I used to train similarly to that when i worked at a gym, and I was at my biggest then. Coincidence?
I like that you have decided to take whey protein post workout. This makes the protocol much cheaper, and most likely just as effective. Care to comment on your thoughts about using whey for this pulse and how it compares to using it instead of CH?
PS I thought you were taking Alpha-GPC before bed as well. Is that still true?
PPS Thanks for sharing this with us!
BT[/quote]
Yeah I’m still taking Alpha-GPC before bed.
This is pretty much exactly how I trained when I was an Olympic lifter, except that I didn’t do the 5x5 but rather did 8 x 1 then 5 x 3, focusing on one lift per session.
Since I’m already getting 10 servings of casein hydrolysate per day (6 from Anaconda and 4 from MAG-10) I don’t need more than that. Not to mention that at the conclusion of the workout I still have CHY in my bloodstream and am more after a protein level that will peak 45 minutes after the workout when CHY will be low.
[quote]silverhydra wrote:
That three day split with an 8x3, followed by 5x5 on big movements, sounds scarily like what I do routinely. Good to know that it’s a smart plan.
And all this product name dropping is getting me real eager[/quote]
I must confess that I adapted the sets and reps scheme from Doug Hepburn, but am applying it with the perfect rep, ramping, activation and autoregulation concepts (so sometimes it might not be exactly 8 x 3 and 5 x 5).
[quote]Mr.Martian wrote:
20,000 IUs of Vitamin D? Isn’t that reaching toxic levels?[/quote]
It’s the top level of what they are saying is toxic, yeah. Poliquin actually recommended 45 000mg and convinced me to use a higher loading dose for a few weeks before reducing back down to 10 000mg.
I find it extremely refreshing that you still have those kind of goals in sight. It seems many trainers are content and rather just apply themselves to their clients instead of also furthering themselves. I just couldn’t one day maintain I don’t think.
I guess time will tell however.
You gonna tour Alberta yet?
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Darkane wrote:
CT,
What is the main goal of this approach? Size?
Just curious as I recall you said something along the lines of when you hit the 235+ area you weren’t comfortable with various ailments.
Are you gonna try to maybe get there again as fast as possible just to see how effective this new style is?
Cheers
I had problems, I suspect, because I gained weight too fast. A lot of it probably was water retention which caused blood pressure problems and sleep apnea.
I went to my cardiologist and my heart’s function is now normal (it was dangerously low due to a cardiomyopathia which turned out to be viral not a malformation like they had suspected) and my blood pressure is under control (actually I had some bouts of HYPOtension last week) so I think that I can try to put on size again. I dropped down to a low of 205lbs (in the experimental arms video) and am now up to 223lbs. I would like to gradually work my way up to 240 again, but be smarter about it.
But I also want to gain strength. I have been running after a 500lbs bench press for what seems to be forever (hit 435 earlier this year) and that is my ultimate goal, but 485 by this summer would satisfy me, along with a 650lbs full squat. I’d also like to hit those in a raw, tested powerlifting competition.[/quote]
Thanks for sharing your protocol! Very cool stuff.
This may be a stupid question, but is that everything you do? Do you do any mobility or prehab stuff, “gpp”, etc?
Also, what is the reasoning behind heavier supplementation with the first workout than the other 2 (for example, you don’t take alpha gpc with the other 2 workouts)?
How many days a week do you train?
How long do you intend to stick with your current workout protocol?
Thib, if I can only afford to supplement for one workout, would there be much benefit to training two or three times a day? Let’s assume I can afford the old protocol (FINiBAR, 2 scoops of Surge Recovery, 2 scoops of Surge Workout Fuel) and possibly some whey on top of that. I used to really enjoy splitting up my training into two sessions a day, but that was back when I was using gatorade and whey post-workout.
[quote]jehovasfitness wrote:
So, no pre-planned direct arm work?
how often per week are you doing each Day’s workout?[/quote]
Yes I do some direct biceps and triceps (also delts, traps and hams) when I train with one of my two bodybuilders, which is anywhere between 1 to 3 times per week, as long as it is not interfering with my daily more important workouts.
