CT Inspired Program Thoughts?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

I have always loved CT’s programs, and have followed a lot over the years. I have put together a program using some of the tools I got from these programs, and would love feedback from CT or anyone else with ways to improve. I am mainly after aesthetics, but want to be athletic as well. I would prioritize building muscle first, fat loss second, and increasing performance third. I love cleans, snatches, high pulls, push presses, and front squats the most, and dis like bodybuilding training really but I know it is necessary. I lift 6-7 days a week repeating the 3 day split.

Day 1: Upper Body Push/ Traps double stimulation.

AM
A: Behind the neck press sets of 3 moving up until hitting starting military press weight.
B: Military press sets of 3 until hitting push press weight
C: Push Press reaching a 3RM then a few back off sets
D1: Slight decline bench 5x5 double progression
D2: Face pulls 5x10
E1: Machine chest fly 3x10 pre-exhaust
E2: Incline bench 3x10
F1: Touchdown raise 3x10
F2: Dumbell overhead shrug 3x10
F3: 25# plate raise overhead 3x50

PM
Light weight technique work on snatch and clean and jerk .
Overhead carries

Day 2: Back & Biceps/ Chest, triceps, shoulders double stimulation

AM
A1: Strict pull-ups 4x10
A2: Ring push-ups get a good pump in the chest 4 sets of 10-15
B1: Chinese row 4x8-10
B2: chest flys with bands 4 sets just get a pump
C1: bent over Dumbell row 4 sets of 10 on each side
C2: Lateral raises 4 sets of 1 drop set
D1: mechanical drop set incline Dumbell curl/ seated curl/ standing curl 3 sets
D2: Triceps rope pulldown 4 sets of 10
E1: Preacher Bench machine 3 sets of 2 drop sets
E2: Triceps kickback with bands 3 sets just get a good pump
F: abs

PM
Light weight technique work on snatch or cleans or bodyweight movements
Loaded carries

Day 3: Lower body and Olympic lifts/ biceps double stimulation

AM
A: Power snatch or high pull work up to 70% for 3
B: Snatch work up to a 3RM
C: Front Squat or Back Squat work up to a 3 RM
D: Cleans work up to 3RM
E: Sumo or Clean Deadlift work up to a 3RM
F: Biceps work for pump 3-4 sets
G: Abs

PM
Light weight technique work for snatch and cleans or body weight movements
Farmers walks or other loaded carries

Repeat.
Thoughts would be appreciated thanks.

2

[quote]matt_t2004 wrote:
I have always loved CT’s programs, and have followed a lot over the years. I have put together a program using some of the tools I got from these programs, and would love feedback from CT or anyone else with ways to improve. I am mainly after aesthetics, but want to be athletic as well. I would prioritize building muscle first, fat loss second, and increasing performance third. I love cleans, snatches, high pulls, push presses, and front squats the most, and dis like bodybuilding training really but I know it is necessary. I lift 6-7 days a week repeating the 3 day split.

Day 1: Upper Body Push/ Traps double stimulation.

AM
A: Behind the neck press sets of 3 moving up until hitting starting military press weight.
B: Military press sets of 3 until hitting push press weight
C: Push Press reaching a 3RM then a few back off sets
D1: Slight decline bench 5x5 double progression
D2: Face pulls 5x10
E1: Machine chest fly 3x10 pre-exhaust
E2: Incline bench 3x10
F1: Touchdown raise 3x10
F2: Dumbell overhead shrug 3x10
F3: 25# plate raise overhead 3x50

PM
Light weight technique work on snatch and clean and jerk .
Overhead carries

Day 2: Back & Biceps/ Chest, triceps, shoulders double stimulation

AM
A1: Strict pull-ups 4x10
A2: Ring push-ups get a good pump in the chest 4 sets of 10-15
B1: Chinese row 4x8-10
B2: chest flys with bands 4 sets just get a pump
C1: bent over Dumbell row 4 sets of 10 on each side
C2: Lateral raises 4 sets of 1 drop set
D1: mechanical drop set incline Dumbell curl/ seated curl/ standing curl 3 sets
D2: Triceps rope pulldown 4 sets of 10
E1: Preacher Bench machine 3 sets of 2 drop sets
E2: Triceps kickback with bands 3 sets just get a good pump
F: abs

PM
Light weight technique work on snatch or cleans or bodyweight movements
Loaded carries

Day 3: Lower body and Olympic lifts/ biceps double stimulation

AM
A: Power snatch or high pull work up to 70% for 3
B: Snatch work up to a 3RM
C: Front Squat or Back Squat work up to a 3 RM
D: Cleans work up to 3RM
E: Sumo or Clean Deadlift work up to a 3RM
F: Biceps work for pump 3-4 sets
G: Abs

PM
Light weight technique work for snatch and cleans or body weight movements
Farmers walks or other loaded carries

Repeat.
Thoughts would be appreciated thanks.

[/quote]

I haven’t reviewed the program yet. But the main mistake you are making is putting the Olympic lifting work as the second workout. Even if it’s light/technique work the muscle-building work in the AM will hurt your performance especially when doing shoulders or chest in the AM because it will make it harder to hold the bar in the proper position especially in the snatch or jerk.

And as you begin the use more weight you will find that snatching and jerking on tired arms or shoulders is a bad idea.

I DO THAT MYSELF but that’s because I have no choice at the moment, but as soon as Nick is done competing I’ll do my Olympic lifting in my first workout.

3

Ok thanks CT. I can put the technique work for the Olympic lifts before the AM workout, and take the work for the double stimulation muscle group and move it to the PM.

So Day 1 would be this

Day 1:
AM
light technique work snatch or clean/ upper body push

PM
Trap double stimulation pump work/ loaded carries

That sound ok? Thanks

4

[quote]matt_t2004 wrote:
I have always loved CT’s programs, and have followed a lot over the years. I have put together a program using some of the tools I got from these programs, and would love feedback from CT or anyone else with ways to improve. I am mainly after aesthetics, but want to be athletic as well. I would prioritize building muscle first, fat loss second, and increasing performance third. I love cleans, snatches, high pulls, push presses, and front squats the most, and dis like bodybuilding training really but I know it is necessary. I lift 6-7 days a week repeating the 3 day split.

Day 1: Upper Body Push/ Traps double stimulation.

AM
A: Behind the neck press sets of 3 moving up until hitting starting military press weight.
B: Military press sets of 3 until hitting push press weight
C: Push Press reaching a 3RM then a few back off sets
D1: Slight decline bench 5x5 double progression
D2: Face pulls 5x10
E1: Machine chest fly 3x10 pre-exhaust
E2: Incline bench 3x10
F1: Touchdown raise 3x10
F2: Dumbell overhead shrug 3x10
F3: 25# plate raise overhead 3x50

PM
Light weight technique work on snatch and clean and jerk .
Overhead carries

Day 2: Back & Biceps/ Chest, triceps, shoulders double stimulation

AM
A1: Strict pull-ups 4x10
A2: Ring push-ups get a good pump in the chest 4 sets of 10-15
B1: Chinese row 4x8-10
B2: chest flys with bands 4 sets just get a pump
C1: bent over Dumbell row 4 sets of 10 on each side
C2: Lateral raises 4 sets of 1 drop set
D1: mechanical drop set incline Dumbell curl/ seated curl/ standing curl 3 sets
D2: Triceps rope pulldown 4 sets of 10
E1: Preacher Bench machine 3 sets of 2 drop sets
E2: Triceps kickback with bands 3 sets just get a good pump
F: abs

PM
Light weight technique work on snatch or cleans or bodyweight movements
Loaded carries

Day 3: Lower body and Olympic lifts/ biceps double stimulation

AM
A: Power snatch or high pull work up to 70% for 3
B: Snatch work up to a 3RM
C: Front Squat or Back Squat work up to a 3 RM
D: Cleans work up to 3RM
E: Sumo or Clean Deadlift work up to a 3RM
F: Biceps work for pump 3-4 sets
G: Abs

PM
Light weight technique work for snatch and cleans or body weight movements
Farmers walks or other loaded carries

Repeat.
Thoughts would be appreciated thanks.

[/quote]

Maybe its just me, but I’m never been a fan of doing low rep sets of behind the back press. I’ve utilized them the way I do good mornings, as a great exercise for hypertrophy using 8-12 controlled reps per set.