How Long to Specialize with I,BB?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

Hi CT,

Been doing the I BB and have had tremendous results thus far. (Up 4 lbs in 3 weeks and my shoulders are looking almost swollen which is a great change of pace). I know autoregulation will ultimately determine however, as a general rule of thumb how long do you typically recommend staying on a particular bodypart specialization? I ask only because I am the classic wood type that Poliquin speaks of. I rend to work really hard and usually don’t know when to quit a good thing while I’m ahead.

Also, if shoulders are my weakest bodypart, would I be ill advised to replace Bench Press with some form of overhead press in the Back specialization or would that neglect the supercompensation from the reduced volume?

Many Thanks!

2

[quote]pflifter wrote:
Hi CT,

Been doing the I BB and have had tremendous results thus far. (Up 4 lbs in 3 weeks and my shoulders are looking almost swollen which is a great change of pace). I know autoregulation will ultimately determine however, as a general rule of thumb how long do you typically recommend staying on a particular bodypart specialization? I ask only because I am the classic wood type that Poliquin speaks of. I rend to work really hard and usually don’t know when to quit a good thing while I’m ahead.

Also, if shoulders are my weakest bodypart, would I be ill advised to replace Bench Press with some form of overhead press in the Back specialization or would that neglect the supercompensation from the reduced volume?

Many Thanks! [/quote]

2-4 weeks depending on if a bodypart is a weak (5-6 weeks), normal (3-4 weeks), or strong (2 weeks) point.

I would not use the overhead press for the back phase, let the shoulders surcompensate. You could replace the bench with overhead press after the first 2 weeks of the back program though.

3

Thib, wich is the progression in the I,BB program?, adding weigth each week if speed doesn’t slow down or what?.

Thanks.

4

[quote]Addweight wrote:
Thib, wich is the progression in the I,BB program?, adding weigth each week if speed doesn’t slow down or what?.

Thanks.[/quote]

Technically, autoregulation takes care of that. Meaning that each day you progress to the maximum weight you can lift while respecting the ‘repetition rule’ of no grinding or no sticking point.

So on a day where you are in good shape you might work up over more than the 6 sets in the program. You might do 8 or 9. In which case you will end up lifting more weight. On a day where you are not in good form you might only reach 5 sets before calling it quits. This is autoregulation.

But as a rule of thumb, if you can complete more than the prescribed 6 sets on any given workout then you start with 5-10lbs more the next week.

5

Thib, can I combine “staedy state cardio” I,BB program?
If yes, witch day would be best?

Thanks.

6

[quote]Rasmussen52 wrote:
Thib, can I combine “staedy state cardio” I,BB program?
If yes, witch day would be best?

Thanks. [/quote]

You can… it might hinder recovery somewhat, but not too much. I’d do it after the non-spec days.

7

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]Addweight wrote:
Thib, wich is the progression in the I,BB program?, adding weigth each week if speed doesn’t slow down or what?.

Thanks.[/quote]

Technically, autoregulation takes care of that. Meaning that each day you progress to the maximum weight you can lift while respecting the ‘repetition rule’ of no grinding or no sticking point.

So on a day where you are in good shape you might work up over more than the 6 sets in the program. You might do 8 or 9. In which case you will end up lifting more weight. On a day where you are not in good form you might only reach 5 sets before calling it quits. This is autoregulation.

But as a rule of thumb, if you can complete more than the prescribed 6 sets on any given workout then you start with 5-10lbs more the next week.[/quote]
Understud.

In the 1st exercise, the activation cluster, which % of 1RM should we start with?, 50%?.

8

Hi Thib, Thanks for your replay.

Can I do the phases in any ordre I want?
Like first phase 2, then phase 1 and then phase 3 and so on?

Thanks

9

[quote]Rasmussen52 wrote:
Hi Thib, Thanks for your replay.

Can I do the phases in any ordre I want?
Like first phase 2, then phase 1 and then phase 3 and so on?

Thanks
[/quote]

Not really…

You can’t do the shoulders and chest phases back to back. Other than that you should be fine.

10

Thanks Thib.

My plan was to start with the Back phase when Shoulders, legs and chest.
Back is my weak bodypart so I’ll want to start with that - if it could be done.

Again Thanks