HP Mass Training Program

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

Coach Thibaudeau-

After reading your articles on the I-Bodybuilder program, neural charge training, and high performance mass, I’m sold! As a strength coach myself, your ideas on neural activation, force spectrum ramping, wave loading, and the perfect rep make sense to me. I’m also amazed by the level of committemt you show in helping others on this site reach their goals!

I’m in the process of putting together a high performance mass program. I fully understand that in order for a specific program to produce optimal results, you must following the guidelines closely. I want to get it right the first time and not screw it up. With that being said, your thaughts on a few questions would be of great help to me!

  1. When training primary emphasis upperbody or lowerbody presses on consecutive days, do you vary the exercise selection and loading pattern from day one to day two? If so, how do you go about this?

  2. Similar to the first question, how do you vary the exercise selection and loading pattern for the secondary emphasis pressing exercise from day one to day two, and from the primary emphasis workouts?

  3. How do you structure a neural charge workout? Do you select one or two exercises from each category (explosive barbell, plyo-pushup, mb throw, plyo-jump), and perform them as several rounds of a circuit, or do you perfrom them as straight sets?

Keep up the great work!

2

Obviously, I’m not CT but I think I can help:
The loading pattern and volume are the same day 1 and 2 (as laid out in the article). These loads are based off your MTW.
The exercise selection, I don’t believe, was ever definitively defined. This choice should be defined by the individual and their weaknesses/strengths. I, personally, recommend, and do myself, switch exercises from day 1 to 2 to more fully develop the musculature and to prevent any imbalances.
NC workouts are done as circuits, not straight sets.

3

Believer423-

Thanks for the help!

I just finished my second workout of the program after starting yesterday. Went really well, although I was a little gassed by the time I got to my C Press today. I actually switched it around a little (I know this is probably annoying) and did the Primary Lowerbody yesterday and Primary upperbody today with the secondary exercises being an upper press(floor press)yesterday, and Lower press(front squat) today. I was surprised by how strong I felt on front squat today after doing them yesterday. I’m thinking of sticking with this idea for the first cycle, and then switching to the original consecutive day idea after this, as its a very interesting concept to me.

Has the consecutive day training been working well for you?

I appreciate your thaughts!

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[quote]Giffinator wrote:
Believer423-

Thanks for the help!

I just finished my second workout of the program after starting yesterday. Went really well, although I was a little gassed by the time I got to my C Press today. I actually switched it around a little (I know this is probably annoying) and did the Primary Lowerbody yesterday and Primary upperbody today with the secondary exercises being an upper press(floor press)yesterday, and Lower press(front squat) today. I was surprised by how strong I felt on front squat today after doing them yesterday. I’m thinking of sticking with this idea for the first cycle, and then switching to the original consecutive day idea after this, as its a very interesting concept to me.

Has the consecutive day training been working well for you?

I appreciate your thaughts![/quote]

Since you sound new to CT’s work, the frequency may throw you off a little but, after doing all his programs as they were made available, I’ve grown accustomed, and actually enjoy, all the volume. I don’t get too hung up on weights I use, as I auto-regulate as CT recommends. I continue adding weight until either my bar speed slows or I fail to complete 3 reps.
Are you adding in lats, rhomboids and rear delt?
BTW, many on this board will say you’re not doing HP Mass since you’re not doing it as written. I would suggest you first do it as described and evaluate results after completing your first cycle before bastardizing it :slight_smile:

Good Luck

5

It is amazing. I just wish I knew about it sooner.

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I added in some lat, rear delt, and romboid work between every 2nd or 3rd set yesterday, and that worked well. My quads, adductors, and traps are sore today, but I expected that. Completed my first NC workout today as well toulck about 12-15 minutes or so.

For next week, I’ll go the consecutive route as you suggest, and follow that for the rest of the cycle. You’re right about the bastardizing part, and I can see why it would actually make more sense. Here’s what I’ve done so far this week:

Mon - Lower primary: Broad jumps, Front squat, Trap bar deads, Floor press (all done as outlined for week 1), some light abs.

Tues - Upper primary: MB push press throw, Push press, Incline press, close-grip bench, Front squats (had to take 10 lbs off front squat MTW from monday), mixed in face-pulls and band pull-aparts.

Wed - Neuro charge: 4 rounds of 3-5 reps each with minimal rest: barbell hang clean(light), plyo-pushup, vertical jumps, mb slams.

Planning on repeating monday and tuesdays stuff for thurs and fri, except changing secondary exercises and adding in 3 sets of sled work. I’ll be training light lats and biceps on saturday. Next week I’ll make the necessary changes.

Crushing food, and taking creatine, beta-alinine, and plenty of protein. Wish I could use Anaconda and MAG-10, but I work in the MLB, and it’s not an NSF approved product, so I can’t go that route, although I wish I could. Any suggestions with nutrition while training in this manner would also be helpfull!

Thanks for the input guys, and good luck with training.

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[quote]Giffinator wrote:
I added in some lat, rear delt, and romboid work between every 2nd or 3rd set yesterday, and that worked well. My quads, adductors, and traps are sore today, but I expected that. Completed my first NC workout today as well toulck about 12-15 minutes or so.

For next week, I’ll go the consecutive route as you suggest, and follow that for the rest of the cycle. You’re right about the bastardizing part, and I can see why it would actually make more sense. Here’s what I’ve done so far this week:

Mon - Lower primary: Broad jumps, Front squat, Trap bar deads, Floor press (all done as outlined for week 1), some light abs.

Tues - Upper primary: MB push press throw, Push press, Incline press, close-grip bench, Front squats (had to take 10 lbs off front squat MTW from monday), mixed in face-pulls and band pull-aparts.

Wed - Neuro charge: 4 rounds of 3-5 reps each with minimal rest: barbell hang clean(light), plyo-pushup, vertical jumps, mb slams.

Planning on repeating monday and tuesdays stuff for thurs and fri, except changing secondary exercises and adding in 3 sets of sled work. I’ll be training light lats and biceps on saturday. Next week I’ll make the necessary changes.

Crushing food, and taking creatine, beta-alinine, and plenty of protein. Wish I could use Anaconda and MAG-10, but I work in the MLB, and it’s not an NSF approved product, so I can’t go that route, although I wish I could. Any suggestions with nutrition while training in this manner would also be helpfull!

Thanks for the input guys, and good luck with training.[/quote]

While I don’t use Anaconda, I do use MAG-10. Very surprised it’s not approved. While it seems expensive, try and find casein hydrolysate for less. You can’t.
You could take the least expensive way out and simply use a bcaa pre,during and post workout.
Alternatively, you could use Peptopro peri-workout. Closest thing (probably) to MAG-10.
Can you use Surge Workout Fuel and Finibars? If so, they’re money. Can’t imagine hitting the gym without them.
Keep using your creatine. If you buy Peptopro, add in some creatine and you’ll have a poor-mans Anaconda lol.
As the volume increases, you’ll definately need one of these strategies to ward off catabolism and bring on anabolism! You don’t want to leave the gym smaller than when you walked in, do you? :slight_smile:
Good luck

8

Good point. Getting smaller and weaker is definitely not my goal.lol. I can tell I’ll need all the help I can get when the volume starts to jump up. I’m pretty sure Surge is ok for me to use, and so are the Finibars. I’ll look into the peptopro.

Thanks for the advice!

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hello, can someone explain why is upperbody or lowerbody 1day and next day is the same ? it would be better 1day.Upperbody
2day.Lowerbody
? or just do what CT say 1.day Upperbody, 2day. upperbody and the same for lower body?? thx for answers