For optimal stimulation without risk of overtraining you need to adjust the number of sets and load on the daily capacity (volume tolerance and strength) of the athlete.
To do so we will use a ramping approach. The act of ramping refers to starting at a load that is around 50% of your maximum on a certain lift, gradually adding weight on the bar until you reach the point where you start to grind out the reps. At which point you stop.
Some important rules of ramping are:
Always start at around 50-60% of your maximum on a lift. The exception being ballistic lifts (jump squats for example) and low-load explosive work (speed squats with 50%, plyometrics) with which you can start at, or slightly below the working load.
Always attempt to lift the weight as hard, or as explosively as possible, regardless of the load or your fatigue level. This ensures maximum force production with any training load and will activate the nervous system for set to set.
Only perform the planned number of reps. If the plan calls for sets of 3 reps on the squat, always do sets of 3 reps, even when you are at the lighter weight end of the spectrum. This will ensure maximum neural activation with minimal fatigue, allowing you to reach a higher peak performance on that day.
At the conclusion of each set you can do one of two things: add more weight (10,20,30lbs depending on the lift) or stop the exercise. When you know that you canâ??t add more weight and still dominate all the planned reps of a set, stop the exercise. If you know that you can add more weight while still nailing every repetition, do so.
Adjust the speed of ramping (size of the jump from set to set) depending on what you need to work the most on (speed-strength or strength) or on your activation state. Someone who is stronger than he is powerful might want to take smaller jumps at the beginning of an exercise and larger ones at the end (to perform more sets in the strength-speed zone) whereas someone who is more fast than he is strong might want to do the opposite.
At any point in the execution of an exercise, if you start to grind out a repetition, end the exercise. Grinding is detrimental on neural recovery while not promoting significantly more stimulation.
CT, you need to put this all in an article or two (autoregulation, perfect rep) so that people will stop asking you the same questions in the forum. I swear you’ve laid this all out before…
I have a question CT (forgive me if you mentioned this before).
Going off of point number 4, would you still do another exercise for that particular muscle group or just conclude with that one exercise that you just finished?
So essentially no set is ever taken to failure when performing your work this way except possibly your last set if you have to grind out your last rep or two?
1- What about the rest periods between the ramping sets?
2- Why Ramp until not explosive anymore instead of ramping until you can’t perform another rep? (I know it’s something about HT motor units, but care to elaborate?)
[quote]BAdWolf wrote:
1- What about the rest periods between the ramping sets?
2- Why Ramp until not explosive anymore instead of ramping until you can’t perform another rep? (I know it’s something about HT motor units, but care to elaborate?)[/quote]
I predict the answers will be :
As much as needed before being explosive again, some days it will only be 60 sec, other days it will be as much as 240 sec, so you’ll have to monitor how you feel and autoregulate. It will also vary during the same day, as you will recover faster between your first two sets than between your two last sets.
Not being able to lift another rep implies that you’ll have to grind a few reps, which is counterproductive to CNS improvement and function. Grind reps also means that you’re not producing max force anymore, hence those reps do not contribute to much more muscular growth but make the session overall harder to recover for you CNS. Going to complete concentric failure signifies that your CNS will be totally drained (well, almost, you could still go to complete eccentric and isometric failure, but that would be a poor choice). On the other hand, to stop when your reps are less explosive keep some reserve in your CNS and you’ll be able to train more often with higher intensity. You should usualy leave the gym with higher energy level than when you came in.
Test your CNS
Todayâ??s training tip comes from Chad Waterbury:
01-06-2005
“What you want to do is test your vertical jump before every training session (first establish a baseline: test your VJ after at least 2-3 days of rest–this is your base value). If your VJ is down by 10-15% compared to your baseline, your CNS is not in optimal working state. You can still perform some relatively heavy lifting (not over 90%) and some explosive lifts, but keep the volume very low and use longer rest intervals.”
I knew I had seen this bit before. Good to see it again; I find it to be very accurate.
[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
Test your CNS
Today�?�¢??s training tip comes from Chad Waterbury:
01-06-2005
“What you want to do is test your vertical jump before every training session (first establish a baseline: test your VJ after at least 2-3 days of rest–this is your base value). If your VJ is down by 10-15% compared to your baseline, your CNS is not in optimal working state. You can still perform some relatively heavy lifting (not over 90%) and some explosive lifts, but keep the volume very low and use longer rest intervals.”
I knew I had seen this bit before. Good to see it again; I find it to be very accurate.[/quote]
How does a person actually test their vertical jump with any deal of accuracy on any given day? I don’t see the practical application of this VJ test because of that difficulty so for the likes of me it is useless. Additionally just saying ‘keep the volume low with longer rest intervals’ doesn’t actually mean anything to the nervous system. Sure your workout might be better as a result but you still could be overtaining - the issue may potentially remain unaddressed.
Regardless the method forwarded by CT will provide exacting feedback on ones physical readiness on that day. The whole idea of ending a set when reach your capacity to elicit a maximum force repitition is to prevent neuronal fatigue. I see that many of the principles espoused by CT and Chad are the same, but there are subtle differences and I really don’t understand how people don’t get those differences. The goals might be the same but the methods used to achieve those goals are different, and as such so will the outcome.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
For optimal stimulation without risk of overtraining you need to adjust the number of sets and load on the daily capacity (volume tolerance and strength) of the athlete.
To do so we will use a ramping approach. The act of ramping refers to starting at a load that is around 50% of your maximum on a certain lift, gradually adding weight on the bar until you reach the point where you start to grind out the reps. At which point you stop.
Some important rules of ramping are:
Always start at around 50-60% of your maximum on a lift. The exception being ballistic lifts (jump squats for example) and low-load explosive work (speed squats with 50%, plyometrics) with which you can start at, or slightly below the working load.
Adjust the speed of ramping (size of the jump from set to set) depending on what you need to work the most on (speed-strength or strength) or on your activation state. Someone who is stronger than he is powerful might want to take smaller jumps at the beginning of an exercise and larger ones at the end (to perform more sets in the strength-speed zone) whereas someone who is more fast than he is strong might want to do the opposite.
[/quote]
Coach,
With these two points. Im just wondering when u start at around 50% and work upwards, on the second excercise, would the ramping size (10lbs, 20lbs) be larger because your CNS is already active. I realise that all previous sets have a potentiation effect im just wondering.
For example.
TODAY, I performed DB Press (in kgs) followed by Behind the neck Press:
DB Press
1x10kg
1x15kg feeler sets
3x20
3x22.5
3x25
3x27.5
3x30
2x32.5 second rep was slower
Is that said to be reasonable? Or should i have performed larger jumps and less sets on the second exercise because my CNS was already reasonably activate from the previous, similar patterned exercise? All in all the two exercises were solid.
CT, I have been a long time follower of yours dating back to OVT (loved that program). I usually read and try to incorporate some of your methods into my training. I recently attempted your explosive lifting/ramping technique and also tossed my training log out the window for a few weeks. For whatever reason I just didn’t feel right. When I explode on certain lifts like the bench press I don’t feel any activity in my pecs. This week I went back to a traditional 5x5 no ramping and felt much more comfortable and felt more activity in my pecs.
Also not using my training log makes me feel like I might go backwards from my previous workout. I’m not a slave to my log, I just like to have a guideline with me or I tend to lose focus. Also If I can’t recall what weight/reps I used the time before how will I know if I beat it or not?
However on other exercises like RDL’s and squats the ramping seems to work great. Now that I think about it, I feel comfortable ramping lower body exercises and not so much on the upper body stuff. Not sure why. Just an observation.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
For optimal stimulation without risk of overtraining you need to adjust the number of sets and load on the daily capacity (volume tolerance and strength) of the athlete.
[/quote]
Whats are the other benefits of ramping up weight vs using a static weight for reps and sets?
Do you suggest to ramp up weights all the time instead of using a static weight? Thanks!
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
For optimal stimulation without risk of overtraining you need to adjust the number of sets and load on the daily capacity (volume tolerance and strength) of the athlete.
[/quote]
Whats are the other benefits of ramping up weight vs using a static weight for reps and sets?
Do you suggest to ramp up weights all the time instead of using a static weight? Thanks! [/quote]
I’ve written extensively on this subject… I have several posts in my thread about this, and a few articles on the site. Do a search please.
Yeah I got it now, priming up the CNS. It all makes sense now when having an off day and trying to lift heavy without doing anything beforehand and failing lol. Thanks mate. I guess the ramping is similar to pyramiding except doing the same amount of reps instead of more.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
For optimal stimulation without risk of overtraining you need to adjust the number of sets and load on the daily capacity (volume tolerance and strength) of the athlete.
To do so we will use a ramping approach. The act of ramping refers to starting at a load that is around 50% of your maximum on a certain lift, gradually adding weight on the bar until you reach the point where you start to grind out the reps. At which point you stop.
Some important rules of ramping are:
Always start at around 50-60% of your maximum on a lift. The exception being ballistic lifts (jump squats for example) and low-load explosive work (speed squats with 50%, plyometrics) with which you can start at, or slightly below the working load.
Always attempt to lift the weight as hard, or as explosively as possible, regardless of the load or your fatigue level. This ensures maximum force production with any training load and will activate the nervous system for set to set.
Only perform the planned number of reps. If the plan calls for sets of 3 reps on the squat, always do sets of 3 reps, even when you are at the lighter weight end of the spectrum. This will ensure maximum neural activation with minimal fatigue, allowing you to reach a higher peak performance on that day.
At the conclusion of each set you can do one of two things: add more weight (10,20,30lbs depending on the lift) or stop the exercise. When you know that you can�¢??t add more weight and still dominate all the planned reps of a set, stop the exercise. If you know that you can add more weight while still nailing every repetition, do so.
Adjust the speed of ramping (size of the jump from set to set) depending on what you need to work the most on (speed-strength or strength) or on your activation state. Someone who is stronger than he is powerful might want to take smaller jumps at the beginning of an exercise and larger ones at the end (to perform more sets in the strength-speed zone) whereas someone who is more fast than he is strong might want to do the opposite.
At any point in the execution of an exercise, if you start to grind out a repetition, end the exercise. Grinding is detrimental on neural recovery while not promoting significantly more stimulation.
[/quote]
Over the years I have read quite a bit on autoregulation and wanted to say that were you distinguish yourself is on how well you explain the subject so that it is understandable to lifters of all levels. It has been a real pleasure learning more about this as well as exclusively= training this way.
Thanks Mark… it’s probably because English is not my first language and during the early part of my coaching career I had to find several ways to explain my techniques so that I could properly get my point across.
Front Squats
135x3
155x3
175x3
195x3
215x3
235x3**
255x3
275x3 New PR
**Definitely was experiencing what you are referring to as being in the zone. During the last three sets I felt as if I was unstoppable. The only reason that I stopped ramping was due to the last rep with 275 definitely was a grind.
Front Squats
135x3
155x3
175x3
195x3
215x3
235x3**
255x3
275x3 New PR
**Definitely was experiencing what you are referring to as being in the zone. During the last three sets I felt as if I was unstoppable. The only reason that I stopped ramping was due to the last rep with 275 definitely was a grind.
Thank you in advance
Dan[/quote]
Looks good. A bit more sets than I would do on pin squats, but you can’t argue with a PR. Although, the better you become with the system, the less activation sets (pins in this case) you’ll need. But in the beginning it IS better to do more ramping sets.