Yep, I’m back for another round…
CW, would the optimum number of training sessions for a lift or muscle be the number of strength qualites trained per week? If say I train 4 strength qualites per week, maximal strength, speed strength, functional strength parameters (according to CT) and endurance strength. This would mean Im to train each lift 4 times per week.
How many different strength qualities are there that you could suggest training upto twelve times per week or am I on the wrong track here?
Hi Chad thanks for taking questions tonight. My first question is do you feel there are times that split routines(lower body/upper boy) are more beneficial then total body routines. I ask this because I am trying to fit in the four main compound lifts( one press, one pull, one quad dom, and one hip dom) along with some of the prehab exercises mentioned in mike and erics nnm series as well as ab training.
Could eight total exercises(four compound and four single joint ranging from rotator cuff work to abdominal training) be to much in one session. I am eating slightly below mainteance rigth now about 3200kcals, lifting heavy twice a week with a third day built around reps of 15-20.
Could I maybe train abs on my non lifting days, though i feel this may effect my compound lifts on the following day because my core may be slightly fatiqued. Might ABBH be a better fit for me right now until I progress beyond a beginner level and shore up some imbalances.
Two last quick questions what are some ideas or training methods you might use on an athlete who you felt had a weak posterior chain and to much internal rotation.
The last question would be can single leg quad dominant exercises along with overhead squatting and hack squats be just as effective quad builders as the regular back squat. I dont have accesses to a power rack or its like but i do have plenty of barbells and dumbells. Would not being able to full squat or back squat severly hurt my development and athletic potentional.
Chad,
I want to try your primer workout for bent rows. Should I do the rows from the bottom of the movement or the top of the movement with the bar touching my torso? I need to get a quick strength boost for this lift.
[quote]AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
CW, would the optimum number of training sessions for a lift or muscle be the number of strength qualites trained per week? If say I train 4 strength qualites per week, maximal strength, speed strength, functional strength parameters (according to CT) and endurance strength. This would mean Im to train each lift 4 times per week.
How many different strength qualities are there that you could suggest training upto twelve times per week or am I on the wrong track here?[/quote]
For most trainees, there’s no need to train more than 4 strength qualities. But, it depends on your goal. If you merely seek hypertrophy, different strength qualities aren’t as important. But, changing your parameters is very important. What I’m referring to is Undulating Periodization (or, so it’s called).
Don’t get hung up on the 12x/week statement I made. I did not make that statement in hopes of trainees merely focusing on the number 12. I do believe a trainee could train his calves 2x/day for 6 days each week, but I’ll need to write a few articles before anyone should undergo such huge frequency changes.
I’ve received numerous comments about the 6-12/week frequency I mentioned in the Set/Rep Bible. Trainees want to know how to do, and they want to know now! But, such an overzealousness is kinda like a boy walking into a dojo for his first karate lesson, and the boy says to the instructor “How long until I become a black belt?” In other words, there’s a significant journey between 2-3/week and 6-12/week training sessions.
What I’m trying to say is this: don’t focus on “12,” focus on slowly building up your work capacity by training more often (without overindulgence).
Chad,
In ABBH or any of your other programs for that matter, when increasing the wait 2.5% causes you to fall short of specified reps (ex. in 7th set of 10 sets of 5 only able to do 4) Do you recommend in set 8 dropping the weight 2.5% to be able to do all 5 or keeping the weight the same as the previous 7 sets an only knocking out 4?
[quote]brotzfrog10 wrote:
Hi Chad thanks for taking questions tonight. My first question is do you feel there are times that split routines(lower body/upper boy) are more beneficial then total body routines. I ask this because I am trying to fit in the four main compound lifts( one press, one pull, one quad dom, and one hip dom) along with some of the prehab exercises mentioned in mike and erics nnm series as well as ab training.
Could eight total exercises(four compound and four single joint ranging from rotator cuff work to abdominal training) be to much in one session. I am eating slightly below mainteance rigth now about 3200kcals, lifting heavy twice a week with a third day built around reps of 15-20.
Could I maybe train abs on my non lifting days, though i feel this may effect my compound lifts on the following day because my core may be slightly fatiqued. Might ABBH be a better fit for me right now until I progress beyond a beginner level and shore up some imbalances.
Two last quick questions what are some ideas or training methods you might use on an athlete who you felt had a weak posterior chain and to much internal rotation.
The last question would be can single leg quad dominant exercises along with overhead squatting and hack squats be just as effective quad builders as the regular back squat. I dont have accesses to a power rack or its like but i do have plenty of barbells and dumbells. Would not being able to full squat or back squat severly hurt my development and athletic potentional.[/quote]
Split routines are generally more beneficial for elite lifters. That’s because they mandate significant volume/intensity within their workouts. A total-body session would be too damn tough to perform 4x/week.
8 could work since 4 are single-joint in nature.
Yes, perform additional ab work on non-training days.
Good God, more questions?!
Posterior Chain Exercises: Follow my Set/Rep Bible Parameters for Maximal Strength with Hypertrophy. Focus on: Good Mornings, Deadlifts, Squats, glute-ham raises, pullthroughs, back extensions, reverse hypers, and leg curls.
Internal Rotation issues should be addressed with increased upper back work and lots of stretching for the: pec major/minor, lats, and deltoids.
Yes, one-leg squat variations are effective, so are overhead squats. You can gain significant levels of quad hypertrophy with both (although, less with the overhead squats).
[quote]basementD wrote:
Chad,
I want to try your primer workout for bent rows. Should I do the rows from the bottom of the movement or the top of the movement with the bar touching my torso? I need to get a quick strength boost for this lift.
[/quote]
Basically, you’ll need to perform the rows from the bottom (arms extended) portion of the movement. You’ll slightly pull the BB up (2-3 inches) and hold it there for 6-10s. Start out with ~120-125% of 1RM.
In ABBH, I recommend decreasing the load to meet the rep requirements.
This is the case for hypertrophy, but not for maximal strength training.
[quote]Chad Waterbury wrote:
AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
CW, would the optimum number of training sessions for a lift or muscle be the number of strength qualites trained per week? If say I train 4 strength qualites per week, maximal strength, speed strength, functional strength parameters (according to CT) and endurance strength. This would mean Im to train each lift 4 times per week.
How many different strength qualities are there that you could suggest training upto twelve times per week or am I on the wrong track here?
For most trainees, there’s no need to train more than 4 strength qualities. But, it depends on your goal. If you merely seek hypertrophy, different strength qualities aren’t as important. But, changing your parameters is very important. What I’m referring to is Undulating Periodization (or, so it’s called).
Don’t get hung up on the 12x/week statement I made. I did not make that statement in hopes of trainees merely focusing on the number 12. I do believe a trainee could train his calves 2x/day for 6 days each week, but I’ll need to write a few articles before anyone should undergo such huge frequency changes.
I’ve received numerous comments about the 6-12/week frequency I mentioned in the Set/Rep Bible. Trainees want to know how to do, and they want to know now! But, such an overzealousness is kinda like a boy walking into a dojo for his first karate lesson, and the boy says to the instructor “How long until I become a black belt?” In other words, there’s a significant journey between 2-3/week and 6-12/week training sessions.
What I’m trying to say is this: don’t focus on “12,” focus on slowly building up your work capacity by training more often (without overindulgence).
[/quote]
I guess what really concerns me is the the feeling that there is no seeming limit to what may be optimal in terms of frequency. Im not as hung up on 12x per week as I am to the scary possibility that 24x per week may be better and even scarier that it may be possible. I guess Ill just have to wait and see how far you push the envelope.
Amir
CW i plan to bulk form here on until the end of this year. However i wont have a car for the rest of the summer which means i have to walk to and back from the gym.
The walk is 15 minutes one way. Or 30 minutes in all. There is a lot of up hill and down hill action as well 
Taking into account the extra energy i will be expending before and after hitting the weight, how would you adjust the “The Waterbury Method” for someone like me?
Again i am trying to bulk at the moment. Current weight is around a mere 190 @ 6’5. How do i adjust my workout and diet to make up for the extra pre and post workout walking to and from the gym?
Thanks
CW,
I’m doin BBB and seeing amazing results. Increased all my lifts and gaining lots of size. Anyways, am I supposed to switch the 3x8’s to 8x3’s like in ABBH?
[quote]AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
Im not as hung up on 12x per week as I am to the scary possibility that 24x per week may be better and even scarier that it may be possible. I guess Ill just have to wait and see how far you push the envelope.
Amir[/quote]
Ha! Good points, and true!
[quote]samsmarts wrote:
CW i plan to bulk form here on until the end of this year. However i wont have a car for the rest of the summer which means i have to walk to and back from the gym.
The walk is 15 minutes one way. Or 30 minutes in all. There is a lot of up hill and down hill action as well
Taking into account the extra energy i will be expending before and after hitting the weight, how would you adjust the “The Waterbury Method” for someone like me?
Again i am trying to bulk at the moment. Current weight is around a mere 190 @ 6’5. How do i adjust my workout and diet to make up for the extra pre and post workout walking to and from the gym?
Thanks[/quote]
No workout adjustments are necessary.
As for diet, merely consuming an extra 300 calories of carbs/protein should offset the excess energy consumption.
[quote]Reef wrote:
CW,
I’m doin BBB and seeing amazing results. Increased all my lifts and gaining lots of size. Anyways, am I supposed to switch the 3x8’s to 8x3’s like in ABBH?[/quote]
Yes, many trainees have done that. Give it a try.
Mr Waterbury,
I just wanted to say that I’ve enjoyed every article that you’ve written, and every program of yours I’ve tried. Coming back to a more volume based workout after your SFMS I’m astounded at how light some of my old worksets feel. Anyway, to my question:
My current routine might look famailar…
day 1:
A1 Bench variation (flat, close, lockouts, etc)
A2 Row variation (Chest supported, standing, etc)
B1 SDL (butt back version), leg curls, etc
B2 Lunges
day 3
A1 Squat variation
A2 some kinda pullup, chins, more back focused
B1 Dips
B2 bicep curls?
day 5
A1 Deads (romanian, diff grips, etc)
A2 Shoulders of some sort, milt press, bb press, bradford, laterl raises, etc
B1 GM’s
B2 abs. janda, pikes, etc
I like these exersizes; the pairings are easy to get to/use in my gym. However, I have two questions about the long term use of this format.
How long can I stave off adapation by changing set/rep schemes (5x5 currently) and minor placement changes?
If I get this done in less then my hour, and have enough energy, what exersizes would you recommend adding to bring up: grip, triceps, and lats, and if it matters, on what days?
Thank you.
Chad,
In todays “Cool Tips” you suggest either doing 50 reps twice/day, OR, 25 reps 4 times/day. If I wanted to do the 50 rep thing twice throughout the day, do you think this would work fine…
1st session - 25 reps of x, wait 2-3 minutes and perform 25 reps of x again. Then later that day do the same thing? OR, is it more beneficial do one BIG set of 50, then repeating one set of 50 later on.
Thank you,
Danny
[quote]Dboy wrote:
Chad,
In todays “Cool Tips” you suggest either doing 50 reps twice/day, OR, 25 reps 4 times/day. If I wanted to do the 50 rep thing twice throughout the day, do you think this would work fine…
1st session - 25 reps of x, wait 2-3 minutes and perform 25 reps of x again. Then later that day do the same thing? OR, is it more beneficial do one BIG set of 50, then repeating one set of 50 later on.
Thank you,
Danny[/quote]
Until CW responds, Ive personally been doing 33 pushup (since I can only do 40 pushups at one go) reps three times per day and Im finally beginning to notice my pec healing and am able to bench again without undue pain after quite a while of dealing with the issue that it might just rip off the bone any rep. I think as long as you have a few short sessions in which you dont go to failure in any one you should be fine but Id also like to know what CW suggests.
This active recovery work CW prescribed is awsome.
Amir
Chad,
I am modifying your TTT program to be a program i am using for cutting (i get better results with low reps higher weights). i am changing your day 2 to a 5x5 set/rep scheme and your day three to a 3x3 scheme to try to keep my strength. all exercises for days 1 and 2 are the same but want to use these for day 3:
deadlift
box squat
hangclean
BB row
i will be eating at about 12 x BW calories (2300) and doing low intensity cardio 4-5x a week in the morning fasted. Surge during and post work out and i will be carb cycling with higher carbs on training days.
let me know how this sounds. if i am way off (which could be the case) please let me know that as well. thanks chad.