Waterbury PT 8/29

It’s time to get down and dirty!

for someone doing a westside barbell type template how would you advice bringing up a certain area like the hamstrings if they are used to training the muscle group twice a week

Hi Chad

My back has been playing up lately and my chiro has banned me from lifing heavy weights “lol” i have respect for him so ill take his advise FOR NOW.
My question is to u is…i now have to train like a weak ass bodybuilder :smiley:
I know u mostly reccomend a combination of both high and low reps but what would your reccomendation be for someone who has to stick to lighter weight more reps? U know a typical bodybuilding routine :frowning:

Im coming back after a 5 week layoff due to medical and lower back problems but im pretty much back to my best apart from my lower back.

Im 6-4 230 down from 250 :frowning:

Look foward to hearing from u.

Thanks big guy

HHH

Chad,

i am currently following your SFM program with great success and I was wondering if you had any other programs geared toward maximal strength with constant body weight. i have started training for MMA (only 2 nights a week) and still want to get stronger past the 4 weeks this runs but not put on any substantial extra weight.

Thanks!!

Hi Chad… I PM’d this to you earlier but I thought this might be a better place to post it… I really like your ABBH program but I am interested in adding power cleans and maybe snatches to it… is this possible? I notice you dont prescribe too many power lifting movements together on any of your programs, im assuming this is on purpose… is there room in the programs for these exercises because I love DL’s but want to add to my regiment both the powercleans and dumbbell snatches… thanks a lot!

Hi Chad, I PM’d you earlier with this but this is probably the better forum for an answer… Ive recently been interested in your ABBH program but Ive been really wanting to do a program that allows me to do DL’s, power cleans and 1 arm dumbbell snatches… is there any way to work these last two into the program? I noticed you dont prescribe too many powerlifting exercises into your programs and im assuming there is a reason but I would love to add these two additional exercises to what I already do… thanks for your feedback…

[quote]scottiscool wrote:
for someone doing a westside barbell type template how would you advice bringing up a certain area like the hamstrings if they are used to training the muscle group twice a week[/quote]

First, you must determine your goal. Are you trying to increase maximal strength, or hypertrophy of the hamstrings. If you’re attempting to increase maximal strength, 4x/week is just about the limit. However, if you’re trying to develop hypertrophy, my Perfect 10 program would do wonders.

For MxS, start training your hamstrings for 3x/week for 3 weeks. Your new “third” workout should consist of parameters that are vastly different from the other two sessions.

After 3 weeks of 3x/week training, you’re ready for 4x/week.

[quote]HHH wrote:
Hi Chad

My back has been playing up lately and my chiro has banned me from lifing heavy weights “lol” i have respect for him so ill take his advise FOR NOW.
My question is to u is…i now have to train like a weak ass bodybuilder :smiley:
I know u mostly reccomend a combination of both high and low reps but what would your reccomendation be for someone who has to stick to lighter weight more reps? U know a typical bodybuilding routine :frowning:

Im coming back after a 5 week layoff due to medical and lower back problems but im pretty much back to my best apart from my lower back.

Im 6-4 230 down from 250 :frowning:

Look foward to hearing from u.

Thanks big guy

HHH[/quote]

Well, it depends on how “heavy” your light workout can be. Confusing sentence, eh?

Let’s say a 15RM is the heaviest load your chiro wants you to lift. If so, I’d recommend 4x15 alternated with 2x25. You can approach failure on the last set of each method since the load is so light.

Also, you can be sneaky and train with a light load (~50% of 1RM) but with fast tempos (depending on the exercise). Perform 10x3 with this method.

If you can perform all three methods during the week, you should organize it like this:

M: 4x15
W: 2x25
F: 10x3

[quote]trailer36 wrote:
Chad,

i am currently following your SFM program with great success and I was wondering if you had any other programs geared toward maximal strength with constant body weight. i have started training for MMA (only 2 nights a week) and still want to get stronger past the 4 weeks this runs but not put on any substantial extra weight.

Thanks!![/quote]

Any training program can be altered to avoid weight gain - you merely drop your calories. With that in mind, I suggest my Primed for Muscle program.

[quote]Revo09 wrote:
Hi Chad… I PM’d this to you earlier but I thought this might be a better place to post it… I really like your ABBH program but I am interested in adding power cleans and maybe snatches to it… is this possible? I notice you dont prescribe too many power lifting movements together on any of your programs, im assuming this is on purpose… is there room in the programs for these exercises because I love DL’s but want to add to my regiment both the powercleans and dumbbell snatches… thanks a lot![/quote]

This is a tricky area because once you throw in PC and snatches, it’s no longer ABBH. ABBH was designed with specific exercises in mind.

Anyway, you could perform 10x3 powercleans instead of deadlifts. DB snatches can be performed as a supplement at the end of your upper body workouts. Perform 5x3 DB snatches.

Hi Chad,

My gym’s assisted pull-up machine is shit: it doesn’t offer any support below 50 lbs. I’m not going to go into details because it’s not necessary, but my basic problem is that there is no one weight that would allow me to do 5 x 10 pull-ups and 5 x 10 dips. So would it be OK to do as many sets/reps with no support, then once I can’t do anymore of those, finish off that set and subsequent sets with the support machine? So I’d do say, two full sets with my bodyweight, three reps with my body weight for the next set, fail, move on to the machine with ~ 50 lbs of support, finish that set, and continue on adding support if necessary until I finish the whole thing?. Is that OK? Or should I just move to the pull-down machine?

Also, there is no wide-grip dip station, the widest they have would be about shoulder-length for me. If I really stick out my elbows, will it target my chest enough? Or should I do decline semi-supinated grip DB bench press?

Thanks.

[quote]danmaftei wrote:
Hi Chad,

My gym’s assisted pull-up machine is shit: it doesn’t offer any support below 50 lbs. I’m not going to go into details because it’s not necessary, but my basic problem is that there is no one weight that would allow me to do 5 x 10 pull-ups and 5 x 10 dips. So would it be OK to do as many sets/reps with no support, then once I can’t do anymore of those, finish off that set and subsequent sets with the support machine? So I’d do say, two full sets with my bodyweight, three reps with my body weight for the next set, fail, move on to the machine with ~ 50 lbs of support, finish that set, and continue on adding support if necessary until I finish the whole thing?. Is that OK? Or should I just move to the pull-down machine?

Also, there is no wide-grip dip station, the widest they have would be about shoulder-length for me. If I really stick out my elbows, will it target my chest enough? Or should I do decline semi-supinated grip DB bench press?

Thanks.[/quote]

Your method is fine except for the failure part. If you can perform 2x10 without assistance, do it. Then, perform your last three sets with the pulldown machine.

Shoulder width dips are fine.

Well, the problem is, it’s hard to gauge how many I can do before I reach failure.

Hi Chad,
No questions really, just a comment. I wanted to say “Thank You”

I’m currently in Week Four of ABBH (I’m following your suggestions for following up the first three weeks) and I’ve had outstanding results in terms of hypertrophy and strength. I’ve been following the anabolic diet (for mass gain) while following your program and have gained on average 3 to 4 pounds per week with no change in body composition. Obviously I’m gaining some fat, but with no change in bodycomp it’s minimal. My strength has vastly improved too.

I’m currently training to play semi-pro football next year. I’m intersted in playing outside linebacker, so one of my priorities was to gain functional mass. So far, ABBH has worked very well. I’m getting bigger AND stronger. I plan on following the six weeks with four weeks of your Strength Focused Mesocycle. If you get bored, you can check out the thread I started on this subject at:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=710988

Any comments or suggestion are, of course, welcome.

Again thank you and I just wanted to give you some positive feedback.

In faith,
WS

Hi Chad,

Im on my 4th week of your AoW program and have really enjoyed it. I had replaced the power cleans with DL’s, due to not knowing how to perform the power clean properly, can you suggest a good place to learn this technique, and what program you think I should do after i finish the AoW.

thanks.

[quote]Warrior Spirit wrote:
Hi Chad,
No questions really, just a comment. I wanted to say “Thank You”

I’m currently in Week Four of ABBH (I’m following your suggestions for following up the first three weeks) and I’ve had outstanding results in terms of hypertrophy and strength. I’ve been following the anabolic diet (for mass gain) while following your program and have gained on average 3 to 4 pounds per week with no change in body composition. Obviously I’m gaining some fat, but with no change in bodycomp it’s minimal. My strength has vastly improved too.

I’m currently training to play semi-pro football next year. I’m intersted in playing outside linebacker, so one of my priorities was to gain functional mass. So far, ABBH has worked very well. I’m getting bigger AND stronger. I plan on following the six weeks with four weeks of your Strength Focused Mesocycle. If you get bored, you can check out the thread I started on this subject at:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=710988

Any comments or suggestion are, of course, welcome.

Again thank you and I just wanted to give you some positive feedback.

In faith,
WS[/quote]

Cool! Thanks for posting. I appreciate it!

Hey Chad, perhaps you could help with this, I’m fairly new to the site but I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read thus far. I am a week into Dr. DiPasquale’s Anaboilic Diet, 5’10 222lbs - and not the good kind of 222. At any rate here is my question to you in regards to saturated fat:

Here in JB’s fat roundtable he says this:

JB: Right, punch’em in the brain. Then you better get your 150-pound butt on your bike and peddle away! Seriously, though, I think that the general recommendations to cut down on fat in the diet were well intended. At the time, the average sedentary individual was eating about 40% fat (most of this coming from saturated fats) in the diet. That’s a nice recipe for heart disease, obesity, etc.

On the AD diet, I consume alot of bacon, steak and extra lean ground beef. I’m just concerned about potential health risks? Should I be?

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed. Sorry if this thread is otherwise relagated for workout only type questions.

[quote]BoxBabaX wrote:
Hi Chad,

Im on my 4th week of your AoW program and have really enjoyed it. I had replaced the power cleans with DL’s, due to not knowing how to perform the power clean properly, can you suggest a good place to learn this technique, and what program you think I should do after i finish the AoW.

thanks.[/quote]

Powercleans are as easy to perform as deadlifts. If you can’t perform them, you’re making the exercise unnecessarily difficult.

To PC, you should deadlift the load; a few inches before locking out your hips, shrug your traps and perform an upright row; once the barbell is at the lower chest, flip your hands/elbows underneath the bar and drop down into a quarter squat before standing. That’s one rep.

That’s all there is to it.

[quote]Tyler123 wrote:
Hey Chad, perhaps you could help with this, I’m fairly new to the site but I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read thus far. I am a week into Dr. DiPasquale’s Anaboilic Diet, 5’10 222lbs - and not the good kind of 222. At any rate here is my question to you in regards to saturated fat:

Here in JB’s fat roundtable he says this:

JB: Right, punch’em in the brain. Then you better get your 150-pound butt on your bike and peddle away! Seriously, though, I think that the general recommendations to cut down on fat in the diet were well intended. At the time, the average sedentary individual was eating about 40% fat (most of this coming from saturated fats) in the diet. That’s a nice recipe for heart disease, obesity, etc.

On the AD diet, I consume alot of bacon, steak and extra lean ground beef. I’m just concerned about potential health risks? Should I be?

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed. Sorry if this thread is otherwise relagated for workout only type questions.[/quote]

Should you be worried about large amounts of saturated fat? Yes. I suggest you ditch the bacon, and choose lean cuts of beef. Supplement your fat intake with olive oil, enova, and MCTs. You’ll be much better off.

Hey Chad. I just started TTT this week and will have to do straight sets as opposed to supersets just like I did for ABBH1&2.

My questions:
How should I handle rest periods between straight sets. I assume that it’ll be 1.5 times the superset rest period.

Also, should I drop the rest periods 10 seconds instead of 5 seconds for each week?

Anything else I’m missing?

Thanks again, and as always keep up the good work!