Waterbury PT 9/12 & 9/14

Chad,
In regards to your “Perfect 10” program, I have this question. I would like to bring up my legs. For my first couple years of training, squats and deadlifts got pushed aside for the wonderful world of leg curls and the like. Although I have been incorporating squats and deadlifts for the past couple of years, they are not up to where I would like them to be. My legs are a good size, but I feel that it is just that I am not as comfortable with these movements as I am with others. My question is,in order to become more comfortable with these lifts, can I utilize the “Perfect 10” program alternating only between different variations of squats and deadlifts, or would the be too taxing for the CNS?

For your “Perfect 10” article, should we choose one exercise per bodypart per day or per session on the 2-a-day’s?

Thanks

[quote]pushharder wrote:
Chad Waterbury wrote:
Yes, you should unload the movement once it hits the floor.

Chad, why? Is it strictly to prevent using the rebound effect to lift the weight?

[/quote]

No, it’s STRICTLY to minimize the highest-risk portion of the deadlift. Reversing a large load in the bottom position can lead to some nasty back problems. Therefore, it should be avoided (most of the time).

[quote]enigma wrote:
Chad, I’ve been using your 10x3 and 4x6 set/rep scheme for a while now cause it has fit my schedule well and with the busyness of the gym, I just didn’t want to bother trying to get around all the squat-rack curlers while I try to do antagonist training,etc. Anyhow, I should soon have the opportunity to complete a full program of yours but was wondering if you think TBT could have the exercises set up to be more so geared for vertical leap increase?[/quote]

Sure, that’s the beauty of the TBT program (it can be catered to your needs). If you want to improve your VJ, be sure to incorporate heavy squats, power cleans and deadlifts. On your off days, perform 40M sprints (6-8 sets of sprints work well).

[quote]AMIRisSQUAT wrote:
Chad, thanks for the double PT. Im not in NY right now and can’t get you on PT when you’re actually on.

Just wanted to know what you thought of this programme -

Monday -

A.M
A1. Military press - 5x3
A2. Pullup - 5x3
B1. Flat bench - 4x6
B2. Barbell row - 4x6

P.M
Deadlift - 5x3
Front Squat - 5x3

Tuesday - GPP

Wednesday -

A.M
Dynamic Squat - 8x3
Dynamic Military press - 8x3
Dynamic pulldown - 8x3

P.M
Dynamic Deadlift - 8x3
Dynamic Flat bench - 8x3
Dynamic barbell row - 8x3

Thursday - GPP

Friday -

A.M
A1. Flat bench press - 5x3
A2. Barbell row - 5x3
B1. Military press - 4x6
B2. Pullups - 4x6

P.M
Back squat - 5x3
RDL - 5x3

Saturday - planning on doing some super high-rep training, like 100 rep method with bodyweight excercises throughout the day.

Sunday - Off

My plan is to increase weight on MxS training (5x3) 2.5% every week till I unload (on week 4 this time). My rest period between supersets for MxS training will be 150 seconds.
To decrease the rest period by 5 seconds each week on the Sp-st or dynamic training day( 8x3), b/t sets, until the unload. My rest period for dynamic training will start off being 60 seconds between straight sets.
And to increase one rep per week for the rep method (4x6) each week till the unload. The rest period for the rep work supersets will be 90 seconds.

Ill be able to get 8 good hours of sleep and even a couple of 30 minute naps during the day. Im having around 800-1000 grams of protein per day and my nutrition is quite in order.

Any suggestions or comments would be GREATLY appreciated. Mainly, Ive used all your progression methods and am trying density manipulation as well. So three methods of progression per week. Each movement worked with MxS , rep training and dynamic training parameters EXCEPT for the squat and dead. I have unusually massive quads, hams, glutes and spinal erectors and rep method lower body work just isnt necessary , besides the fact that above 80% of load with a rep method would just kill. But thats it.

Thanks in advance coach!

Amir

P.S I’m on an “extended vacation” thats why I can get the two workouts. And I’m going to put a client of mine on your perfect 10 in 3 weeks from now. Will definitely let you know how that goes. Hope the book is going well, can’t wait!

[/quote]

You’d be better off performing AM/PM sessions with different parameters. Therefore, I’d advise performing the dynamic exercises (I assume you mean “speed” exercises) during your PM session. Keep your AM session with the heavier 5x3 parameters.

Chad,

What unconventional method would you recommend when trying to increase frequency for the thighs?

[quote]owen dent wrote:
Hey Mr. Waterbury, Im crazy about your routines!

Ive got a bulking diet question. Which one should I follow? The Get-Big diet for body builders, Massive Eating reloaded, or the Testosterone Advantage Plan diet by Lou Schuller?

Im 6’0, 190 pounds, ecto-mesomorph, around 20% fat, active, and I lift heavy…Im also 38 years old. I want to get up to 215# with 12% fat. I would be fine eating the same thing everyday, honestly. I like my food bland and simple. I dont like sweets, potato chips, beer, none of that stuff. Do you have an every day, day in day out menu I could follow for the next year to achieve my goal? Thats actually a big question isnt it?

Im hoping for something like “eat 5 chicken breasts, 4 cups spinach, 3 sweet potatos, 4 oranges, 4 tbls spoons olive oil, 3 servings Grow!,…each day for 12 months, calories adjusted for weight gain”, you know?

Its just so freaking complicated, plus the cooking…holy crap. It feels like rocket science.

Thanks, Owen Dent

[/quote]

I suggest you find an eating plan that offers the most user support. What I’m referring to are the number of people on this site who’ve also followed the same eating plan. Therefore, I’d recommend Massive Eating or the Anabolic Diet. Check out the Anabolic Diet thread since it’s loaded with good info.

[quote]WebEyE wrote:
Chad!

I’d really like to try TBT, AoW and the ABBHs but my problem is I never have trained with such short prescribed rest periods (except for a Meltdown cycle - but there the weight was definitely lower).

I think i will not be able to do all prescribed reps if I base them on my curent 1RM.

Should I lower the weight and use the prescribed rest intervals or increase the rest and stick to my calculated RMs.

How can I train a faster recovery?

Cheers![/quote]

Yes, lower the load as far as necessary to meet the parameter requirements. Soon after, you’ll have developed a larger work capacity and you’ll be well on your way to an impressive physique.

[quote]starkdog wrote:
Hey Chad,

I’m doing TBT and Perfect 10 for my biceps(low peak and weird insertions), and I love it. One thing that is bothering me is my wrist flexibility. I have 15" foreams, and 8"wrists, which should be a good base. I can’t seem to hold the bar while doing front squats. My wrists also torque and pinch while benching, limiting me to 135#. What can I do to to improve wrist flexibility? TIA, -Dave [/quote]

The problem with front squats might not be due to your wrists - it’s probably due to your shoulder flexibility.

Your wrists torque and pinch when benching? That sounds like a technique problem. But it never hurts to work on your wrist flexibility. The problem you’re describing with the front squat is usually due to poor wrist extensor flexibility. You should be able to make the “prayer” hand position with your hands behind your back (fingers pointing up, palms touching each other). If you can’t do this, stretch your wrist extensors every day until you can. I’ll search for a pic.

[quote]OneEye wrote:
Chad,

When you get back to this thread Wednesday, I have a question about The Waterbury Method. On Day 3, you have a DB Romanian Deadlift and a BB Military Press. Would it be ok to make it a BB RDL and a DB MP?

Also, my gym doesn’t have a glute-ham raise, and leg curls always hurt me while I’m doing them for some reason. They always have. What would be a decent substitute (maybe back extensions)? Or should I suck it up and do the leg curls?

Thanks![/quote]

The substitutes you mentioned are fine. Try performing leg curls with a cable set on the lowest position. Face the stack and place a strap around your ankle.

[quote]getgot211 wrote:
Chad, BCAA question - I see that one serving of Surge has 5.25 g of BCAAs - how many grams of BCAAs do you recommend taking around your workout (pre, during and/or PWO)?

thanks[/quote]

Surge actually has ~14g BCAAs/serving. That’s plenty.

[quote]getgot211 wrote:
Chad, martial arts question - what do you think of Krav Maga?[/quote]

I don’t know anything about it.

[quote]Chad Waterbury wrote:
The substitutes you mentioned are fine. Try performing leg curls with a cable set on the lowest position. Face the stack and place a strap around your ankle.
[/quote]

Cool. I’ve never heard of that type of leg curl, I’ll definitely try it out. Thanks very much! And thanks for all the great programs you’ve written, I’ve made very good progress on them!

[quote]brotzfrog10 wrote:
hi chad i was hoping you could give some insight into how you would train a strength and power athlete. I am getting ready for baseball for this coming spring and i was wondering what kind of training you thought would be best. should i focuse mostly on explosive training along with maximal strength work and/or should i focus on specific exercises or muscle groups. i have achieved a fairly good amount of hypertrophy although i am interested in your perfect 10 program.

i also wondered what your stances are prehab exercises and isometric training are. do both of them have a place in an athletes program and/or should one be used more then another.

one last question although i believe you answer it in your set/rep bible but i just want to make sure. would training a muscle group twice in one session using two different hypertrophy guidelines and two different exercises ever be a viable option, or it just better to train that muscle group more often. an example would be 8x3 of rdl and then 3x8 for pullthroughs.

thanks again for T-Nation and your articles the knowledge floating around here is amazing. i just hope i have the same forward thinking as the writers on here once i finish my degree in exercise science.

p.s. any word on your book[/quote]

My Strength Focused Mesocycle would be ideal for your goals.

Prehab is great, isometrics are a little trickier.

Here’s the answer to your 2x/day question:

Twice-a-Day For Lagging Muscles

Q: Got any new tricks for accelerating muscle gains for lagging muscle groups? I?m having a tough time bringing my triceps up to snuff with the rest of my body.

A: Sure do! When trainees hire me to increase the size and strength of a lagging muscle group, one of the first forms of training I introduce them to is twice-a-day training. Now, hitting a muscle group twice in one day isn?t anything really new, but the specific parameters I recommend are unique.

The following two methods are akin to a hot dame who not only has “T,” but also has “A.” Sure, a great set of “T?s” is awesome, but along with the firm little “A,” life is a whole lot better! So, enough with the innuendos, let?s get to the parameters:

Day 1 (Workout 1):

Sets: 6

Reps: 3

Load: 5RM (reps max)

Rest: 60 seconds

Rest 4-8 hours

Day 1 (Workout 2):

Sets: 1

Reps: 10, 3, 3, 2, 2 (see explanation below)

Load: 12RM

Rest: 10 seconds between each rep sequence

Workout 1 is pretty straightforward and simple. You?ll be able to use a relatively large load, but the volume is kept low so you won?t overly fatigue yourself.

Workout 2 is a little more esoteric. I want you to choose an exercise that targets your lagging muscle group, but the exercise must be different from the exercise you used in the first workout of the day.

Once you?ve made an intelligent choice, I want you to perform ten reps with a twelve repetition maximum (i.e., leave a rep or two in the hole). Rest for ten seconds and perform three more reps with the same load. Rest another ten seconds and perform three more reps. Continue for two more sets of two reps with ten second rest periods until you execute twenty total reps.

This combination of load and intensity works wonders for accelerating muscle growth without burning you out. I recommend you use a compound movement for workout 1, but workout 2 can consist of either a compound or isolation exercise (I prefer compound movements for both but either method will work).

Here?s a list of sample exercises I?ve had the most success with:

Workout 1 Exercises:

Triceps: Close-grip Bench Press, Rack Lock-outs, Dips

Biceps: Chin-ups, Supinated-grip Rows (narrow hand position with either exercise)

Pectorals: Flat, Decline or Incline Presses with a barbell or dumbbells

Lats: Pull-ups, Rows (use a wide, pronated hand position for either exercise)

Delts: Military Press with a barbell or dumbbells, Shoulder press with elbows/hands in front of the body (palms facing each other) using dumbbells

Quads: Front Squats, Heel-elevated back squats, Hack Squats

Workout 2 Exercises (the following exercises are in addition to those mentioned above):

Triceps: Skull Crushers (barbell or dumbbell), Pressdowns, French Press (overhead triceps extension)

Biceps: Barbell Curls, Incline Hammer Curls, Preacher Curls

Pectorals: Cable Bench Presses, Flyes (decline bench with a pronated hand position)

Lats: Straight-arm Cable Pulldown, Pullovers

Delts: Lateral raises, Front Raises

Quads: Sissy Squats, Split Squats, Step-ups, Lunges

Note: Remember to pick different exercises for each workout. The greater the differences between movements, the better.

Rest 48 to 72 hours and repeat the same method with two new exercise variations. Merely changing your hand position is usually enough to keep the muscle groups guessing.

Get ready for some growth!

[quote]starkdog wrote:
Hey Chad,

I’m doing TBT and Perfect 10 for my biceps(low peak and weird insertions), and I love it. One thing that is bothering me is my wrist flexibility. I have 15" foreams, and 8"wrists, which should be a good base. I can’t seem to hold the bar while doing front squats. My wrists also torque and pinch while benching, limiting me to 135#. What can I do to to improve wrist flexibility? TIA, -Dave [/quote]

Here’s the pic to describe the range of motion you should be able to achieve.

[quote]speedy5323 wrote:
Chad,
In regards to your “Perfect 10” program, I have this question. I would like to bring up my legs. For my first couple years of training, squats and deadlifts got pushed aside for the wonderful world of leg curls and the like. Although I have been incorporating squats and deadlifts for the past couple of years, they are not up to where I would like them to be. My legs are a good size, but I feel that it is just that I am not as comfortable with these movements as I am with others. My question is,in order to become more comfortable with these lifts, can I utilize the “Perfect 10” program alternating only between different variations of squats and deadlifts, or would the be too taxing for the CNS?[/quote]

As long as you perform NUMEROUS variations, and as long as some of these variations are single-leg versions, you’ll reap the benefits.

[quote]Chad Waterbury wrote:
starkdog wrote:
Hey Chad,

I’m doing TBT and Perfect 10 for my biceps(low peak and weird insertions), and I love it. One thing that is bothering me is my wrist flexibility. I have 15" foreams, and 8"wrists, which should be a good base. I can’t seem to hold the bar while doing front squats. My wrists also torque and pinch while benching, limiting me to 135#. What can I do to to improve wrist flexibility? TIA, -Dave

The problem with front squats might not be due to your wrists - it’s probably due to your shoulder flexibility.

Your wrists torque and pinch when benching? That sounds like a technique problem. But it never hurts to work on your wrist flexibility. The problem you’re describing with the front squat is usually due to poor wrist extensor flexibility. You should be able to make the “prayer” hand position with your hands behind your back (fingers pointing up, palms touching each other). If you can’t do this, stretch your wrist extensors every day until you can. I’ll search for a pic. [/quote]

OOPS! I meant forearm flexors, not forearm extensors.

[quote]climbon wrote:
For your “Perfect 10” article, should we choose one exercise per bodypart per day or per session on the 2-a-day’s?

Thanks[/quote]

Each exercise should be specific to the session, not to the day (during 2x/day training).

Hi Chad,

How could i incorperate overhead squats and cleans in TBT? what catagories would they fall under? Also, are the antogestic sets very important, or is it possible to do standard sets for the even weeks too?

thanks for the help

Chad,

I just wanted to know your thoughts on Poliquin’s Advanced German Volume Training routine.

I’ve been following your full body routines for a while (one in which I’m currently on)and am thinking about switching it up a bit afterwards.

Thanks,

-Nate