[Article] Building the ultimate muscle machine: move your body through space. Program #1.

[JACK250]

Thanks for your response Fadi! Yes I think you've answered my question accordingly, I'm still a little confused as to the source of my lack of energy however; My diet at the moment is based on your 3200 calorie diet (although I probably eat closer to 3500 most of the time). So I feel it is up to scratch. Regarding caffeine, I don't have a great deal- I have a cup of green tea in the morning with lemon and honey as recommended in one of your articles, and sometimes one around lunch time as well. Occasionally I'll have a coffee but not every day. I never have a pre-workout or similar.

This leads me to sleep - I get around 8-9 hours every night, but do not always wake up feeling refreshed. I'm starting to think I might actually be oversleeping.

Thanks for your thoughts! Jack

 

[Fadi]

Jack,..I will give you another strategy to look at,..more specifically related to training, once I get to work tonight.

 

[JACK250]

Thanks Fadi! Just trained this afternoon and had the same problem as usual - did the squats, weighted push-ups (set p.bs for both, so energy and strength were good at this point) did my first set of pullups no problems, then second set hit the wall big time. This is the exact point it seems to happen at every workout! I felt drained for about an hour, and now that I've eaten I feel perfectly normal again. Thanks for your time! Jack

 

[Goosey]

Thanks Fadi! Just trained this afternoon and had the same problem as usual - did the squats, weighted push-ups (set p.bs for both, so energy and strength were good at this point) did my first set of pullups no problems, then second set hit the wall big time. This is the exact point it seems to happen at every workout! I felt drained for about an hour, and now that I've eaten I feel perfectly normal again. Thanks for your time! Jack

Why did you do a second set?

 

[McKwl]

Why did you do a second set?

Because that's what the program dictates, would be my guess:
2a.Chin ups to the front (wide grip)-----------------------------2x 4-7
2b.Chin ups (close grip palms facing you)-----------------------2x 4-7


Actually thinking about this program at some stage, btw. Might modify it just slightly, but it does look good.


edit: How does power clean -> push press (as "one exercise" @ 3 sets of 4-7 for the program) sound, in place of RDL and OHP? Definitely more "moving through space"-like than OHP, anyway. And maybe conventional daedlifts could be done, say once a week? Would these two changes be a) a not terrible idea, and b) easily implemented, do you think, Fadi? Note that my overhead press is already stronger than my other lifts, relatively speaking, so I wouldn't be worried if I didn't gain any kilos on that one, let's just say. But on the other hand, I value the conventional deadlift more highly, and enjoy doing it as well.

 

[Fadi]

Ok Jack, so you've reached the half-way point with the program, let's see if we can do something to have your batteries recharged ok!

I take it you're following this program as outlined by me in the original post, that is to say, three times a week.

Here's what I'd like you to do this week if you don't mind.

Monday: Normal workout
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Do the workout at only 75% of whatever point (reps/weight) you have reached so far. So if you are doing 7 reps for a particular exercise, please drop it down to 5 reps. Likewise with the intensity, if you're squatting with 100kg for example, please reduce it to 75kg.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest

Go to the gym on Monday and aim to do your normal workout (with the reps and weights you have reached so far) and no more. Gauge how you feel in that workout as compared to today's workout. Please note, even if you feel great and up to it, do not increase either reps or weight for that Monday the 29th of April ok! If you feel you can increase, then do that starting Wednesday 1st of May.

 

[Fadi]

Because that's what the program dictates, would be my guess:
2a.Chin ups to the front (wide grip)-----------------------------2x 4-7
2b.Chin ups (close grip palms facing you)-----------------------2x 4-7


Actually thinking about this program at some stage, btw. Might modify it just slightly, but it does look good.


edit: How does power clean -> push press (as "one exercise" for the program) sound, in place of RDL and OHP? Definitely more "moving through space"-like than OHP, anyway. And maybe conventional daedlifts could be done, say once a week? Would these two changes be a) a not terrible idea, and b) easily implemented, do you think, Fadi? Note that my overhead press is already stronger than my other lifts, relatively speaking, so I wouldn't be worried if I didn't gain any kilos on that one, let's just say.

Sounds good and I have no problem with it as long as you are aware of the nature of those two exercises you've picked ok. By nature I mean that these two movements are power dominant instead of pure strength dominant. If you would like to improve in that area, then by all means go ahead and implement them into the program.

And please, modify to suite. I'm not crazy about rigidity in anything; much prefer flexibility any day (within reason of course).

PS: Oh I just noticed. Power clean/push press would have to be classified as two exercises and not just one ok. Thank you.


Fadi.

 

[Darkoz]

Bruce Lee - Be Water My Friend - YouTube

 

[Fadi]

Excatly that Darkoz. Thank you kindly Sir.

Fadi.

 

[McKwl]

Sounds good and I have no problem with it as long as you are aware of the nature of those two exercises you've picked ok. By nature I mean that these two movements are power dominant instead of pure strength dominant. If you would like to improve in that area, then by all means go ahead and implement them into the program.

And please, modify to suite. I'm not crazy about rigidity in anything; much prefer flexibility any day (within reason of course).

Cool.

Maybe conventional deads (and strict press?) could replace power clean and push press, on day 2 every week? Though normal squats might be a bit much on top of that (on that day) though... could do lighter squats to start day 2 maybe?

PS: Oh I just noticed. Power clean/push press would have to be classified as two exercises and not just one ok.

Yeah, I meant doing a power clean followed by a push press as one rep, but of course it's technically two lifts - a bit like clean and jerk.

Or would it be better to just do them separately?

 

[Fadi]

Cool.[/FONT][/COLOR]

Maybe conventional deads (and strict press?) could replace power clean and push press, on day 2 every week? Though normal squats might be a bit much on top of that (on that day) though... could do lighter squats to start day 2 maybe?


Yeah, I meant doing a power clean followed by a push press as one rep, but of course it's technically two lifts - a bit like clean and jerk.

Or would it be better to just do them separately?

Yes, conventional deads and military press could replace the power clean & push press. However, from a personal point of view, I don't see a problem performing squats with deads or anything else for that matter. You'd be surprised how your body adapts to training. I squatted 5x/week in addition to clean and snatch pulls and other exercises all in the same workout. Granted, I was following a periodisation system of training based on percentages of my 1RM. And as far as doing squats on days you're not doing some other major body exercise such as the dead lift, I would not worry too much about that because you'd be having so many days off during the week to help with recovery of both your CNS as well as the replenishment of your muscle's glycogen levels.

As for doing the powers cleans and push press in the same workout or separately. The determining factor as far as you are concerned would be/should be the desired effect you're after with the second lift, i.e. the push press. If you are strong in that lift and in no need of real improvement, then I would include it with the power clean, if on the other hand you need to improve on that lift, then in that case I would give it priority, even performing it before the power clean if need be.


Fadi.

 

[JACK250]

Ok Jack, so you've reached the half-way point with the program, let's see if we can do something to have your batteries recharged ok!

I take it you're following this program as outlined by me in the original post, that is to say, three times a week.

Here's what I'd like you to do this week if you don't mind.

Monday: Normal workout
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Do the workout at only 75% of whatever point (reps/weight) you have reached so far. So if you are doing 7 reps for a particular exercise, please drop it down to 5 reps. Likewise with the intensity, if you're squatting with 100kg for example, please reduce it to 75kg.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest

Go to the gym on Monday and aim to do your normal workout (with the reps and weights you have reached so far) and no more. Gauge how you feel in that workout as compared to today's workout. Please note, even if you feel great and up to it, do not increase either reps or weight for that Monday the 29th of April ok! If you feel you can increase, then do that starting Wednesday 1st of May.

Sounds good, I'll do that and report back next week! Thanks again, Jack

 

[JACK250]

I did the above, still felt pretty average to be honest. Thought I'd mix it up and have split the exercises over 2 days, really happy with how it's going so far. I'll post it up when I've got some more spare time

 

[McFLy]

Hey fadi what kind of diets these guys on?

 

[Fadi]

Hey fadi what kind of diets these guys on?

Hi,

If you are referring to the gymnasts (or any other elite sport person for that matter), they are on what is considered a standard western diet, i.e. animal products, vegetables and fruits. Nothing out of the ordinary or some special type of diet really. I'm speaking based on what I saw with my own eyes when these folks (elite Australian gymnasts) were staying at the same complex as we (the weightlifters) and other elite athletes were at the AIS.

If you are wondering as to the lean shape they are in, it's due to the high frequency of their training. I was on an 8x/week program, and I'm sure they were at least on that if not even a higher frequency. A high frequency type of a program tends to keep your metabolism in fine tune, where it's pretty difficult to add excess fat to one's physique (generally speaking of course).


Fadi.

 

[coolhand78]

Just started this program this morning, was fine with everything except the chins... man i suck at those...particularly the wide grip...
thats gonna take a few weeks to build up too...

 

[Darkoz]

Just started this program this morning, was fine with everything except the chins... man i suck at those...particularly the wide grip...
thats gonna take a few weeks to build up too...

Chins/pull-ups are probably the hardest exercise to do, so you're not alone.

 

[coolhand78]

I pulled up so sore from my first session I've literally had to rest for 5 days... No two day DOMS this is the longest (and direst) I've ever pulled up from training my life...! Must be getting old.. (35)...
ttained again this morning don't think I'll be quite so bad after this one...

 

[Fadi]

Chins/pull-ups are probably the hardest exercise to do, so you're not alone.

Hey Darkoz,..you see some lifters adding a weight to their body. I mean do they find it so easy to perform with just their own bodyweight, or are they so strong that they can actually rep out 20 full bodyweight reps! Just curious if anyone performs this difficult exercise with an added weight?

Then of course you've got the eccentric (negative phase) and a choice to add or eliminate momentum to the movement.



Fadi.

 

[White_Lie]

I usually add 5-10kg but do lower rep ranges. I can do 12-15 with bw but liken it to doing heavier sets with other compounds. I don't bench or dead lift for sets higher than 8-10, so assume the same with pullups/chins.