Looks like a great program. But it's written for a six-day week -- day 7 repeats day 1's program. Unfortunately, work and grad school box me in to training certain days each week.* How would you recommend modifying this system to accommodate that kind of schedule? Would I add a set or two, or just lose that element of frequency, with potentially commensurately slowed-down gains?
* Due to my tight schedule during the week, I have to work out at a crappy gym in the basement of my work Mon-Fri. This gym doesn't have a squat rack or incline barbell station (among other things), so I'd sub out trap bar DLs and incline DB presses if I were working out legs or chest, respectively, on those days. But my "regular" gym doesn't have a trap bar, which makes the whole damn thing pretty tough to keep consistent. Of course, if making irregular substitutions doesn't really affect the outcome of this program, I could probably do it largely unmodified.
One of the final tips says "Stretch your hamstrings properly, daily." What is the way you recommend stretching the hamstrings? Recently I've been trying out band stretches for them, and so I am curious if there is an even better stretch.
Join date: Apr 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 239
"Drug-free athletes have no business following the crazy high-carbohydrate diets of their anabolic-assisted brethren. Gaining fat actually decreases the anabolic response to exercise due to the increased competition between fat cells and muscle cells for nutrients"
Join date: Mar 2006
Location: Illinois, USA
Posts: 7938
OlympicLifter wrote:
Erick,
One of the final tips says "Stretch your hamstrings properly, daily." What is the way you recommend stretching the hamstrings? Recently I've been trying out band stretches for them, and so I am curious if there is an even better stretch.
Thanks.
Active-Assisted Hamstring Stretch
â?¢ Lie supine (on your back) with a small rolled-up towel under your low back.
â?¢ Actively initiate hip flexion; once you reach the limit of your active range of motion use a strap to deepen the stretch by pulling the leg a few inches farther.
â?¢ Hold for 2 seconds; repeat until 6 reps are complete.
â?¢ You will feel mild pain in the hamstring on each rep.
â?¢ Your non-working leg should be in contact with the floor and completely straight with toe pointing towards ceiling.
â?¢ Sets: 3/leg
â?¢ Reps: 6 reps (Photos at right)
Join date: Jul 2009
Location: South Africa
Posts: 15
Another awesome article by Erick!
Maybe a dumb question but for the "A" excersises: A1 and A2 usually indicatea super setting. But with Erick's numbering this just indicates that you apply the progressive wave loading to these two and not superset them. Is that right?
Join date: Apr 2010
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 18
scoobyking wrote:
Another awesome article by Erick!
Maybe a dumb question but for the "A" excersises: A1 and A2 usually indicatea super setting. But with Erick's numbering this just indicates that you apply the progressive wave loading to these two and not superset them. Is that right?
Thanks Scoobyking,
Yes, alternate A1 and A2 exercises if possible. If you train in a crowded gym, you can perform these exercises in straight sets without supersetting. The goal of the first 2 exercises is to recruit high-threshold motor units.
Join date: Apr 2010
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 18
thrasher_09 wrote:
"Drug-free athletes have no business following the crazy high-carbohydrate diets of their anabolic-assisted brethren. Gaining fat actually decreases the anabolic response to exercise due to the increased competition between fat cells and muscle cells for nutrients"
This is very interesting...
Drug-free athletes who excel on high-carbohydrate diets are the exception not the norm. Anabolics are extremely potent nutrient partitioners, meaning nutrients are preferentially shuttled into muscle tissue as opposed to fat tissue. So, if your goal is to gain muscle with minimal gains in body fat, you should focus on properly timing carbohydrates around workouts while following a high protein, moderate fat, low carbohydrate diet.
scoobyking wrote:
Another awesome article by Erick!
Maybe a dumb question but for the "A" excersises: A1 and A2 usually indicatea super setting. But with Erick's numbering this just indicates that you apply the progressive wave loading to these two and not superset them. Is that right?
No, you alternate or super set them. The first two lifts are for maximal strength; alternating A1 and A2 doubles the rest time between repeated lifts to give the nervous system a chance to fully recover.
The remaining exercises are done for straight sets, but with higher reps and shorter rest.
This routine kicks serious ass by the way. Perfect marriage of quality strength work and higher volume fare.
The tempos and rest intervals are critical though.
Join date: Feb 2009
Location: Nevada, USA
Posts: 1
Thanks for writing your article. Very different from the usual stuff - it ispires me to give it a try, but I have to admit I don't understand how to interpret your prescribed tempo. I've always just ignored that part of any program I've seen, but then I see that you says it's critical to success. Could you give me a quick explanation or refer me to an article? Thanks in advance.
After reading this article I felt compelled to post my first post ever (after several years of reading and avoiding any controversy).
Erick says that you should stretch your hamstrings daily and to perform cobra stretches. With all due respect to Erik (I'm sure he is a gifted trainer and has helped many people), this is amongst the worst advice anyone can give to weight-trainers (all types). As an ex-powerlifter, I like most weightrained athletes have backward pelvic rotation. The last thing you should do is more hamstring stretching. In fact do NO hamstring stretching and stretch your hip-flexors and quads. This will help with pelvic tilt.
As for cobra stretches, this stretch should not be done by anyone. Not just lifters, but anyone. Hyperextending the back is really, REALLY bad for the back. This very stretch nearly led to the premature end of my powerlifting career. Most peoples spine is not flexible enough to endure this. It was fashionable in the 80's for a time (when back injuries were believed to be all due to "slipped disks", before they realized that they were mostly fascet joint inflammation). Rather than helping people with back problems, it lead to more prolonged back pain and problems.
I realize this is counter to Erick's advice and I'm sure that he has testimonials to verify his advice but all I can respectfully say is try NOT stretching your hamstrings for a while and seriously stretching your quads and hip flexors and dropping these cobra stretches completely and comparing for yourself.
Sorry to be contrary, but I have NEVER posted before and have this first time because I feel so stongly about this advice.
Join date: Apr 2010
Location: Texas, USA
Posts: 18
SteadyPete wrote:
After reading this article I felt compelled to post my first post ever (after several years of reading and avoiding any controversy).
Erick says that you should stretch your hamstrings daily and to perform cobra stretches. With all due respect to Erik (I'm sure he is a gifted trainer and has helped many people), this is amongst the worst advice anyone can give to weight-trainers (all types). As an ex-powerlifter, I like most weightrained athletes have backward pelvic rotation. The last thing you should do is more hamstring stretching. In fact do NO hamstring stretching and stretch your hip-flexors and quads. This will help with pelvic tilt.
As for cobra stretches, this stretch should not be done by anyone. Not just lifters, but anyone. Hyperextending the back is really, REALLY bad for the back. This very stretch nearly led to the premature end of my powerlifting career. Most peoples spine is not flexible enough to endure this. It was fashionable in the 80's for a time (when back injuries were believed to be all due to "slipped disks", before they realized that they were mostly fascet joint inflammation). Rather than helping people with back problems, it lead to more prolonged back pain and problems.
I realize this is counter to Erick's advice and I'm sure that he has testimonials to verify his advice but all I can respectfully say is try NOT stretching your hamstrings for a while and seriously stretching your quads and hip flexors and dropping these cobra stretches completely and comparing for yourself.
Sorry to be contrary, but I have NEVER posted before and have this first time because I feel so stongly about this advice.
Ha! I don't think you know what a prone cobra is; this is the active form of a prone cobra
link
The passive version requires you lie on your stomach supporting your weight on the elbows; I don't recommend pushing your hips off the floor.
Are you saying you have an anterior pelvic tilt?
Hi Erik
thanks for the reply, I'm sorry if I appeared rude, it wasn't my intention. Yes I was referring to the passive (supported on hands) version of the cobra. The version where one pushes deep into hyperextension. This has proved bad for me and many others. I see you were referring to the version where one only goes to the limit of where the back muscles allow, a much safer and beneficial version.
As for the pelvic tilt, the version I have (common to people who have spent a long time squatting and deadlifting) is where the butt sticks out and there is a resultant deeper hyperextension of the back and an apparent stomach bulging out look. This is exacerbated by hamstring stretching. Note I am not talking about sprinter/jumper/hurdlers who can never have too loose hamstrings. I am talking about a condition common to powerlifters/weightlifters. In these cases, it is far more worthwhile to stretch the hip flexors (iliopsoas) and quads. Also to strengthen the abs, hamstrings and glutes. The hamstrings in such individuals pull against this pelvic tilt and work to straighten the hips. In my limited experience, most serious squatters are almost always too tight in the hip flexors and not the hamstrings and benefit more from stretching the hip flexors/quads religiously and avoiding stretching the hamstrings. What do you think?
1. In the recruitment of high-threshold motor units is there any specific reason for the 6-4-2-2 protocol
or is this just one possibilty among others say 5-4-3-2-1?
2. How close to max are you going for each rep range? In your example you show a slightly heavier weight on the second 2 rep set but they are too close to be ramping up to a max I would have thought.
just did the Chest & Back workout and it kicked my butt! Gonna follow this for a while. I also did the rack DL above knee as the final exercise 5 straight sets of 5 reps.
Its funny how much energy you spent doing those "rest-pauses". My previous program was old-school high volume not to failure training. This workout took half the time but was more demanding :)
Join date: Dec 2009
Location: Ontario, CAN
Posts: 45
hey guys
the author stated to repeat it 5 times and move on to the strength-oriented program. What would be a good program to follow after finishing up the 5 week cycle?
And his approach is very similar to Poliquin's ideas of form and overloading. I was wondering if Poliquin's 1 to ^ ratio program would be a good one to train on afterwards?
Join date: Jul 2006
Location: Ontario, CAN
Posts: 447
This thing about the drugged high-carb guys, I thought the elites would consume a lot because they expended much more energy and needed it to replenish their glycogen as well as spike insulin?
Join date: Jun 2009
Location: Colorado, USA
Posts: 67
i was doing very well working out in Januray, but then my work schedule got screwed up and i started going to the bars again, so needless to say i haven't been doing a very good job going to the gym. i've decided to cut out booze for a while though, and i'm re-adjusting my work schedule to allow gym time, so i think i may give this workout a try! but i have some questions.
first, since i haven't been going to the gym on a regular basis since January, should i spend a few weeks reaquainting my body with weight lifting before jumping into this thing? and if so, what would your best advice be for getting back into the swing of things?
second, and i feel like i should know this by now, but i don't: what is "8RM" and can you please explain your tempo instructions (31x1, 21x1, 2010)?
IHaveThePower wrote:
2010 =
2s lowering the bar (eccentric)
0s pause on bottom
1s lifting the bar (concentric)
0s pause on top
8RM I am not totally sure but I think it is the weight you can do maximum of 8 times (meaning you hit a failure at 8)
8(or anything else)RM means a weight you can lift that given amount of reps before hitting concentric failure (unability to lift the weight one more time).
Also, X on tempo prescription means lifting the weight explosively (as fast as possible) or at least trying to be explosive, even if the actual movement ain't that fast.
Join date: Apr 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 239
coach erick wrote:
thrasher_09 wrote:
"Drug-free athletes have no business following the crazy high-carbohydrate diets of their anabolic-assisted brethren. Gaining fat actually decreases the anabolic response to exercise due to the increased competition between fat cells and muscle cells for nutrients"
This is very interesting...
Drug-free athletes who excel on high-carbohydrate diets are the exception not the norm. Anabolics are extremely potent nutrient partitioners, meaning nutrients are preferentially shuttled into muscle tissue as opposed to fat tissue. So, if your goal is to gain muscle with minimal gains in body fat, you should focus on properly timing carbohydrates around workouts while following a high protein, moderate fat, low carbohydrate diet.
