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DIET
1) the diet ratios you emailed me... 225 grams protein, 275 grams carb, and 70 grams fat... that's actually a lower ratio than what I normally do on a routine which is 300, 400, 130... 30/40/30 ratio with 4k cals.. which I actually like to raise the cals to 4.8k because I had put my fat levels at an additional 20% (+22 grams) mainly because I use pure, unrefined coconut oil (in addition to EFAs) on my shakes which (the coconut oil) has a good amount of MCT type fats and actually contributes to more sustained energy and fat-loss. Anyway, I know I'm on a new routine here so I am open minded and willing to try yours out, but I added up the cals you gave me and it's only 2600 calories, that's like fat loss for me I think. But I haven't been on a set plan for a while now as far as diet, so this week will be my first getting back in on a diet plan. I haven't been on a diet plan for a while, I have just been basically trying to eat something every 2-3 hours and it was just eat whatever is available.
2) Question on your "diet key for mass" principle. You say to have a shake (which I always do) after a workout, and then you say to have a solid meal. Wouldn't it be more beneficial to have another huge liquid meal when you get back home? Like Liquid carbs (dextrose or maltodextrin) plus whey protein, so that it will go through the system faster and take advantage of the "golden window" feeding time after workouts. As solid meals take quite a bit of time to digest and then for the body to utilize it.
3) As far as supplements go, I have creatine, glutamine.. is creapure/rawmcc much different? Haven't experimented with No-xplode or jetfuel but will check it out, any info on what these supps do would be great.
4) Also, what about eating more "calories" the more muscle you gain. Do i monitor my lean mass and increase accordingly in your program?
5) Do you space the meals 3 hours a part? ...meal 1 (3 hours) then shake, meal 2 (3 hours) then shake (3 hours) meal 3 = about 5 total meals.
6) during the month off, do we still maintain our diet? or is it basically eat what we want within reason... like restaurants, etc.
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The Routine
* I understand what it means to flex at the top of the movement, but when you say "sustain that flexion through the actual exercise" do you just mean to keep it tense. For example, you flex the muscles in the bench press at the top/positive movement then during the negative just keep that muscle tense on the negative... basically tensed throughout the entire set. Is that right? Or maybe you can further elaborate?
* You say the first set should be 20 "real" reps... that it should fatigue you and pump blood into the target muscle. By "real" I assume you mean somewhat challenging? I usually do between 5-7 reps on my routine, so from that perspective, if I can lift a weight for 6 reps.... do I do 50% of that weight? 70% of that weight? After I do 20 reps with this weight, I should feel fatigued? Like should I feel a "burn" (lactic acid) should prevent me from doing any more reps? And, is this also following the same rep tempo of 2 sec. up and 2 second down? Just wondering since usually "warm ups" are a bit faster tempo than the heavier weights, and since this is 20 reps it would be much lighter of course.
1) Can I use regular barbell rows instead of 1 arm rows just so I could get the exercise done faster? Or do you still recommend 1 arm rows over barbell rows? And is there a 1 minute rest between arms? Like I do a row with my right arm, then rest 1 minute, and do a row with my left arm... or do I just move into the left arm without any rest?
2) barbell shrugs OK? instead of dumbbell
3) High rep calf exercises... what is the tempo? fast, medium, slow? Does 1 sec up and 1 sec down sound about right? Or faster? And go to muscular failure per set? rest 45 sec between sets? ...Also what about Regular rep calf exercise? i guess following regular 2/0/2 tempo yeah?
4) smith squats better than free weight squats for your routine? I usually do squats free weight on the cage.
5) You said never to go all the way down on squats.. so if the traditional "have your thighs as parallel to the floor" would have your lower and upper legs forming a 90 degree angle... what degree would you suggest we go instead of 90? Powerlifters try and go all the way down past the point where thighs are parallel to the ground, but I just try and strive for parallel to the ground.
You also say to flex at the top of the movement for squats. But you don't go all the way to the top right? Don't lock out at the top?
6) Cambered barbell curls? Is that the barbell with the "W" slope in the middle? aka EZ barbell curls?
7) We only record the weights of key lifts... and try to progress on key lifts. But what about the other exercises? Don't we also try to progress on those as well?
8) About abs... I read the black swan principle 2, and you say that we'll add those exercise on week 8-12? So we don't do the exercises listed on the black swan principle 2 thread? I'm confused because in the post it says to add it on weeks 8-12 but your discussion with Pat_McCrotch sounds like you add it in the beginning of Phase 1? Do we do these exercises when we start phase 1? Or are all these exercises reserved for phase 3?
9) You said "you will be able to crack out 20-25 reps for sets like nothing. Which when translated into say a PR ( personal record) would equate to a VERY HIGH number. BUT you instead of getting inured will look HUGE and Feel like Machine and be able to rip the door off a car if you needed too." Just wanted to know, we are doing the whole weight progression thing right? The "how strong you need to be" thread sounds like this program takes light the principle of weight progression (progressive overloads via increasing poundage as you gain)? And does high reps like 20 to 25 train type I slow twitch muscle fiber? Which are not the fibers that generate big muscles.
10) We trying to keep training+cardio under 1 hour right?
11) Cardio is medium intensity? Like jogging? Or can/should we take it up a notch?
1) the diet ratios you emailed me... 225 grams protein, 275 grams carb, and 70 grams fat... that's actually a lower ratio than what I normally do on a routine which is 300, 400, 130... 30/40/30 ratio with 4k cals.. which I actually like to raise the cals to 4.8k because I had put my fat levels at an additional 20% (+22 grams) mainly because I use pure, unrefined coconut oil (in addition to EFAs) on my shakes which (the coconut oil) has a good amount of MCT type fats and actually contributes to more sustained energy and fat-loss. Anyway, I know I'm on a new routine here so I am open minded and willing to try yours out, but I added up the cals you gave me and it's only 2600 calories, that's like fat loss for me I think. But I haven't been on a set plan for a while now as far as diet, so this week will be my first getting back in on a diet plan. I haven't been on a diet plan for a while, I have just been basically trying to eat something every 2-3 hours and it was just eat whatever is available.
2) Question on your "diet key for mass" principle. You say to have a shake (which I always do) after a workout, and then you say to have a solid meal. Wouldn't it be more beneficial to have another huge liquid meal when you get back home? Like Liquid carbs (dextrose or maltodextrin) plus whey protein, so that it will go through the system faster and take advantage of the "golden window" feeding time after workouts. As solid meals take quite a bit of time to digest and then for the body to utilize it.
3) As far as supplements go, I have creatine, glutamine.. is creapure/rawmcc much different? Haven't experimented with No-xplode or jetfuel but will check it out, any info on what these supps do would be great.
4) Also, what about eating more "calories" the more muscle you gain. Do i monitor my lean mass and increase accordingly in your program?
5) Do you space the meals 3 hours a part? ...meal 1 (3 hours) then shake, meal 2 (3 hours) then shake (3 hours) meal 3 = about 5 total meals.
6) during the month off, do we still maintain our diet? or is it basically eat what we want within reason... like restaurants, etc.
----
The Routine
* I understand what it means to flex at the top of the movement, but when you say "sustain that flexion through the actual exercise" do you just mean to keep it tense. For example, you flex the muscles in the bench press at the top/positive movement then during the negative just keep that muscle tense on the negative... basically tensed throughout the entire set. Is that right? Or maybe you can further elaborate?
* You say the first set should be 20 "real" reps... that it should fatigue you and pump blood into the target muscle. By "real" I assume you mean somewhat challenging? I usually do between 5-7 reps on my routine, so from that perspective, if I can lift a weight for 6 reps.... do I do 50% of that weight? 70% of that weight? After I do 20 reps with this weight, I should feel fatigued? Like should I feel a "burn" (lactic acid) should prevent me from doing any more reps? And, is this also following the same rep tempo of 2 sec. up and 2 second down? Just wondering since usually "warm ups" are a bit faster tempo than the heavier weights, and since this is 20 reps it would be much lighter of course.
1) Can I use regular barbell rows instead of 1 arm rows just so I could get the exercise done faster? Or do you still recommend 1 arm rows over barbell rows? And is there a 1 minute rest between arms? Like I do a row with my right arm, then rest 1 minute, and do a row with my left arm... or do I just move into the left arm without any rest?
2) barbell shrugs OK? instead of dumbbell
3) High rep calf exercises... what is the tempo? fast, medium, slow? Does 1 sec up and 1 sec down sound about right? Or faster? And go to muscular failure per set? rest 45 sec between sets? ...Also what about Regular rep calf exercise? i guess following regular 2/0/2 tempo yeah?
4) smith squats better than free weight squats for your routine? I usually do squats free weight on the cage.
5) You said never to go all the way down on squats.. so if the traditional "have your thighs as parallel to the floor" would have your lower and upper legs forming a 90 degree angle... what degree would you suggest we go instead of 90? Powerlifters try and go all the way down past the point where thighs are parallel to the ground, but I just try and strive for parallel to the ground.
You also say to flex at the top of the movement for squats. But you don't go all the way to the top right? Don't lock out at the top?
6) Cambered barbell curls? Is that the barbell with the "W" slope in the middle? aka EZ barbell curls?
7) We only record the weights of key lifts... and try to progress on key lifts. But what about the other exercises? Don't we also try to progress on those as well?
8) About abs... I read the black swan principle 2, and you say that we'll add those exercise on week 8-12? So we don't do the exercises listed on the black swan principle 2 thread? I'm confused because in the post it says to add it on weeks 8-12 but your discussion with Pat_McCrotch sounds like you add it in the beginning of Phase 1? Do we do these exercises when we start phase 1? Or are all these exercises reserved for phase 3?
9) You said "you will be able to crack out 20-25 reps for sets like nothing. Which when translated into say a PR ( personal record) would equate to a VERY HIGH number. BUT you instead of getting inured will look HUGE and Feel like Machine and be able to rip the door off a car if you needed too." Just wanted to know, we are doing the whole weight progression thing right? The "how strong you need to be" thread sounds like this program takes light the principle of weight progression (progressive overloads via increasing poundage as you gain)? And does high reps like 20 to 25 train type I slow twitch muscle fiber? Which are not the fibers that generate big muscles.
10) We trying to keep training+cardio under 1 hour right?
11) Cardio is medium intensity? Like jogging? Or can/should we take it up a notch?
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