My newest dilemma

Fausto

Fausto

HST Expert
Hi All

I am currently hammering a program which is simple but is starting to get a little brutal or is it?

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
Deadlifts/Squats - alternated deads only once p/week
Flat B/B benchpress
Chins (u/h c/g)/Seated Cable Rows - alternated
Military press
Abs (personal choice)

above MWF - 15 x 2/10 x 3/5 x 6

and...on Tu/Th

Tabata on cycle
Incline Lateral Raises
Incline Curls (D/B)/Cable tricep extension (flat) - superset fashion</div>

Currently I am on 10 x 3, second week, and oh...I nearly forgot, I had taken out all zigzagging.

On Monday I felt week, to complete squats and bench, but worked through them anyway.

I am currently eating about maintenance plus on some days not sleeping too well (not insomnia though, but interrupted due to stress), could this be the cause of my weakness?

I went back and re-programmed the weights with a little zigzag and slightly lower, so as to allow me to catch up, I feel a huge diference though!
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I also think I should re-start the second week of 10's, and prolong it.
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I have squatted 100 Kg ATG, on my last program, about 3 weeks or so ago...now I am struggling with 75 Kg
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Opinions?
 
Do you think it could be related to volume? I know you are experimenting with 30 reps per exercise this cycle to see how it goes (and I see that you also do Tabata on off days). It could be that you are experiencing accumulated CNS fatigue. Better nutrition or sleeping patterns could alleviate the problem of course, but still volume could be the main culprit here.

I have experienced in the past some strength losses during the 5's and I have concluded that it was probably excessive volume (relative to my nutrition and sleep of course). If this is the case, a drop in volume plus a few days rest could be the solution.

Last cycle I extended the post-5's for about a month, with controlled volume and keeping only a few compounds in there. No problem at all. No strength losses and no joint issues. That's why I suspect that possible strength losses can be attributed to excessive volume. Anyway, just my thoughts...

Regards,
Dimitris
 
i dont think that workout should be to much mate..you only have a few exercises and 3 sets of 10 is basic for most routines, i would say sleep is a major weekener if your not getting enough
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I've done some similar things. Try Tabata just once per week, before your rest day so you can recover. Also, I found arm Isos on off days to be awesome, until the weight got really heavy. Then, I was sapped for the next day's compound lifts, so you may need to lower the volume of those.

Best wishes!
 
Opinions, opinions...just what i wanted of course!

If it is volume and it may well be...I am prepared to dro weight a little seeing that i am doing a semi-cut, not controlled though! Or should I say counted!
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If it is sleep, well then I better catch up now don't I? Either way to take off a few days might not be a bad idea as my lower back is also giving me some beans...damn is my form dropping or what?
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Anyway...keep'em coming guys...keep'em coming.
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My thought is that if you are semi-cutting (What is that by the way? A cycle where you only eat enough to cut a bit? Does, that make a lot of sense?
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) you would be better off dropping the volume back to normal and just ensuring you make the lifts with the heavy stuff.

I would only try a 30 rep cycle if I was really going for a bulk. I think you will need the extra calories to make the most of the extra work you will be doing.
 
ok, you asked for opinions
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If your strength is dropping, I'd drop volume, but keep the weights the same.

Reducing some combination of sets/reps/frequency would get my vote.
 
<div>
(Fausto @ Sep. 21 2006,06:43)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Hi All

I am currently hammering a program which is simple but is starting to get a little brutal or is it?

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">
Deadlifts/Squats - alternated deads only once p/week
Flat B/B benchpress
Chins (u/h c/g)/Seated Cable Rows - alternated
Military press
Abs (personal choice)

above MWF - 15 x 2/10 x 3/5 x 6

and...on Tu/Th

Tabata on cycle
Incline Lateral Raises
Incline Curls (D/B)/Cable tricep extension (flat) - superset fashion</div>

Currently I am on 10 x 3, second week, and oh...I nearly forgot, I had taken out all zigzagging.

On Monday I felt week, to complete squats and bench, but worked through them anyway.

I am currently eating about maintenance plus on some days not sleeping too well (not insomnia though, but interrupted due to stress), could this be the cause of my weakness?

I went back and re-programmed the weights with a little zigzag and slightly lower, so as to allow me to catch up, I feel a huge diference though!  
ghostface.gif


I also think I should re-start the second week of 10's, and prolong it.
rock.gif


I have squatted 100 Kg ATG, on my last program, about 3 weeks or so ago...now I am struggling with 75 Kg  
blush.gif


Opinions?</div>
Yeah, I would drop volume also, and then stop working out with the weights every day. Do the lateral raises and curls on m/w/f and drop the sets to 15 x 1/10 x 2/5 x 4
 
Skip all wieghts on T/Th...it is hard enough to lift HEAVY 3xweek. I think the extra work on offdays is killing you.
And the volume is pretty heavy if you are not on a bulk. I find when I lift heavy sometimes only 10 reps feels sufficient, and 20 reps really wipes me out. I am currently pushing 95% of my 6rm, yesterday did chin-ups and bench presses for 20 reps max-stim, and at the end of the workout I usually do arm iso's but my arms were totally fried from the heavy compounds. I decided to skip all iso''s for the rest of my cycle. I am going for core strength on the big lifts.
 
You crazy man Fausto, you're one of the most experienced guys here, and you're killing yourself with stuff and you should know better. You'd be the first person to tell a guy what to do if he was doing your crazy plan!

Agreed with all the advice given so far, way too much volume when not eating above maint calories, are you trying to bulk, cut, or kill yourself! And a stressful job as well? Man no wonder you're not sleeping!

You need some tough love bro, cut it down! Either you want to put on muscle (then do the HST only), or cut fat, (do the tabata etc. and lift heavy weights with low volume), but doing both at the same time is insanity.

This is all advice you would give!!
 
Aha! It was a test to see if we would speak truth with the Fausto! Well, did we pass?
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Yes. you all did!

I thought this was a crazy plan myself! Unfortunatelly my protein powder got finished the creatine too and thge money does not look too hot.
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So I thought...let me push the boundaries to see how far I can get...screeeeeech...did not get far at all...midway into the 10's my body said nope...dude...this ain't working.

Humbly I say...thank you guys for reminding me that i am human after all...so I will try this daring plan some other time...when I have enough to munch on!
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I'll drop the extra work of Tue/Thur fornow and just do the Tabata, Steve is right...I can always include the arm work during normal training days and will do so but only from the 5's on...

In the mean time as Peak says: <div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">You crazy man Fausto, you're one of the most experienced guys here, and you're killing yourself with stuff and you should know better. You'd be the first person to tell a guy what to do if he was doing your crazy plan!
</div>

I am a little nuts...so I'll still try to push on...but if I have the tell tale signs again I'll definitelly cut volume...the semi-cutting is not going too bad...just a little of the lower ab section to go.

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">My thought is that if you are semi-cutting (What is that by the way? A cycle where you only eat enough to cut a bit? Does, that make a lot of sense? </div>

Lol...that is me...that is exactly what it is...only enough to cut a bit...basically maintenance or so...and a lot of extra work...I can see though that my body does not like it, so as above I...will first drop the extra work and see...then if, and only if I get the same feeling...will I drop the volume down to 20 or so reps.

Thanks guys...you are a great bunch...by the way the stress part is partly from the stressful job, raising a 16 year old who is defying all thenatural laws including the home ones, and handling a wifey who is going through hormonal hell...I must say...what a combination, the weights though is what keep me sane....could it be
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Yo Fausto,

Hmm... maybe if you don't want to drop volume, you can just drop the wife
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">by the way the stress part is partly from the stressful job, raising a 16 year old who is defying all thenatural laws including the home ones, and handling a wifey who is going through hormonal hell</div>

Hehehe, kidding.

It's always volume. And volume is never static. Part of managing your workout is gauging yourself carefully and paying attention to all other contributing and stressful factors.

I don't know how you would classify this cycle to be a &quot;success&quot; or &quot;failure&quot; when you are through with it. Do you actually expect to lose some bf%? Or perhaps lose an inch on the ol' tummy while gaining an inch on the chest? Add 5 pounds of muscle while losing 2 of fat?

I'm rather simple with my workouts (what did you just say recently, &quot;Simplify and Win&quot;?). If it's bulking, I bulk like it's my job. If I'm cutting, then even my favorite Wendy's combo doesn't get eye contact, because it gives me too much calories I can't fit into my plan. It's that simple. Bulk, then bulk. Cut, then cut. If it's a little bit of each, things start getting harder to handle, and for only very little in return. Just my $0.02 here.

Regards,
-JV
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It's always volume. And volume is never static. Part of managing your workout is gauging yourself carefully and paying attention to all other contributing and stressful factors.</div>

I hear you mate! It is partly all the other factors that are getting me I guess.

Here's my latest average calculations, nutrition wise:

Bodyweight current                   : 70 Kg
Req. for growth as p/Berardi     : 3809.58 Kcal (to 70 Kg)
actual current average              : 3772 Kcal

Break down

Protein     22.49%
Carbs       62.05%
Fat           15.46%
Kcals 3772

100-calories under...my guess?

Not enough to cause such weakness, could it be straight lack of sleep and a lot of stress?

I am considering all opinions though and will immediately drop the extra day's work...sniff...sniff
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No, 100 calories under won't make you weak. You are carbed up enough. It'll just stop you from growing (as much or at all), but unless you don't get enough carbs (which isn't the case), then it's not food.

Sometimes stress just does that to you, especially if you don't get as much rest as you are used to.

Perhaps you just had an off day? That's another possibility you can check out. Happens to me, so I just don't mind it at all. My next workout, usually two days after such an off day, usually is back to normal. No big deal.

Try going with what your instinct told you. Hold back a little on the volume (either don't do 30 reps or skip the iso days), and extend the 10's a while so you have more time to catch up and regain your strength if you actually need to.

And maybe a little TLC from the wife
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Can't hurt riight?
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Regards,
-JV
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Perhaps you just had an off day? That's another possibility you can check out. Happens to me, so I just don't mind it at all. My next workout, usually two days after such an off day, usually is back to normal. No big deal.</div>

Thought of that option, but this week has been tremendously stressful, the 2 little ones had a week long concert and the older one was damn busy getting us all uptight, the job too did not help the FDA will be on my ass pretty soon, agggg, what can I say.
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I take it Batman that it will be best to stick to a little lower volume, cut out the trash (isos of course) keep the good stuff (comps) and bash out 10's from scratch, I have already re-calculated the w/o sheet to hang up on the garage and there is a little zigzag, just one w/o back.

What can I say, ATG squats is a love-hate releashioship, that is for sure!

Cheers guys, I am really grateful for all the input!
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(faz @ Sep. 21 2006,13:06)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">i dont think that workout should be to much mate..you only have a few exercises and 3 sets of 10 is basic for most routines, i would say sleep is a major weekener if your not getting enough
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sorry fausto when i said this i didnt realise you were doing isos on tu,th,.
defo drop the isos but as i said not getting enough sleep/rest is a IMO 40% of your progress.
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I agree, drop the volume back. Are you getting close to failure on any sets? If so, drop back a rep or two and just do an extra set. I thought I was hitting it too hard on my olympic lifting days because I felt some fatigue, but hit a new PR in olympic squats tonight (350x10, 159k)
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. That's why I think Dan Moore's ideas about managing fatigue are right on. I never go near failure, I just rack the weight, hit another exercise and come back.
 
Great lifting Liege! Now I have done Oly squats for 2 cycles I am back up to my previous RMs again. I can't imagine ever going back to doing parallels now. Thanks to you and Fausto for getting me onto these.
 
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