Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Weekly Q & A.......

3...2...1......go

17 comments:

  1. Paul,

    6 weeks out from a meet and need to drop 10 lbs. Got mostly strong and slightly fat the last cycle. Wanted to get your take on keeping the strength up while cutting 7-8 lbs. (I can sweat out the last couple). Just cleaning up the diet usually gets most of the job done. Thx!

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  2. Paul,

    What are your thoughts on working out super early on an empty stomach? Say around 4 or 5 am.

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  3. Not really a questions... I notice Elite FTS is looking for some new guys to be on their panel and post a log. Results from the polls look like raw powerlifter and strength specialist are what people are looking for. Just wanted to let you know I think you have a lot to offer and if you are considering expressing interest, I would love to see you contribute (more than have already) there.

    just saying...

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  4. Paul,

    Do you have any experience with Mark Rippetoes 5x5 routine?

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  5. I did run the MadCow Advanced version a couple of times with really good success both times. I will say I used it after coming back from an injury once, and the other time from surgery (appendix). I highly recommend it but remember to plug in conservative maxes.

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  6. On the elitefts q & a -

    I've had a lot of people ask me to submit myself and I had to think a long time about it. Elite is full of guys who have actually accomplished things at a high level and I have not (mainly due to bad timing with injuries). With that said, you can't win if you don't play so I did submit myself. I'm sure Dave has a ton of qualified guys to pick from so I don't have any doubt he'll get the right guys or gals.

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  7. Mike - You do what you gotta do. If that is when you can train then do it. If you aren't used to it, it will suck at first. But after a week or two it will be routine.

    Bigs -

    Losing 7-8 pounds is going to require a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit is going to impact strength always. If you just have to cut them, do so over 4 weeks, then adjust calories back upwards the last two weeks. Just don't be drastic either way. Shoot for 5 pounds over the 4 weeks that way it isn't anything crazy. That's about 500 calories in deficit a day. That's very doable.

    Then find a maintenance calorie level you feel good at once the 4 weeks are up. Let me know how the meet turns out.

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  8. Thx Paul, appreciate it. That's why I'm thinking about this 6 weeks out rather than 4. Missed elite ranks by 35 lbs. last time so hopefully this is the one. Two more questions, then I'll STFU:

    - Arm status?
    and
    - What is it about football this year? I usually follow it like I'm being led to the Kool-aid, but am kinda meh so far. Gotta get my shit together :)

    Thx again for the tips. Good stuff as usual.

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  9. -Arm is real good now. This is the 8th week so I am supposed to be 100% from a healing standpoint. I think two more weeks and I can actually start some light pulling.

    -Don't know man. I forget games are on some days. I think as I get older I just get more occupied with life and I care less. I did enjoy watching the Saints and Chiefs pull out some tough games, so maybe I will get more interested as well.

    No problem on the questions. Always glad to help in any way.

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  10. have you heard any good music lately?

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  11. I really think you have a lot to offer when you open up a log on Elitefts!

    Maybe you haven't accomplished much from your point of view, but I think nowadays people don't want triple-ply 5400lbs high as a kite squats, and 800lbs triple ply belly benches.

    People want honest people they can relate too..

    Why is Jim Wendler so popular? Because people can relate to his story, attitude, vision, style etc etc.

    Mark rippetoe himself isn't the best lifter out there, I believe he cannot deadlift more than 500lbs. That's not impressive. He is a terrific coach however, who has done so much for young athletes/novices.

    You lift more than Jim, so talk about accomplishments

    You have a very strong point of view, a great writing style, and great raw lifts. What more do you need?

    I see an uprise in popularity wiith guys like Lilliebridge, stan efferding, Matt kroc, Konstantin Konstantinovs, Jim Wendler etc. Lifters who are strong as fuck, look the part, and train in a pretty similar way.

    I'm done sticking feathers up your ass, but I think you have what it takes to be on Elitefts.

    Good luck!

    Mark From Holland

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  12. I'd gotten too fat at around 20-25 %, and I am doing a couple of 6-weeks blocks where my main goal is to reduce my bodyfat while maintaining the strength I can. I am now getting down to 12/13 % bodyfat.

    But when stop? I thought 10 % might be a good goal, and then do a strength block with some minor muscle gain. But now that I am closing in I'm considering if it would be better to go all the way down to 7 % or something like that. Ideas?

    martin

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  13. - Music
    I heard a decent song by Revelation Theory the other day called Undone. Now it was playing in the background to a Jamie Eason video so maybe that's why I thought it was so good, I have no idea.

    Mark - LOL Thanks for the feathers. ;-)

    Martin - Do as many conditioning blocks as you need to to get down to where you want to be. You stop when YOU decide you are where you really want to be. I personally like the idea of taking it down to 6-7% because then when you head into a mass gaining block your body will soak up the food and nutrients like a sponge. You also have a lot of wiggle room in terms of bodyfat. You can eat all the way up to 10-12% and still look very lean.

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  14. Standing PBN -
    bar x 50
    65 x 20
    95 x 20
    135 x 20 x 6 x 6 x 6 x 15 (neat trick, try it sometime)

    sorry but I dont get the last set scheme? where these 5 sets? whats the purpose of that?

    ps: i hope you will write on elite soon!

    bernhard

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  15. Bernhard -

    Yes I did 135 for a set of 20 then 3 sets of 6. Then another set of 15.

    This is a little trick I've used before and it works pretty much every time.

    Warm up to a weight and do it close to failure for high reps. 15-20. Then rest for a couple of minutes and do 3 sets of 5-6 reps. Then rep out again. You will be surprised to find that you will get back close to your original high rep set. If I did 135x20 here, then went right into another set of high reps I might only get 11 or 12. With adding the sets of 6 I got 15 (could have gotten more easily but totally pussed out) easily.

    Try it for bench or overheads some time.

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  16. Do you ever use chains or bands? Thoughts on DE (i.e. speed work) for raw training?

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  17. I've used chains in the past. I liked them for front squats. Otherwise not so much. I don't like bands at all. I also think for raw training straight weight is king. I think that bands don't really give a lot of benefit to raw guys personally. When you are raw the weight is hardest to break from the hole, off the best, and from the floor. Bands make the weight harder to lock out. I don't see the benefit. Everything I do I try to make myself stronger from the areas it's hardest to over inertia. So pause squats, paused benches, and deadlifts from mid shin seem to do the best job in that aspect.

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