Monday, December 6, 2010

Weekly Q & A

Leave a name and a question......

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

18 comments:

  1. Paul,

    Thoughts on 5/3/1 using one assistance and barbell complex each workout.

    Example:
    Military 5/3/1
    Dips
    BB Complexes

    Deads 5/3/1
    Chins
    BB COmplexes

    Bench 5/3/1
    DB bench
    BB complexes

    Squat 5/3/1
    Rows
    BB complexes

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  2. What do you think about upright rows? Too unsafe or something worth incorporating?

    I've been doing them hands shoulder-width apart and not bringing the bar higher than nipple level

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  3. Davis - What is your goal here? I can't comment on it without knowing why you are doing what you are doing?

    Ray - I like upright rows a lot. One thing I have been doing lately which I think makes them even easier on the shoulders is to use dumbbells, a rope, or bands. This lets the hands move in a more natural plane rather than locking it into place with a barbell. Experiment a little to see what you like best.

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  4. how many down sets do you think are good after doing your work set in the bench

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  5. Paul,

    Thx again for the time you put into this board. Have a good xmas.

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  6. Big - thanks for reading man. And you too!!!

    Anonymous - I just do the 1 down set. Sometimes I will do two, but I find I do just fine with 1.

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  7. Hi Paul,

    i´m a tall powerlifter and i always find it hard to keep my upper back arched and upright while squatting. any ideas on how i could fix that?

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  8. Well I'd have to see a video of your squat.

    But some general things to do would be...

    1 - Get your upperback a lot stronger. Lots of heavy rows, deadlifts, and shrugs. Do some form of upper back work 4 times a week for the next 2 weeks, then twice a week for 2 weeks, then no upperback work for a week. Then resume normal upper back work to once a week. Pick 1 upperback movement per day and do 5 sets of 10 with it.

    2 - Are you sitting back to start the squatting motion? A lot of guys bend at the knee first and they lose their leverage over the bar, and the tightness in the back goes to shit.

    3 - If it's on a maximum attempt only, don't sweat it. Form is never going to be perfect on true max attempts.

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  9. I've got newborn twins and they are dominating my life in ways I could never imagine.

    Sleep is a joke. I've cut back my training to twice per week and to be honest I'm really loving the results. Think I may stick with this for a good 6-12 months and see what happens.

    However, getting the calories in is proving to be problematic. I pound PB & J sandwiches at work but when I'm at home juggling babies it's damn near impossible to eat.

    I eat handfuls of mixed nuts every time I pass by the kitchen and I'm considering
    simply chugging fish or olive oil every night? Good idea? Bad idea?

    Think I'll be able to make good gains on high fat, moderate protein? (probably between 0.5 - 0.75 grams per pound of bodyweight per day)?

    Matt

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  10. If weight gain is your goal, pound the carbs. High fat moderate protein screams fat loss to me.

    Cook up a giant bowl of jasmine rice. It can be found in any grocery store. It keeps really well and the taste is incredible. Add two cups of that to your evening meals and make the following shake and stick it in the fridge, sipping on it throughout the day.

    2 cups of milk
    2 cups of ice cream
    chocolate syrup
    2 scoops of protein powder
    1 banana
    1 tbs of peanut butter

    Sip on this throughout the day. Try to drink the whole thing over the course of the day.

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  11. Just wanted to say thanks for all that you do for us on your blog. I have been using an A/B split you reccomended using a bench/military/row/chin day and a dead/squat day, working up to a top set of 5 and then a back off set of 10-15 reps. Hard conditioning on the lower days. Working out three days a week. It is very simple but works and I'm never going back! Thanks Paul!

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  12. This is for Matt with the twins...

    Mine are 8 months, it doens't get any easier. I dont get anymore sleep, I dont have anymore time, but I do have an awesome wife who knows my obsessions and allows me to train uninterrupted.

    I am up at 4 am every day, sometimes 3 am, to get my cardio in. Leave for work at 6:15 am, back at 5:00 pm. Then it is lifting time, eat, spend time with my FOUR little ones (6, 3, and 2-8 month olds!) sometimes Cub Scouts if it is Tuesday, then to bed no later then 9 pm to start it again.

    I eat at 5 am, 7:30 am, 11:00 am, 4:00 pm, 6:30 pm, and a shake at bed.

    Mine are teething right now, so I get about 2 hours of non-broken sleep. Other then that, I get what I can, pound the 5 hour energy, and GO.

    Also, my wife is a stay at home mom...so that works in my favor as well.

    -Rick

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  13. @Paul - is that the old "Get Big Drink" from Mccullum? I'll have to give that a shot. I'm worried it will tear up my stomach but let's find out.

    @ Rick.

    You've inspired me.

    I'm going to stop being a pussy and sack up.

    (Also, I think I'll load up on 5-hr energy as well.)

    Thanks.

    Matt

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  14. Nope it's a shake I used back in the summer when I was 17. I think it had karo syrup in it too.

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  15. Rick Hussey (not THE Rick Hussey)December 9, 2010 at 6:51 AM

    @ both guys with twins. My twin boys are now 3 years old and it does get much, much easier. I feel your pain...those first 18 months are really tough. Seems like you are doing well considering.

    PC - that JPS article you mentioned is kick -ass. I go back and read that periodically.

    I am in my third week of those raw cycles you posted recently and it is perfect for me.

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  16. Paul,

    I am going to give training twice a week a try. I am going to work out on Saturday and Sunday. I am also going to condition three days a week. Do you have any reccomendations what types of conditioning? I was thinking something like stadium stairs, 40s and hill sprints.

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