Monday, April 7, 2014

Some Base Building FAQs and questions answered

As the questions and comments pour in, I see some guys that must not read the Base Building manual very well, or just latched hold of certain parts and ran with it.

So I'm going to go over a few things here that keep coming up.


1.  "Paul, I did squat Model I and did it in under 12 minutes.  I need to add weight right?

Well, I don't know because the point wasn't to just rush through the set.  It's not about an egg timer.  It's about being able to get the work in, but making sure that EVERY SET IS EXPLOSIVE.

If you got all 5+ sets in, in under 15 minutes, but the last set or two was a grinder, then no.  You don't need to move up in weight.

The other part that irks me about this is that people are still the boat here, in that all they are focused on is JUST adding weight to the bar.  And yes, at some point that trumps all.  We are trying to get stronger right?  But the method here, the principles that make the method, has more than one moving part.

You need to be able to do all of the work efficiently.  That means getting the work in quickly, but explosively for every set.

2.  "I did Model I for bench, but I couldn't get all the sets and reps in, so I lowered the weight and finished."

Where did I write to do that????

I didn't.

You need to go ahead and get all of the volume in, and then over time you should be able to do all 5 sets of 8 on bench.

So if you went from doing 3 sets of 8, then got in a set of 6, then 4, to where you could do all 5 sets of 8, are you stronger?

INDEED!

Don't take weight off the bar.  If you're setting your EDM correctly then Model I on bench may not be 100% doable at first.  This is OK.  THIS IS OOOO KKKKK.

When I developed Model I, I wasn't always able to get all 5 sets of 8 in.  On bad days, I would often feel things going into the tank fast after that third set.  When I got to where all 5 sets of 8 was pretty easy, I saw a HUGE increase in my bench.

Volume PR's are STILL PR's.  Be able to do more work with a given workload means that strength did increase.  Being able to EASILY do more work with a given workload means strength increased dramatically.  Stop making it all about weight on the bar as a measuring stick for progress.  There are many ways to measure this in training.

3.  "My bench didn't move much on Model I."

Try Model II or III, which includes a back off set of as many as possible.  I don't need to do this anymore now as I've found it to be a little bit counterproductive for me at this point.  I tend to use incline and press behind the neck for my rep work now.

4.  "I only have 14 weeks until my meet.  What should I do?"

This is in the book.  Run the short cycle for the last 5 weeks, and then whatever is left over time wise before that 5 weeks, do base building.

5.  "Will base building work while losing fat?"

YES!  And very well because you're not going to be trying to set rep PR's, and it forces you to move your EDM as your strength levels move.  Some guys don't lose a lot of strength when dieting, or they don't diet long enough to see that overall effect take place.  For those that do, the great thing about base building is that you don't have to walk in the gym and feel defeated as strength drops because you can't move the weights you were moving weeks and weeks before.  Just move your EDM, and reprogram.

6.  "My lifts are X, Y, and Z....should I use Base Building?"

If you have to ask if your lifts are high enough to use it, then they probably aren't.  I have written for a while that a beginners training strength is such a fast moving target that it's hard to nail down programming based on intensities.  If your numbers are relatively small, or you're a real novice, there are programs in the manual that will get you stronger and explain these things.

There's a big difference in a guy using 165 for his sets of squats, and a guy using 385 for his sets of squats.


16 comments:

  1. Paul, one question.
    How To Configure The Zenith - Ultimate Base Building Split?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure what you're asking. It's laid out pretty well in the book I thought.

      Delete
  2. I want to know what to use on light days (light squat, deadlift light)?
    And the day which pull heavy use%? 1 in 3 sets?
    Can I use 5x3 @ 80% in week 1 and 3?

    Grateful for the FAQ.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Light just means "light". Yes I know it's arbitrary but just get some "warm up" work in and be quick about it.

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  3. Week 1 -

    Segunda: Bench Press - BBM1
    Chins weighted -
    Barbell Row
    Dips

    Quarta: Squat - BBM1
    Deadlift - light (BBM1)?
    Good Morning - 4x10
    Calf Raises - 4x15

    Sexta: Incline Press - 350 method
    Lateral Raises
    Curls - 100 reps
    Pushdowns
    Plate Pinch - 2x35'

    Week 2 -

    Segunda: Squat - BBM1
    Chins weighted
    Good Morning - 4x10
    Calf Raises - 4x15

    Quarta: Bench Press - BBM1
    Lateral Raises
    Curls - 100 reps
    Pushdowns
    Plate Pinch - 2x35'

    Sexta: Squat - BBM1
    Barbell Row
    Leg Curls - 4x20
    Calf Raises - 4x15

    Week 3 -

    Segunda: Strict OHP - Big-15 method
    Lateral Raises
    Curls - 100 reps
    Pushdowns
    Plate Pinch - 2x35'

    Quarta: Pause Squats - 5,4,3,3,3
    Deadlift - 5,4,3,2,1,1,1, - 3x85% ou BBM1?
    Good Morning - 4x10
    Calf Raises - 4x15

    Sexta: Chins bw - AMAPx20min
    Shrugs
    Kroc Row
    Lat Pulldowns
    Cable Row

    What do you think Paul?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not base building. You're using a lot of my principles but if you're going to do base building, do it like I wrote it.

      Delete
  4. This works amazing for dieting. I finally have my lifts back to where they used to be a couple years back and because i m not chasing PRS I feel good every workout. I did program very low on the squat but I upped the weight and just focus on being explosove , plus box jumps in between each set has helped tremendously. And when I'm getting comments from people that I look bigger, its a nice feeling. I'm not a big guy I'm short as fuck 5'5" but my weight has hovered around 170 for a couple months and I'm leaner now than when I first reached 170. Not complaining at all. Best program I've ever done.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Paul, first, thank you for answering me.

    I do not understand why this is not Base Building? I am using the models of BBM and only used the Big-15 method in OHP, even you use the big-15 (OHP) in his model of The Zenith? Remember?

    You used here: http://www.lift-run-bang.com/2013/11/base-building-for-my-offseason.html

    Many thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah I cut that routine way back actually. It ended up being too many movements honestly. I'd suggest cutting back a little bit on the movements. But do what you think is best.

      Delete
  6. Paul, last question, I promise.

    Could you give an example of "The Zenith"? Please.
    I think one of your best splits, but I still can not understand.
    Since you say my split is not Base Building.

    Thanks for your patience.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey paul, I've bought all of your e books recently, and I just have a few quick questions. I'm planning on starting your beginner routine in BB. I understand and agree with learning the lifts independently to make progress easier without worrying about form on all big 3 lifts.

    First off, would I just continue on your beginner routine until I start hitting higher numbers and feel more confident about squat form, then begin the regular BB templates, adding the bench and deadlift at that stage? Or would you suggest doing something along the lines of what you did with your daughter before her meet as outlined in SLL? I'm not planning on doing a meet any time soon, so I have no pressing need to add the Bench and DL at the moment, so should I just focus on squat first, and getting general strength/mass up?

    Secondly, I know you have no set progression scheme on the squats, inclines, and rows in the Base Building beginner routine but would you suggest just adding weight when its easy, or when I'm hitting all the reps and sets (3x10, 5x5/8x8, 5x5), and not adding weight (obviously) on days when I'm grinding a lot and not hitting all the reps?

    Thanks a lot in advance, I'm a huge fan of your work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Basically, "yes" to all of your questions.

      Just stick with the squat at first, and when you feel somewhat comfortable add in the pull. Then the bench, once you feel like you're confident with the pull. There's no reason to rush these things.

      I'd also suggest just sticking with weights you can hit week in and week out. Then add weight slowly.

      Delete
  8. Paul,

    I really like the LRB template you developed. In your book, you recommended using a 3 week cycle of strong 15 on the main lifts, which I'm planning on doing for a while. After that, though, what would your thoughts be on using the base building progression scheme on the main lifts within the LRB template?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That particular template would work far better with base building.

      Delete
    2. Thanks, Paul. Also, thanks for all the work you've put into this site - it's a freaking goldmine. I've enjoyed reading through it.

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