TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 - Page 21

On February 22 2015 16:21 RaFox17 wrote:

Wendlers method is solid and i would rather follow it than create your own program if your goal is to strengthen your main lifts.
http://www.t-nation.com/workouts/531-how-to-build-pure-strength

On February 22 2015 23:47 GoTuNk! wrote:


While I do like some principles of it, Squatting and benching once a week and deloading that every 4th week just seems dumb to me. It might work for some very strong AND big powerlifter I guess, but I think not for maluk.

Also, using the same volume for the 3 exercises seems ridiculous to me lol

On February 23 2015 00:36 RaFox17 wrote:

In my opinion as long as you are not a pro it is much better to follow a program that has been made by someone who really knows their stuff. The chances of your own program being better than for example 5-3-1 is not that high and chances of your program being much worse are quite high. There is a reason why certain programs like 5-3-1 are popular is because they are proven to work.
When you reload depends on your program and how hard it is. I have usually had deload after4 weeks of training but in a really tough cycle i have had 3-weeks of work and then deload. This is in weightlifting so it´s more stressing on the nervous system of course.

On February 23 2015 00:49 GoTuNk! wrote:


I do not think Starting Strength intoTexas method into 5/3/1 is the roadmap to exelling at everything.
There could be a miriad reasons as to why something is popular, "proven to work" is only a part of it. State-run economies were extremely popular aswell and still are in south america, yet they have never worked.

I'm of the idea that self assesment and critical thinking are what is required for continous improvement, as demonstrated by Weightlifters and critically lacking in the powerlifting community.

I have no idea what you mean by "This is in weightlifting so it´s more stressing on the nervous system of course"

On February 23 2015 00:36 RaFox17 wrote:

In my opinion as long as you are not a pro it is much better to follow a program that has been made by someone who really knows their stuff. The chances of your own program being better than for example 5-3-1 is not that high and chances of your program being much worse are quite high. There is a reason why certain programs like 5-3-1 are popular is because they are proven to work.
When you reload depends on your program and how hard it is. I have usually had deload after4 weeks of training but in a really tough cycle i have had 3-weeks of work and then deload. This is in weightlifting so it´s more stressing on the nervous system of course.

On February 23 2015 01:03 RaFox17 wrote:

I meant that programs where your aim is simply strength you can usually have longer periods between de-load weeks. Weightlifting means your movements are explosive and this puts more stress on your nervous system and if you push yourself too far without a break you start feeling like your body is just not responding to anything.

On February 23 2015 01:40 RaFox17 wrote:
@Maluk
You can always look for a program and read about them but the most important thing is that when you choose one you stick with it for a while. Remember that it´s all about working hard for a long time that gets the results. Also about the squatting only once a week. Quality over quantity is important. Theres a difference between how a program looks like on paper and how it feels in action. Slow progression works wonders.

On February 23 2015 01:34 Fwmeh wrote:
I wasted 6 months on 5/3/1, would not recommend. Have you looked at http://www.canditotraininghq.com/free-strength-programs/ ?

On February 23 2015 01:40 GoTuNk! wrote:


Have you ever done Olympic Weightlifting? Weightlifters train 6-9 times a week, the oly lifts are a lot less taxing on the body than the strength movements. Weightlifters do not "deload", they take a week after competing.

I think the "stress on the nervous system" is a flat out myth. There is fatigue (muscle, joint, hormones)

On February 23 2015 01:28 Maluk wrote:

I do agree with you when you say that a popular program is probably going to be better than a program that I would make.

Gotunk has a point too when he says that critical thinking is necessary, but I think that given my level, I am still a gym noob and maybe critical thinking doesn't matter as much when you're still relatively weak.

I don't have enough experience in weightlifting (I mean "lifting weights") to know what works and what doesn't work for me ; all I know is that, at this point, I should probably take a break from the Texas Method. I can also say that in my experience my body doesn't handle high volumes really well so benching twice a day is probably a bad idea for me. Aside from these two things I know absolutely nothing.

My problem is that aside from the Texas Method and the 5/3/1 method, I don't really see a program that fits my goals. And squatting only once a week with the 5/3/1 method sounds "sad" to me.

Ideally I would like to find a program that allows me to change my routine while still focusing on the 4 main lifts and allowing me to squat several weeks a day, but I don't know if such a program even exists. From what I have gathered the "main lifts only" programs are actually pretty rare. If I don't find anything else I guess I will go with the 5/3/1 program for now.

On February 23 2015 01:55 RaFox17 wrote:

I do train weightlifting so yes. Professionals train more than amateurs that is true. I think we have to disagree on the de-loading week. In my team everyone does it and it is a part of your training program, you cannot train on high intensity and big weights for months in a row. Any Oly programming you can find includes de-loading weeks.

On February 23 2015 02:16 GoTuNk! wrote:


I'm sure some people like it, I didn't meant you go all out balls every time, but rather do ligther loads when you feel like shit (auto regulation). Taking a deload every 4th week is totally excesive and is a tradition derived from Soviet WL camps that has no use in modern training.

I do think the body needs lower intensity from time to time, but that steams from real body fatigue and not "CNS burnout" which I sustain does not exist.

I asked Klokov personally about deload weeks and he says they are non-sense. Morever, he said taking routines from the internet with percentages is "BULL SHIT" (exact words), and that you should tailor your training to your own strength and deficiencies.

On February 23 2015 03:04 phyre112 wrote:


CNS/Adrenal burnout does most certainly 100% exist in a medical sense. It's just completely overstated in the context of working out. Kinda the same thing as people being overweight and having a hypothyroid disorder, people get regular old fatigue and think it's more than what it is, because people want a reason for what's going on with them. \

Klokov's opinion on deloads shouldn't be taken as law. For one thing, it's his entire job to train, so he can put a lot more effort into it. For another, olympic level athletes have more than a bit of assistance in the recovery department. I think taking a scheduled time-off/deload every 3 weeks whether you need it or not is silly, but when you say auto-regulation with lower volume, and he says deload, you're arguing over degree, not kind.

As far as the picking a program debate... You're never going to really find out what works best for you if you're always jumping around other people's programs, but you're also going to waste a lot of time if you're properly testing out every little thing from scratch for yourself. There's a balance point where you should start working out your own modifications to a routine, and imo that comes right around where maluk is in his training right now.

On February 23 2015 09:56 eLyx wrote:
Would it be possible to use beginner strength routines with front squats instead of back squats?

I have had back trouble on and off for years (bad posture, sitting a lot, the usual) and hurt myself a bit while doing stronglifts last year (not sure if it was bad form on squats/deadlifts or something else to be honest).
After taking a break i started slow with light exercises to get in the swing of things, improve mobility etc.
I have been doing goblet squats to improve my squat depth and am feeling pretty good about it but i feel like its hard to progress on it once the weight starts to get heavy. So i have been reading up about front squats which are more similar to goblet squats than backsquats.
You can find articles/videos recommending the use of front squats in general, while if you google for stuff like "front squats instead of backsquats for stronglifts/starting strength" people say no or recommend to alternate them.

I understand the don't fuck with the program mantra but I thought asking here wouldn't hurt.

On February 23 2015 12:09 phyre112 wrote:


Front squats are going to demand much more core strength, and you have to get deeper in them to really utilize your gluteal and hamstring muscles. There's significantly more pressure on your respiratory system (you can't breathe) so it's a nightmare to do more than a triple with them, while sets of 5 are standard in the back squat. Your upper back is going to fatigue before your legs. You can't load it up with as much weight (and not getting psyched out by the number on the bar is one of the biggest teaching points of beginner programs) and you wont be able to progress it nearly as fast. There are a hundred other "it's not as good because" reasons... but if you absolutely refuse to do back squats, it's the best sub.

I would try high bar back squats first (and be very aware of your forward lean) and see if you can do those, because they are far superior for these types of routines, and I say that as a person who front squats 4x/week.