I remember a while back you did something in your training I believe called extended sevens. You added one new exercise to each new "round." Can you give an example of this, can't find it in your training logs anymore. Did you do the exercises back to back with no rest?
Thanks
Eddie
Progressives (Extended Sevens) Sample for Legs:
1. Squats 10 reps
2. Leg Press 15 reps
3. Leg Extensions 10 reps
4. Step Ups 15 reps
5. Stiff Leg deadlifts 10 reps
6. Leg Curls 15 reps
7. Lunges
a. For number one you will do 1 set of ten reps, then rest 1 - 2 minutes.
b. For the next rotation you will add weight to #1 and do 10 reps and move straight to #2 for 15 reps, then rest 1-2 minutes.
c. Next rotation, you will add weight to #1 and #2 and do the same reps and move directly onto #3 then rest.
d. Keep doing the same for each rotation and add weight each time you go through.
These are called progressives.
Dave,
Could you take a look at my squat form and give me some advice on what i could improve and area's to work on... video to follow
Six Squat Tips
1. Get your upperback tight before you take the bar out. This will really have an effect on you later.
2. The number of steps should be less than five, with two or three being best. Anymore is wasted energy and also a sign that you aren't staying tight.
3. The first movement should be with your hips moving back and then breaking of the knees. This will shorten the bar path and keep more of the stress on the back, glutes, and hamstrings (where you can generate more strength). If it causes your elbows to flare out and if you bend forward at the waist - this is also due to the upper back not being tight.
4. Focus on pushing the knees out. If your knees keep drifting forward, it may make you think you are squatting lower than you really are. But, in reality, you aren't breaking parallel. You will also see your knees cave inward (weak hips and glutes) as you come back up. Pushing your knees out will also cause you to sit back more, and keep the stress where you're strongest and shorten the bar path.
5. Out of the bottom, the first thing to move should be your chest, not hips. If your hips pop up first, it will cause your chest to drop forward. After you get about half way up, you're almost doing a good morning. Then, you bring your quads back in and chest up.
6. You are also pulling your air into your belly. This will also cause you to fall forward when the loads increase. When you do this and breath out your chest will drop.
This looks like 3-4 hybrid movement of a good morning and squat. It needs to become a smooth movement with little deviation.
The effort is solid and there's no doubt you aren't afraid of the weight. Based on what I'm seeing here if you did two things you could add 100 pounds to your squat in no time (you have the strength now and aren't displaying it because the technical aspects of the lift are all over the place).
1. Go back to the basics and relearn how to squat.
Head Up
Chest Up
Stay Tight
Back Arched
Hips First
Knees Up
etc
*You know all these as they have been written about many times. If not search our articles section for an article titled squatting head to toe (if we have not moved it over yet, you will find it on t-muscle)
2. Build up your upperback with upperback shrugs with yoke bar, face pulls and barbell rows pulling the barbell high to your chest.
Dave,
About 2 months ago, you did a write up about a product that helped you sleep. I can't find your review or remember the product. Are you still taking it? Please help.
Eric
Sleep Supplements
Yes, I still use it. I take 4 of them before going to bed. I also take ZMA at that time.
It does help me and it far better than the Lunesta 7 day trial I started two years ago and never stopped.
I have tried almost everything and these two (z-12 and Lunesta) are the only things that have helped. I take that back, xanax also helps. I should point out I'm not a sleep apnea, CPAP, die 100000x when I sleep guy. The main reason I can't sleep is I can't get my brain to shut down and relax.
Hey Dave just a quick question for you. I know there is no optimal way to train but I was just wondering in your experience do you find that doing one body part a week routine, like you are currently doing, is better for mass then say a westside variation. The reason I ask I because even though I'm not a competitive powerlifter I still like to still work heavy, not work to a 1rm but a 3rm or 5rm on my main exercises and rotate when I stall. I was thinking of doing 2 power days a week and 2 hypertrophy days a week. For instance day 1 Chest, shoulders, triceps, heavy. Day 2 Legs, back, and biceps heavy. Day 3 chest, shoulders, triceps focusing mainly on high rep machine and cable work. Day 4 Legs, back, and biceps high rep focusing mainly on machine and cable work, of course set up on alternative days. I really don't care for the typical bodybuilding 1 bodypart a week routines, but it seems that is what most of the mass monsters do. Let me know what you think. Thanks.
Jeremy
Dave's Optimal Mass Training
For me this depends on my total training volume. If it's high (15 sets per body part) or super high (over 20) then I train each body part one time per week but I will also have 5-6 training days per week if I train this way so if you really think about it each body part is really being trained more than what is stated as you train biceps when you train back, etc.
If my volume is lower (under 10 sets a body part) then I crank the intensity (defined in this case as effort not percent of max weight) up. When I train this way I have less training days per week because body parts get combined but I also rotate every 5-6 days instead of every 7.
I rotate between these two basic styles of training based on my energy and if I'm progressing or not. If I get stale then I change to approaches.
I remember a while back you did something in your training I believe called extended sevens. You added one new exercise to each new "round." Can you give an example of this, can't find it in your training logs anymore. Did you do the exercises back to back with no rest?
Thanks
Eddie
Was wondering if you could help me out with my squat technique. My trainer says that depth and hip drive is not a problem for me, but I need to learn to keep my head up through the whole lift and keep my back straight and just sit back. I try to do this with the lighter weight and it puts a lot of strain on my groin muscles and hamstrings that detract from the weight I can squat. Is there any suggestions or tricks I could use to solve this habit, and will it up the weight I can squat? Thanks and I appreciate the advise.
Austin S.
More Squat Tips
Your trainer is correct and you need to strengthen those body parts (hamstrings, glutes and groin). One way to do this is to start box squatting for a few phases. Start on a high box and work it down one inch a week over the course of 4-6 weeks until you are 2 inches below.
You can also add in very wide stance pull throughs, GHR and wide stance sumo pulls from a deficit (3-4 mats) for sets of 5 reps
One other thing is to start pulling air in your belly not your chest. You can really see in your video what happens to the barbell when you pull in your chest as well as when you breath out.