FT Questions....

[Mrbulldog]

Cheers for the reply I think that has cleared things up.

So my set up currently for Upper MRs

Warmup alternating between thickness and width exercises then
Hammerstrength Row 6x4
Hammerstrength Pulldown 6x4
Hammerstrength Row 6x4
Hammerstrength Pulldown 6x4

Warmup alternating between two chest exercises then
Pec Dec - 6x4
Hammerstrength Flat press 6x4

Lateral Raises -6x4
Behind Neck Smith press -6x4

Floor Skullcrusher 6x4

[Scott Stevenson]

Cheers for the reply I think that has cleared things up.

So my set up currently for Upper MRs

Warmup alternating between thickness and width exercises then
Hammerstrength Row 6x4
Hammerstrength Pulldown 6x4
Hammerstrength Row 6x4
Hammerstrength Pulldown 6x4

Warmup alternating between two chest exercises then
Pec Dec - 6x4
Hammerstrength Flat press 6x4

Lateral Raises -6x4
Behind Neck Smith press -6x4

Floor Skullcrusher 6x4

I'd re-read the section on how to do MR's in the book, just as a refresher.

I say this b/c you'll not want to do the same exercise twice for a MR in the same workout. Variety is important here.

Again, if you're using Tier II (which I'm guessing from your # of chest and delt MR's) you'd NOT typically do a total of 4 MR's for back. 1-2 each for width and thickness exercises.

[Notice that there is a total of 2 back MR's for Tier I, and 4 for Tier III. For Tier II, you'd do three - typically - with the greater # for either thickness or width, in an autoregulated fashion and according to the stress that you address your back development.]

-S

[Stewilliams]

With loading sets for delts, do we perform loading sets for each head of the deltoids? On the training log sheets there are 3 spaces under delts so do we perform a front, lateral and rear delt exercise? Or is this too much?

[Altamir]

With loading sets for delts, do we perform loading sets for each head of the deltoids? On the training log sheets there are 3 spaces under delts so do we perform a front, lateral and rear delt exercise? Or is this too much?

For loading you are only going to do a compound and an isolation movement (if you are doing tier 2 and above), that's it. Your compound is going to be some sort of overhead pressing movement. It's 100% up to you as to what sort of isolation movement you want to do. Most will do side delts, but if you have really weak rear delts or front delts you could certainly place them there or anywhere else in the program if you so choose, if they need to be brought up.

[Stewilliams]

For loading you are only going to do a compound and an isolation movement (if you are doing tier 2 and above), that's it. Your compound is going to be some sort of overhead pressing movement. It's 100% up to you as to what sort of isolation movement you want to do. Most will do side delts, but if you have really weak rear delts or front delts you could certainly place them there or anywhere else in the program if you so choose, if they need to be brought up.

Only began the programme this week so have only done this once so far. I zig zagged OH barbell press with lateral raises. Then after I did a set of landmine rear delt rows as I have weak rear delts (although they've come on tremendously since beginning this exercise). So the deltoid part of my section went OH barbell press (shy of failure) -> Lateral DB raise (Failure) -> OH barbell press (failure). Then warmed up rear delts and did one working set to failure.

Do you feel this is too much volume? My rear delts are a weakness, but also don't want to neglect lateral head of delts. Zig zagging landmine rear delt row with oh press wouldn't work so well due to 1:30 second rest times. The row requires a set for both sides as it is a unilateral exercise.

I am running tier 2 turbo version.

[Altamir]

I think you've got some programming confused. Tier 2 you are doing only 2 loading sets for shoulders. Both should be to failure. OH Barbell Press (failure) rest 1:30. Lateral Raise (failure). Stretch and move onto lower pump.

If you want to bring up your rear delts a GREAT place to do this IMO in pump sets. I did this for a bit. For tier 2 do a rear delt machine fly (5's in the hole here is really good) as your first pump set, and then for your second pump set, do a straight set of say a BTN smith machine press or BTN machine press (usually you can find a machine that sort of has a forward motion as you press, and sit in it reverse). Works pretty well.

Also T-bar rows (1st for me) and barbell rows (a distant second) pretty much light up everything from my traps down to my erectors for my back. So give some thought to maybe adding them in as loading sets if you do not already.

[Stewilliams]

I think you've got some programming confused. Tier 2 you are doing only 2 loading sets for shoulders. Both should be to failure. OH Barbell Press (failure) rest 1:30. Lateral Raise (failure). Stretch and move onto lower pump.

If you want to bring up your rear delts a GREAT place to do this IMO in pump sets. I did this for a bit. For tier 2 do a rear delt machine fly (5's in the hole here is really good) as your first pump set, and then for your second pump set, do a straight set of say a BTN smith machine press or BTN machine press (usually you can find a machine that sort of has a forward motion as you press, and sit in it reverse). Works pretty well.

Also T-bar rows (1st for me) and barbell rows (a distant second) pretty much light up everything from my traps down to my erectors for my back. So give some thought to maybe adding them in as loading sets if you do not already.

You're right I've got the programming wrong (not sure how I managed to do that).

I want to increase loading on rear delts, as well as also working them through pump sets. I had been doing this on my previous programme and rear delts have began to respond tremendously (could be a novel effect due to being weak initially). I'm a big fan of t-bar rows also and have progressed well on this exercise over the past year or so, but don't find they have helped rear delts all that much. Now i've put more focus on rear delts, they may be recruited more efficiently in t-bar rows though.

Think I'm going to run a hybrid of tier 2 by continuing with using tier 3 levels of volume on delts on loading days. Of course if I find I'm struggling to recover then I will bring the volume back down.

Thanks for your help mate!

[Scott Stevenson]

You're right I've got the programming wrong (not sure how I managed to do that).

I want to increase loading on rear delts, as well as also working them through pump sets. I had been doing this on my previous programme and rear delts have began to respond tremendously (could be a novel effect due to being weak initially). I'm a big fan of t-bar rows also and have progressed well on this exercise over the past year or so, but don't find they have helped rear delts all that much. Now i've put more focus on rear delts, they may be recruited more efficiently in t-bar rows though.

Think I'm going to run a hybrid of tier 2 by continuing with using tier 3 levels of volume on delts on loading days. Of course if I find I'm struggling to recover then I will bring the volume back down.

Thanks for your help mate!

I would caution against this, as I have many times over.

At it's essence, the approach entails doing more volume to make up for what is very often an inability to find the right exercises or to "do" them correctly (make sure the rear delt in your case) is activated and functioning as the prime mover.

Making the pump sets, as altar suggested, a trip to "delt hell" and back is what I'd focus on.

This should help you. FT Most Frequently Questions asked here on the Forum

-S

[Stewilliams]

I would caution against this, as I have many times over.

At it's essence, the approach entails doing more volume to make up for what is very often an inability to find the right exercises or to "do" them correctly (make sure the rear delt in your case) is activated and functioning as the prime mover.

Making the pump sets, as altar suggested, a trip to "delt hell" and back is what I'd focus on.

This should help you. FT Most Frequently Questions asked here on the Forum

-S

Thanks for replying Scott.

I've recently put a lot of attention on rear delts and essentially have had to learn to recruit them effectively as I was previously unable to do so. They have grown noticeably since doing this, however they are still a weak part for me and need extra attention. I will heed your advice and not increase the volume before ensuring I can recover from a lower amount of volume. I am concerned though that now I will be neglecting the lateral head of deltoids in favour of focusing on posterior. Lateral will now only be trained directly via one MR or pump set on day 3.

[thethinker48]

Smith squats for muscle rounds are the Devils work...just had to say