FT Questions....

[Kleen]

So this is really one that I can hardly address online. She's got a great history in intense physical activity, but I'm not seeing much about how much weight training she's doing.

I'd put an absolute premium on her learning proper form. It seems you want her to be training WITH you in some way, set by set like a partner and I'd put more emphasis on you coaching her.

For now, my thought would be that you'd do your lifting (say Loading sets) while she does the same main exercise, with a focus on form using higher reps.

So, for thigh loading sets, you might have her do squats while you're warming up and zig-zagging compound and isolation exercises. Just have her learn to squat with perfect form that entire time.

During upper body pump exercises you might have her pic just three exercises for back, chest and shoulders and work on those.

*I* would build her foundation with the big exercises and variations on those here, so she's introduced to those as the meat n' potatoes of training. Then you could work her in to more FT kind of formal training split and the different Set Types.

-S

Thanks Scott,

That kind of goes along with what I have been doing so far. Just that I have been doing upper and lower body MR workouts only. She has just been doing some straight sets on the main lifts and I keep her away from failure.

I do want her to work out with me as a partner once she is adjusted enough to do so. However, it is about how to get her adjusted WHILE we are working out within the same time frame. Where I can be close by her to coach her on all of her sets. I know that means occasionally I may rest longer or something but for now I am perfectly okay with that

As far as previous lifting experience, not too much, she has worked out with me before when she was a little younger and she already has a base of about the last 4-5 months of Bench, Squat and Deadlifting. She does have pretty good mind muscle connection from all of the other types of training and it definitely carries over in her ability to pick up proper form. She takes coaching cues very well!!! I am pretty impressed with how well she does.

For back we do pull downs & dead lifts or rowing, for legs she does multiple sets of squats, and for pressing it is Bench, and Overhead Press that are the meat and potatoes, then I let her try some of the isolation machines for each if she wants once I work her through the meat of the main lift.

So on the lower MR Days I have been doing, her workout may look like 6 sets of squats, and then leg extension, leg curls, and calf raises x3. She is limited on how long she can squat due to fatigue starting to set in. Her target is 6 sets 5 right now working up to 55lbs, stopping at the point she starts slowing down enough that I worry about form breakdown. She hit all 6 of them at 5 last time and wanted to go up next time. I told her we were staying at that weight until she can build up some more reps. She just HAD to have some weight on the bar mentally to feel proud of herself... I saw her form was good and decided if it kept her motivated we could go up but after that it is all reps until we get up to 10 or so. So next time we will start trying for 6 reps each set.

I imagine in the near future I may just start getting up @ 4AM again to train then train her separately in the evenings but right now she really seems to like doing it with me. Anything that keeps her engaged is what I am all about!!!!

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions, it was basically how I expected you to answer. Get the fundamentals in and nailed down before pushing into the intensity stuff.

I already have a good plan based off of your suggestions, that I believe will work great!

Lower Load + Squat x4-6 working sets, calf x2
Upper Pump 2-3 set x 15-20 reps = Lat Pull Down / Assisted Chin, Chest Press Machine, OHP

Rest

Upper Load - Dead Lifts x3-4 sets, Bench 3-4 sets -
Lower Pump 2-3 sets x 15-20 - Leg Press w/ quad focus, Leg Curls, Calves

As far as MR days go, would you do them at all, do them as written or adjust them a bit?

I thought that I may do some X rep type stuff for her. Something like weight she can do for 15 reps for 10, rest 30 seconds then repeat for 3-4 sets. Get her a little used to the feeling of lactic acid building up. If so these would likely be done on machines over free weight for safety purposes.

Also she wants to lean up a good bit. Since the training methods she will be using at first will not provide the same EPOC as Fortitude Training, I assume I should have her doing some conditioning work. My thought was to isolate that to non lifting days, and keep those days in a deeper deficit focusing on fat loss. Then have her training days a bit higher in calories to enhance performance and recovery. From what I have seen you prefer to keep conditioning away from strength training to avoid sending the body mixed signals on what to adapt to. Interestingly enough this practice has already become my normal process over the last several years. I noticed it seemed more efficient for me to eat and train specifically for the goal of growth or fat loss on a day by day basis. I have been calling them Build and Burn days for a while now.