FT Questions....

[Scott Stevenson]

Dr. Scott "The Game" is the shit! lol. I'm definitely ordering The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck next as it reminds me of another favorite book of mine called "What Would Machiavelli Do - The Ends Justify the Meanness".

I may have to pick that book up.

Getting to my question: Can you please further clarify "zig-zagging"? Inferring from previous post's, I gather that it is not required but I want 100% understanding of this system. You state to interchange between compound and isolation exercises. Furthermore, you state that only the last set of a compound movement is to be taken to failure but isolation exercises can all be taken to failure. This coincides with a grouping of A, B and C exercises that are rotated by the week? From what I understand, I personally do not like this approach as it seems arbitrary. In the D.C. method these exercises would only be cycled if one couldn't beat the log book by one rep or five pounds. That holds more intent and structure to me pragmatically. Would you agree or am I misunderstanding the text you put out?

What is arbitrary about it (other than perhaps that each individual picks the exercises to be used)?...

Have you read the full section in the book on Loading sets (~p.88), including the zig-zagging examples?...

Maybe you are referring to when to when one would drop a given exercise or a particular rotation d/t lack of progression?...

In closing, I like the idea of performing this system with straight sets and no "supersetting or zigzagging". I propose creating an exercise pool for the load days but only rotating them if I cannot beat the log book by 1 rep or 5 pounds. The exercise pool for the muscle round days or pump sets can remain arbitrary. Does this completely unravel the physiology of the FT system you put forth and is there a scientific method for why I should/should not do this that was built into the system I am completely missing?
Thank you for your time Doc!

-Alejandro

I try to, whenever possible, "seek first to understand and then to criticize" or in your case propose an alternative.

So you're saying you'd do the same exercise (not rotate among and A, B and C exercise or A, B and C grouping of exercises), until one stalls and can't progress. (BTW, the exercises for Pump sets and MR's are not at all arbitrary.)

So, if I follow you (I'm not sure *I* understand here), you're proposing a week by week progression that could look like this (say for thighs):

Week 1: Squats x (# sets depending on volume tier?... with perhaps a different rest interval?)
Week 2: Squats as above
Week 3: Squats as above
Week 4: Squats (fail to progress by 1 reps or 5lb on any of the sets?... What if one set progresses and another does not?...)
Week 5: Change to Leg Press as above
Week 6: Leg Press as above
Etc. until there is a failure to progress on Leg press (cruising at some point along the way, of course, too.)

Or

As above, but using only compound exercise and a A, B, C rotation (Squats, Leg Press, HS Squat machine) such as with DC:

Week 1: Squats
Week 2: L. Press
Week 3: HS Squat machine
Week 4: Squats
Etc?...

Just want to see what you are proposing as well as what you find to be arbitrary in FT.

As far as the "science" of zig-zagging isolation sets, I think i touch on some of these in the book (and certainly here on the board), we have:

• You can vary order of exercises (Variety / Variation is a Principle of Training)
• You can pre-fatigue with isolation exercises to target lagging muscle groups and change the relative stress incurred during the compound muscle groups.
• Esp. for legs and even back (exercises chosen accordingly), the isolation exercises prevent from from "gassing out" on the compound movements.
• Using 2 or three movements (compound plus isolations) adds variety to training in general (variety of training) vs. Compound movements alone
• Isolation movements are less taxing to the CNS (and indirectly ANS, endocrine and immune systems) and thus allow you to train with more volume (shift relative load to the Sk. muscle vs. other organ systems) and take advantage of dose response of volume vs.muscle growth.
• One can vary the order of exercises when Zig-zagging upon reaching a plateau in gains and still hold on to (keep in the rotation) exercises that work very well for a person. This is helpful, too, when training with limited training option (i.e., there are really only 3 good compound exercises for a given muscle group).

BTW, it's really only the compound exercises that I suggest folks focus on (esp. for legs) when assessing when to progress is stalling and it's time to drop an exercise rotation or change exercise order. This is also because sometimes "shit happens" and one can't get on to an isolation exercise machine when zig zagging and has to improvise on that particular day. (The priority is on holding down the compound exercise machine / rack / bench. I address ways to avoid this a few times here on the board, like how one could couple rack deads with rack chins, smith squats with smith sissy hack squats and DB ham curls, etc.)

-S