08-22-2018, 04:05 AM
Hey Scott, quick intro from me then a question for you.
Long time follower, poster on ProMuscle and even longer on IntenseMuscle. Been using Fortitude off and on for years now.
Have had great results doing blocks of FT with a couple JM programs in-between. In the past 2 years I've made the biggest changes in my physique using both of those. Sit at a solid 250 at around 9% bf now. My last stage weight was around 229-232. In a nice little cruise right now using FT but plan to have a progressive offseason using FT.
But I have a question about intensity for you.
I'm actually a former PLer so one of the main reasons I love DC and FT especially is getting into the intensity, "it's this set and only this set! get it!" mind set. With that being said, I HAVE had to pull back...similar to what Jordan did this year...and reassess each movement, leave my ego at the door and lower the weight so that I am really feeeeeling every exercises in the intended muscle. PLing was more of a get hyped, move weight from Point A to Point B no matter how you do it. When developing your physique AND using progressive overload, you have to move the weight while still putting the proper tension on everything you are trying to grow. Basically, make it harder on yourself and check your damn ego.
But my question more goes to the "hyping" mindset before a loading set for example. As a PLer, I had heard 2 separate arguments for getting yourself mentally ready for the set. One was that of finding a way to get your body into fight and flight mode quickly. Hype yourself up. This is life or death so lets do this. This usually in turn allowed me to put up significantly higher numbers, butttt it was something that in order to progress on, you NEED to do this. For instance, you can hype yourself up so much where you bench 405 for 10. But you can only do that with alllll the parts moving at once. Everything needs to be perfect in your environment. You could try this 5 more times....maybe hitting 10 twice out of the 5. You can watch any PLer walking up the platform and see them doing this. Smelling salts, slaps in the face, whatever you need to turn it on.
The OTHER argument was for pushing your strength limits without the crazy stimulus. Basically, don't get hyped all to hell. Build a base...where when you can go into the gym, you KNOW for FACT that you can bench 375 x 10 every single time someone asks you to. You can probably progress a little easier like this and you won't see any insane fluctuations in strength. Chad Wesley Smith, a world famous PLer and creator of the Juggernaut Method, preached this a lot. He talked about never going into a training session overly stimulated. He would be calm cool and collected and squat. Moving his number up progressively each week like clockwork.
I just wanted to hear your viewpoint on this. I know a couple other BBer guys (one I follow on Instagram) who always mentions how intense his sessions are and how insanely crazy he has to get on Loading Sets. One of my main problems last year using FT was being TOO stimulated where I was justttt trying to hit numbers rather than feeling the muscle all while beating my log book. Cool, I could hit 375x10 on incline bench, but I was flailing my body the whole time. I had similar troubles when I was younger running DC blasts and had to stop. And this was when I hit the pause button, checked my ego like Jordan, and slowed everything down.
I know im basically answering my own question, but I feel like this is a major problem that programs focusing on progressive overload run into. Progressive overload seems to be preached to the younger and intermediate lifting crowd (the easiest periodization), but understanding this problem AND finding a solution has come over time, with age and acquired knowledge. Something only the seasoned lifter would understand, ya know? I hope my explanation wasn't too long winded and confusing haha
Just wanted to know your thoughts!
Long time follower, poster on ProMuscle and even longer on IntenseMuscle. Been using Fortitude off and on for years now.
Have had great results doing blocks of FT with a couple JM programs in-between. In the past 2 years I've made the biggest changes in my physique using both of those. Sit at a solid 250 at around 9% bf now. My last stage weight was around 229-232. In a nice little cruise right now using FT but plan to have a progressive offseason using FT.
But I have a question about intensity for you.
I'm actually a former PLer so one of the main reasons I love DC and FT especially is getting into the intensity, "it's this set and only this set! get it!" mind set. With that being said, I HAVE had to pull back...similar to what Jordan did this year...and reassess each movement, leave my ego at the door and lower the weight so that I am really feeeeeling every exercises in the intended muscle. PLing was more of a get hyped, move weight from Point A to Point B no matter how you do it. When developing your physique AND using progressive overload, you have to move the weight while still putting the proper tension on everything you are trying to grow. Basically, make it harder on yourself and check your damn ego.
But my question more goes to the "hyping" mindset before a loading set for example. As a PLer, I had heard 2 separate arguments for getting yourself mentally ready for the set. One was that of finding a way to get your body into fight and flight mode quickly. Hype yourself up. This is life or death so lets do this. This usually in turn allowed me to put up significantly higher numbers, butttt it was something that in order to progress on, you NEED to do this. For instance, you can hype yourself up so much where you bench 405 for 10. But you can only do that with alllll the parts moving at once. Everything needs to be perfect in your environment. You could try this 5 more times....maybe hitting 10 twice out of the 5. You can watch any PLer walking up the platform and see them doing this. Smelling salts, slaps in the face, whatever you need to turn it on.
The OTHER argument was for pushing your strength limits without the crazy stimulus. Basically, don't get hyped all to hell. Build a base...where when you can go into the gym, you KNOW for FACT that you can bench 375 x 10 every single time someone asks you to. You can probably progress a little easier like this and you won't see any insane fluctuations in strength. Chad Wesley Smith, a world famous PLer and creator of the Juggernaut Method, preached this a lot. He talked about never going into a training session overly stimulated. He would be calm cool and collected and squat. Moving his number up progressively each week like clockwork.
I just wanted to hear your viewpoint on this. I know a couple other BBer guys (one I follow on Instagram) who always mentions how intense his sessions are and how insanely crazy he has to get on Loading Sets. One of my main problems last year using FT was being TOO stimulated where I was justttt trying to hit numbers rather than feeling the muscle all while beating my log book. Cool, I could hit 375x10 on incline bench, but I was flailing my body the whole time. I had similar troubles when I was younger running DC blasts and had to stop. And this was when I hit the pause button, checked my ego like Jordan, and slowed everything down.
I know im basically answering my own question, but I feel like this is a major problem that programs focusing on progressive overload run into. Progressive overload seems to be preached to the younger and intermediate lifting crowd (the easiest periodization), but understanding this problem AND finding a solution has come over time, with age and acquired knowledge. Something only the seasoned lifter would understand, ya know? I hope my explanation wasn't too long winded and confusing haha
Just wanted to know your thoughts!