FT Questions....

[Scott Stevenson]

Hey Pumped,

First note here for anyone reading: Much of these kinds of questions become self-evident after doing the program, even for just a week or so.

Hey, figured I'd post this here instead of starting a new thread. I'm setting up my FT routine now for when I eventually start and have quite a few questions, but most of which I think could be answered in a sentence or two


1. How do you know exactly how to go about the recommended multiple sets e.g. if it says 3 sets for back would that necessarily be A,B,A….or A,B,C? Is it another “depends on the individual and what needs work” thing?

This is intentionally left up to you so you can train "instinctively" according to what your physique needs, how you feel that day, ache's n' pains, etc.

2. When we zig-zag does it have to be compound + isolation? Almost all chest fly variations hurt my pec after a few weeks of loading due to a previous injury. I’m considering using something like a DB Twist & Press since it’s a lighter variation even though it’s certainly not an isolation.

You can do whatever you like. The purpose of isolation exercises are to ensure the target muscle is the weak link and targeted over accessory muscles, especially as fatigue ensues, set x set. You might try a hex press (Press with DB's held together during entire ROM) instead of a fly.

(I'd be very careful with that injury and try to get that figure out. Sounds like it could be a recurring tendinitis leading towards tendinosis. )

3. Should one increase volume tier throughout a blast generally or just when it’s too easy? I.e. is it typical to ever just stick with tier 1 or tier 2 or tier 3 all the way through? We repeat the same workouts so rarely I would want to make sure there is progression and if we add volume it will be hard to tell. For example if the first time I did a “B” workout I 1 set of chest but then the next I’ve gone up a tier so now it’s 2-3 sets of chest then any subsequent shoulder and tricep work will be skewed and it may seem like they didn’t progress or even regressed because those muscle groups were more fatigued from the extra chest sets this time.

This shouldn't be an issue in the overall scheme of things. (You are overanalyzing here a wee bit, I think.) You can use the first compound loading set to gauge progress, too, even though you're not going to failure.

Change Tiers as recovery permits, which could be depending upon a host of things.

Recover long enough between loading sets such that fatigue from the previously trained muscle group is not a great issue.

4. Just out of curiosity, why is Biceps/forearms on lower MR day?

To distribute workload over Day 3 and 4, mainly. (Training triceps on that day would more likely to cause overuse issues for most folks, d/t the pressing that occurs on Day 4. Forearms can handle a beating pretty good, too and go well with biceps.)

5. Am I correct in thinking/seeing that the 3-day variation is almost exactly the same volume for upper loading, upper pump sets, and upper muscle rounds …so the only difference is fewer MRs for lower?

Yes, indeed. It says this on page 126 of the book.

6. Should we be tracking the stretches for progression as well? If so I would imagine just the extreme stretches. Or should we just go at them and keep a mental note? Since I imagine these will vary considerably less (i.e. once I find a good extreme pec stretch I don’t imagine I’d change it nearly as often as chest exercises).

No need to track the stretches, IMO.

From the section on extreme stretches: "Progressively increase the external load only up to the point where you still feel the loading, stretch and metabolic accumulation in the muscle belly, not the tendons and/or joints."

7. Any need to ever go to Turbo? It seems like there is far more variability between Tiers I, II, and III than there is between the basic and turbo version. Tier 1 basic vs turbo is noticeably different due to more volume in turbo but tiers 2 and 3 are identical volumes and even many of the muscle groups (biceps, triceps, abs) have identical frequencies too so really we’re looking at such a small difference in the grand scheme of the FT system it seems insignificant. To make things less complicated could one just stick to the basic and vary the tiers as necessary for essentially the same results?

There may be a "need" if you find that greater frequency works to your advantage.

8. Lastly, can I change exercise order if there are particular lifts I want to go up the most? For example I have a barbell bench goal and a barbell shoulder press goal. Can my (A) loading day have chest before delts (say BB Bench then DB Shoulder press) and (B) loading day have delts before chest (say BB Shoulder Press then Incline DB Bench)?

Entirely up to you, IMO.

I'd probably not have an incline Bench and an Overhead Press on the say day, though if you can arranges it. (A decline press might be a better choice on the day you do an BB shoulder press first.)

I know that's a lot, thanks in advance!

Sure!

-S