Help New to FT - General Questions

[jlecoq]

First off, I come from a competitive bodybuilding background, even though I am super young to the game. I am 25 years old and when I first started training it was 6-7 days in the gym pounding away at a "bro" split. Eventually, I hired a coach who led me to my first bodybuilding show this past October doing a John Meadow's Push / Pull / Leg workout variation.

My current training split is 2 on 1 off / 3 on 1 off (Total of 5 days a week) following a push/pull/legs protocol.

I was introduced to FT by my coach and other athletes I have met through mention, and I really would love to try out the system, my main concern being that I would have to drop a day in the gym (from 5 -> 4). While if the end result is me packing on muscle and bettering my physique, I do truly love to train and love the atmosphere of the gym. I have read through the forums, but most everything I have found has said to stray away from 5 days a week training for FT.

My two questions are:
1. Is it possible to effectively train the FT system 5 days a week?
2. If I split the body into two categories:

• Chest, shoulders (front and side debts), triceps, quads, calves
  
• Back, biceps, rear delts, hamstrings
  

and then attempted to apply FT training methods to this would it work for 5 days?

Day 1: Loading Sets for Chest, Front/Side Delts, and Triceps. Pump Sets for Quads and Calves.
Day 2: Loading Sets for Back, Rear Delts, and Biceps. Pump Sets for Hamstrings.
Day 3 : Loading Sets for Lower / Pump Upper
REST
Day 4: MR for Chest, Front/Side Delts, Triceps, Quads, and calves.
Day 5: MR for Back, Rear Delts , Biceps, and Hamstrings.
REST

[Scott Stevenson]

Welcome!

Thanks for coming over here to post / check it out, man!

First off, I come from a competitive bodybuilding background, even though I am super young to the game. I am 25 years old and when I first started training it was 6-7 days in the gym pounding away at a "bro" split. Eventually, I hired a coach who led me to my first bodybuilding show this past October doing a John Meadow's Push / Pull / Leg workout variation.

My current training split is 2 on 1 off / 3 on 1 off (Total of 5 days a week) following a push/pull/legs protocol.

I was introduced to FT by my coach and other athletes I have met through mention, and I really would love to try out the system, my main concern being that I would have to drop a day in the gym (from 5 -> 4). While if the end result is me packing on muscle and bettering my physique, I do truly love to train and love the atmosphere of the gym. I have read through the forums, but most everything I have found has said to stray away from 5 days a week training for FT.

Does the information you found regarding the above not apply to the below?...

My two questions are:
1. Is it possible to effectively train the FT system 5 days a week?
2. If I split the body into two categories:

• Chest, shoulders (front and side debts), triceps, quads, calves
  
• Back, biceps, rear delts, hamstrings
  

and then attempted to apply FT training methods to this would it work for 5 days?

Day 1: Loading Sets for Chest, Front/Side Delts, and Triceps. Pump Sets for Quads and Calves.
Day 2: Loading Sets for Back, Rear Delts, and Biceps. Pump Sets for Hamstrings.
Day 3 : Loading Sets for Lower / Pump Upper
REST
Day 4: MR for Chest, Front/Side Delts, Triceps, Quads, and calves.
Day 5: MR for Back, Rear Delts , Biceps, and Hamstrings.
REST

I'll just give you the summary of what I've said here previously and I hope / assume you've read previously. Here are some issues:

---

You've never done FT and are trying to modify a system you don't know right off the bat. Big issues is that you'll miss out on being able to compare notes with the many people who have done the system as laid out in the book.

---

This also shows up in that you're wanting to do Loading sets for bi's, tri's and rear delts (not something I have included in FT for a reason). Heavy arm training on a regular basis often means tendonitis and then this means inability to training chest, back and delts properly. (Check the FAQ in the FT section for bringing up arms. )

---

You can run into some exercise selection / frequency issues, e.g., for thighs: If you train like the below:

Day 1:...Pump Sets for Quads ...
Day 2: ... Pump Sets for Hamstrings.
Day 3 : Loading Sets for Lower / Pump Upper

You'll not have done any thigh pump sets on Day 1 or 2. If you do, e.g., a leg press, then hams could be hit Day 1, 2 and 3.

---

You'll have to figure out your own Volume Tiers for auto regulation.

-------

Your reasoning for this is one that I've heard literally hundreds of times over the decades (in the context of DC training for many years and now FT) and it pretty much boils down to this: At some level, you're prioritizing being in the gym over making gains and don't see the value in learning the system, trusting in it, and giving it a go for a couple months (1 progressive Blast) to learn the in's n' out's somewhat before modifying.

I'm just going to post this here as it has just made the rounds on social media:
• ~6 mo. training
• FT (mostly Tier I)
• HRT level hormonal support
• 100lb BW gain
• (Training 4x / week)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-5A6m-DxIG/

"calum_themusclementors
Pretty cool comparison from when I feel I looked my BEST in prep, to now 7 months post show.

I’ve had a few people asking what training has looked like over the last several months, considering I haven’t posted much on this, I thought I’d elaborate.

After talking to a few colleagues and friends I trust dearly post show, I got reading Scott’s (@fortitude_training) work, adopting the fortitude set up.

It’s funny as previously I looked at the upper lower splits or full body splits as too ‘basic’ for my needs, and I was so wrong.

Breaking this down, remember hypertrophy is a signalling dependent process, and the more opportunities we get to provide that signalling response the better, just as long as we can recover from the workload being used.

I’ve spent the majority of the time on what Scott would refer to as ‘tier 1’, the lowest volume tier, and based the exercise selection relative to my structure and my needs.

This would quite literally entail 1 (sometimes 2, but rarely) work sets to failure for each muscle group per session, with every muscle group getting a minimum of 3 stimuli per week.

No wasted volume, no fluff, just accurate sets executed at brutal intensity, log booked and repeated over and over again.

The last handful of months have been an eye opener to say the least on programming considerations, and it’s taught some valuable lessons.

It’s epitomised the importance of spending time in the trenches too and figuring this stuff out yourself before you start preaching it to others.

Walk the walk before you start talking the talk."

---------

-S

[jlecoq]

Welcome!

Thanks for coming over here to post / check it out, man!


Does the information you found regarding the above not apply to the below?...



I'll just give you the summary of what I've said here previously and I hope / assume you've read previously. Here are some issues:

---

You've never done FT and are trying to modify a system you don't know right off the bat. Big issues is that you'll miss out on being able to compare notes with the many people who have done the system as laid out in the book.

---

This also shows up in that you're wanting to do Loading sets for bi's, tri's and rear delts (not something I have included in FT for a reason). Heavy arm training on a regular basis often means tendonitis and then this means inability to training chest, back and delts properly. (Check the FAQ in the FT section for bringing up arms. )

---

You can run into some exercise selection / frequency issues, e.g., for thighs: If you train like the below:


You'll not have done any thigh pump sets on Day 1 or 2. If you do, e.g., a leg press, then hams could be hit Day 1, 2 and 3.

---

You'll have to figure out your own Volume Tiers for auto regulation.

-------

Your reasoning for this is one that I've heard literally hundreds of times over the decades (in the context of DC training for many years and now FT) and it pretty much boils down to this: At some level, you're prioritizing being in the gym over making gains and don't see the value in learning the system, trusting in it, and giving it a go for a couple months (1 progressive Blast) to learn the in's n' out's somewhat before modifying.

I'm just going to post this here as it has just made the rounds on social media:
• ~6 mo. training
• FT (mostly Tier I)
• HRT level hormonal support
• 100lb BW gain
• (Training 4x / week)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-5A6m-DxIG/

"calum_themusclementors
Pretty cool comparison from when I feel I looked my BEST in prep, to now 7 months post show.

I’ve had a few people asking what training has looked like over the last several months, considering I haven’t posted much on this, I thought I’d elaborate.

After talking to a few colleagues and friends I trust dearly post show, I got reading Scott’s (@fortitude_training) work, adopting the fortitude set up.

It’s funny as previously I looked at the upper lower splits or full body splits as too ‘basic’ for my needs, and I was so wrong.

Breaking this down, remember hypertrophy is a signalling dependent process, and the more opportunities we get to provide that signalling response the better, just as long as we can recover from the workload being used.

I’ve spent the majority of the time on what Scott would refer to as ‘tier 1’, the lowest volume tier, and based the exercise selection relative to my structure and my needs.

This would quite literally entail 1 (sometimes 2, but rarely) work sets to failure for each muscle group per session, with every muscle group getting a minimum of 3 stimuli per week.

No wasted volume, no fluff, just accurate sets executed at brutal intensity, log booked and repeated over and over again.

The last handful of months have been an eye opener to say the least on programming considerations, and it’s taught some valuable lessons.

It’s epitomised the importance of spending time in the trenches too and figuring this stuff out yourself before you start preaching it to others.

Walk the walk before you start talking the talk."

---------

-S

It is definitely fair to say the least that my mind has been wired to believe more is always better. More gym time = more growth. More cardio = greater fat gain. I definitely have my years to spend in the trenches truly learning the most optimal way for me to grow into my maximal potential.

I decided to take on the challenge of getting uncomfortable, even with my training. I am going to run FT, 4 days a week, for a couple blast phase to see how my body responds to lower volume / higher frequency. Hopefully we can see some nasty gains come from this at the end of this bulk before I head back into prep (if only the gyms open back up).

I did have a few questions.
1. For loading lower days, when do you stretch each individual muscle for your loading muscles? Say i have a day setup to zig-zag between BB Squat, RDL, and leg extensions. Do I stretch after the last set of each, or do I perform each stretch (quad + ham) only after the entire loading zig-zagging is complete and I am ready to move on to adductors?

2. What are some really intense techniques you have learned for pump sets? I would love to see your current training split / regimen and get some good ideas of how to really get the most out of pumpsets. My current understanding, besides just auto regulating them, would be progressive overload of reps + weight. Once i hit 25 reps at a weight, move up in weight.

Thanks for responding!

[Scott Stevenson]

It is definitely fair to say the least that my mind has been wired to believe more is always better. More gym time = more growth. More cardio = greater fat gain. I definitely have my years to spend in the trenches truly learning the most optimal way for me to grow into my maximal potential.

I decided to take on the challenge of getting uncomfortable, even with my training. I am going to run FT, 4 days a week, for a couple blast phase to see how my body responds to lower volume / higher frequency. Hopefully we can see some nasty gains come from this at the end of this bulk before I head back into prep (if only the gyms open back up).

If you set your mind to training as hard as humanly possible, I imagine you might find those rest days needed and even desired...

I did have a few questions.
1. For loading lower days, when do you stretch each individual muscle for your loading muscles? Say i have a day setup to zig-zag between BB Squat, RDL, and leg extensions. Do I stretch after the last set of each, or do I perform each stretch (quad + ham) only after the entire loading zig-zagging is complete and I am ready to move on to adductors?

Well, this one has been answered here a few times, but I'll ask you this <insert a bit of sarcasm - I'm smiling here>

How will you maintain the rest intervals between zig-zagged loading sets if you're adding a stretch in there?...

From the book, "To conserve energy
(and pain tolerance) for the weight training, all of these would follow just after training a given muscle (group), and before training the next muscle group."

Also check theses posts

(Your Q could be applied to supersetted Pump sets, too, actually, but the bottom line is that you finish the training for a given muscle group, be it zig zagged or super setted - neither of which gives enough time to reasonably put in a stretch / throw of the set thereafter - and then stretch.)

http://drscottstevenson.com/forum/thread...h#pid16665

http://drscottstevenson.com/forum/thread...r#pid20164

http://drscottstevenson.com/forum/thread...r#pid19349

http://drscottstevenson.com/forum/thread...r#pid18906

http://drscottstevenson.com/forum/thread...er#pid4152

2. What are some really intense techniques you have learned for pump sets? I would love to see your current training split / regimen and get some good ideas of how to really get the most out of pumpsets. My current understanding, besides just auto regulating them, would be progressive overload of reps + weight. Once i hit 25 reps at a weight, move up in weight.

I'd check out the table on page 93 in the book and do a search here. 5's into the hole is a good one that you can find mentioned here and on instagram many o' time.

-S

Thanks for responding!
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