FT Questions....

[Scott Stevenson]

Any advice on building legs for taller lifters? It seems that I'll get folded over before legs give out via squats. Especially those with longer femurs and shorter torsos

Bump incase some if you more active guys missed it

Some thoughts:

• Go to a high bar squat.
• Use front squats.
• Squat in a smith machine.
• Pre-fatigue the legs before squatting.
• Drop squats altogether.
• Consider how / why your low back is giving out. Is it weak or are you over stressing it via too much low back work or poor exercise sequencing throughout the week or within your workout?

I'd also consider whether it helps you to consider it a liability that you're taller in terms of your approach to training legs: Does this help you narrow your approach (because you know there's an issue there) or does this limit your perspective (because you're creating an issue that may not exist and thus keeps you for looking more broadly for solutions)?

-S

[bigla2004]

Some thoughts:

• Go to a high bar squat.
• Use front squats.
• Squat in a smith machine.
• Pre-fatigue the legs before squatting.
• Drop squats altogether.
• Consider how / why your low back is giving out. Is it weak or are you over stressing it via too much low back work or poor exercise sequencing throughout the week or within your workout?

I'd also consider whether it helps you to consider it a liability that you're taller in terms of your approach to training legs: Does this help you narrow your approach (because you know there's an issue there) or does this limit your perspective (because you're creating an issue that may not exist and thus keeps you for looking more broadly for solutions)?

-S

All great responses / questions! Thanks scott

[Derek]

switching to turbo version this week to either week tier 2 or 3 (currently on tier 3 basic) suggestions? (first blast)
Says muscle rounds or pump for all f day 4, is that just based on energy levels/recovery on which to pick?

[Jen]

I'd like to incorporate sumo floor deads and Romanian split squats because I'm working hard on activating my glutes, would they be better in muscle rounds or a loading set?

[jwtiger69]

I'd like to incorporate sumo floor deads and Romanian split squats because I'm working hard on activating my glutes, would they be better in muscle rounds or a loading set?

I think the split squats would be great for muscle rounds.

[Scott Stevenson]

Any ideas for neck training in general or is it something you wouldn't recommend?

It seems like all of the areas people see (calves, forearms and neck) are my worst body parts lol so it's harder for me to look big in regular clothes (side note: I've noticed a lot of the guys who seem like particularly gifted athletes have thicker necks in general even if the rest of them doesn't stand out).

I used to do neck bridges on an exercise ball...some balance issues there lol but it fatigued those muscles pretty well. Though progression was hard as it mostly came down to adding time.

For those who have gotten to 4-500lb squats and (rack) reads for reps, 315 BO rows, etc., neck training is generally not needed.

Get your body weight up, loading the traps, and your neck will follow - this is what happens with most guys.

As a start, I'd go with a shrug movement as a back MR, esp. with you given your tendency for orthopedic issues.

switching to turbo version this week to either week tier 2 or 3 (currently on tier 3 basic) suggestions? (first blast)

Suggestions on what?

(If you're asking generally, based on your question below, I'd take another look at the program. I'd guess you're not entirely sure what to do.)

Says muscle rounds or pump for all f day 4, is that just based on energy levels/recovery on which to pick?

It's based on what the Volume Tier calls for specifically (as noted in the overview sheet).

I'd like to incorporate sumo floor deads and Romanian split squats because I'm working hard on activating my glutes, would they be better in muscle rounds or a loading set?

I would do the deads as a Loading set for Back Thickness and the R. Split squats as an MR (alternating continuously as you move through the 6 sets of the MR).

-S

[Jen]

Cool, I was thinking the same for the split squats. Thanks for the input!

[Scott Stevenson]

Cool, I was thinking the same for the split squats. Thanks for the input!

No problemo!

Ya know ironically enough back and traps are my strong points, but I still have a skinny neck

I got to 4-500 rack deads by the time I was 170lb but still had <15in neck lol I think it's 15.5 now at 190-195 (depending on where you measure). I'll try the shrug MRs though now that my MR days include a 3rd back exercise.

I bet pump neck extensions would be real safe

You could do direct neck work, but I hesitate to suggest that, as I mentioned, d/t the fact that you're bit banged up.

Neck is an interesting one in that it may or may not grow and you may be "one of those guys"...

My guess is that doing a lot of heavy work where stabilization is required in general can lead to a lot of isometric contractions of the neck musculature. It's rare to see a powerlifter with decent size and a small neck, but finding bodybuilders (who may do more isolation work) with a more normal looking neck (and more muscle overall than powerlifters) isn't that out of the norm.

Compare Flex Wheeler (lighter training) with Ronnie Coleman ("heavy ass weight!") in their respective prime and the biggest difference may be neck musculature.

-S

[Scott Stevenson]

Hm, I don't know if you paid attention to Ronnie's videos very well Scott. He would constantly talk about how light weight (baby) he was lifting

lol good stuff, I'll stick with the heavy loading work and try some shrug MRs and hope that helps out a bit over time.

LOL - I think if you can get to where you're lifting Texas-sized peanuts ala the GOAT, that neck ought to be a smidge larger.

-S

[RyanM]

This may be overthinking things but here you go:

On the 3 day "family man" plan, is it OK to use an exercise for a muscle round that you've used for a load set two days prior (I'm assuming the schedule is like [load pump / off / load pump /off / muscle rounds / off / off])? I suspect so seeing as how the book suggests using whatever exercises feel good to you on your muscle round days so long as you're trying to beat the logbook.