FT Questions....

[Scott Stevenson]

Scott, At the moment I'm eating at mantainance to avoid any kind of stress. At the same time, I reduced training volume because I was "overtrained" and I got injured (I've cervical pains, especially behind the head, and vertigo...and a minor facial palsy).
I got legs size using higher volume. I can0t tell if the lower volume approach can work because I've been using it only for one week.


I'm trying to keep the muscle gained during the last 2 months and, if god wants, graying to add another pound of lean muscle in the next months.

If 'll feel better, I'll start my cals cycling, that works quite well for me...

So it sounds like your goals are to maintain and hope that god steps in to help you gain a bit of muscle. Is this correct?

It also sounds like like your'e confused about your training status as you say that Tier III Turbo is "nothing for [you]" whereas you were overtrained.

For maintenance, I'd just keep doing what your doing training-wise and eating at "maintenance" levels.

I'll leave the god part to you.

You might ask yourself what overtraining really means, but also pay close attention to those head and neck issues. I'd personally get those addressed before doing ANY training.

-S

[duchaine]

So it sounds like your goals are to maintain and hope that god steps in to help you gain a bit of muscle. Is this correct?

yes!

It also sounds like like your'e confused about your training status as you say that Tier III Turbo is "nothing for [you]" whereas you were overtrained.

For my upper body, I can tell that the amount of volume suggested in the book works GREAT!
I've only some problems when I do MR for lower body..
In laymen terms, I can tell you that I "feel" every single reps for my upper body. By the other way, when I train legs, I feel like I'm not able to "feel" the same kind of work...It is like I "can't contract" my legs...so one single muscle round does not "stimulate" enough my legs.

For maintenance, I'd just keep doing what your doing training-wise and eating at "maintenance" levels.

I'll leave the god part to you.

You might ask yourself what overtraining really means, but also pay close attention to those head and neck issues. I'd personally get those addressed before doing ANY training.

Thanks for your advice.
I'm feeling better, suffering vertigo only when I'm very stressed. I have a MR next week...

[Scott Stevenson]

Basically whether 3 days a week vs 4 is noticeably less “taxing” for those who have made the switch. I’m basically just hoping someone tells me it’ll be manageable so that I can justify using ft again.

Ah, OK, I'm with you now...

I think it really is a matter of all the other stuff you're doing, really, too. You could probably do much better with the FT (4days / week) if you cut back on the cardio.

-S

[almo19]

Scott I'm a little late getting on the Fortitude training lifestyle I'm a Firefighter from the Yorkshire England and this program is exactly what I've been looking for and love the flexibility of it.
Just a quick question cant seem to find the answer anywhere after reading loads of pages on this fantastic forum sorry if it has already been covered.
Does the training week need to be set out so structured. ie.

Mon upper loading ,lower pump
Tue lower loading, upper pump
Wed off
Thursday upper MS
Friday off
Saturday lower MS
Sunday off.

Would it be ok to do this as a weeks training instead as it works with my shift pattern.

Mon upper loading, lower pump
Tue Muscle round full body
Wed off
Thursday lower loading, upper pump
Friday Muscle round full body
Saturday off
Sunday off

Cheers Alex

[Scott Stevenson]

Scott I'm a little late getting on the Fortitude training lifestyle I'm a Firefighter from the Yorkshire England and this program is exactly what I've been looking for and love the flexibility of it.
Just a quick question cant seem to find the answer anywhere after reading loads of pages on this fantastic forum sorry if it has already been covered.
Does the training week need to be set out so structured. ie.

Mon upper loading ,lower pump
Tue lower loading, upper pump
Wed off
Thursday upper MS
Friday off
Saturday lower MS
Sunday off.

Would it be ok to do this as a weeks training instead as it works with my shift pattern.

Mon upper loading, lower pump
Tue Muscle round full body
Wed off
Thursday lower loading, upper pump
Friday Muscle round full body
Saturday off
Sunday off

Cheers Alex

You could do that, but you run into the issues with cramming the 4 training days into the weekdays and now you're making things even tougher with doing full body MR's on those other days.

So this is basically Turbo perhaps with even higher volume with the two full body MR days, depending on how you set those things up.

I'd probably go with the family man plan if I were you, but that would depend upon your schedule...(?...)

-S

[almo19]

You could do that, but you run into the issues with cramming the 4 training days into the weekdays and now you're making things even tougher with doing full body MR's on those other days.

So this is basically Turbo perhaps with even higher volume with the two full body MR days, depending on how you set those things up.

I'd probably go with the family man plan if I were you, but that would depend upon your schedule...(?...)

-S

Thanks for the reply Scott absolute legend cant believe it.

The training program I mentioned above just works with my shift at the fire station with my shift patterns that's all, I can split both training sessions into a A.M and P.M workout also as we are there all day if you think that would help.

Mon A.M upper loading P.M lower pump
Tue A.M upper Muscle Round P.M lower Muscle round
Wed off
Thursday A.M lower loading P.M upper Pump
Friday A.M lower muscle round P.M Upper muscle round.
Saturday off
Sunday off

Is it ok to structure it with a muscle round the day after a loading and pump day, or am I better with a day off in between every workout. Ie

Mon upper loading, lower pump
Tue off
Wed muscle rounds either full or just upper
Thurs off
Friday lower loading upper pump
Saturday off
Sunday muscle round either full or just lower.

And then start again on the Monday meaning I would train 2 days on the spin Sunday and Monday.

Or is there an advantage of doing the loading and pump sets straight after each other as in,

Monday upper loading lower pump
Tuesday lower loading upper pump
Wed off
Thursday upper muscle round
Friday lower muscle round
Saturday off
Sunday off

Cheers Scott loved the e-book also, and the forum is the best on the net I've got all the lads on Fortitude training at the Fire station we love it you are the man.

[Scott Stevenson]

Almo,

Thanks for the kind words, my man!

OK, before it would make sense to address any of that. Have you actually done FT as it is written?... An if so, which Volume Tier(s) did you use and how did your Blast(s) go?...

It sounds like you're basically wanting to modify a car you've never even driven. Your questions about how is best to structure things comes down to YOU mainly. I'd not want to do two-a-days, as I don't prefer to train that way and feel it gets in the way of recovery, but that's not the case for everyone (although I feel if you're REALLY going for broke that's probably true of most.)

I'd also try to fit the training around how well you recover not how your shifts are set up. I've worked with a few Firefighters over the years and some prefer to train on their OFF days, when they know they can rest as needed, eat for recovery, etc. (You may be at a less busy station and can get away with training while on duty without interruptions.)

I think if you were to try what you're proposing, you'd find it to be too much, but that depends on you.

Here in the US, firefighters will often do a 24 on / 48 off and then have a longer stint of several days off every couple weeks, but that's not universal. I'm not sure I understand your work pattern, actually, but in your case, with the possibility of sleep being interrupted, etc. the focus would probably be on recovery. This is how I've programmed most of the firefighters I've worked with: Train when they can train full force and have a good period thereafter to recover. For some, this might mean training right after coming off shift int he AM and then eating a napping, whereas others might come off shift in the AM, nap, then train, eat, sleep, etc...

-S

[almo19]

8

Almo,

Thanks for the kind words, my man!

OK, before it would make sense to address any of that. Have you actually done FT as it is written?... An if so, which Volume Tier(s) did you use and how did your Blast(s) go?...

It sounds like you're basically wanting to modify a car you've never even driven. Your questions about how is best to structure things comes down to YOU mainly. I'd not want to do two-a-days, as I don't prefer to train that way and feel it gets in the way of recovery, but that's not the case for everyone (although I feel if you're REALLY going for broke that's probably true of most.)

I'd also try to fit the training around how well you recover not how your shifts are set up. I've worked with a few Firefighters over the years and some prefer to train on their OFF days, when they know they can rest as needed, eat for recovery, etc. (You may be at a less busy station and can get away with training while on duty without interruptions.)

I think if you were to try what you're proposing, you'd find it to be too much, but that depends on you.

Here in the US, firefighters will often do a 24 on / 48 off and then have a longer stint of several days off every couple weeks, but that's not universal. I'm not sure I understand your work pattern, actually, but in your case, with the possibility of sleep being interrupted, etc. the focus would probably be on recovery. This is how I've programmed most of the firefighters I've worked with: Train when they can train full force and have a good period thereafter to recover. For some, this might mean training right after coming off shift int he AM and then eating a napping, whereas others might come off shift in the AM, nap, then train, eat, sleep, etc...

-S

Cheers Scott,
Your responses are fantastic no wonder so many people have so many great things to say about you personally and fortitude training.

As far as blast(s) this is my first one and having come from a high volume training program just thought what I had set up was what would work for me, but after reading more and more posts and your advice as well I'm looking for quick gains instead of following the process and progressing properly.

With my shifts at work we work 2 days on 8.00a.m till 7.00p.m then 2 nights on 7.00p.m till 8.00a.m next morning then 4 days off.

Personally I want to start from the beginning and do Tier 1 basic and work through the Tiers and follow the fortitude training plan that works best to pack on as much muscle as possible and if training once a day is the best you have found in terms of recovery I will go with that I will follow what you suggest on recovery and gains etc.
My problem is I can train every day of the week apart from Saturday which is a no go unfortunately.
I no you suggest doing the family man would you set that up as below

Mon upper loading lower pump
Tue off
Wed lower loading upper pump
Thursday off
Friday Muscle Round
Saturday off
Sunday off
Or would you do it differently ie swap the muscle round to Wednesday etc.

I would prefer to do the Full program of training 4 days tho,again starting at Basic Tier 1 like you suggest but I can't get my head round how I would structure the week with not being able to train at all on the Saturday how could I structure the program to fit , I'm sure I read in another post I dont no if it was you your advice tho that someone could train as below and would that work.

Mon upper loading
Tuesday lower pump
Wed Lower loading
Thursday upper pump
Friday Lower MS
Saturday off
Sunday Upper MS

Then start again on Monday but with lower loading and work through the week again would this work as good or would it not be great as in recovery etc


I really appreciated your time thanks Almo.

[Scott Stevenson]

8
Cheers Scott,
Your responses are fantastic no wonder so many people have so many great things to say about you personally and fortitude training.

As far as blast(s) this is my first one and having come from a high volume training program just thought what I had set up was what would work for me, but after reading more and more posts and your advice as well I'm looking for quick gains instead of following the process and progressing properly.

With my shifts at work we work 2 days on 8.00a.m till 7.00p.m then 2 nights on 7.00p.m till 8.00a.m next morning then 4 days off.

Personally I want to start from the beginning and do Tier 1 basic and work through the Tiers and follow the fortitude training plan that works best to pack on as much muscle as possible and if training once a day is the best you have found in terms of recovery I will go with that I will follow what you suggest on recovery and gains etc.
My problem is I can train every day of the week apart from Saturday which is a no go unfortunately.
I no you suggest doing the family man would you set that up as below

Mon upper loading lower pump
Tue off
Wed lower loading upper pump
Thursday off
Friday Muscle Round
Saturday off
Sunday off
Or would you do it differently ie swap the muscle round to Wednesday etc.

I would prefer to do the Full program of training 4 days tho,again starting at Basic Tier 1 like you suggest but I can't get my head round how I would structure the week with not being able to train at all on the Saturday how could I structure the program to fit , I'm sure I read in another post I dont no if it was you your advice tho that someone could train as below and would that work.

Mon upper loading
Tuesday lower pump
Wed Lower loading
Thursday upper pump
Friday Lower MS
Saturday off
Sunday Upper MS

Then start again on Monday but with lower loading and work through the week again would this work as good or would it not be great as in recovery etc


I really appreciated your time thanks Almo.

No problem!

I still don't understand you Schedule, though, TBH

With my shifts at work we work 2 days on 8.00a.m till 7.00p.m then 2 nights on 7.00p.m till 8.00a.m next morning then 4 days off.

Let's say you work Mondays, would that then goL

Mon: 8AM - 7PM
Tue: 8AM - 7PM
Wed-THurs - 7PM -> 8AM
Thur-Friday 7PM --> 8AM

Then Sat you're busy (work or something else)?...

Not sure where the 4 days fit or how the days and night shifts are sequenced.

It sounds like your shifts rotate on something other than a 7 day period (4 work days... and then 4 days off?...)

Before I can help, I'd need to know your schedule.

-----

You've not even mentioned gym equipment at the station vs. elsewhere.

-S

[almo19]

No problem!

I still don't understand you Schedule, though, TBH


Let's say you work Mondays, would that then goL

Mon: 8AM - 7PM
Tue: 8AM - 7PM
Wed-THurs - 7PM -> 8AM
Thur-Friday 7PM --> 8AM

Then Sat you're busy (work or something else)?...

Not sure where the 4 days fit or how the days and night shifts are sequenced.

It sounds like your shifts rotate on something other than a 7 day period (4 work days... and then 4 days off?...)

Before I can help, I'd need to know your schedule.

-----

You've not even mentioned gym equipment at the station vs. elsewhere.

-S

Yes you got the shift pattern correct bang on we work 4 on 4 off,

Monday day shift
Tuesday day shift
Wednesday night shift
Thursday night shift
Friday off
Saturday off
Sunday off
Monday off

Start all again Tuesday the next week and so on.

I can do Fortitude training every day of the week apart from Saturdays as I play Cricket. So i cannot train on a Saturday at all any week, every other day I am ok to train hope that makes sense.
I go to my local spit and sawdust gym that has everything and at work we have a good selection of everything as well so I would be able to train at work and when I'm off with how you have organised Fortitude.
Our station is busy but there is always time to train and get a session in at work.
I no you suggested the family man plan 3 days a week but i would ideally like to do the Basic Tier 1 4 day a week just on week days tho.
Would this work or would you structure it differently.

Mon lower muscle round
Tue upper loading lower pump
Wednesday off
Thursday upper muscle round
Friday lower loading upper pump
Saturday off
Sunday off

Hope all this makes sense I'm so excited to start training again properly, as my youngest starts school tomorrow so I'm back to hitting everything Fortitude has for me I cant wait to get stuck in, I will just follow your advice as how you think best to structure the sessions into my week Cheers Alex.