FT Questions....

[Scott Stevenson]

Hey Scott-

Great site! Lots of good stuff here.

Do you feel that either the loading/pump days or muscle rounds days places more of a recovery demand on the body, such that having 2 days off after would be more beneficial? Being a veteran of Titan Training, placing the muscle round days on Thursday/Friday was intentional so that you would have 2 full days of no training in a row on the weekends, to help with recovery from the demands of how much volume was performed. However, in Fortitude Training, volume is moderated when compared to Titan on muscle round days. Therefore, can you see any issue with performing Day 3 and Day 4 of FT, on Monday and Tuesday, and then Day 1 and Day 2 on Thursday and Friday? At my gym, Mondays and Tuesdays are SUBSTANTIALLY more crowded than Thursday and Friday. The likelihood of a machine or exercise that I need to get on for Zig Zagging being snagged in between sets is much more likely on Mon/Tues, as well as being able to vary the exercises performed when doing pump sets. I know you touched on certain configurations in the book, but do you feel it is the MOST optimal to leave it as outlined?

I do cover this in the FAQ. I'll leave the nuances of your gym and exercise selection to you, but I prefer to have a day between Loading Days, e.g., M W Loading days with MR's on a Fri and Sat.

I personally would struggle having only one day off before doing Day 1 and Day 2 (Loading and Pump sets), but everyone's different. You can give it a shot and see how you do. (The gym business issue is a reason why many guys train on the weekends, both Sat. and Sun, as well as for recovery, which can be easier on a day when you're not working.)

-S

[leino]

Scott,

When doing loading days, do you recommend choosing an ISO exercise that either complements or accentuates the compound.

So for example say you're doing decline bench press as tour compound, would you choose a decline fly ( accentuate ) or an incline fly ( complement ) ?

Cheers!

[Scott Stevenson]

Scott,

When doing loading days, do you recommend choosing an ISO exercise that either complements or accentuates the compound.

So for example say you're doing decline bench press as tour compound, would you choose a decline fly ( accentuate ) or an incline fly ( complement ) ?

Cheers!

That's entirely up to the developmental needs of your particular physique.

-S

[jmoney18]

Hey Scott-

Got another month left of free time till school starts back up. Would there be any advantages to splitting up the workouts and doing upper in the am and lower in the pm?

Thanks!

Joe

[Scott Stevenson]

Hey Scott-

Got another month left of free time till school starts back up. Would there be any advantages to splitting up the workouts and doing upper in the am and lower in the pm?

Thanks!

Joe

Joe,

I'm assuming when school starts up, you won't be able to maintain a two a day schedule, so in that case, I'd say no.

Splitting up the workouts could make sense for someone who is employing all of the recovery techniques possible so that he /she can train with the highest stimulus (volume and intensity) possible, ala an Eastern Bloc Olympic weightlifter or a professional football player trying to get into shape before a season.

For you, I'm guessing you'll not be doing this and then would have to go to the regular schedule and readjust. Also, having just a month and doing the program for the 1st time, i'd say this wouldn't be a good idea.

If you, let's say would typically use Tier II and had done several Intensive Blasts this way and figured out you'd have a month to really get after it (train, eat, sleep, and optimize recovery) then you might be able to go with Volume Tier III for a 4 week blast (running it as long as possible, maybe dropping to Tier II at the end), but that would all be contingent in experience with the program...

Although not everyone finds this to be the case, I find recovery better with one a day programs and longer pure rest days, (e.g., training 4 x / week vs. splitting the work out over 6-7 days). Some of this may be psychological, of course, too. Getting geared up mentally for a big workout can be tough day in day out.

-S

[bigla2004]

p. 42

-S

Thanks Scott. Maybe I'm dense, but I still don't fully understand the isometric stretches and I've watched your videos on them.

Can you potentially give an example of one for each bodypart or spell it out in more layman's terms? Apologies.

[ARS]

Last week was my first week of my first blast with FT. All I can say.....outstanding. It's early, and I'm still "feeling out" some of the techniques, but so far I'm loving this program. I started on the 3-day variation with Tier 1 volume. However, it wasn't as "high volume" as it appeared on paper, and I'm pretty sure that I can handle Tier 2 without any issues. By the way - I LOVE MR sets.......

I have a few follow-up questions........

1) When choosing exercises for the three different set types (loading, pump, MR), due to limited choices for some muscle groups, I would assume that it's alright to have an exercise used for multiple set types? I know that different exercises sometimes lend themselves better to a particular set type, but there some exercises that are very versatile and can be applied to any of the set types. For example - Hammer Strength Iso Incline Press - great for loading, great for pump, and great for MR. Now, I know the goal is to use a variety of exercises, particularly for pump sets & MR sets, which I plan to do as much as possible, but in cases where there's not many choices - is it ok to use an exercise multiple times for different set types?

2) I know it's mentioned that pump sets (and loading sets) are to be continuous, but does that include pausing under tension, such as a paused leg press or squat? I'm not going to do this for loading sets, but I'm planning on using paused versions of some exercises for my pump sets to (a) reduce the weight and (b) increase TUT. I guess this COULD apply to some loading sets for back thickness, particularly rowing exercises, where a "squeeze & hold" is preferred. Is the bottom line that pauses are not to be taken for the purpose of resting, which gives inconsistent performance logs from workout to workout?

3) I'm really finding myself limited in terms of hamstring exercises. I live outside of a tiny rural town, but relatively speaking, the gym I go to is fairly well equipped (Hammer Strength, Life Fitness & free weights) for this area, except for hamstrings. As of right now, they have no direct hamstring machines (leg curls or hyperextensions). This, coupled with a horrible injury history with my lower back (including surgery), has left me searching for exercise options. Here's what I have available:
DB stiff-legged raises - feels great, can really get a safe & deep stretch at bottom
BB stiff-legged raises - can do on Smythe too, but in both cases, needs to be LIGHT (20-30 rep)
Wide-stance (sumo) leg press - although I can't seem to feel my hams being activated that much here

Perhaps I need to really get creative here and just expand my thinking, but any suggestions would be helpful.

4) Diet related - I've always been a big fan of TrueNutrition's "MG's Powdered Muscle" formula for my peri-workout shake. Seems like this formula fits the bill quite nicely for the prescribed peri-workout shake.....

5) Diet related again - I've really become accustomed to Intermittent Fasting where I eat about 4 meals (whole food, shake, whole food, shake) from noon until 9pm. In the mornings, both at 6am & 9am, I'll have some BCAA's. I'm curious to hear thoughts on IF and how it fits into the diet demands of FT.

[Scott Stevenson]

Thanks Scott. Maybe I'm dense, but I still don't fully understand the isometric stretches and I've watched your videos on them.

Can you potentially give an example of one for each bodypart or spell it out in more layman's terms? Apologies.

Sure.

Pec Stretches:

Flexibility Stretch: Stretch the pec against a stable object without an co-contraction, trying to loosen the muscle up. Give it 20+ seconds or as long as you need to feel the muscle relax and increase range of motion.

Occlusion stretch: Perform a stretch like the above for 60-90 seconds, but contract the pec while under stretch, but DON'T try to increase to the limits of your range of motion. Do this stretch shortly after training the pec. Maintain the pec contraction for the entire time. Stretch and contract the pec to create the pain sensation in the area of the pec just trained and/or where you didn't feel it well during the set (but wanted to) and want to see growth (e.g. upper pec).

Extreme Stretch: Use a pair of DB's about 30-50% of what you might use for a loading set of DB presses and lower the DB's slowly into the bottom of a normal range of motion for a DB fly. Hold the load in that stretched position for 60-90 sec. BE SURE that you can dump the weight safely. Do NOT try to increase to the extremes of range of motion or use an extraordinary amount of weight. You can progressively increase the weight on these as you get the hang of the extreme stretch, but NEVER at the expense of joint integrity or feeling stretch in the intended muscle. (If you feel joint or tendon pain or pain in muscles other than one one you're trying to stretch, the stretch should be ended and/or you should use less weight.)

-S

[Scott Stevenson]

Last week was my first week of my first blast with FT. All I can say.....outstanding. It's early, and I'm still "feeling out" some of the techniques, but so far I'm loving this program. I started on the 3-day variation with Tier 1 volume. However, it wasn't as "high volume" as it appeared on paper, and I'm pretty sure that I can handle Tier 2 without any issues. By the way - I LOVE MR sets.......

That makes many of us!!!

I have a few follow-up questions........

1) When choosing exercises for the three different set types (loading, pump, MR), due to limited choices for some muscle groups, I would assume that it's alright to have an exercise used for multiple set types? I know that different exercises sometimes lend themselves better to a particular set type, but there some exercises that are very versatile and can be applied to any of the set types. For example - Hammer Strength Iso Incline Press - great for loading, great for pump, and great for MR. Now, I know the goal is to use a variety of exercises, particularly for pump sets & MR sets, which I plan to do as much as possible, but in cases where there's not many choices - is it ok to use an exercise multiple times for different set types?

I think you answered your own question... LOL If there's no choice, there's no choice.

HOWEVER, if you need some input, I and many others here have some tricks up our sleeves as far as exercises you might not have thought of.

2) I know it's mentioned that pump sets (and loading sets) are to be continuous, but does that include pausing under tension, such as a paused leg press or squat? I'm not going to do this for loading sets, but I'm planning on using paused versions of some exercises for my pump sets to (a) reduce the weight and (b) increase TUT. I guess this COULD apply to some loading sets for back thickness, particularly rowing exercises, where a "squeeze & hold" is preferred. Is the bottom line that pauses are not to be taken for the purpose of resting, which gives inconsistent performance logs from workout to workout?

Yes, exactly!

Also, if you squeeze / pause in a contracted position for a given exercise, you'd want to be consistent with that for the purposes of logging progression. (I.e., doing it on most reps of one loading set on week and then very rarely the next time you hit that exercise for a Loading set can affect the reps you get.)

3) I'm really finding myself limited in terms of hamstring exercises. I live outside of a tiny rural town, but relatively speaking, the gym I go to is fairly well equipped (Hammer Strength, Life Fitness & free weights) for this area, except for hamstrings. As of right now, they have no direct hamstring machines (leg curls or hyperextensions). This, coupled with a horrible injury history with my lower back (including surgery), has left me searching for exercise options. Here's what I have available:
DB stiff-legged raises - feels great, can really get a safe & deep stretch at bottom
BB stiff-legged raises - can do on Smythe too, but in both cases, needs to be LIGHT (20-30 rep)
Wide-stance (sumo) leg press - although I can't seem to feel my hams being activated that much here

Perhaps I need to really get creative here and just expand my thinking, but any suggestions would be helpful.

Prone DB ham curls
--- Variation of this on incline and decline bench, as well as flat / on the floor.

Hanging DB ham curls. Use some ab slings (or just hang from a chin bar) and do DB ham curls. You might need help getting the DB set up.

Buy some ankle cuffs and do Ham curls lying face down using a cable or on a bench (use a decline bench with the low end where the cable's pulley is - head higher than feet).

Russian knee curl varieties.

Fetal Ham curls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1YgRgm7SWs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vDLLj-TMWE (hold on to the lat pulldown above for counterweight to assist you upward)

4) Diet related - I've always been a big fan of TrueNutrition's "MG's Powdered Muscle" formula for my peri-workout shake. Seems like this formula fits the bill quite nicely for the prescribed peri-workout shake.....

It does.

5) Diet related again - I've really become accustomed to Intermittent Fasting where I eat about 4 meals (whole food, shake, whole food, shake) from noon until 9pm. In the mornings, both at 6am & 9am, I'll have some BCAA's. I'm curious to hear thoughts on IF and how it fits into the diet demands of FT.

I'd first start the program and not change your diet. You may find that you need MORE food with this program (esp. at the higher volume tiers) and you'll not have an issue with gaining fat.

Remember. At it's core, FT is a muscle mass gaining program, so some body fat will come along with that. (The idea is to minimize this, while making gains, of course.)

-S

[bigla2004]

Sure.

Pec Stretches:

Flexibility Stretch: Stretch the pec against a stable object without an co-contraction, trying to loosen the muscle up. Give it 20+ seconds or as long as you need to feel the muscle relax and increase range of motion.

Occlusion stretch: Perform a stretch like the above for 60-90 seconds, but contract the pec while under stretch, but DON'T try to increase to the limits of your range of motion. Do this stretch shortly after training the pec. Maintain the pec contraction for the entire time. Stretch and contract the pec to create the pain sensation in the area of the pec just trained and/or where you didn't feel it well during the set (but wanted to) and want to see growth (e.g. upper pec).

Extreme Stretch: Use a pair of DB's about 30-50% of what you might use for a loading set of DB presses and lower the DB's slowly into the bottom of a normal range of motion for a DB fly. Hold the load in that stretched position for 60-90 sec. BE SURE that you can dump the weight safely. Do NOT try to increase to the extremes of range of motion or use an extraordinary amount of weight. You can progressively increase the weight on these as you get the hang of the extreme stretch, but NEVER at the expense of joint integrity or feeling stretch in the intended muscle. (If you feel joint or tendon pain or pain in muscles other than one one you're trying to stretch, the stretch should be ended and/or you should use less weight.)

-S

This is super helpful, thank you!