new tricks for old dogs?

[MrTrap]

Hey bros, help me get my mind out of a rut. I started powerlifting over 20 years ago and did it for years, but either the powerlifting or age caught up with me. I can't do the really low rep stuff anymore and for that matter comps lost their appeal some time ago. But I still love the lifting so I've been trying, the past couple of years, to head more in a bodybuilding direction. Not to compete just more to look good and be healthy.

So here's the thing. I just don't seem to do anything really different with my workouts. Like I still squat of course, and I'm not doing low reps, but I'm still stuck on working up to 1 or 2 top sets and then doing just a little assistance work. I know it is good training but I'm wondering if I'm missing out on something.

I found this article http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/shannon2.htm and thought I'd ask your opinions. It seems kind of along the lines of the GVT so many of you seem to like, but it would at least allow a little more weight and it would be briefer. Comments? Other ideas?

TIA,

Traps

 

[YellowJacket]

Hey brother sorry I got to this thread so late but here's my opinion and comments.....

First Im impressed you're willing to change and take control of your life, props to you.... second you want to choose a program that targets all muscle fibers....GVT is a great example. If you can not do all 10 sets, to hell with it, 5 sets of 10 reps is sufficient in my opinion. Not certain what your diet or supplement arsonal look like, but you obviously have a good base to start with with over 20 years of powerlifting so it should take much to really get you lean and of very good size.

IF you could provide more detailed goals (size gains, strength gains, leaner look, etc *And dont tell me all of them ) Then myself and the other guru's will be more than happy to lay you out a program, etc.

Best of luck to you, YJ

 

[MrTrap]

YJ thanks. I'm an idiot, just saw your response.

Goals: a more aesthetic appearance. PLing and power training gave me some parts but not others. e.g. my back is good, traps bigger than they need to be, but my arms are comparatively small. Delts could use some work. That sort of thing. Like I hinted at in my last post, working the little lifts just has never floated my boat. Maybe a couple sets of hammer curls to keep the biceps safe for deads, but never did them consistently. About I ever liked doing was squats, deads, rows, bench, pullups, standing presses, and dips.

My diet is fine, get lots of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, anything but white flour products. Basically supplement with some minerals, MSM, a little vit C & E, and protein powder.

Due to other stuff in life I get 3 days for sure to lift; could do a 4th but not consistently, so I stick to 3.

Any ideas welcome, thanks.

Traps

 

[Biggs]

Well, check this out, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest HST. Though my body type for whatever reason doesn't respond very well to this method (every five days seems to be my best order of business), I'm liking the hypertrophy specific theory, and it looks like it would be a good change for you. Since you've PL'ed for 20 yrs I'm sure you have above and beyond the appropriate level of knowledge regarding your max poundages, and it stays in line with your 3 days/week availability. It tends to be very customizable and allows for more adaptability in exercise selection. So, as long as you know your maxes and which poundages you should be using, you can gauge your response to new non PL exercises you might be adding in for the acquisition of that aesthetic appearance you were talking about and once you get it all in order you should really take off since you already have the size/strength. Hope this is of benefit bro, good luck!

http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html

 

[MrTrap]

Thanks for that Biggin. It doesn't look all that different than some of the PLing cycles we used to follow. A little more compressed. We'd do 3 weeks each of 12s, 8s, 5s, 3s. I made another post somewhere laying out the split, 4 days a week instead of 3, but not full body. I could see trying that maybe.

 

[MrTrap]

Maybe you young guys are onto something. It remains to be seen if this thick skull will let the old dog learn it. Anyway, I tried backing off the weight and increasing the volume for back. My back is probably my best part so I figured if it didn't work no big loss. I did like 6 x 8 for work sets. All hard though, not paced like GVT or CFT. Well bugger me if my back didn't grow a bit better than the rest of me. My strength didn't go up as much, but like I said, I have to break out of that rut.

So now I'm really thinking on trying the cumulative fatigue or GVT. Before I do I thought I'd learn some more from you guys. Here are some questions I've got:

1) Split. The GVT split is kind of funky; how important is it? I'm used to doing push-legs-pull over 3x per week.

2) Schedule. GVT has 2 on, 1 off, 1 on, one off, repeat. I guess I can swing it for a bit, not really convenient. It looks weird to have shoulders and arms as the stand alone day. Again, how important is that split?

3) The cumulative fatigue in the link above is 6 x 6, the GVT is 10 x 10. How would it work if I did like just one top set of 6 (heavy), and then did 5 x 6 or 8 x 8 with the lighter weight? I know, I know, I'm stuck in a rut.

TIA,
Traps

 

[ex_banana-eater]

Well, check this out, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest HST. Though my body type for whatever reason doesn't respond very well to this method (every five days seems to be my best order of business), I'm liking the hypertrophy specific theory, and it looks like it would be a good change for you. Since you've PL'ed for 20 yrs I'm sure you have above and beyond the appropriate level of knowledge regarding your max poundages, and it stays in line with your 3 days/week availability. It tends to be very customizable and allows for more adaptability in exercise selection. So, as long as you know your maxes and which poundages you should be using, you can gauge your response to new non PL exercises you might be adding in for the acquisition of that aesthetic appearance you were talking about and once you get it all in order you should really take off since you already have the size/strength. Hope this is of benefit bro, good luck!

http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html

How about when he reaches the 5's and negatives.. he dosnt want to do lower vollume. Although I still support HST