Stu Ward's Progress Discussion

[_Wolf_]

Hello. I'm just here to say hi. Army training is very difficult IMO. Atleast your workouts and what I have seen others do scares me lol... Total endurance and mental strength.

[Dub]

I've been playing around with Broz's squat every day program.

How has that been feeling for you? How long have you tried it out, or have you? What I remember from my Stronglifts was that squatting near my 5-7RM's three times a week for sets was very taxing on the lower back and core. It was getting harder by the week, and not only because of the slowly increasing weight. Of course I'm a bit closer to beginner level, and didn't go very heavy for not much longer than 4-5 weeks. Still, I think it didn't suit me well, and most likely will not intend to squat more than 2x a week in my programs.

I'm starting to doubt the validity of the supercompensation model.

I think the whole process there is oversimplified and too generalised, but has some sense behind it also. The 72 hour rule also seems to be very individual from time to time.

[stuward]

I haven't really given it a solid go yet so I can't say how it will work. Some recommend alternating front and back squats so I might try that. I think that working the same muscles everyday leads to adaptations towards faster recovery provided you don't push beyond a reasonable point. I've also seen suggestions from a number of points that for old guys, intensity is easier to recover from than volume so that's where the priority is going to be. This is NOT German Volume Training, and I have no intention of going that route.

[Jungledoc]

The 72 hour rule also seems to be very individual from time to time.

Not only individual, but can vary a lot for an individual. It depends on a lot of stuff in your life; sleep, diet, other exercise, etc., etc. If you are doing other taxing heavy multiple-joint lifts, that's going to affect your ability to squat every day, or do anything every day. Stu, what you said about volume vs. intensity I really believe. I haven't yet tried squatting or DLing or anything every day, but I've been violating the "rules" about how heavy you can DL on a regular basis, and I'm finding that if I work on managing my over-all fatigue level, I can do it.

And, yeah, there's a lot that actually goes on in real life that the supercompensation model doesn't explain well.

[stuward]

I remember back in my 20s working in a lumber yard. For 2 weeks I did nothing except cut 4"x4"x16' posts into 8' lengths, taking them from 1 pallet, cutting them and stacking them on another. I think I did 2 truckloads. My hands were screaming in pain after a couple of days but by the end of the 2 weeks, they had adapted and the muscles between my thumbs and fore fingers were protruding, they had grown so much. Supercompensation doesn't explain that.

[Oscar_Actuary]

I only know supercompensation on the 3000 ft above level. Is there not elements, or consideration for improving (reducing) recovery time, as part of the supercompenstion process?
Or is it just: Load, Breakdown, SuoerCompensate, DEtrain/Overtrain....

[stuward]

After you train, your performance is supposed to decrease for a time, then you recover and perform better for a time before you detrain. If you time it right you wait until your capacity peaks and you can make improvement. Of course there may be multiple factors involved. Squatting daily, or doing anything strenuous every day isn't supposed to work and should lead to injury.

[Oscar_Actuary]

Maybe the cycles can be shortened

[stuward]

Maybe the cycles can be shortened

Maybe, or maybe there are multiple cycles, each with different attributes. I know that working everyday is shorter than the DOMS cycle. By working before DOMS kicks in you can avoid it altogether. The day after you lift, you get a little stiffness, then if you lift again, your flexiblity returns for the rest of the day and I think you feel stronger. Several times in the past, I would do a normal intensity workout and the next day, I would repeat the same workout and actually perform better. It's like the first workout primed me for the second. I don't know.

The downside of squatting everyday is when you get to the gym and there's a couple of people doing deadlifts in the squat racks, or someone is alternating squats and box jumps, etc. I just walked around the track until the squat rack opened out. It seems I got there before the lunch crowd had ended.

[Oscar_Actuary]

More and more I am learning to monitor my progress towards goals to determine the efficacy of my programming. I could go that route with diet, but it's much more difficult to monitor all the results regularly.
Brings me back to oft posted reply "Well, are you getting stronger?"
Same strategy worked for me over thousands of hand of online poker

[stuward]

...
Brings me back to oft posted reply "Well, are you getting stronger?"
...

It's too early to tell but I know what doesn't work.

[KenDowns]

...Took 3 days off and went to a powerlifting clinic today. We did squats. It was nice to have someone watch me squat. He said something like "you've done this before". Anyway, he covered stuff like technique, speed training, box squats, pause squats, bands, and assistance. It was a pretty good survey. Wednesday, we do bench, next Monday deadlifts, the programming next Wednesday. Long term, he's hoping to put together a base powerlifting team. He's going to offer an Olympic weightlifting class later. It's all fun.

Sounds cool. It is nice to have somebody say, "Don't change a thing on lift X" but also cool when they say, "Um, no, not like that" and you realize you're going to learn something. Keep us up-to-date on the clinic!

[stuward]

I will. It's interesting that the "programming" that is recommended is either 5-3-1 or a Westside type program.

[Khronos8]

Stu, could you elaborate a little on your farmers walk work?

How far do you go for "1-lap", do you do unilateral, bilateral, etc when you switch to DB? What's a good progression? Do you use straps to hold on for long walks? better to carry plates or DBs?

I want to start working this in and I'd like to get your take on it.

Thanks!

[Jungledoc]

an austere location

...as in most of Canada?