Question of Strength 32

QUESTION OF STRENGTH
32
by Charles Poliquin | May 12, 2000|Leave a Comment
BODYBUILDING, POWERLIFTING &

Tags
STRENGTH, QUESTION OF
STRENGTH, TRAINING
Q: What type of diet would you recommend while using your 1-6-1
training program? In general, what would you suggest for anyone
whose primary goal is to build strength?
A: In a nutshell, when interested in increasing your level of maximal

strength (regardless of whether you're doing the 1-6-1 program or
some other routine geared toward increasing strength), I find that
supplements actually play a bigger part than diet. This, of course, is
assuming that you're eating a diet that's more well-balanced than
that eaten by the average guest on the Jerry Springer show.
Additionally, diets are very individual specific, and trying to prescribe

a universal strength-building diet is risky. The key thing to keep in
mind, however, in eating for maximal strength gains is focus, and
anything that dulls your focus should immediately be kicked out of
your diet with the deftness of an Irish barkeeper throwing out an
unruly drunk. Personally, I have to abstain from carbs until the
workout is over, even the low glycemic index ones. Contrast that
with pro bodybuilder Milos Sarcev, however, who can ingest enough
pasta to save a small African nation from starvation and still have a
great workout. Compounds that I have found to help increase
strength:
 Power Drive, not to exceed the recommended dosage

 Acetyl-l-carnitine, 3-7 grams per day
 Glutamine, 30-70 grams per day
 Branched-chain aminos/glutamine, taken while training, like
Beverly International's Muscularity (800-781-3475)
 Methoxy-7, four tablespoons per day (I particularly like it for
athletes who need to compete in weight classes, as it also
allows them to lose bodyfat)
 Ribose/creatine combo, four servings per day
 Sufficient protein, two grams per pound of bodyweight (most
individuals will need to use liquid meals to achieve this target)
 Plenty of smart fats like CLA and fish oils
 Certain forms of tocotrienols in high dosages (they also
dramatically reduce cholesterol)
 Various herbal preparations (this goes beyond the scope of
this column, I enlist the help of a naturopath trained in
herbology)
I'm not suggesting that you take all of the previous compounds at
once. But I do recommend that you experiment with some of them,
either alone or in combination, and find what works best for you.
Q: What do you think of "jump squats"? If you like them, how would
you recommend incorporating them into a program?
A: They're excellent for improving vertical-jump ability and

shortening the "stance phase" in sprinting (the time you make
contact with the ground; the shorter it is, the faster you're running).
The problem most people experience with this exercise is that they
use loads that far exceed their stretch-shortening cycle capabilities.
In other words, they spend way too much time on the ground, which
negates the positive transfer of this exercise. Obviously, you can't
load a bank vault on your back and expect to spring up with any
degree of explosive power.
Studies on various track and field groups would tend to suggest that
an athlete never use more than 40% of his or her best power snatch
for this exercise. I normally use five to ten sets of six to ten reps on
this exercise. The ground contact time has to be kept to a minimum.
If the weight you're using doesn't allow you to immediately explode
back up, your vertical jump is doomed to stay in the modest range.
You'll be able to leap over any two-by-fours that bar your way with
amazing deftness, but not much beyond that.
Q: Hey, Charles, I want traps like WCW wrestler Goldberg. I've

never heard of a "trap specialization" program. Should I just do lots
of shrugs and upright rows, or is there something better? Thanks for
the advice! Think you could kick Goldberg's ass, shorty?
A: Yes, you can do a specialized trap routine. This muscle normally
has a very rapid growth response, so much so that if you can't grow
traps, you're truly destined for geekhood.
Submission fighters use plenty of trap work to improve their specific

skills. Ultimate Fighting championship winner Ken Shamrock has a
set of traps that most pro bodybuilders would envy.
Powerlifters get their trap development from years of deadlifting

while the Olympic lifters get them simply from the Olympic lifts and
their derivatives. In fact, British powerlifter and World Record Holder
Vanessa Gibson has trap development that makes Goldberg look
cachectic. Her breasts are nicer, too, but that's beside the point.
I'd rank the power snatch as the top trap builder. Then, power
cleans and the different forms of shrugs. Here's a good 12- workout
trap cycle that should pack the meat on:
WORKOUTS 1-6 (WORKING TRAPS EVERY FIFTH DAY)
 A. Power snatch from mid-thigh

 Five sets of five to six reps on a 10X0 tempo, resting for three
minutes between sets.
 Editor's note: The numbers in the tempo refer to how many
seconds it should take you to do the rep, with the first number
referring to the lowering portion of the rep and the second
number referring to the pause, if any, between lowering and
lifting. The third number denotes how long it should take you to
lift the weight (an "X" denoting explosive speed) while the last
number is the interim between lifting and lowering, if any.
 B. Trap tri-set
 Seated dumbbell shrugs, three sets of six to eight reps on a
2022 tempo
 Rest for ten seconds
 Standing barbell shrugs, three sets of 10-12 reps on a 1110
tempo (note a pause at the top of the movement)
 Rest for ten seconds
 Upright cable rows, three sets of 12-15 reps on a 2010 tempo
 Rest for two minutes
 Repeat all steps two more times
WORKOUTS 7-12
 A. Power cleans from blocks

 Ten sets of two to three reps on a 10X0 tempo, resting for
three minutes between sets
 B. Single-arm dumbbell shrugs
 Five sets of six to eight reps on a 2011 tempo, resting for three
minutes between sets (single-arm shrugs allows for a greater
range of motion)
Supplemental neck work is also indicated if you want to further

thicken the neck. Regarding kicking Goldberg's ass, I don't mind
fighting out of my weight class, but fighting out of my species is a
completely different story.
Q: Could you give us some general guidelines as to how an athlete

should train in-season as opposed to off-season? I know that can
get complicated and can be sport-specific, but are there any "rules
of thumb" to use as guidelines?
A: Here are some rules of thumb regarding in-season strength

training: there's no need for so-called specific work. You're already
doing plenty of that on the field, or on the ice. I know of one team
who chose to do "sport-specific training" during the season. Eleven
out of fourteen athletes developed patellar tendonitis in a short
amount of time.
It takes very little work to maintain strength, particularly if the sport
itself offers a lot of external resistance. For example, we found with
our alpine ski team that training quads once every 21 days was
sufficient to keep 90% of the previously acquired gains in the so-
called off-season.
I feel that an athlete should be more interested in staying as healthy

as possible in the off season. Again, using an alpine skiing example,
we found that training the hamstrings once every five to seven days
was critical in keeping down the incidence of knee injuries.
My general guidelines include the following: Losing muscle mass

precipitates maximal strength losses. Therefore, adequate attention
should be given to preserving as much muscle mass as possible.
This is best accomplished by doing one to two sets of six to ten RM
every seven to ten days. The workouts should be very short, i.e. 20-
40 minutes.
An approach that works well for maintenance is the "one exercise,

post-technical session" approach. Judokas and submission fighters
use it with great results. For example, on Monday after mat practice,
they may do sets of chins. On Tuesdays they'll squat. Wednesdays
are devoted to incline presses. Thursday is Miller time. You get the
picture. On average, they'll knock off to to five sets of the exercise
of the day.
Additionally, the more muscle one has, the easier it is to maintain

maximal strength. Therefore, smaller individuals may need to
strength train more often during the competitive period. For
example, Chris Pronger of the St. Louis Blues, one of the top
defensemen in the league (albeit a smaller individual), has a very
strict training regimen during the season, and yet he plays up to 40
minutes a game. By contrast, Jim McKenzie of the Washington
Capitals and Rich Pilon of the New York Rangers, both very
muscular individuals, get by with little in-season work.
Q: Okay, fine, squats are the king of leg exercises. The problem is
that I'm bored of squatting. Could you give me a quad-dominant
exercise to break the monotony that's, well, almost as good as the
squat?
A: Sorry, but I'm sure that my colleagues Al Vermeil and Ian King
will agree with this statement: there are no substitutes for the
squat. The squat exercise not only recruits a great deal of motor
units, but it also generates an unequaled hormonal response which
puts you into anabolic drive. And it allows you to get close to the
floor to see if there are any dust bunnies under the squat rack. No
amount of leg presses or lunges can substitute for the back squat.
The closest alternative would be the trap bar deadlift, performed on

the podium. This exercise can provide a welcome break from the
squat. If you're going to do more than three reps per set, however,
then I'd recommend you use straps so that your isometric-strength
endurance does not become a limiting factor in applying overload
on those muscles. Make sure to keep the upper arms relaxed
throughout the exercise and to initiate the movement by driving with
the legs, not the lower back.
After a three-week cycle on this form of deadlift, you can return to

the squat with renewed interest, and most likely set yourself up to
achieve new PR levels in a short time. You can add spice to your
squat life (in addition to more weight) by employing devices like the
eccentric hooks called Power Recruits (call 814-378-7108) and the
Full-Speed device.
And, if you're still bored, try this method. The next time you squat,
and you're coming up from the bottom position, pause three times
for eight seconds each time during the concentric range of your last
repetition. That'll have you cursing me out, for sure.

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QUESTION OF STRENGTH

BODYBUILDING, POWERLIFTING &

A: In a nutshell, when interested in increasing your level of maximal

Additionally, diets are very individual specific, and trying to prescribe

 Power Drive, not to exceed the recommended dosage

A: They're excellent for improving vertical-jump ability and

Q: Hey, Charles, I want traps like WCW wrestler Goldberg. I've

Submission fighters use plenty of trap work to improve their specific

Powerlifters get their trap development from years of deadlifting

WORKOUTS 1-6 (WORKING TRAPS EVERY FIFTH DAY)

 A. Power snatch from mid-thigh

 A. Power cleans from blocks

Supplemental neck work is also indicated if you want to further

Q: Could you give us some general guidelines as to how an athlete

A: Here are some rules of thumb regarding in-season strength

I feel that an athlete should be more interested in staying as healthy

My general guidelines include the following: Losing muscle mass

An approach that works well for maintenance is the "one exercise,

Additionally, the more muscle one has, the easier it is to maintain

The closest alternative would be the trap bar deadlift, performed on

After a three-week cycle on this form of deadlift, you can return to

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