Interesting piece from Skip regarding form.

[Your MAAAAaaaa]

Having read deeper into the protocol i'm using i've found some interesting bits of info.

Here Skip la Cour talks about form, I have effectively always used perfect form and although i'm not going to get sloppy I may not be quite so strict for a period from now on and see if any great changes occur.

http://www.ast-ss.com/articles/article.asp?AID=255

Your thoughts and experience?

ta ta

[natural al]

Having read deeper into the protocol i'm using i've found some interesting bits of info.

Here Skip la Cour talks about form, I have effectively always used perfect form and although i'm not going to get sloppy I may not be quite so strict for a period from now on and see if any great changes occur.

http://www.ast-ss.com/articles/article.asp?AID=255

Your thoughts and experience?

ta ta

read it along time ago and pretty much follow what he says to a tee regarding form.  Form is important but it's not the give all end all.  If you watch some of the biggest guys in the world train they usually have a "loose" form to how they preform thier movements but you have to remember that it's a controlled cheating.  Someone like Jay has pretty much crystal clear form and it works for him so it's more a matter of finding out how or if you want to use it. 

[pumpster]

Totally agree and have said as much for a long time. Do what works best for maximum burn and stimulation of muscle fibers and to progressively force out more reps/increase resistance. Strict can be very good but also can less effective in totally fatiguing the muscle through all areas of ROM because of sticking points. Cheating on certain motions allows the muscle to continue the set, reps & time under tension beyond what strict form would allow. In the case of various forms of free weight curls for example-standing, incline DB, even preacher curls, staying strict throughout is an impediment IMO, due to the sticking points.

Schwarzenegger's preference for cheat curls is a good example. I'm not talking about extreme swinging motions or reverse cleans but rather just a nudge at the beginning of each rep to get the weight moving the first few inches, after which the muscle takes over using more weight than strict form allows. Can be used for the entire set or at the very end.

 

[Your MAAAAaaaa]

Yes I see the benefit and thinking about it I may use some of these techniques already.


That site has so much info on it, it really is a good resource and the contributors are excellent.


ta ta

[The Squadfather]

that site used to have a training log of Skip's but i can't find it, do you know where it is YM?

[natural al]

I have Jeff's URL saved on my other computer, I'll post it tomorrow.  That site has TONS of good articles, wether the supplements are good...I don't know they're too $$$ for my blood but the articles are top notch.  Jeff's training journal is very good in that he's very detailed as far as what he's doing, why he's doing it and how the decision to make a change was set into motion.  Both Skip and Jeff work with a very good "team" that pretty much monitors everything they do training and eating wise...it's a pretty cool read, slow at times but still intersting. 

[Hedgehog]

Agree on pretty much everything already posted.

This will sound stupid, but...

IMO, concentrating on muscle contraction, even when doing "semi"-cheating, will make  a big difference.

AST's website is targeted at natural training, which is how most people train. And they've been trying to formulate their workout protocol towards naturals for years, so they're followers have obviously tried and tested what works and what doesn't.

If there is something I would like to see at the AST website, in regards to the Max-OT protocol, is that they would drop the bullshit about how Max-OT is a perfected protocol, and instead upload new versions (sort of like a computer software), when they get new insights.

-Hedge

[Petrucci]

Agree on pretty much everything already posted.

This will sound stupid, but...

IMO, concentrating on muscle contraction, even when doing "semi"-cheating, will make  a big difference.

AST's website is targeted at natural training, which is how most people train. And they've been trying to formulate their workout protocol towards naturals for years, so they're followers have obviously tried and tested what works and what doesn't.

If there is something I would like to see at the AST website, in regards to the Max-OT protocol, is that they would drop the bullshit about how Max-OT is a perfected protocol, and instead upload new versions (sort of like a computer software), when they get new insights.

-Hedge

Both Skip and Jeff do little 'modifications' on Max OT from time to time. They even get off a little the rules of the protocol. Even Jrod on his thread said that for example, on leg day he takes more than 1 hour to do the training, and sometimes he uses a little more reps or sets.
 In the Max-OT training that you download, i believe there is a workout log of one of the two (Skip or jeff) , For instance, for back, the first exercise he do is pull-ups, 50 reps!!! he does many sets necessary to get to 50 reps (he said that usually is 3 or 4). If you analize the protocol, just this 50 reps go a lot beyond the sets they preach for an entire workout...
 Im using Max-OT and im liking a lot. My body is getting a change in 'shape' something i didnt had for a long time. Im getting a little stuck on the weight used, but is more a problem of my nutrition part i think

[Hedgehog]

Both Skip and Jeff do little 'modifications' on Max OT from time to time. They even get off a little the rules of the protocol. Even Jrod on his thread said that for example, on leg day he takes more than 1 hour to do the training, and sometimes he uses a little more reps or sets.
 In the Max-OT training that you download, i believe there is a workout log of one of the two (Skip or jeff) , For instance, for back, the first exercise he do is pull-ups, 50 reps!!! he does many sets necessary to get to 50 reps (he said that usually is 3 or 4). If you analize the protocol, just this 50 reps go a lot beyond the sets they preach for an entire workout...
 Im using Max-OT and im liking a lot. My body is getting a change in 'shape' something i didnt had for a long time. Im getting a little stuck on the weight used, but is more a problem of my nutrition part i think

If you wouldn't mind, I would suggest you try rotating between a "moderate heavy" and a traditional "all out" Max-OT week.

Ie, on week one, back off the weights used with 10 %, stay in the same rep range though.

Then on the all out week, you should be able to get the progression.

Why not give it a try for two cycles (4 weeks).

Just a suggestion though.

-Hedge

[Your MAAAAaaaa]

that site used to have a training log of Skip's but i can't find it, do you know where it is YM?

I've looked but cannot find it, if i come across it i'll post it.


ta ta

[Petrucci]

I've looked but cannot find it, if i come across it i'll post it.


ta ta

i only have the one of Jeff, if anyone is interested...

http://ast-ss.com/jeffwillet/RoadTo2003/DailyJournal.asp?display=training&jid=25


oh and Hedge, sorry for the late answer, Thanks for the tip!!! i will try this for sure. I report the results when i get it