darklight, totally valid question here, what do you do for a living?

I'd like to know because this question comes in two parts. How do you sustain your 'bodybuilding' lifestyle (which is quite perfectionist) with your job?

This post has been edited by mofonyx: Oct 10 2008, 06:42 AM

still studying? or doing housemanship already?

hospital food sucks, how to keep the diet going?

darkie, I must be totally daft if I couldn't notice this, but what is the basis of HVT? Looking from your journal, it all seems a bit erratic and you seem to lift by your liking. I'm assuming with your experience you know what a good workout should feel like.

However, I don't feel that I can achieve the same level of satisfaction at the gym if I go in and blast weights without a target goal for the day (read: Rippetoe / MadCow)

Is there a format to your HVT or is it just what you feel like doing day in day out?

This post has been edited by mofonyx: Dec 2 2008, 08:33 AM

I read what you had to say, but what I'm asking is, are there recommended lifts for the day. This is clearly a split routine, so how much is enough?

What is a good workout to throw in on one day?

Moreover, I'm still confused on looking at how you go about the weights, for example your chest workout

Work sets
275lbs x 8
275lbs x 5
275lbs x 3 drop set to 225lbs x 3 drop set to 200lbs x 3 drop set to 185lbs x 2
200lbs x 8

and your squats

Work sets
295lbs x 9
305lbs x 5, drop set to 295lbs x 3
225lbs x 12
205lbs x 10

It doesn't make any sense to me to how you drop weights, alter your reps and all that on a workout.

What I'm asking is that is there any outline to this workout because I'm looking to move on from MadCow's 5x5 eventually. Surely you didn't go in not knowing what to do and just decided that today it'll be workout A/B/C for 3/5/5/7/2 reps. There must be some planning and basic outline to what's going on?

This post has been edited by mofonyx: Dec 2 2008, 08:54 AM

The list of suggested workouts for each bodypart would be helpful, and I should thank you very much in advance.

So let me gather, each day only consists of 4 workouts. 3 of which are compounds and 1 isolation. However, how does this outline coincide with your legs day with 1 compound and 3 isolations (squat / extension, curls, calf raises)? Wouldn't it be better to incorporate stiff legged deadlifts and barbell lunges as compounds?

How about the number of sets? It seems to be usually 4 but sometimes 3? Also, the number of reps versus weights are a bit confusing. For example:

Machine chest press
185lbs x 10
185lbs x 9
170lbs x 10
155lbs x 10

Why is your second set 9 instead of 10? How do you decide how much you want to drop, and why did you decide on reducing the weights on the 3rd set and 4th set?

I see that this happens a lot in many of your routines, which is the part that confuses me a bit. The freedom to reduce reps and weights would allow for a bit of laxity, wouldn't it? So, does this mean a lesser requirement of pushing oneself every other day at the gym?

With all due respect, the weights you're pushing are immensely heavy. I know there are many questions but it's just me trying to wrap my head around what's going on in the gym.

Okay, I get what you're saying. It would be quite difficult for me to gauge 'progress' this way though, because I'm used to associating it with a PR.

Measuring it as volume would need more calculation and understanding. So would you say that there's a volume increase everytime you hit the gym?

The list would be helpful, but it's no immediate hurry. Many thanks. Looking forward to something new.

Thanks darkie, you're a legend. I'll be sure to buy you your favourite drink if we're in Malaysia at the same time.

darkie, I forgot to ask. Is volume calculated per workout? or as a whole day?

If it's calculated per workout, how do you track week by week progress if you vary workouts frequently?

Also, is progress measured by volume? i.e. if you did 1,500kg last week in volume, do you aim for 1,750kg this week? Do you calculate and determine a rough amount of how much lifting is required, or do you have a mental gauge from experience?

Thanks again big guy

want some chicken with your rice and eggs? haha.

/tries to comprehend the logic of instinctive training.

Also, I notice that your worksets are always 4 sets?

Is there a reason for this?

suh-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

This is great. It looks good. I see you mentioned GVT for legs, what do you make of GVT as a whole?

I assume the 3 day split still counts for the same number of workouts per muscle group (discounting shoulder presses for 5 sets of lateral raises).

So Monday would be 4 chest workouts, 3 shoulder workouts and 3 arm workouts?

Having 3 days also means losing the superset arms?

This post has been edited by mofonyx: Dec 7 2008, 10:07 AM

@kege, my question is in reference to this post.

Is that SLDL?

Can't really see his lower back, is he curling?

Your way is what I'm accustomed to seeing as immaculate form.

I don't see how that translates to what your trainee has. You must understand that I respect your experience and strength, but I have concerns about his form.

I've been injured before because of poor form and I do not wish that on anyone ever.

I think I know who you're talking about .. going out now will respond later.

Okay, this was what I was trying to get



His upper back is curled which is apparently much harder than a straightened back, but his lower back is straight, which would be very important to prevent any injury or damage.

I don't think this was going on in that video you posted. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

I read what you had to say, but isn't Bob Peoples' DL same as this guy's?

It's the upper back that's curling rather than the lower back. Apparently (reading from yootoob comments), Konstantinovs adopted the curled upper back to add weight to the bar because he couldn't do a straight back and up the weight anymore.

However, it should be noted that the lower back wasn't curled.

Couldn't see the entire part of Bob Peoples' lift, but it seems from the picture that only his upper back is curled and his lower back is straight.

This post has been edited by mofonyx: Dec 11 2008, 01:37 AM

No probs, all in good nature big guy.

I notice that you don't have weight acclimatization to your workouts..

e.g. 110kg squat

20kg x 5
60kg x 5
72.5kg x 5
85kg x 3
97.5kg x 1
110kg x 5

Isn't it quite a shock to the system if you go from 115lbs warmup to more than double immediately for work sets? Would weight acclimatization be preferred?

This post has been edited by mofonyx: Dec 11 2008, 11:06 PM