Todd's "No F*cking Around" Workout!

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Jock

Todd one question, how come you only find 10% of your calories from fat?

Surely there is room for at least 15% (Clean ones of course!)

Jock

Well, right now I am aiming to continue to lose body fat while still maintaining/building new muscle, but my main focus is on cutting for right now though, so that is why I am only taking in 10% fat from my daily total calories. When not cutting, yes, my fat intake does and will go up to about 15%-20%.

[dana82]

Obviosuly not the amount of weight but could this method of training apply to women too?

[Todd]

Originally Posted by dana82

Obviosuly not the amount of weight but could this method of training apply to women too?

Yes, this method can apply to anyone... women or men, beginner to advanced lifters. The precise weight has nothing to do with it, it is a matter of just doing a little more each time while lifting heavy for 4-6 reps on working sets using 100% intensity and focus....making sure to overload the muscle a little further each time, upping your intensity and providing a greaters stimulus to each muscle on each successive workout to ensure you are making maximum use of muscle adaptation. Of course there is more to it as well (actual principles which I basically outlined in my beginning posts), but in short, yes, anyone can apply this method and make great gains off of it, as long as your follow it to a "T".

If you lift hard like I have outlined, but fail to eat correctly, or don't get enough sleep, well then this method won't work, or you won't get as great of results as you'd expect (just as with any other method though). But if you do follow it to a "T", the results will be pretty unbelievable.

Personally, I have just ended another 8 week training cycle using this training method, and now I am on my FULL WEEK OFF to fully rest my muscles and body. During this week off, I do NO strenuous activity of any kind, but I still eat and supplement correctly. During this time I will not lose size or strength, and will even come back stronger, bigger and fully refreshed ready to hit the gym again with a vengence! Everything within this training method is geared towards moving forward with your results....even the week off I take after every 8 weeks of super intense training.

This method allows you to continually lift more weight, maximally overload the muscles week after week, and it allows for maximum recuperation between workouts for each body part...and all of this allows for maximum growth in the quickest amount of time (granted you eat cleanly and get enough sleep). There are no wasted sets within this method, no lifting lighter weights than you have before, no cycling with less intensity/less loads (no allowing your body to adapt to those lesser loads), no wasted time with "high volume" sets or reps, no "marathon" type training sessions, and no wasted focus and intensity. All of this equals more efficient and better overall growth in less time.

All of these principles remain the same no matter what your fitness level or gender, they apply to anyone and everyone. Give it a try following the principles I have outlined in the beginning of this thread...log your workouts and then watch your progress take off!

[UKguy]

Hi Todd

Have been reading this post with interest.

I just wondered, do you perform each rep in your working sets so a strict tempo? Is it important to get he most out of each set?

[Todd]

Originally Posted by UKguy

Hi Todd

Have been reading this post with interest.

I just wondered, do you perform each rep in your working sets so a strict tempo?

By "tempo" I assume you mean the speed of each rep I perform? If so, then I must say that I perform the negative portion of the rep half as slow as the positive portion of the rep. Example: For dumbbell curls, I would take 2 seconds to lift the weight up, and perhaps 3-4 seconds to lower the weight. I keep everything controlled all the time, and if my form starts to get sloppy at any time, then I know that my set is then over with/or I may have been using too heavy of weight. My form is not so super strict that I don't move or let my body give somewhat with the way it was meant to naturally move (because that can actually cause injury) , but I don't let my form get sloppy by no means...I would say that I keep "good form".

Is it important to get the most out of each set?

YES...YES...let me repeat one more time..YES -- it is VERY important that you get the most out of each set. Why are you working out in the first place? Most people weight lift to build muscle/lose fat etc....and 99% of the questions on this forum are geared towards finding out ways to get better results...and why? To build more muscle in the quickest amount of time, to get better results, etc., without wasted time and effort right? Each rep you perform for each set, for every body part, for each workout dictates what results you get tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. It all builds upon one another. If you are serious about getting optimal results from each workout as well as acheiving optimal results down the road, then yes, each rep and set counts and it is important to get the most out of each rep of each set. Anything less than 100% effort is a wasted effort, in my opinion. Why do anything half-assed, you are then just spinning your wheels ansd wasting your own time and energy/effort to get less than desireable results. Now, that does not make much sense now does it??

[JULIAN]

hey todd, i've been a great fan of your insights in training, the things you've shared here are valuable information to everyone who's serious in taking bodybuilding to another level. got a few questions to ask here, i just noticed that you only do one set of decline bench press, why is that?, any personal reason?, well i got one, i just wanted to know if it's the same, second, obviously this kind of routine of excercise will defintely make you sore at the end, i am into mixed martial arts training right now, we have an hour of training, is it advisable to train martial arts first then lift train after? or do i lift train first before train martial arts? if i should do weightlifting first, do i have to also give my 100% to this?, i just need some personal opinion/guidance over this one, i just want to be one of those UFC fighters that have great muscles and posses some great skills at the same time. thanks in advance!

[Todd]

Hi Julian! Well first off, the reason I had posted that I do only 1 set of decline presses is becaue that is what I had made up for myself for that 2 week period of training. I rotate the number of sets for flat bench, incline and decline about every 3 weeks or so. So after 2 weeks, I will probably do something like ....

Flat Bench - 2 working sets
Incline - 2 Working sets
decline - 2 working sets

And then after two more weeks, I may change to ...

Incline - 3 working sets
Flat Bench - 2 working sets
Decline - 2 working sets

No matter how I stagger it, I never do more than 6-7 total working sets for larger body parts and between 4-5 total working sets for the smaller ones. The cool thing is, when you only have one working set to do for say "declines", it forces you to apply even more intensity because you only have 1 shot at it....it gives you no chance to f*ck around as you would/could when doing 4 or 5 sets for an exercise.

Now, for the second part of your question..... Since you are doing martial arts training and weight training back to back, it seems that either way, you are going to have more energy for one, while lack energy for the activity you choose to do second. I guess you just need to decide which activity you'd like to get the most out of, and then do that one first. Which one in your opinion is most demanding energy wise? If your martial arts training is not too demanding, then you may want to do that second and put most of your focus and energy into weight training first. But, then again, it all depends on what your priorities are. If you want to give weight training and martial arts equal attention and you feel they are equally demanding activities, then it is a toss up, and doing either one first will in some way hinder the results you get from the second activity. See what I mean? I think only you can know how demanding each of these are to you, and which one of these activities you want to place more priority on. It is all up to you!

[DaRkAnGel]

Todd i must say that my favorite rep range is in the 4 - 6 area. Gets me my largest pump and gets me out of the gym asap, but for some reason i have lots of joint problems when i do reps that low(maybe cause im 15) so i try to keep it in 10 range and higher for joint sakes more than anything.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by Darkangel5

Todd i must say that my favorite rep range is in the 4 - 6 area. Gets me my largest pump and gets me out of the gym asap, but for some reason i have lots of joint problems when i do reps that low(maybe cause im 15) so i try to keep it in 10 range and higher for joint sakes more than anything.

Yes, it can be hard on the joints when working with heavy loads in this rep range...that is for sure. I have found that I have to use "good" form on all exercises, not strict form, but "good" form, where I use proper biomechanics, but at the same time let my body flow naturally...don't get too rigid when doing exercises, but not sloppy either. I also take some joint pills as an "insurance" to keeping my joints in tip-top shape, but overall, special attention to using good form at all times is what keeps me moving forward with heavy weights within this low rep-range without injury or undue stress.

[oddball182]

Hi Todd, I've been reading up on your approach to working out, and I do agree that you will get great strength gain's from the program you explained, but do you think this program would also be good for trying to gain mass/size? (assuming a good diet is in order).

I've just heard that 4-6 reps is great for strength, but it isnt that great when trying to gain mass. What are your thoughts?

[ilker]

Hi Todd,

I just wonder how you incorporate cardio with your routine...

Thanks

[Todd]

Originally Posted by oddball182

Hi Todd, I've been reading up on your approach to working out, and I do agree that you will get great strength gain's from the program you explained, but do you think this program would also be good for trying to gain mass/size? (assuming a good diet is in order).

I've just heard that 4-6 reps is great for strength, but it isnt that great when trying to gain mass. What are your thoughts?

Yes, I definitely feel this program is geared towards gaining lean muscle mass, as well as strength. Have a look at this top "natural for life" competitive bodybuilder. His name is Jeff Willet, and I use the same methods (MAX OT style training) as him for building mass. He just got his IFBB PRO CARD...one of the few naturals to earn an IFBB pro card. I am 100% bodybuilder, not powerlifter. I wouldn't be doing this type of training if I wasn't getting maximum muscle mass out of it! --BELIVE ME! So far in my 9 years of trial and error training, after trying many different techniques and methods, this is the one that has given me the most results the fastest...when I say results, I mean lean muscle mass AND strength.

[Todd]

Originally Posted by ilker

Hi Todd,

I just wonder how you incorporate cardio with your routine...

Thanks

Cardio is best to be done on your days off from weight training, but when having to do it on your training days, it is best to do it 8-12 hours before or after your training, so it does not interfere with your energy levels for each activity, this allows you to get the most out of both training and cardio without any negative affects on either one. So, if you train in the mornings, then do your cardio session in the evenings, if you train in the evenings, then do your cardio in the mornings.

For off season cardio, I stick to 3 cardio sessions per week, two of them on my days off, and one of them in the morning of my training day...since i train in the evenings.

If you are wanting to get ripped, you'd want to increase your cardio sessions gradually to 5 times per week. My cardio sessions are 16 minutes in duration, where I record my distance and calories burned after each session. Each session I strive to beat my previous distance gone within the same amount of time (16 minutes). This type of cardio is forcing your body to work harder each time, increasing the intensity each time. These short but intense sessions will burn more fat and keep your metabolism elevated longer each day. This again, is more efficient and productive to fat burning than the longer duration, less intense cardio bouts that most people do. The cardio intensity during the 16 minutes of each session is set to go through multiple intensity intervals every few minutes so that more calories are burned and the resistance is varied.

That is the jist of how I do and incorporate my cardio. I hope that helps some!

[arbit]

Todd, whats u'r diet like?
BTW Thx for the detailed posts in this thread. Mucho useful

[Todd]

Originally Posted by arbit

Todd, whats u'r diet like?
BTW Thx for the detailed posts in this thread. Mucho useful

Hello there....Well, generally speaking, my diet is high in protein, moderate in carbs and low in fat. This is of course depending on what I am trying to accomplish at the time (cutting or not). But generally, I follow a 53% protein intake, 37% carb intake and 10% fat intake per day, spread evenly over 8 meals (including post-workout). Of course, when I am going for getting ripped, I will gradually lower my carb intake and keep my protein intake high, while my fat intake low. I drink about a gallon of water per day on average, but when trying to lose body fat, I will drink up to 2 gallons per day.

I currently supplement daily with:

IsoFlex Whey Protein (90% protein isolate)
L-Glutamine
XXcell Creatine
Tribulus Terrestris
ZMA
Vitamin C (1000 mg)
Multi-Vitamin
NAC (500 mg)
CLA (3-4 grams)