Wednesday, August 26, 2009

What is Dogg Crapp Training|DC Training


Dante Trudel's Training System DC Training

Doggcrapp training is an all encompassing muscle growth system, not neccessarily just a one off cookie cutter routine that can be used by any old trainer who decides to have a go. It is in fact best described possibly as away of life for building mass.

It is extremely tough, so if you think you got through a Dogg Crapp training session fairly easily, then you're not really training DC.

DC Hurts, big time!

The aim of the DoggCrapp method is not simply “to get to the end a workout” but making the sets and reps as intense and as hard as possible.

Who invented DC Training?

Dante Trudel is the beast behind the method, reports say he went from 160lb of skin and bone to 300lb of shaved beef mass with the DC method.

The key characteristics of this system is

1. Heavy progressive weights
2. Lower volume of exercise (sets and reps)
3. Higher frequency of bodyparts hit
4. Rest-Pause training
5. Extreme stretching
6. Training periodization


As an example of an actual Doggcrapp routine, the following is a guide line, rotate between three sets of exercises for each of the listed categories.

Change the exercises when staleness/plateau occurs

e.g pick 3 movements for each body part listed below

Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Back Width
Back Thickness
Biceps
Forearms
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads

Rotate each workout.

So, you only do the same exercise once every two weeks but you're hitting all your bodyparts twice every 8 days.

Alternate example, just remember that you're rotating exercises

Monday
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Back width
Back thickness

Wednesday
Biceps
Forearms
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads

Friday
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Back width
Back thickness
(Sat+sun off)

Monday (week 2)
Biceps
Forearms
Calves
Hamstrings
Quads

Read a full account of DoggCrapp training here

Monday, August 17, 2009

The Best Bodybuilding Routine


The Best Bodybuilding Routine

Peter from Strength Basics hits the nail on the head with this very interesting article about the Best Program/Routine for X - fill in the X (I'm pretty sure it's gonna be for improved strength and muscle growth)

Here's an Excerpt

A very frequent post on any exercise forum will look like this:

"What's the best routine for gaining (muscle mass/strength/size)?"

The parenthesis can be filled with other, similar items. "Bigger arms." "Bigger shoulders." What it comes down to is getting bigger and stronger.

I've answered my fair share of these. Here is the ready-made answer for cut-and-paste:


To gain (muscle mass/strength/size), you have to lift heavy weights, eat a caloric surplus, and rest. You need all three. Lifting heavy weights provides your body with a growth stimulus. The caloric surplus provides your body with fuel to react to that stimulus. And your body grows when you rest after training, not while you're training. So basically you lift heavy, eat well and often, and then sleep deeply and long.

Peter talks about the possibility of creating your own body building routine, but as he says it's a great idea to follow an already tried and tested routine

Check out

Wendler 5 3 1 Training

The Ultimate Workout for Bodybuilding Resource

Or Escalating Density Training EDT if you need some ideas.

Top Bodybuilding Routines for Building Mass

Thursday, August 13, 2009

The Conjugate Method


What is the Conjugate Method?

The Conjugate Method is a training system with it's origins in USSR.

This training system is best described as a group of around 20-40 exercises (special exercises) grouped together into sets of between 2-4 exercises every workout.

What is a Special Exercise?

Any exercise that assists a main lift or movement can be deemed a special exercise. In the Westside Barbell Club a reverse hyper, glute ham raise or good morning assist the squat and deadlift.

The conjugate method is aiming for the ideal CANI Constant and neverending Improvement


What the Conjugate Method is not


This method of training is not Periodization
in the traditional sense.

Example (Bench Press)

Week 1

Floor Press and Military Press

Week 2

Chain Press and JM Press

Week 3

Band Press and Dumbbell Press Over head

Week 4

Bench Press

So as you can see, the main lift (bench) itself has only been trained once in 4 weeks but has been supported by assistance lifts. The result being all round strength in the stabilizers and surrounding muscle groups adding to improved performance.

Also, this method is not just applicable to Powerlifting or strength training but has also been successfully used by many Olympic athletes, Yuri Sedykh (Russian Hammer thrower) used this method to break the World Record.

Think special jumping/plyometric exercise progression + resistance training all moving toward one common goal - to bestronger and more athletic.

Read more on the Westside Barbell Conjugate Method here

Saturday, August 8, 2009

How To Increase Your Bench Press

How To Increase Your Bench Press

The use of using stretch bands to improve your lifting prowess is very commonly used in the powerlifting world nowadays and should be given a thought by yourself if you are to enhance muscle mass and strength levels and ultimately improve your bench press (bands can also be utilised on the squat and deadlift).

This idea has been brought to the fore here by Smitty of the Diesel crew, promoting the use of jumpstretch bands wrapped around the wrists to engage the lats in bench pressing.


Why do the Lats Help the Bench Press?


The lats act as secondary movers, play a huge role as stabilizers and act as a stretch reflex mechanism (strong lats are required to get the bar moving from the bottom position of the bench press)



This is by no means all you should do to improve your bench, it is simply a different method of training

HitTail