The Perfect Program

Hanley

gymfreak wrote: »

Why would you put the push/ pull first?...cos guys are all about the gunz???
I'd much prefer to get legs over and done with first when I'm fresh cos it's the hard part. So personal preference maybe?

I didn't actually outline the order of the exercises there, just what I'd include, with arms at the end.

gymfreak

Hanley wrote: »

I didn't actually outline the order of the exercises there, just what I'd include, with arms at the end.

Oh right, just presumed that the order that you'd written it, would be the order.

Gummy Panda

gymfreak wrote: »

Hanley wrote: »

I didn't actually outline the order of the exercises there, just what I'd include, with arms at the end.

Oh right, just presumed that the order that you'd written it, would be the order.

Push/pull/legs is just the most common name for that split.

I prefer legs day at start of week as everyone is doing chest

Brian?

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Push/pull/legs is just the most common name for that split.

I prefer legs day at start of week as everyone is doing chest

I think Mr. Hanley is talking about a full body workout not a split.

Gummy Panda

briankeating wrote: »

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Push/pull/legs is just the most common name for that split.

I prefer legs day at start of week as everyone is doing chest

I think Mr. Hanley is talking about a full body workout not a split.

Ah I was looking at the wrong post. I was looking with ones saying bench day, squat day, etc.

Sorry!

Scuba Ste

Scuba Ste wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought foam rolling pre workout is a good idea, I'd see it as similar to static stretching and relaxing your muscles pre workout which I always thought was bad for performance. I'l happily admit I don't know a lot about foam rolling but mylself I leave it to post workout or just at home whenever the mood takes.

LOL. I think exactly the opposite now. I roll and stretch at the start of every training session.

RealExpert

Easier said than done.They should start by not sitting to close to the table and half a plate instead of the usual second helpings.
PS.
Im a second helpings person myself.

Brian?

Hanley wrote: »

I didn't actually outline the order of the exercises there, just what I'd include, with arms at the end.

I'd be interested in seeing how you vary the days, rep ranges etc. . I realise that you can't be that specific given that it would vary from person to person.

My thoughts would be:

Warmup, hip/shoulder mobility stuff

I'd pick one of squat,deadlift, bench and press and start the day with a 5x5 on that.

Then you have 2 of other compound lifts like rows, pullups, RDLs, GHRs, incline bench, leg presses etc. and do 3x8-10 of that.

Then a triset of bis, tris and calfs. The vanity triset. Maybe even add abs in there as a kind circuit.

Shower followed by a large meat sandwich.

Hanley

Scuba Ste wrote: »

LOL. I think exactly the opposite now. I roll and stretch at the start of every training session.

I lol'd at that post earlier re-reading the thread actually.

I like the way the people posting here can see the evolution of their ideas.

Hanley

briankeating wrote: »

I'd be interested in seeing how you vary the days, rep ranges etc. . I realise that you can't be that specific given that it would vary from person to person.

My thoughts would be:

Warmup, hip/shoulder mobility stuff

I'd pick one of squat,deadlift, bench and press and start the day with a 5x5 on that.

Then you have 2 of other compound lifts like rows, pullups, RDLs, GHRs, incline bench, leg presses etc. and do 3x8-10 of that.

Then a triset of bis, tris and calfs. The vanity triset. Maybe even add abs in there as a kind circuit.

Shower followed by a large meat sandwich.

2nd most recent post on my site answers the exact Q!!

When it comes to things from a PL/pure strength approach it'd be different and probably more aggressive.

Scuba Ste

Hanley wrote: »

I lol'd at that post earlier re-reading the thread actually.

I like the way the people posting here can see the evolution of their ideas how stupid they were.

Eh.. me too.

Will Heffernan

Hanley wrote: »

I read an interesting article from Mike Boyle last week. He said a lot of coaches follow this patten...

powerlifting strength guy (strength snob, won't talk to anyone weak)
VVV
injured powerlifting guy (starts to look at mobility and activation stuff too)
VVV
functional trainer guy

I don't want to be the third dude, but I've started to read and learn about all that stuff now and how it integrates. But I'm still trying to achieve an underlying set of principles/template to work off of. I'm almost there, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to actually talk about it yet...

You'd probably learn more if you spent less time reading Mike Boyle...his main motivation with regard to advice is financial and he is the last person that would actually listen to it.

...and before anyone goes 'off on one' I don't have a particular axe to grind re Mike Boyle BUT Mike Boyle as in the Mike Boyle who appears on the interweb as opposed to the actual Mike Boyle the person and coach who I am led to believe is no where near as ridiculous as the former is worth listening to and studying more from a marketing perspective than from a training perspective.

His views on 'training' are whatever he thinks will make him the most money at that moment and then when the winds of money change so do his views.

That's just my opinion anyway.

Flip flopping all over the training spectrum like he has is not a sign of growth and enlightenment its a sign of idiocy.

Will Heffernan

In Mike Boyle's defence...like a broken clock...he will be right at least twice a day.

Will Heffernan

gymfreak wrote: »

Why would you put the push/ pull first?...cos guys are all about the gunz???
I'd much prefer to get legs over and done with first when I'm fresh cos it's the hard part. So personal preference maybe?

No matter what any one says and in some cases no matter that they don't even know it every single day you go into the gym to do your program you are prioritising whether you want to or not....you are always doing something first. You only have so much 'maximum effort' and you can't be expending your maximum effort through an entire session whether you think you can or not. You can take any training session from any of the training programs logged here and invert them...take a look at the numbers and you'll see that when inverted the numbers would be completely different.

Take an Olympic lifting comp for example...if you had the clean and jerk first and the snatch last would the numbers be the same regardless of the order of competition? If you deadlifted first, benched second and squatted last in a powerlifting comp would the totals be the same?

I have the primary lower body movement first in programs because I prioritise it...in that I think that 'leg work' gives the biggest bang for your buck training wise for most people...you'll also see I tend to have a primary exercise and a supplementary one followed by some 'core work' then a primary upper body exercise and a supplementary one. That 'core work' without minimising its importance is there as much as a structured break in training as it is there for it's own sake. The same could be said to a certain extent of the supplementary exercise...in that I am not a fan or PR's on your hamstring curls or leg extensions etc etc...my programs tend to go...warm up of mobility and stability work to get you warmed up and as a chance for you to get your head in training mode....then a big exercise followed by 15 or 20 mins of filler (exaggeration) before another big exercise with another 15 or 20 mins of filler and then go home. The reason being I don't think most people have the 'effort' in them to really focus and max out on more than 2 exercises no matter what they think or say.

I know people here are going to say 'I take it to the max' start to finish...but that is more funny than true.

As an example from what has been posted here:

I actually did this recently and my God was it worth it!I do my shoulders twice per week on the days I do my back so here is my back/shoulders routine. Take from it what you like, it mighn't be perfect but I've gotten good results from it.

Bent Over Rows w. Barebell underhand grip
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell overhand grip.
Scapula Pull Ups/ Row with Curling Bar.
Barbell Shrugs
Overhead press
Military Press
Deadlift
Seated Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
Single Arm Vertical row (with knee on bench)
Seated Dumbell Press
Bicep work (the usuals)

A lot of sets in there but if you have the time go for it. Do it twice a week: Light Day and Heavy Day... it's worked for me and added good mass to my upper back, shoulders and traps.

So if you break it down:

Bent Over Rows w. Barebell underhand grip
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell overhand grip.
*So lets say a couple of warm up sets and then some work sets...I don't know what they actually do but if you can do your sets of Bent Over Rows with an underhand grip then when you finish turn your hands around and do it all again you might not be really getting what you needed out of your first exercise?

If I wrote this out for legs and said I want you to do 2-3 sets of 12 reps of squats to warm up....then say 5 sets of 8-10 reps working up to max and then when you were done I want you to do another 5 sets of 8-10 reps of front squats and than because I was in a good mood you didn't have to warm up...I have a feeling you wouldn't be hitting any PR's on your front squats or if you did....that you didn't hit any PR's on your back squats on your way there?

Then after you did that...you do all this as well....

Scapula Pull Ups/ Row with Curling Bar.
Barbell Shrugs
Overhead press
Military Press
Deadlift
Seated Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
Single Arm Vertical row (with knee on bench)
Seated Dumbell Press
Bicep work (the usuals)

Anyway...to use this as an example...the kind of mass that this is going to develop in your back, traps and shoulders is not to dissimilar to how jakt you would have got if you went swimming instead.

The intensity of each of the exercises would be so low to get through allllll of these exercises and the sets and reps therein that maybe swimming would actually give greater returns now that I think about it.

This program could be re written as...

Barbell Rows
....then stand around talking and recovering.
Military Press
...packing up your stuff and going home.

If you gave me 2 programs
Program A
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell underhand grip
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell overhand grip.
Scapula Pull Ups/ Row with Curling Bar.
Barbell Shrugs
Overhead press
Military Press
Deadlift
Seated Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
Single Arm Vertical row (with knee on bench)
Seated Dumbell Press
Bicep work (the usuals)

Program B
Bent Over Rows
Military Press

I could say with near certainty that I could get far better results with B than A if mass and strength was your goal.

gymfreak

Will Heffernan wrote: »

No matter what any one says and in some cases no matter that they don't even know it every single day you go into the gym to do your program you are prioritising whether you want to or not....you are always doing something first. You only have so much 'maximum effort' and you can't be expending your maximum effort through an entire session whether you think you can or not. You can take any training session from any of the training programs logged here and invert them...take a look at the numbers and you'll see that when inverted the numbers would be completely different.

Ahhhh...okay. So what you're saying is to make sure I go to my Bums and Tums classes BEFORE my step aerobics...that way my priorities will be in order..yeh?:p:p

Take an Olympic lifting comp for example...if you had the clean and jerk first and the snatch last would the numbers be the same regardless of the order of competition? If you deadlifted first, benched second and squatted last in a powerlifting comp would the totals be the same?

I never thought of that..that's why coming up to the Powerlifting Competition you had me do all 3 lifts on separate days..I never even thought about it...that's embarrassing.

I have the primary lower body movement first in programs because I prioritise it...in that I think that 'leg work' gives the biggest bang for your buck training wise for most people...you'll also see I tend to have a primary exercise and a supplementary one followed by some 'core work' then a primary upper body exercise and a supplementary one. That 'core work' without minimising its importance is there as much as a structured break in training as it is there for it's own sake. The same could be said to a certain extent of the supplementary exercise...in that I am not a fan or PR's on your hamstring curls or leg extensions etc etc...my programs tend to go...warm up of mobility and stability work to get you warmed up and as a chance for you to get your head in training mode....then a big exercise followed by 15 or 20 mins of filler (exaggeration) before another big exercise with another 15 or 20 mins of filler and then go home. The reason being I don't think most people have the 'effort' in them to really focus and max out on more than 2 exercises no matter what they think or say.

You're forgetting the Bi's and Tri's at the end.

Sundance_Kid

Will, in relation to the thread title what would be the perfect program (incl. reps,sets etc) for the following person which I'm sure a good few people could identify with:

• Aged 25-35
• Works Mon to Fri; 9-5
• Plays Tag Rugby or 5 A-Side soccer or other forms of cardio twice a week
• Member of your standard gym
• Able to bench, military press, squat and deadlift
• Goes out on the pi$$ generally once at the weekend
• Diet is average (room for improvement which lets assume they will improve on)
• Can make the gym 3 times a week - be it before or after work or at the weekend.
  
  There overall goal would be to get stronger and just improve their definition (not to look like the Incredible Hulk now) but I'm sure you get the idea.

Will Heffernan

Sundance_Kid wrote: »

Will, in relation to the thread title what would be the perfect program (incl. reps,sets etc) for the following person which I'm sure a good few people could identify with:

• Aged 25-35
• Works Mon to Fri; 9-5
• Plays Tag Rugby or 5 A-Side soccer or other forms of cardio twice a week
• Member of your standard gym
• Able to bench, military press, squat and deadlift
• Goes out on the pi$$ generally once at the weekend
• Diet is average (room for improvement which lets assume they will improve on)
• Can make the gym 3 times a week - be it before or after work or at the weekend.
  
  There overall goal would be to get stronger and just improve their definition (not to look like the Incredible Hulk now) but I'm sure you get the idea.

I don't say this lightly BUT that may just be the best question I have ever been asked here on boards.

I am going to have to just have to let this sink in for a while. I actually read that question on my iphone and was just stunned...I left what I was doing to find a computer so I could tell you.

Scuba Ste

gymfreak wrote: »

You're forgetting the Bi's and Tri's at the end.

These go first. Priorities and all.

Will Heffernan

Sundance_Kid wrote: »

Will, in relation to the thread title what would be the perfect program (incl. reps,sets etc) for the following person which I'm sure a good few people could identify with:

• Aged 25-35
• Works Mon to Fri; 9-5
• Plays Tag Rugby or 5 A-Side soccer or other forms of cardio twice a week
• Member of your standard gym
• Able to bench, military press, squat and deadlift
• Goes out on the pi$$ generally once at the weekend
• Diet is average (room for improvement which lets assume they will improve on)
• Can make the gym 3 times a week - be it before or after work or at the weekend.
  
  There overall goal would be to get stronger and just improve their definition (not to look like the Incredible Hulk now) but I'm sure you get the idea.

OK...so this is simple.

I would need to know what way the strength vs definition factoring was weighted...i.e. are they big and fat or skinny and fat.

If they are big and fat I'd go...Week 1 - C1, S1, C2. Week 2 - C1, S2, C2 and repeat until fatness has been resolved.

If they are skinny and fat I'd go...Week 1 - S1, C1, S2. Week 2 - S1, C2, S2 and repeat until skinniness has been resolved.

Problem solved.

KeithReilly

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Program B
Bent Over Rows
Military Press

I could say with near certainty that I could get far better results with B than A if mass and strength was your goal.

What sort of sets and reps would you need to do to benefit from just two exercises, I'd imagine you would still need a significant amount of volume, so multiple sets would be needed 4-5 (not including warm ups) and reps would differ depending on what your training for?

Will Heffernan

KeithReilly wrote: »

What sort of sets and reps would you need to do to benefit from just two exercises, I'd imagine you would still need a significant amount of volume, so multiple sets would be needed 4-5 (not including warm ups) and reps would differ depending on what your training for?

The sets and reps within reason are almost irrelevant.

It is more psychological...I would guess that probably 95% of gym goers don't have the mental capacity or drive to generate any significant intensity with regard to optimising their returns from training.

That's not good or bad and not a matter of me having a go at anyone...I don't have the mental capacity or drive to generate enough intensity to do my taxes.

It just is what it is.

If you can do the following:
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell underhand grip
Bent Over Rows w. Barebell overhand grip.
Scapula Pull Ups/ Row with Curling Bar.
Barbell Shrugs
Overhead press
Military Press
Deadlift
Seated Shoulder Press with Dumbbells
Single Arm Vertical row (with knee on bench)
Seated Dumbell Press
Bicep work (the usuals)

Then you are not doing any of it with any significant intensity and for all it's worth as I said previously you'd probably get as big a return as far as musculature development from swimming for that same period of time.

That's fine as well...I'm not the training police...people can waste their time in the gym anyway they like and that's fine as well. If they enjoy it that's good enough for me and it's better than sitting at home doing nothing.

I just know for instance that for example the mere presence of someone else would generate more intensity. That person doesn't have to be a trainer...just being 'observed' makes people train harder and I just know that if I had someone come in and do just Barbell Rows and Military Press instead I could get way more out of them.

nice_guy80

i'd always aim for a full body workout on a mini circuit basis.
this split routine stuff isn't an efficient use of your time in the gym and a full body routine will have more compound exercises and functional work

warm up
stretch
core circuit
plank
side plank
bridging
russian twists


eg circuit 1
dumbbell lunge
med ball press ups
chin ups

eg circuit 2
dumbbell bench
swiss ball knifejack
single leg dumbbell row

Will Heffernan

Anyone have anything to add to this? I thought I'd bump it up because there are a lot of people who've posted in this thread that I know have gotten new certifications lately or different certifications etc etc and people that have been exposed to different training methodologies in this past year. I thought it would be interesting for the people who've posted to look back on what they said and see if they'd modify or change anything in light of recent experience.

I figure it would be a good way for me to contribute positively to the board without doing anything at all.

johnfaul

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Anyone have anything to add to this? I thought I'd bump it up because there are a lot of people who've posted in this thread that I know have gotten new certifications lately or different certifications etc etc and people that have been exposed to different training methodologies in this past year. I thought it would be interesting for the people who've posted to look back on what they said and see if they'd modify or change anything in light of recent experience.

I figure it would be a good way for me to contribute positively to the board without doing anything at all.

Any tips for weighted chins I'm doing B.w. 86kg + 17.5kg for 5,5,4 stuck on this for a while some weeks I may get 3x5 but more often than not I can't I would like to eventually get 30kg 3x5 thanks

Scuba Ste

johnfaul wrote: »

Any tips for weighted chins I'm doing B.w. 86kg + 17.5kg for 5,5,4 stuck on this for a while some weeks I may get 3x5 but more often than not I can't I would like to eventually get 30kg 3x5 thanks

Change it? Try more reps, less reps or just drop back and build up again.

Hanley

Hanley wrote: »

I'm gonna bump this thread again as it's still a very good read.

The general underlying theory of everything I said in my first post remains as my current belief.

I MIGHT change the structure of the lifting, but then again I might now. I guess it depends on the person and their desires/motivations.

If I was to change it, it would become push/pull/legs/core repeated 3-4x per week with varying exercises and maybe some arm isolation at the end.

Individual programming is still pretty close to this really...

RevFit group programming's a bit different from a template perspective and is constantly evolving;

Warm Up - hip/thoracic dominant
Main Strength Movement - squat/bench/military press
Assistance Movement - SLDL/rows/DB floor press
Core - something anti extension or anti rotation
Conditioning - 5-10 minutes of density style training
...and then some band pull aparts and stretching if time permits

Strength programming, as always remains a constantly changing feast.

KeithReilly

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Anyone have anything to add to this? I thought I'd bump it up because there are a lot of people who've posted in this thread that I know have gotten new certifications lately or different certifications etc etc and people that have been exposed to different training methodologies in this past year. I thought it would be interesting for the people who've posted to look back on what they said and see if they'd modify or change anything in light of recent experience.

I figure it would be a good way for me to contribute positively to the board without doing anything at all.

Interesting you should say that, for the last year I have been doing a lot of different types of training with a variety of people and groups. I used to be pretty dogmatic about training and not have a whole lot of time for training outside my own interests or in training in which I would not immediately excel. Now every chance I get to experience something different I take it if for no other reason than to have a better opinion on something but also I find myself less reluctant to criticise any type of training, no matter how it cool it may be perceived by others. For instance Crossfit is an example of training that people either love or downright hate and I find a lot of the time the "Functional Trainers" who hate Crossfit aren’t doing training that is a whole lot different only that they are calling it "Functional" and again I'm not criticising either I'm just saying there is not always a need to criticising something because it’s not the cool thing that you do. Also a side effect of this for me is that I now just go out and train and don't spend my time during training thinking what is being done is old fashioned or pointless...or dangerous :-) .. the results for me are that I enjoy training more, I'm experiencing new things, meeting new interesting people and I'm fitter possibly than I ever have been :-)



Just to add something to " The Perfect Program" from my experiences, I think you have got to give people a mixture of what they need and what they want. What they generally need is better mobility, flexibility, stability and any imbalances corrected. What they want is probably but not confined to a "beach body" but in most cases is, i.e. they wanna look good naked or near naked, they want other people admiration for the work they put in on their body. The most important ingredient, far more important than the other two for people is that they enjoy doing it and the training is something that adds to their life because they enjoy doing it. Enough people have stress in their lifes without adding training that is unenjoyable to them to the mix. Incidentally sometimes the most important ingredient to a program can be the coach who can make even the poorest program enjoyable and worthwhile.

My example is not that different from Hanleys which I think looks very good.



Warm up:

Foam rolling, Mobility and flexibility drills.


Strength:

Depending on how often the person is training per week and what their training experience and current level is. I'm going to take it that this person is training 2 per week and has a good level of consistent strength training.

Front Squats (reps 3-6) paired with Chin Ups (Reps 8-10) 4 sets for each.

Barbell Press (reps 5-8) paired with Dumbbell Row (Reps 8-10) 3 sets for each.


Conditioning:

This can be anything that makes the person feel that they have done a tough session!! What you do in the last ten minutes has a lot to do with the persons perception of what they have done in my opinion.

So maybe something like a mini circuit:

Inverted rows x 10, Press ups x 10, Goblet squat x 8, 10 hanging leg raises. 4 sets for time or as many sets as possible in 10 minutes - whatever makes you happy

Padkir

Hey all! Newbie here so go easy...

Basically I'm looking for some advice on what would be the best type of program for me to do in order to see some long term benefits to my waistline and general health. I'm not looking for a quick fix or to become a power lifter but since I started my desk job and had to give up the GAA 2 years ago, it has been expanding...

So, a bit about me.

6 foot tall, 23 year old male.
About 17 stone at the minute.
Have quite broad shoulders / deep chest so not as bad as it sounds straight out! A few years ago, even at 15/16 stone a few years ago I would have looked decent as it was mainly muscle but it's gone to flab now.

Generally my arms and shoulders are in pretty good nick (although a bit of toning never hurt anyone).
Have a big issue with my waist, spare tyre and more recently my thighs / ass region has grown more than I'm comfortable with. Pecs are starting to droop too...

I've read a lot of different arguments about cardio vs weights over the last while and I still don't really know what the optimal solution for me is. As I said, I'm looking for a long-term solution or just a constant routine I can follow to look a bit better and stay that way. I wouldn't have the dedication to just go out running 4/5 nights a week so would like to incorporate weights into my current schedule of soccer once / twice a week.

I travel a lot with work and that which adds to the problem, i.e. eating out, working late, etc. but I'm looking for a program based on when I am at home for a full week. Once I have that, I can try tailor it to use gyms on my travels wherever possible.

I don't want to join a gym; I think it would be pointless considering how much I am away. So I'm planning on buying a run of the mill weights bench with bar and dumbells and about 50kg or so of weights (I have no interest in doing max lifting so not really worth buying more weights than that). As a ballpark anyway, a few years ago after a month or 2 of pre-season gym work, I could max bench press about 80/90kg. From that experience, I know many of the basic weights exercises but I'm trying to put together a program I could do with just myself and these materials.

The types of exercises I have in my head are (apologies if my lingo isn't up to scratch!):
Bench press
Military press
Lateral dumbell raise
Bent over row
Deadlift
Bicep / tricep curl
Tricep dip
Squats
Lunges
Press ups
Stomach crunches


I would plan on doing about 45 mins - 1 hour, 2/3 times a week. I also play casual soccer once/twice a week.

So can you please give me your thoughts as to how I could turn that into a decent program?

My overall goal would be to try lose the belly, pec fat, spare tyre, fat thighs. Not expecting to come out really toned or with a 6-pack; but generally just not having to suck in my gut all the time would be great and not feeling ashamed of my body would be great... Girlfriend says she doesn't mind but I don't believe her!:p Want to do it for myself anyway!

Don't really care about losing weight as such. I've a big frame so if turning my current fat into muscle meant not losing anything bar maybe half a stone I wouldn't care. I know some people are very hung up on actual weight loss but I think it really depends on your build and whether you can carry it off.

Been reading this thread and a lot of it up to now seems to be focused on people who want to get bigger and stronger. I do not want to get any bigger.

Thanks in advance for the help and sorry for the long post! Thought it might be work giving a decent bit of background.

Padkir

Is there so little hope for me that I've stopped a good thread in its tracks with my story? :eek:

Will Heffernan

Padkir wrote: »

Is there so little hope for me that I've stopped a good thread in its tracks with my story? :eek:

I will point out a few things here in no particular order and they are not all applicable to you but some are so I will bang away here anyway.

1. Your question involves a fair amount of time and work for me to answer and what you are asking for if you came to me would cost you a significant amount of money. So I don't tend to answer these sort of questions unless I am really bored and or in the humour to.

2. If I was an aspiring strength and conditioning coach and or personal trainer these are the exact sort of questions I would answer because 1. If your work doesn't stand up to scrutiny on boards then you should either go and get some more education and training or pick another career. There are plenty of trainers everywhere just faking it but even they know it and if you want to be good at your job then you don't want to be one of those guys or girls.

3. I don't read every post here on boards but I do read the ones that I have already posted in. So if someone had a crack at helping you out I would probably ridicule and make fun of them but do it in a constructive way because I like helping people. Most of the work I do now outside of my 'day job' is consultancy work and seminars and those seminars are attended by coaches and trainers and they pay for what I tend to do here for free.

4. I post here just like everyone else....so I just post what I want and when I want and sometimes I give all of the answers and sometimes I just give some of them. The more people post and or engage in threads and discussions the more I do. Like the chin up/pull up post...I got 2 emails within 10 mins asking 'what the hell I was talking about' but people don't post it here because they are worried I'll make fun of them....that is dumb. Because what is going to happen now is that I post a little in a burst...no one engages and the great and interesting discussions that good of taken place never ever happen and all that goes on is the same cycle of posters that have been here for 6 months give new posters the same advice they were given 6 months prior and that cycle goes on and on...then every 12 months we get a....this place is dead and the forum is dying thread.

5. Now yes, in the time it has taken me to write all this I could of just fixed your program and answered your questions. But 1. you probably wouldn't appreciate it. 2. you would probably just ignore it. 3. if you did follow it you'd most likely give it a few weeks then come back and post a similar question and be told to do starting strength by someone like you that was told to do starting strength 6 months ago.

6. I am fine getting PM's and I think I answer them all and emails the same but this place I think would be a far more dynamic and interesting place if those questions were threads and everyone could see the answers and take part in the discussion.

7. No, I am not an ego maniac and no, I don't think I have the answers to everything and no, I don't think everything is all about me but I think me being involved in whatever little corner of boards or threads I am in can only be better for me being a part of it than not. I know some people disagree and I know some people that are trying to make a living in the industry wish that when I left I never came back....not even online but I am afraid I like the Irish too much even if I don't like Ireland to stay away. So I say to those people (you know who you are) that I think you'd also be better off engaging with me in discussion because everyone here notices that none of you do (I often get emails about it) and it makes you look insecure when you don't post in threads that I post in or stop posting in them after I do.

Anyway....Padkir...the best thing you could do is to do starting strength, drink a gallon of milk a day and throw in a couple of WOD's a week to make sure you get abz.