So I just finished about a 2 month mass cycle, except I didn’t really gain any mass off of it. I gained some good muscular endurance, tho.
So I’m thinking about starting a 2-week PTP cycle today of Squat, Bench, and maybe weighted pullups. But part of me wants to do another mass cycle. Not like I’d actually gain any size, but they’re fun.
I’m also afraid that I’ll lose my endurance if I do PTP. Like, I know 2 weeks of only doing 5 reps wouldn’t be that bad, but still.
So I was gonna do either one or two PTP cycles and then go back and do another mass cycle that is basically the same as the one I just finshed, except I’d be using a little heavier starting weights.
What do you think?
Strength or size. I’m keeping in mind that summer is on it’s way and size is the superficial thing to do for summer. It probably doesn’t matter, tho, a 2 month mass cycle is worth like 1lb for me, anyway
But I’m freaking pumped to do some PTP after I busted out that new PR in squat on Monday.
But heavy lifts don’t impress girls on the beach. Um, unless you’re side pressing them.
But most chicks lack the abdominal rigidity to be successfully side pressed, anyway.
^ I just started 3 paragraphs in a row with “but.”
Go for the two week cycle of PTP and then go into your Mass training, bro.
For me after my PTP cycle which I will done in about two weeks, I will go into a 8 week cycle of fat burning, power endurance using KBs, CBs, and iron circuit training to build a lean mean body. I want Bruce Lee’s ab for the summer. I want the ladies to hollar when they see my abs.
Here’s something weird. So last Monday I squatted a PR with 300 x 1. Today I started PTP with 200 x 5, which felt HARD. (two weeks ago I did 200 x 10 on the box) Then my next set was 180 x 5. Then I put 225 on and did a single just for fun and it wasn’t that hard. wtf?
Let me get this clear. You squat 200 5 rep assuming you rested 3-5 min rest… then you squat 180 5 reps assuming you rested 3-5 min rest… then for fun you squat 225 for 1 rep which felt easy.
Mmmm… I think it was more your neurological preparation or GTG that on your third heavy set that made it ‘seem’ easy. Then again maybe ‘psychologically’ you may have felt more confident and had a better performance? It reminds me of Poliquin principle or methodology he taught. It had something to do with the French, but my mind is blanking out on me now. Oh well, nevermind. I am getting older and dumber as i type. LOL. In your previous Mass cycle you were using your muscular system whereas in PTP you are now working on the neuromuscular system to build strength/power. There will be a world of difference once anyone crosses over to PTP from hypertrophy and vice versus.
Originally posted by FooFighter In your previous Mass cycle you were using your muscular system whereas in PTP you are now working on the neuromuscular system to build strength/power. There will be a world of difference once anyone crosses over to PTP from hypertrophy and vice versus.
Foo, it was his 1st day. He wouldn’t be hammering his neuro pathways yet. Besides, 200x5 is much less than 200x10 on the box.
I think all the cardio he’s been doing is messing with his slow twitch fibers, which we all know are what you use for these low weight sets that Iron does :D.
^ lol, I thought you were calling him a “foo,” until I remembered that was his screen name. Hahahahaha.
Actually, 200 x 5 felt hard cuz I’m a wuss. I only warmed up with the bar. I meant to do a 135 warmup but I didn’t get around to it.
Also it was hard cuz I was hungry. I hate being hungry at the gym.
Also it was hard cuz my legs were sore from Monday.
Also it was hard cuz my legs don’t like to do work.
PTP still uses the muscles. It’s not like it only trains the nervous system. Your muscles still have to move the weight, and they still have to contract harder to move more weight.
But mostly, 200x5 was hard because all that thinking about doing cardio made me tired
I forget to mention that I meant my best record was leg pressing 100lb. That was my best record yet using super slow technique, focusing on the negatives, and breathing out slowing while making noises. Yes, I think leg pressing 100lb is much safer than squating. I look really manly when I bring out those 35lb plates and 10lbs plates. The ladies luv it, trust me. Especially when you wear tight arse running shorts when you do leg work. They love my lean chicken drum sticks.
A good way to keep your muscular endurance is to do something Poliquin told me about one time when I was talking to him. When his athletes are cycling maximal strength - muscular endurance/hypertrophy cycles, he has them do standard hypertrophy 3-5x6-12 but when doing maximal strength he has them to 6-8x1-3 with an extra set at the end of 8 reps. (6-8x1-3; 1x8) This allowed them to keep their muscular endurance and in many cases it actually increased it due to phenomena (post-tentalic facilitation) he speaks of here:
Hey I’ve been doin’ that “Russian Bear” thing Iron, why not try that? You do your first two lifts PTP style, then drop 10% more and pump out as many sets as you can with thirty second breaks between.
So basically your getting PTP training and mass/volume training rolled into one. I’m loving it so far.
Originally posted by Samurai Jack
[B]Hey I’ve been doin’ that “Russian Bear” thing Iron, why not try that? You do your first two lifts PTP style, then drop 10% more and pump out as many sets as you can with thirty second breaks between.
So basically your getting PTP training and mass/volume training rolled into one. I’m loving it so far. [/B]
I don’t want to do the Bear program again because it takes a while (more than 2 weeks) and it’s still only sets of 5. I don’t want to be doing sets of 5 for too long. I did bear for months and months once and then when I tried to do 135 for 12 I could BARELY get it. It was sad. 135 x 12 should be cake.
I have been on PTP for about a year and then some now and have not really squat. I have used different periodization methodology in PTP. I focused more on bench, deadlifts, and saxon press. My best record on bench has been 275 for 4 reps, deadlifts at 300lb for 3 reps, and saxon press at 75lb for 5 reps and like you I am at 165 with 12 percent body fat. I need to drop my body fat to 7% or lower, but I will look skinny? I dont want to look like a body builder however I always wanted to look like Bruce Lee since he and I share the same body type.
Instead of convetional squats, I have been doing pistols with weight or KBs. Mind you, I have nothing against squats and believe it is an awesome power movement. I always believed that pistols with weight will enhance my martial technical ability.
When I read that you were on the bear cycle and couldnt do 135 for 12 I was shocked! So I decided to try to squat 135 to failure and to my surprise I was able to squat 15 reps with no problem and could have done more but called it quits. I dont know why? I thought I would stop at 12 reps maybe? But 135 felt so god dang light.
. It’s only been discussed here a bazillion times :D.