Tweetyou know i am in to learn as much as possible

TweetInterested...I grow weary of my training and this is a great time to start something new

TweetWill DC build strength? Hope that wasn't too noob of a question.

TweetOk, here are the basics. I am typing this free hand so bear with me in case I miss anything. Ask questions, I will answer.

I started DC before Cycles for Pennies, which has become the bible of DC. But many things have changed over the years. None of this is my idea, it is the brainchild of Dante Trudel, a genius in my book. I am merely repeating what he has preached, he is the man in my book.

DC Basics

-Rest/pause training is used for the majority of bodyparts. A rest/pause set is 3 mini sets with 22-25 seconds between sets or 15 deep, deep breaths as your time gauge. Only bodyparts not rest/paused are calves, some back thickness moves, some hamstring moves and quad moves.

-The body is split into 2 groups with group A being chest, shoulders, triceps, back width and back thickness. Group B is biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings and quads. This order is followed, it is not deviated from. If you think it is out of order and you know better, you are wrong.

-The body is trained on a A/B rotation using 3 different exercises for each bodypart. You pick your 3 favorite exercises for each part, but make sure that you can progress on each accordingly. Compound moves are favored over isolation moves in most cases.

-The rotation of bodyparts is like this,
Monday A1- chest/shoulders/triceps/back width and back thickness
Wednesday-B1- biceps/forearms/calves/hams/quads
Friday-A2- chest/shoulders/triceps/back width and back thickness
Monday-B2- biceps/forearms/calves/hams/quads
Wednesday-A3- chest/shoulders/triceps/back width and back thickness
Friday-B3- biceps/forearms/calves/hams/quads

As you can see, bodyparts are worked more frequently. But because of the nature of rest/pause, if diet is right you will recover.

-Cardio is done on Tuesday and Thursday, weekends are off. Now you can train on a Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday rotation and do cardio on Wednesday and Friday but in this case you will take Sunday and Monday off. Cardio is best done for 60 minutes at a medium intensity.

-Diet is key in DC with protein being the main ingredient. I prescribe to a 2g per pound intake of protein and 2-2 1/2g of carbs per pound. Fats round out the day and I do not count fats. Fats and carbs are not eaten in the same meals and after 6pm, carbs are eliminated except for green, leafy veggies. Protein powders make this diet easier but try to get most of your protein from whole foods.

-DC is done in a blast/cruise fashion. Blasts should be 8-12 weeks followed by a 1-2 week cruise. I know when a blast needs to end because I get lethargic and sometimes feel like a cold is coming on. During my cruises, I do not lift at all. I do some light cardio 2-3 days a week but that is it. Cruising is to allow the body and the central nervous system to recover.

-Here is how to do a rest/pause set. Make sure you are warmed up and mentally ready to go. Lets use Incline Hammer as our exercise. I know when it is cold I need more warm ups, I may do up to 5 warm up sets. If it is hot enough that I break a sweat walking into the gym, I may only do 2. Use what you need. I will say this, that after I finish chest, I do less warm ups for shoulders and hardly any for triceps. Do what is best for you. So here is a rest/pause set. My warm ups are done and I know that my last session of Incline Hammer that I got 465 for 7 reps, 5 reps and 3 reps rest/pause. I know this because I carry a logbook. My goal is 470 for as many reps, so I load 470 on the machine. I set up and start my first set, making sure to explode up and control the negative. I get 8 reps before I fail, true failure. I rack the weight and get my 15 deep, deep breaths. I then do rest/pause set 2 and get 3 reps, I rack the weight, get those 15 breaths again and do one last set and get 2 reps again. I beat the logbook, I got more weight so I progressed. I'd enter it like this

Incline Hammer LT (last time) 465 x 7x5x3, TT (this time) 470 x 8x3x2 I then put a + next to the reps so I know to try for more reps next time with 470.

-Reps for rest/pause. Depending on age, you want to shoot for 11-15 reps per rest/pause set if you are under 34-35. If over 34-35, up your rep range to 20-25 or 30 for your rest/pause sets. This keeps ligaments and tendons healthy. You'll still be lifting some heavy ass weight, just doing it more safely.

-The LogBook is a must. If you won't carry one, forget DC. I have hundreds in my garage, I can tell you the first DC workout I ever did. Here is what I log, in fact I will copy a page from my book here,

Date
Time
Mood
Meals eaten
Sleep the night before
Exercises to be performed with weights and reps from LT and goal TT

After the session I log

How I felt training
Distractions


The logbook is key to tracking DC. I also logged all my food for over 5 years, it helps to know what you ate the day before to see why you had a good or bad session.

-Bodyparts not rest/paused are straight setted.

Tweet

Originally Posted by suprfast

Will DC build strength? Hope that wasn't too noob of a question.

Yes it will. And no question is a noob question, ask away.

Tweet-Extreme stretching is a requirement of DC. Notice I did not say option? It is required. Extreme stretching is brutally painful and euphoria at the same time. It is done to stretch the fascia of the muscle to allow growth. I can send you a link to it if you'd like, I am not gonna type it all out or you can Google DC extreme stretches for examples.

-Straight sets are done for some back width exercises, calves and quads and some ham exercises. I NEVER rest/pause quads, SLDL's or full deadlifts. I do rest/pause reack deads.

-Calves are the most painful exercise I have ever done the way Dante has you do them. Lets say that you are doing seated calf raises. You get in the machine and you explode to the top, there you hold it for 5 seconds. You then slowly descend to the bottom, where you hold that for 12 seconds before exploding up. That is about 20 seconds under tension per rep. I can say that it sounds easy, I have seen strong, grown men cry during a set. It is brutal, until you try it do not take it lightly.

-Widowmakers are done for lagging bodyparts and for quads only. Until you have a few blasts under your belt, use them for quads only. I do all my widows on the leg press for safety. After I do say squats, I get my 6-10 reps for my first set and my 10-12 for my second, I move to the leg press. I load about 60-70 percent of my max weight and go for 20-25 reps. I usually will get 10-12 before I start doing one rep at a time. I am gonna get 20 I swear that I will. By 17-18 I am straining for air but dammit, I will get 20. At 20, I say **** it and I make myself get 25. I can hardly stand after. It is the craziest pump in the world.

-Stretches are done after each bodypart. I stretch chest after my rest/pause sets, do shoulders, stretch them, do triceps and stretch them. You get my drift right. Try doing a rest/pause set of incline bench and then do a 90 second chest stretch with 100 pound dumbbells. It is crazy but God it feels good after.


So, sorry this is kind of choppy, but as I said it is all free typed. I know I missed stuff and will add as we go. But now, I have a daughter and wife who demand attention and that is my priority. Ask questions, I'll answer.

Tweetthis is freaking awesome. straight from someone that does it with the man himself. crazy thing is the rep tempos and techniques arent a whole lot different from what i do except that it is with far less reps and sets.

Tweet

Originally Posted by guns01

this is freaking awesome. straight from someone that does it with the man himself. crazy thing is the rep tempos and techniques arent a whole lot different from what i do except that it is with far less reps and sets.

Thank you, man my fingers and brain hurt now. So much more to add.

TweetThis has got me excited...even the part about crying doing seated calves..I freakin love it

TweetYou know I'm in!

Tweet-Want to add that when picking your chest exercises, forget flat bench. It has destroyed more shoulders then it has done any good. If you insist on flat benching, use dumbbells. I have not flat benched in years and have built a pretty good chest, even have that upper shelf. Also, don't fear the Smith machine or any machine as long as you can progressively overload the bodypart being trained.

Tweet

Originally Posted by Anabolic5150

-Want to add that when picking your chest exercises, forget flat bench. It has destroyed more shoulders then it has done any good. If you insist on flat benching, use dumbbells. I have not flat benched in years and have built a pretty good chest, even have that upper shelf. Also, don't fear the Smith machine or any machine as long as you can progressively overload the bodypart being trained.

I was just about to make a post about chest. I'll still make it cause its not DC related but you read minds man

Tweet

Originally Posted by suprfast

I was just about to make a post about chest. I'll still make it cause its not DC related but you read minds man

Make any posts or ask any questions you want, that applies to everyone. Here to help as much as possible.