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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:14 pm
by MarcoDeniro
[quote="RobRegish"]You mean back to the famine?

I'd opt to hit cruise for a 2-3 week period. I think you'll find the break re-freshing, the change in traning template mentally stimulating and even gains ongoing.

There's a reason it's in there. Honestly. With your genetics (easy gainer), it'll likely only take 2 weeks.[/quote]

So You would cruise for 2-3 weeks and then reset with the faminine.
I am definitely going to follow your advice here as I do not know Which direction would be best. this morning I currently weighed 238 .Strength gains still remain solid. I dont mean to bug you but your advise is def invaluable.

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:14 am
by RobRegish
Bug me? That's what I'm here for!!

Strategic decisions like this are crucial so it should always be a discussion between the athlete and trainer. That's you and me and the very reason this forum exists.

A little more on Maintenance/Cruise phase..

When designing the Blueprint, I was fine tuning the Soviet research/old cycling methods pioneered by Rick Brunner of Atletika fame. Recall the Soviets introduced anabolics AFTER certain physiological measures dropped and adaptogens no longer were exerting their effects.

The Blueprint diverges from this in that we never introduce anabolics. Thus, a dedicated period of solidifying gains became necessary. You see it all the time. People drop HUNDREDS of $ on supps, make great gains and then promptly lose them when coming off of them. This is a function of 1.) no longer reaping the benefits of a quality supplement and 2.) downshifting their expectations/enthusiasm or 3.) continuing the same type of training, allowing accomodation to set in. Likely, some mix of all 3.

Blueprint dedicates a brief time period to solidify your gain called maintenance/cruise. During this time, I've identified the following criteria to establish the new muscle you've built as "permanent":

1.) maintaining a high workload
2.) staying out of the 90th percentile
3.) observing the law of progressive overload and
4.) maintaining that effort over at least a 2-3 week time period.

Bill Starr's 5x5 was chosen as a workout template b/c it delivers a nice mix of total tonnage, moderate CNS activation and ability to progress via multiple progressive overload approaches (you can add weight on one set, two, all 5 or perform all sets in a shorter time period with the same weight).

A nice side benefit: most find their LBM continuing to increase during this time, despite lower calories/dis-continuation of adaptogens. It's not as dramatic as what you see in Feast, but it's still there. Witness Brainsquirt's 5th BP run here. He added 11lbs in Feast on his latest run, picked up another pounds during Maintenance/Cruise and finished up acheiving his goal of adding +12lbs for the total cycle.

So again, method behind the madness. Your brain benefits from the training template shift. Your digestion/assimilation from the diet shift and your CNS from the relaxing of CNS demands.

In short, BP keeps your body/brain ahead of the accomodation curve by shifting your car into a different gear :)

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:50 pm
by MarcoDeniro
Ok Thanx I really appreciate your help and direction . Even though I did not do everything Blueprint way . It definitely infleunced a lot of my own workout sessions. To have your experience and encouragement at my disposal is worth the price of Blueprint alone.
Warm thanx
Marco

Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:58 am
by RobRegish
No problem. Can I use that as an endorsement?

Members helping members. That's how we roll here...

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:19 pm
by MarcoDeniro
Bor you can use anything I have posted. I also left a testimony in the E-bol thread on nolinksplease.com~drama central~