Should workout split, volume, intensity, etc. be altered when on cycle?

**dawgs77** · 10-25-2016, 09:58 AM

I have heard Chad Wesley Smith talk briefly on training while cycling and it was his opinion that the training shouldn't change. When cycling should the training be largely the same? It seems to me that you would want to push intensity or volume to take advantage of the cycle and make the most gains.

**Jonbana** · 10-25-2016, 12:43 PM

From my experience you recover faster that's a given and when on cycle you lift heavier , I believe you can workout more often but at the same time don't think you need to because you are lifting heavier you are tearing down the muscles that much more so you need that much more time to train , you can train more often 6 days a week lest rest days so you can train more times per week but volume probably should stay the same just up the intensity and tear the shit out of your muscles for the 45 minutes

**600@50** · 10-25-2016, 07:17 PM

You can still over train while cycling. There is no correct way that works for everyone. You'll have to see how your body responds to the compounds you're taking. This will vary from compound to compound and dosages too.
For me since I concentrate on PL rather than bodybuilding I focus on increasing the weight. I have found in general I can shorten the time between bench work, for instance, by one day. I can add a set or two per training session but I don't go crazy adding volume. Your body still needs energy for recovery and no matter what AAS you take you can deplete your energy reserves by adding volume and upping the intensity without having plenty of rest.

**dawgs77** · 10-25-2016, 08:56 PM

That makes sense. This is off topic but what is your favorite accessory lift for each of the main lifts?

**MuscleScience** · 10-25-2016, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by dawgs77

That makes sense. This is off topic but what is your favorite accessory lift for each of the main lifts?

My thought process is similar to Mr. Smith. The one great effect AAS has is giving the body the ability to recover quicker, stronger and bigger. As well as utilize more of the food you eat into mass. So is the reason we benefit from AAS because we are recovering faster where as before maybe we are not fully recovered by the next workout. Or does it allow us to train harder, break down more muscle fibers and then still be able to build them up?

**600@50** · 10-25-2016, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by dawgs77

That makes sense. This is off topic but what is your favorite accessory lift for each of the main lifts?

Usually someone's favorite accessory lift is the one they are good at not necessarily the ones that transfer to the main lift.
This can vary based on what we feel is needed at a point during a training cycle. That being said, for bench it's probably tricep rollbacks or JM press. For squat it's a glute/ham machine because it makes me feel tight and steady at the bottom. For DL it's anything grip related or shrugs.

**600@50** · 10-25-2016, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by MuscleScience

So is the reason we benefit from AAS because we are recovering faster where as before maybe we are not fully recovered by the next workout. Or does it allow us to train harder, break down more muscle fibers and then still be able to build them up?

I think it's both MuscleScience. AAS has both anabolic and androgenic properties. I believe the anabolic properties allow us to recover quicker and to build muscle more quickly due to the increased nitrogen retention and protein synthesis. As for the androgenic properties of AAS I believe it allows us to train with higher intensity breaking down muscle to a greater degree and then the process starts all over again.

**dawgs77** · 10-26-2016, 07:55 AM

Sorry should have clarified. I guess I meant favorite as in best transfer to the main lifts. By glute/ham machine do you mean a ham curl machine or a glute/ham raise or all the above?

**600@50** · 10-26-2016, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by dawgs77

Sorry should have clarified. I guess I meant favorite as in best transfer to the main lifts. By glute/ham machine do you mean a ham curl machine or a glute/ham raise or all the above?

For me the movements I gave tend to transfer well for me. There are times I just can't get the tight feeling at the bottom of the bench so I'll do Spoto presses for a few weeks and the tightness comes back. It's an ever changing endeavor finding movements that carry over. It depends if your training raw or geared. It depends on your form, wide grip, narrow grip, wide/narrow stance, sumo or conventional DL.
I was referring to the glute/ham machine not the leg curl version.