**Marcus's HIT Dungeon**

[Capebuffalo]

If shoulder issues prevent you doing a movement then why not just add incline flys as Marcus says or just drop the exercise all together...

3 movements is plenty to fully stimulate chest... Just look at its function... It's very basic...

DB incline
Hammer Press (flat ???)
Cable cross overs

Those 3 movements pretty much stimulate the whole chest fully...

Maybe just add an additional set if your concerned about dropping volume too low

No hammer was incline as well. I don't think my chest look underdeveloped from only doing inclines. But will differ to the experts. I will change up.

[baseline_9]

Ur Avis do make me laugh...

Things are good... I've had some time off, needed a break from the online community lol

I'm back for now tho... My training is picking up...

Last year was a complete waste for me so I'm hoping to make a bit of a 'comeback this year'

[Capebuffalo]

If shoulder issues prevent you doing a movement then why not just add incline flys as Marcus says or just drop the exercise all together...

3 movements is plenty to fully stimulate chest... Just look at its function... It's very basic...

DB incline
Hammer Press (flat ???)
Cable cross overs

Those 3 movements pretty much stimulate the whole chest fully...

Maybe just add an additional set if your concerned about dropping volume too low

No hammer was incline as well. I don't think my chest looks under developed from only incline. But I will change it up as suggested. It can only get better right

[marcus300]

Ur Avis do make me laugh...

Things are good... I've had some time off, needed a break from the online community lol

I'm back for now tho... My training is picking up...

Last year was a complete waste for me so I'm hoping to make a bit of a 'comeback this year'

Nice to see you around, have you still been training? or you had time off from the gym aswell?

[baseline_9]

Nice to see you around, have you still been training? or you had time off from the gym aswell?

Yeh still training but never with a clear goal in mind... So I kind of had a lack of focus.....

I'm focused now tho.... I'll be entering this competition that's coming up so that will keep me on track....

I shan't be competing to win, more just to keep me on track to getting in shape for the summer

[marcus300]

Yeh still training but never with a clear goal in mind... So I kind of had a lack of focus.....

I'm focused now tho.... I'll be entering this competition that's coming up so that will keep me on track....

I shan't be competing to win, more just to keep me on track to getting in shape for the summer

what are your current stats mate?

[baseline_9]

what are your current stats mate?

About 180 @13 % BF 5'7".....

I'm cutting down to single digit body fat and have been doing it naturally.... I've just introduced some gear, not a load, just enough to keep me from loosing any more muscle hopefully....

I plan to get to single digit body fat and then slowly add in some calories while increasing training intensity and lowering volume to peak towards the end of this comp....

We have talked about this before but I have been up and down a bit with my training and diet over the past 12-18 months really.... Without any real sense of direction....

I have always wanted to bounce between 10 and 12% BF while slowly gaining good lean tissue.... And in the past that has always kept me YO-YO'ing and probably messed up my progress a lot....

I think at one point I was sitting at around 195 and 13% BF which was IMO a good look..... I looked thick all over.... I tend to never get really heavy, even when i was looking my best i was still only 195, maybe because I have a small frame... IDK

[baseline_9]

One thing I know for sure is this.... I'm gonna look sick this year... Watch this space

Hence my subtitle.... I tend to just 'transform' myself once I get on the gear and force my training up a few gears as well...

[marcus300]

About 180 @13 % BF 5'7".....

I'm cutting down to single digit body fat and have been doing it naturally.... I've just introduced some gear, not a load, just enough to keep me from loosing any more muscle hopefully....

I plan to get to single digit body fat and then slowly add in some calories while increasing training intensity and lowering volume to peak towards the end of this comp....

We have talked about this before but I have been up and down a bit with my training and diet over the past 12-18 months really.... Without any real sense of direction....

I have always wanted to bounce between 10 and 12% BF while slowly gaining good lean tissue.... And in the past that has always kept me YO-YO'ing and probably messed up my progress a lot....

I think at one point I was sitting at around 195 and 13% BF which was IMO a good look..... I looked thick all over.... I tend to never get really heavy, even when i was looking my best i was still only 195, maybe because I have a small frame... IDK

Once you have direction you can attack your goals, tis contest should help transport you to where you want to be. Best of luck

[marcus300]

Just done delts but pre-exhausted them with side and front laterals first then hit the smith machine front press, intense pump and a lovely ache

[baseline_9]

Just done delts but pre-exhausted them with side and front laterals first then hit the smith machine front press, intense pump and a lovely ache

I've got a nice delt routine for u.... Will record it soon and post

[marcus300]

I've got a nice delt routine for u.... Will record it soon and post

I use around 2-3 delts routines which are excellent for someone who trains like me, ive seen with great gains over the year. I incorporate those single upright rows now with side laterals which has given me an amazing delt trap tie in. Ive also been doing many forced and negs which my body just respond to.

[baseline_9]

I use around 2-3 delts routines which are excellent for someone who trains like me, ive seen with great gains over the year. I incorporate those single upright rows now with side laterals which has given me an amazing delt trap tie in. Ive also been doing many forced and negs which my body just respond to.

Let's see them... Post em up....

Looking thick in ur avi man.... Heavy mature muscle there.... That pic current?

[baseline_9]

I'll share a technique once I get my camera.... I use it for delts as I'm paring them up with chest and tris since I'm doing higher volume and frequency for now..... It makes training delts very quick after chest....

However I know u don't do that.... But worth remembering if your pushed for time and can't have a separate delt session in the week

[milky01623]

I'll share a technique once I get my camera.... I use it for delts as I'm paring them up with chest and tris since I'm doing higher volume and frequency for now..... It makes training delts very quick after chest....

However I know u don't do that.... But worth remembering if your pushed for time and can't have a separate delt session in the week

This I would be very interested in as I'm always looking how to get as much in as possible over a short space of time :-)

[marcus300]

I'll share a technique once I get my camera.... I use it for delts as I'm paring them up with chest and tris since I'm doing higher volume and frequency for now..... It makes training delts very quick after chest....

However I know u don't do that.... But worth remembering if your pushed for time and can't have a separate delt session in the week

I would never train delts with chest or let me put it another way it would be impossible for me to do that because the second major muscle group wouldnt get trained properly the way I like to train. If its working for you best of luck

[BUTTERYGOODNESS]

Hey Marcus thanks for the reply to my workout a while back, sorry I just now Got back to it but I'll def take your Input into consideration. Everything was very insightful and you made very valid points. Thanks again!!

[marcus300]

Hey Marcus thanks for the reply to my workout a while back, sorry I just now Got back to it but I'll def take your Input into consideration. Everything was very insightful and you made very valid points. Thanks again!!

Try many different ways of training and apply the one which builds the most tissue for you, we are all made up different so by experimenting in many different ways and methods you will find the one which your body responds best too. Once you find this out you can then design cycles and your eating plan around your session and you will be the best you can be.

[MR-FQ320]

Marcus I think my lats are lagging. I need more width like a cobra.

I am currently doing the following
Wide grip pull downs 1 warm up 2 working sets then a drop set

Wide grip behind neck pull downs 1 warm up 2 working sets then a drop set

Then lat machine ( hammer strength ) with three different grip positions.2 Super sets with the different handle positions, 8 reps per hand position

What do you think, too much of the same movement ?

[marcus300]

Marcus I think my lats are lagging. I need more width like a cobra.

I am currently doing the following
Wide grip pull downs 1 warm up 2 working sets then a drop set

Wide grip behind neck pull downs 1 warm up 2 working sets then a drop set

Then lat machine ( hammer strength ) with three different grip positions.2 Super sets with the different handle positions, 8 reps per hand position

What do you think, too much of the same movement ?

Sounds a little overkill to be honest,
dropsetting on width movements is excellent and seems to work better than forced and negs IMHO. Try and include some close grip overhead pulldowns, your lats stretch far more in this position than wide grip and these really did make my lats explode. Do 2 overhead pulldown movements wide and close grip and do a triple dropset on both once warmed up. I would also incorporate stretches inbetween sets this really helps to build the intensity into the sets. Always try and pull with your back and not with your arms, use your arms as hooks and arch the back and contract the back hard like your crushing something inbetween your shoulder blades then fully stretch it out, also keep strict form at all times and dont use to much weight so your form goes and your pulling with your biceps. Full contracting movements by pulling with your back and slowly lowering and stretching with your lats.

[Capebuffalo]

I don't do deads anymore infact I havent touched them for a long time but my lower back is very thick and has a canyon driving down the centre, my lower back is sensitive and I have injury due to heavy lifting in my younger days so no deads for me anymore, I do weighted hypers now

Just done back

close grips pulldowns
2 warm up sets high reps
1 working set - failure +triple dropset

bent over rows
2 feel sets
1 working set - failure+triple dropset

one arm dumbell rows
2 working sets - failure

hammmer strength wide grip pulldowns
2 working sets - failure then rest pause

hyperextentions
weighted 3 sets to failure + dropset

I normally focus on either wide or thickness depending how I feel, for me this gives me more time and I can concetrate on going to my limit when I do this and in all honesty made my back very thick and wide over the years.

Did above today. Nice workout. Exhausted. Thanks Marcus

[Tron3219]

Marcus-

I missed yesterday cuz if work. I went in this morning and trained legs (yesterday's body part). Do u think its to taxing on the CNS if I go in this evening and train chest?

-TroN-

[marcus300]

Did above today. Nice workout. Exhausted. Thanks Marcus

Hope it does the job for you

[Capebuffalo]

Hope it does the job for you

Your close grip pull downs. Over or under handed ?

[marcus300]

Marcus-

I missed yesterday cuz if work. I went in this morning and trained legs (yesterday's body part). Do u think its to taxing on the CNS if I go in this evening and train chest?

-TroN-

Do you feel like you have anything left in the tank to attack chest like you would normally do? if the answer is yes then get in and do the job but if you feel tired do it tomorrow. Listen to your body

[marcus300]

Your close grip pull downs. Over or under handed ?

Try palms facing each other one workout and underhanded the next, see which one feels better for you. I mixed them both up week to week

[Capebuffalo]

Try palms facing each other one workout and underhanded the next, see which one feels better for you. I mixed them both up week to week

Got it thx

[Tron3219]

Do you feel like you have anything left in the tank to attack chest like you would normally do? if the answer is yes then get in and do the job but if you feel tired do it tomorrow. Listen to your body

10-4
I'm pretty drained this morning, but after eating throughout the day I will probably level out. I'll just play it by ear. I had two days off, so I think I'll b alright in like 12 hours. Thanks big guy!

-TroN-

[MR-FQ320]

Thanks Marcus, iv just totally toasted the lats, got em right in the upper outer corners, that was a good efficient back workout for me. Just take a look at the picture taken right after a session, I also did bent over barbell rows in smith mc then low pulley rows, all drop sets, I know lats and rear delta need attention, any other advice Marcus ? Thanks again

[marcus300]

Thanks Marcus, iv just totally toasted the lats, got em right in the upper outer corners, that was a good efficient back workout for me. Just take a look at the picture taken right after a session, I also did bent over barbell rows in smith mc then low pulley rows, all drop sets, I know lats and rear delta need attention, any other advice Marcus ? Thanks again

wooow thats great news, you isolated your lats in the upper outer corners which is were you wanted to stimulate them, keep doing that same workout and make sure you get those rows in, try some one arm db rows after your bent over's get some extra thickness to your lats and try and get some pillers of steel flowing down either side of your spine and your back will look sick.....you look like you have great width and long lats which when trimmed down will spread nicely towards your waist.....

[MR-FQ320]

^^^^ thanks brother. Re: one arm dumb bells, I can pick up and do 3 sets of 10 with 55kg but I never really "feel" it burning deep in the muscle, I'm out of breath when I do a set, I tried drop sets which was ok but it seems like a lot of energy expelled for not much gain :-( I usually do them and dead lifts as well but I was spent today, I'm going to just focus on the width for a while then adopt your routine of width one week thickness the next

[marcus300]

^^^^ thanks brother. Re: one arm dumb bells, I can pick up and do 3 sets of 10 with 55kg but I never really "feel" it burning deep in the muscle, I'm out of breath when I do a set, I tried drop sets which was ok but it seems like a lot of energy expelled for not much gain :-( I usually do them and dead lifts as well but I was spent today, I'm going to just focus on the width for a while then adopt your routine of width one week thickness the next

If you dont feel 1 arm DB rows leave them out and do what you do feel. Sounds like a good plan of attack. Let me know how you get on and if you start seeing growth

[AD]

marcus, have you talked about how you train in between these periods of heavy and intense workouts? you mentioned that you dont train like this all year round. kind of in spurts to coincide with your short cycles. so when off cycle or when off the intense periods, what is your training like? just lighter weights or is there differences in rest time between sets, number of reps and sets...?

[marcus300]

marcus, have you talked about how you train in between these periods of heavy and intense workouts? you mentioned that you dont train like this all year round. kind of in spurts to coincide with your short cycles. so when off cycle or when off the intense periods, what is your training like? just lighter weights or is there differences in rest time between sets, number of reps and sets...?

Thats right I dont train like this all the time, every 5-6 weeks I do change things around because my body just cant take that kind of pain and constant attack for weeks on end. Sometime I do a week inbetween the 6 week period if I feel I need it. I am a believer in what built the muscle will keep the muscle so not matter if I am bulking or cutting my main focus is always the same and try and keep the intensity up unless my body is telling me something else. When I change things around I will have longer rest periods inbetween sets and start using the pre-exhaust, volume, rest pause and pyramiding up to failure. I listen to my body and it tells me it needs a step back from the assault I am taking, so some easy lifting days just to failure, nothing to extreme just rest pause but not going into the serious pain zone of forced and negs or drops. My movements change around to suit how I feel but in the back of my mind is what built the muscle will keep the muscle and no matter what my main concern is to keep hold of the tissue Ive built and not waste any away, so if my body is telling me to pull back and it does often I pull back using some of the methods above but not going into the beyond failure zone which takes alot of mental concentration aswell. Normally after about a week or two I feel I am ready to start attacking again. I know the way I train isn't for everyone because of the constant assault and pain your put yourself through but for me I just grow from it, if you can get yourself in that zone the size what can be built is amazing and what built the muscle will keep the muscle. Keeping hold of the the muscle is a whole new set of rules like Ive mentioned before its were many fail and just waste tissue away by dieting too much and changing training but if you listen to your body how it grows you learn how to train to maintain

[MR-FQ320]

Marcus, do you train when your on hoiliday ? If so do you just make do with whats available or do you only stop at places where there are heavy weights to throw around?

[marcus300]

Marcus, do you train when your on hoiliday ? If so do you just make do with whats available or do you only stop at places where there are heavy weights to throw around?

Yes I train when I go on holiday, in December I went to Mauritius and they had a great gym but only had 50lbs db so I just took it easy and did very high volume. Probably trained every other day and also did cardio. The December before I went to the Maldives and the island didn't have a gym so I throw around the furniture to just get a pump, amazing what you can do with a coffee table, bed and table lol

[MR-FQ320]

Lol I'll keep that in mind the next time I'm stuck.

[Capebuffalo]

Marcus reading your post about assaulting your body and you grow grow. How long have you been training this intense ?
What were your stats prior? In other words how much size have you put on doing this do you think? It obviously works for you. Just curious I have a buddy that would be around 170 lbs with out diet training and gear. He's 250lbs+.

[marcus300]

Marcus reading your post about assaulting your body and you grow grow. How long have you been training this intense ?
What were your stats prior? In other words how much size have you put on doing this do you think? It obviously works for you. Just curious I have a buddy that would be around 170 lbs with out diet training and gear. He's 250lbs+.

I experimented many different styles of training over the yrs and and in the early days I did grow most people will when you introduce some kind of overload to the body, but you come to a size what you just can't get over, its like a huge sticking point and no matter what you do you just cant seem to get over it. This is when I discovered how I train now because this for me produced some serious gains and got me over the sticking point but it does takes a lot of mental focus to get through this kind of training, its not for the weak minded at all and it can take over your life if your not careful. Obviously it wasn't just the training its a number of factors what I put together what helped but this style produced some serious thick set muscle tissue. You get guys weighing 270lbs and still don't look muscular, this is the whole point in bodybuilding its how you look and how muscular you are. I know some mates who are 270-280lbs and I look a lot bigger and far more muscular than any of them, it all about how balanced and how muscular you are. I have a body what is thick set and I put that down to genetics obviously but a lot of the way I train has produced this thick set muscular body.

At the moment I am 252lbs at 13-14% bf and over the last year or so ive been really training hard to build new tissue while keeping my bf low and ive made some really decent gains on bodyparts what I would say were lagging. When I first started training I was about 155lbs.

I attack my body hard and intense for short periods of time, when I feel like I need a break I take one, when I need to pull back on the beyond failure methods I do and incorporate other methods and swap and change things around. Ive just done a legs workout and I did rest pause on nearly all the movements this was a pullback for me but I kept the intensity up. Sometime due to my work schedule I will miss 3-4 days of training but to be honest I look forward to this because I feel like I fully repair then I get back in the gym and train hard and intense, ITS JUST THE WAY I DO THINGS because it works for me and ive transfrom many online clients with how they train. Find out what works for you and implement keep a log and watch and learn from your own body...

[kelkel]

Great comment above Marcus. I've found over my years in this sport that learning what's effective to build muscle for each indivdual is paramount. One man's meat is another mans poison, so to speak. The same goes for rest and recouperation. As I've gotten older I have dramatically reduced my time in the gym both in amount done as well as total days working out . My training methods are similar to the big mans but I take more time off.

Less equals more for me anymore and has helped with growth, recovery and minor injuries received. Anymore and for the past handful of years I've only trained 3 days per week, M-W-F and love it. As long as it works I'm sticking with it.

My .02 anyway...