Ruhl's Shred Thread (road to competition)

**Phate** · 02-06-2009, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by DSM4Life

Day 1: Chest
Day 2 : Legs
Day 3 : Arms
Day 4 : Shoulders (including traps)
Day 5 : Back
Day 6 : Repeat Day 1

Sounds horrible to me. One day of rest after all of that ?

i don't like the split ruhl, for example, you are going to be hitting your triceps on arms day, then triceps on shoulders day, then on back day you will be hitting posterior deltoids, so you have two muscles there that are being worked back to back

and your "fatiguing the muscle" theory doesn't work, what do you think is fueling your muscles 20 sets in which is probably what, 100 minutes?

**amcon** · 02-07-2009, 12:12 AM

ruhl - i am sort of old school and i used to do 30 sets for chest and 20 sets for bies... so on and so on. i was lifting one day and a former mr new york came in a started to yell at me about doinng 30+ sets of chest... i made fun of him and told him i was dif cause i wasnt drugged up, he laughed at me then left me alone... months later i was up to 40+ sets wondering why i wasnt growing size, i was strong but not gaining there either... he came over to me and offered to lift w me so he could help me(he saw i was a hard worker) and he knew how bad i wanted to gain!!! first chest work out with him i did over my former max and added some reps i never knew i could... i could only get out 12 sets and my chest hurt for days!!! he laughed at me and we did that chest work out for the next 6 months - i was growing weekly... as you know you grow when your not in the gym... rest baby - less is more.

any ways reciently i started sts training, the whole idea is work out hard then rest good and do it all over again and again!!! just try cuting your sets for chest

your chest work out:
Flat Bench Press for 5-6 sets, perhaps a drop set with 225 -->135 for failure
Incline Flys superset Incline DB press 5 sets....which makes 10 since 2 exercises
then something for lower....so dips, or decline bb or decline Hammer strength...4-5 sets

Low Cable Crossovers (pull to the bottom) superset pushups with feet high for 5 sets
done.......and in those sets i always include any and all warmups and pyramids.

that is like 20 + sets not too bad but my guess is your prob doing more:

what about something like this?:
flat bench: use any number that make sense for you
135 12 reps = warm up
185 10 reps = warm up
225 12 reps = first working set
295 for 8 reps - two short of you max reps
315 for 6 reps - to failure, no extra forced reps
275 for 8 reps - to failure, no extra forced reps

decline bar or hammer: again adjust the weights to correct numbers
315 for 8 reps - two short of failure
315 for 10+ reps - go to good failure
295 for 10 reps - go to good failure

incline bench bar:
225 for 10 reps
245 for 6 - 8 reps
245 for 6 - 8 reps

flys or cable crossovers:
two sets - i like to go a little lighter and finish w a good pump

12 sets-two warm ups, great form and you just ripped you pecs just about off your ribs... try it and see how you do

and as for ripping off 15 % body fat in 22 weeks - i think you can do it... you have to have a strong mind to get that done...

and one more thing the reason why you need the extra carbo cals is because the volume you are doing in you work out (with iron) to break the muscles down is like 2x what some people believe you should... example: 12 - 15 sets for chest is a real good number. biecepts 8 -12 sets,(i wrote the example out to see what some one elses work out breaks down to) legs 8-10(squat,leg press, quad extentions), 6 to 10 for hams(stiff leg dl, single leg curls, laying double legged curls), and add calves 6 - 10 sets(seated calf raises, hack or leg press calf raises, smith machine calf raises on a block)...

good luck - every one is dif. take any info you get here and simply use it as a dif point of reference...

you have aproven track record for your self of what you need to get done - go do it and send off some pics!!!

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Phate

i don't like the split ruhl, for example, you are going to be hitting your triceps on arms day, then triceps on shoulders day, then on back day you will be hitting posterior deltoids, so you have two muscles there that are being worked back to back

and your "fatiguing the muscle" theory doesn't work, what do you think is fueling your muscles 20 sets in which is probably what, 100 minutes?

my workouts NEVER take more than 2 hours and usually they're shorter, like 1:30. Only longer when abs and calves take alot of time of a day.

***FireGuy*** · 02-07-2009, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by oneshot

i just dont think you can shed the 13-14% bodyfat that you need to loose with such a slow taper of carbs.

I think he can as long as his cardio is where it needs to be. We cant look at carbs alone, total caloric intake is just as important.

***FireGuy*** · 02-07-2009, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by RuhlFreak55

as i've said before.....hypertrophy means you have to fatigue the muscle fibers AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.....so of course you're not going to maintain 100% intensity every set. You couldn't possibly fatigue the muscle fibers as much with stopping your workout once you can't achieve 100% intensity anymore

I disagree with this, hypertrophy requires the muscles to be stimulated through intensity, not fatigue. If fatigue made muscle grow marathon runners would have 30 inch quads and 20 inch calves.

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

I disagree with this, hypertrophy requires the muscles to be stimulated through intensity, not fatigue. If fatigue made muscle grow marathon runners would have 30 inch quads and 20 inch calves.

divide through how fast i have to do these workouts to finish the number of sets in the time i do and tell me i'm not intense.....ask anyone who's ever attempted to workout with me, i train like a crazy person

***FireGuy*** · 02-07-2009, 10:42 AM

I never said or implied you were not intense. I just disagree with your statement on fatigue is all. What is your cardio schedule?

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

I never said or implied you were not intense. I just disagree with your statement on fatigue is all. What is your cardio schedule?

an hour 5 days a week to start with....early in the morning on an empty stomach

***FireGuy*** · 02-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Perfect, I know you are getting hit with advice left and right. I would slowly add in more cardio while slowly taking out the carbs (maybe drop 25 grams a week). I would replace the carb calories with fats or protein though. Dont see a need to drop below 3k calories a day anytime soon.

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

Perfect, I know you are getting hit with advice left and right. I would slowly add in more cardio while slowly taking out the carbs (maybe drop 25 grams a week). I would replace the carb calories with fats or protein though. Dont see a need to drop below 3k calories a day anytime soon.

that was my essentially my plan. *goes to look up cals for last year* yea i didn't start getting down under 3k calories last year for quite some time and i was smaller then too

***FireGuy*** · 02-07-2009, 11:22 AM

I came in at 190 and 186 for my two shows last year and ran around 3000 calories til 4 weeks out. Dont think I ever went below 2500. Was doing a little more cardio than you though too.

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by FireGuy1

I came in at 190 and 186 for my two shows last year and ran around 3000 calories til 4 weeks out. Dont think I ever went below 2500. Was doing a little more cardio than you though too.

the cardio will get up there....don't wanna start it too high

**oneshot** · 02-07-2009, 11:58 AM

so i gonna start training here pretty soon. i'll cut ya a sweet deal on my rates hahaha

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 12:05 PM

10:00
2 cans Tuna 290cal 8g F 4g C 55g P
oatmeal shake 540cal 8g F 60g C 58g P

1:00
1/4 cup cashews 160cal 13g F 8g C 5g P

3:00
oatmeal shake 540cal 8g F 60g C 58g P
superpump 96cal 24g C

5:45
Volu-gro/protein 356cal 1.5g F 64g C 20g P

6:30
8oz. lean ground beef 280cal 9g F 48g P
1 cup Black Beans 210cal 1g F 46g C 14g P
3/4 cup rice 170cal 1g F 37g C 4g P
Fat Free Cheese 45cal 2g C 9g P

9:30
1/4 cup mixed nuts 170cal 15g F 5g C 6g P

10:45
protein shake 270cal 1g F 5g C 60g P
4 Tbsp PB 410cal 32g F 12g C 16g P

totals: 3537cal 97.5g F 327g C 353g P

did legs.....knee still bothering me but it's been getting ALOT better over the last week with starting cardio. I think it will be near 100% by next leg day (next thurs).

**amcon** · 02-07-2009, 12:15 PM

....this week to follow for critique. (--- your statement

people are giving you advise and your debating it with them...

i did 40 + sets and it was intense, done in 2 hours - i was so over trained i didnt grow... intensity and volume need to mixed with rest...

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by amcon

....this week to follow for critique. (--- your statement

people are giving you advise and your debating it with them...

i did 40 + sets and it was intense, done in 2 hours - i was so over trained i didnt grow... intensity and volume need to mixed with rest...

you can critique diet all you want....my training isn't up for discussion really.

**amcon** · 02-07-2009, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by RuhlFreak55

you can critique diet all you want....my training isn't up for discussion really.

fair - but if guys who know alot offer things to me i at least listen... i learned that the hard way.

your work outs will effect your diet... but it is all personal preferance... you going to post some pics?

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-07-2009, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by amcon

fair - but if guys who know alot offer things to me i at least listen... i learned that the hard way.

your work outs will effect your diet... but it is all personal preferance... you going to post some pics?

yea when i'm on stage. I'm not going to deal with any negativity that will inevitably crop up if i put pics up on here...and i'm on gear don't wanna give myself away.

**Lightsout2184** · 02-07-2009, 05:14 PM

keep up the hard work. uve obviously put a lot of time and effort into finding the right routine for you. when im on i also only like to take one day off a week.

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-09-2009, 08:51 PM

i cut the amount of sets on shoulders today by 17%

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-11-2009, 07:48 PM

lil bit of an update.....it's going good. Down nine pounds in as many days so far. Rubbed a hole in the back of my ankle this morning doing cardio....that wasn't fun walking the rest of the day...might have to wear a different pair of shosies tomorrow maybe.

Got legs tomorrow....should be interesting to say the least with my knee issues....i can't not train it though, it just hurts randomly, i know it's healing itself, it's just really slow going.

Diet is right on.....3000-3500 cals....80-100g F 300g C 350-400g P or so...working fantastically so far. Obviously changes will occur as needed when stagnation happens. I would put up the diet log but it's just too much to type....i don't wanna and quite frankly don't have the time.

**seriousmass** · 02-11-2009, 08:03 PM

Good to hear you're dropping buddy. Keep up the work, I definitely think you could accomplish your goals. You've got what 21 weeks left? I have no doubt you will not reach @ least 6 - 7% BF by then.

I dunno if you want any advice... but increase the core / cardio training accordingly. 1 hour is pretty minimal. But I'm sure you'll probably up these once you're 15 weeks out.

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-11-2009, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by seriousmass

Good to hear you're dropping buddy. Keep up the work, I definitely think you could accomplish your goals. You've got what 21 weeks left? I have no doubt you will not reach @ least 6 - 7% BF by then.

I dunno if you want any advice... but increase the core / cardio training accordingly. 1 hour is pretty minimal. But I'm sure you'll probably up these once you're 15 weeks out.

yea it'll rise one i start to stagnate of course....don't wanna ramp it up too quick though

**Chode Logan** · 02-11-2009, 10:39 PM

That much volume, so little rest, no gear, cardio on empty stomach....sounds catabolic as f$ck to me

**RuhlFreak55** · 02-16-2009, 05:55 PM

ok considering actually changing up my training...i know i know...crazy right? suggestions? 4 on 1 off???? i think that would work well....but then it would become a rarity that i'd have a COMPLETE day off from everything, including cardio.

**JiGGaMaN** · 02-17-2009, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by RuhlFreak55

as long as i don't get pissed off at the lack of support like i've had issues with before on here

im here for you bro. lol.

**DSM4Life** · 02-17-2009, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by RuhlFreak55

ok considering actually changing up my training...i know i know...crazy right? suggestions? 4 on 1 off???? i think that would work well....but then it would become a rarity that i'd have a COMPLETE day off from everything, including cardio.

You been around long enough to know that long days in the gym can be more harmful to progress. I don't think i need to go into details.

**Dinosaur** · 02-17-2009, 01:41 PM

keep up the good work.
i learned from my experince that stress can definatly affect the hard work and gains u make, so try not to stress ur self out. also let people critic all they wont just take it as a comment. as long as ur happy with ur results and convinced of what ur doing that's all that matters.
cheers.

**sorel_C** · 02-22-2009, 11:50 AM

dude if you know your body stick with your training! ive tried both and ironically enough volumes works better for me, science would say other wise. I dont think ronnie, jay, or othe top name pros suffered much from volume. But then again if they trained HIT they would be hitting the stage at 350lbs ripped right?