THE LOST POLIQUIN FILES VOL. I

by

Charles Poliquin

Low Carbs For Athletes?

Q. I understand you put your athletes on low carb diets and then gradually reintroduce carbs into their diets. Why is this? I thought low carbs decreases performance? While we're on the subject, you've stated that you like to have your male athletes between 4 and 8% body fat and that female athletes perform best below 12%. I understand that an athlete doesn't need to be fat, but what's the point of having a hockey player see his abs?

A. I put 50 to 75% of my athletes on low carbs. About 25% are kept on high carb diets. It is a very individual thing which is prescribed based the athlete's present condition, desired goal etc. Those 25% are the lucky ones who can enjoy carbs while staying lean. Like Boyer Coe, who in preparation for the Masters Mr. Olympia would eat an entire carrot cake every night before going to bed so he would not lose muscle mass.

The reason why I have my athletes strive to achieve those bodyfat figures is that various physiological parameters such as endurance and speed are enhanced by having lower body fat values. For example your maximal oxygen consumption capacity increases just by decreasing bodyfat, as one will not need to oxygenate those tissues during muscular work, thus allowing the more functional tissue to use the available oxygen.

Speed is greater at lower bodyfat percentages because of decreased intra-muscular friction and because you simply don't have to carry that excessive baggage.

The low carb decreases performance is only true for people who have higher carbohydrate requirements. I have plenty of clients who fare better on the international sporting scene using a low carb diet. However, you must also know that these athletes use a four-one ratio of low carb days to high carb days. That is four days low carb, one day high carb.

The high carb day can have as much as 70% of the caloric needs met through carbohydrate intake. We use the percentage of bodyfat, and the athlete's state of well being as the gauge for carb intake. If the athlete is for example 5% bodyfat, is having a day off from training, we may use such a high carbohydrate intake. If he is at 9%, as is not at optimal speed for his speed, we may use only half a day of carbing up.

Also sudden drops in bodyweight may warrant changes in that ratio. All in all, it is something that needs fine tuning over time, and the athlete is educated on when to carb up or not. But again, some athletes do best on very low fat diet, high complex carbs, moderate protein. It is a very individual thing, and certainly is worth experimenting with.

Structural Balance

Q. The article achieving structural balance was great; however, it only included the upper body. Got any general lower body suggestions?

I have had a lot of demand for this sort of data, even though I do have have collected excellent pertinent data on the matter, I have decided not to present it in written format because:

*

The technical explanation for each exercise go beyond the scope of an article or this column. In a seminar setting, it takes about 4 hours to learn.
*

The norms are more appropriate to determine the orientation of training of athletes not for the audience of Testosterone, which is composed mainly of recreational bodybuilders.
*

The data is very much sport specific. For example, ham-quad ratios that are optimal for getting a medal in the Alpine Skiing World Championships will not do much to achieve international results in 100 sprinting.

Q. I really enjoyed your article about pull ups, I have a few questions on how can I make progress with pull ups considering my circumstances. I notice a few of the progressions from the articles require a partner to push the legs and waist while you pull up. Due to working crazy hours, the only time I get to workout is late at night, so I work out alone. I am able to do 5-6 wide grip (palms away) pull ups but would like to be able to do more. Considering I don't have a workout partner who could help me perform the necessary 12 pull ups, what should I do? Should I perform the maximum amount of pull ups that I am able to do at this time (5-6 pull ups) then do eccentric pull ups. I gather it is still too early in my development to start holding on to dumbbells while I attempt pull ups?

A. I would recommend this system for improving your pull-ups. From experience, this system can increase the performance on this exercise in record time. It is basically a variation of the German Volume Training.

If you can only do 5-6 pull-ups, strive to do 10 sets of lets say 2 reps on your first workout. Every workout, strive to increase the total number of pull-ups by at least one. The key to success of this progress is the total volume of work, not all sets of pull-ups are obviously done to failure. But for your first workout, you will have done 20 reps on the pull-ups, within no time your pull-up performance will increase. Shoot for 10 sets of 6 pull-ups before your retest your maximal performance for reps on a single set. Make sure to pair antagonists muscles to be time efficient. You can pair a pressing exercise or a external rotator cuff exercise or both.

For example your workout will look this:

Set 1 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 1 of antagonist work (Dumbbell external rotator exercise 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 2 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 2 of antagonist work (Dumbbell external rotator exercise 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 3 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 3 of antagonist work (Dumbbell external rotator exercise 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 4 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 4 of antagonist work (Dumbbell external rotator exercise 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 5 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 5 of antagonist work - change of exercise (Incline Dumbbell Presses 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 6 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 6 of antagonist work (Incline Dumbbell Presses 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 7 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 7 of antagonist work (Incline Dumbbell Presses 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 8 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 8 of antagonist work (Incline Dumbbell Presses 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 9 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 4010, rest 90 seconds)
Set 9 of antagonist work - change of exercise - (Flat Dumbbell Presses 8-10 reps, tempo 3010 rest 90 seconds)

Set 10 of Pull-ups (Wide grip pull 2 reps, tempo 3110, rest 90 seconds)
Set 10 of antagonist work (Flat Dumbbell Presses 8-10 reps, tempo 3110 rest 90 seconds)

Q. I compete in combat jiu-jitsu. I have a problem with endurance and poor gripping strength. Any training protocol that would help solve that? I live in a rural area and don't have access to fancy equipment like your athletes do.

A. First let me say that I am not a big believer in high-tech machines. All my athletes train on the most basic tools like barbells, dumbbells, chin-up bars, AND squat racks.

Here is a very low-tech approach to solving that problem. All you need is a sand bag and a platform that is three to four feet off the ground -- the back of pick-up truck or a picnic table will do fine. I suggest you do it after doing your regular leg strength workout as a 'finishing off' exercise. Here is a twelve workout progression.

Workouts 1-4

Stand in front of the platform with a sandbag at your feet. Bend over and pick up the sandbag and put it on the platform. Pause momentarily. Pick it up again and put it back on the ground. Repeat until 50 reps are completed. Make an effort to do it in minimal time. Record the time needed to complete the set every workout, and shoot for a personal best every workout. The first time you do it, you will be quite tempted to cough up a lung. No matter how painful it is, shoot for a record time. Of course, you will probably have to pause longer between reps as the set is nearing its end. Only stop the sets when 50 reps are completed.

Workouts 5-8

For this part of the cycle, back up four feet further away than the previous workout. Stand facing the platform with the sandbag on your right side, on the ground. Turn around, face the bag and bend over and pick it up. Lift the bag and place it on the left side of the chosen platform. Being further away will force you to have to lunge towards the platform.

Pause momentarily. Pick it up again and put it back on the ground on its original resting spot. This will bring a diagonal and rotary component to the drill. Repeat until 25 reps are completed for the right side. Then start over and do 25 reps with the bag being on the left side in the starting position. Again, make an effort to do it in minimal time. Record the time needed to complete the set, every workout, and shoot for a personal best each workout.

Workouts 9-12

Stand facing the platform on which a plastic glass filled with water is placed on the middle of it. Stand with the sandbag on your right side. Turn around face the bag and bend over and pick up the sandbag. Now you are going to lift the bag up and over the plastic glass of water, continuing the motion, deposit the bag on your left hand side (the left side of the platform). Pause momentarily and reverse the process. Do 25 reps going in each direction. Once again, make an effort to do it in minimal time. Record the time needed to complete the set every workout, and shoot for a personal best every workout.

After these twelve workouts you can be sure that your endurance will have reached appreciable new heights and you will be sporting a pair of forearms that would make Popeye envious. Another added benefit is that all the trunk muscles involved in throws and takedowns will receive an appreciable overload that will transfer directly to improved performance on your dojo mat.

Q. You have a reputation as being a stickler to proper form. What are some of the recommendations you make on proper training form?

A. For the readers who have their eyes and ears open for the truth, here some recommendations regarding exercise performance. People with low self-esteem refuse to live consciously.

Trainees who use proper form usually have high levels of self-esteem. They show it by:

*

Their interest is progression, not in theatrics.
*

Lifting for themselves, not for others. They are not concerned about what the other guy thinks of him lifting somewhat lighter loads.
*

Knowing that lifting big loads with improper form will not get you to lift big loads with proper form as quickly as lifting in proper form at all times.
IS THE FOLLOWING A NEW SET OF RULES?

1. You should attempt to find ways that will an exercise harder, not easier.

For example pausing the bar on the floor between reps on the deadlifts creates more overload on the neuro-muscular system than bouncing the plates off the floor. Successful bodybuilders feel the muscle not the weight!

2. Never sacrifice style for increased poundage.

I know people who increased their bench presses by 60 lbs in one month! They simply do it by adjusting their form: lifting hips off the bench: + 25 lbs, bouncing in the bottom position: + 10 lbs, increasing width of grip: +10 lbs, not coming up to lock-out: + 15 lbs. This is one of the reasons I recommend YOU change the exercise every 6 workouts or so. When you are just about to hit a plateau, it is time to move on to another exercise.

3. Lower weights slower than you lift them.

When weight training, you control the weight, the weight does not control you. Even though you are stronger in eccentric contractions than in concentric contractions, you recruit only half the fibers when lowering a load, so the actual tension on the fibers recruited is double. So, you will benefit more from your set by maximizing the overload on the eccentric portion of every rep.

Q. I have poor hamstrings development because of years of I train only what I can see in the mirror syndrome. I am embarrassed to wear shorts. Please help!

A. The following guidelines will help you achieve your training goal of more hypertrophy in the hamstrings:

1. Put an emphasis on stretching. Often have seen a new growth spurt in advanced trainees legs after embarking on a stretching program. Why? Possibly because the fascia surrounding the muscles is too tight and does not allow the hamstrings enough room to grow. If you need some ideas on how to effectively stretch the hamstrings, please consult the following books published by Human Kinetics: Science of Flexibility and Stretching (2nd Edition), Michael J. Alter and Facilitated Stretching: PNF Stretching Made Easy by Robert McAtee.

2. Train the hamstrings first in your leg workout, when your energy is highest. There is plenty of empirical evidence that muscles trained early in the workout make greater strides of progress than the ones trained at the end of a workout. Joe Weider takes credit for it as the "Weider Priority Principle". For all I care, a lumberjack barbell set owner from Vladivostok could have come to the same conclusion.

3. Allow for plenty of recovery. The hamstrings have a high fast-twitch make-up, thus take a long time for recovery. A 30 day hamstrings specialization cycle for someone with great quads would look like this:

Day 1: Hamstrings (15-16 sets) and Calves (6-8 sets)

Day 6: Hamstrings (6-8 sets), Quads (3-5 sets) Calves (8-10 sets)

Day 11: Hamstrings (15-16 sets) and Calves (6-8 sets)

Day 17: Hamstrings (6-8 sets), Quads (3-5 sets) Calves (8-10 sets)

Day 22: Hamstrings (10-12 sets) and Calves (4-6 sets)

Day 29: Hamstrings (4-6 sets), Quads (1-3 sets) Calves (6-8 sets)

Notice that the number of sets is significantly LOWER during the last two workout days of the cycle. Why? To comply to the unloading principle, if one lowers the volume after the third week but yet keeps up or even increases the intensity, super compensation (gains) will be of a greater magnitude than if the volume was kept constant. The exact physiological mechanism is not entirely clear, but it appears that it is of a neuro-endocrine nature.