Question thread for our AMA with Alberto Nuñez of 3DMJ!

[methesinner]

@catholicmagus My question is for a competitor how much does it affect working 3 Times per week Vs 4 times while doing the same number of sets 10 per muscle group !! How much does it actually affect muscle growth....

 

[catholicmagus]

@methesinner since you can be fresher and have less sets to do, the OVERALL QUALITY of training is higher.

lets say you have 12 sets of chest sets spread out over 3 days, that's 4 sets each day.

if you spread that over 4 days, that's 3 sets. the 3 sets quality especially on the last set is better than the 4.

overall, higher frequency of training (volume equated) is almost always better than lower.

better for time. better for quality of sets and reps. better for fatigue.

basically im telling you to up it if you can.

hell if you have 6 exercises to do 3 days a week, you can do "3 exercises a day for 6 times a week"

with 3 exercises, you can invest more out of every set for those.

 

[dawn16]

@catholicmagus So are you an advocate of like 5x full body splits?

 

[catholicmagus]

@dawn16 i'd advocate for 6x full body splits. BUT since im a powerlifter and I need more specificity, I have days for each "movement" and I just add bodybuilding accessories to get yoked.

if i'm not a powerlifter, i'd do 6x full body. just look up "eric helms". he's one of the best educator/bodybuilder on othe field. and he advocates for full body.

 

[dawn16]

@catholicmagus I know he experimented with high frequency full body but never saw the results. I see that split very rarely.

 

[catholicmagus]

@dawn16 Think mentzer's HIT but less intense so you can train with more frequency. If you wanna do an experiment, I can make you a program based on your gpals and wants. I'm an aspiring strength and conditioning coach.

 

[mackman55]

@paparazi257 Hey Alberto, a lot of people get hung up on their “natty limit” and seem to limit themselves through arbitrary standards of what they believe is achievable. While I’m not saying all of our wildest dreams can come true natty, I think more may be achievable than some people think.

Do you believe you ever reached your “natty limit”, or do you believe you still have room to run? And do you have anything to say to those people?

 

[ckxcr]

@mackman55 No and I never will, but you have to be at peace with this.

There are people out there who are 5+++ standard deviations from the mean. We can’t even begin to comprehend how things are for them should they decide to bodybuild

 

[christian2018]

@mackman55 So are you saying there is no limit?

 

[mackman55]

@christian2018 No, just that some people approach this subject with a defeatist attitude and perhaps sell themselves short on what they can potentially achieve.

There definitely is a limit, somewhere, and you will face more limitations and challenges as a natty than someone enhanced.

 

[christian2018]

@mackman55 We know what the limit is and for the very few it's around an FFMI of 25. The majority of trainees won't get to an FFMI of 25, some won't even get close regardless of what they do.

 

[mackman55]

@christian2018 It’s not that cut and dry. Feel free to read this old article by Greg Gnuckols on it: http://gregnuckols.com/2016/12/11/ffmi/

Did you really reply to a 2.5 week old comment - albeit maybe a poorly worded one - to ask a leading question in hopes of starting an argument? Come on, dude.

 

[christian2018]

@mackman55

It’s not that cut and dry. Feel free to read this old article by Greg Gnuckols on it: http://gregnuckols.com/2016/12/11/ffmi/

This is a poor argument. Just because we don't have the most accurate ways of measuring it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There definitely is a limit.

Yes, some will exceed 25 FFMI but these are the exception. Majority of trainees won't get near 25.

There's a reason why most natural bodybuilders don't exceed the following equation:

Height (cm) - 100 = contest weight. You'll rarely ever find someone exceeding this (in contest shape).

Nunez for example (if the stats are true) is 175cm and weighs in around 72kg in contest shape.

Did you really reply to a 2.5 week old comment - albeit maybe a poorly worded one - to ask a leading question in hopes of starting an argument? Come on, dude.

Absolutely. For discussion, not trying to start an argument.

 

[dawn16]

@paparazi257 Thanks for doing this Alberto!

Have you ever trained for calisthenics skills, and how would you approach programming for somebody who wants to mix a bit of weighted calisthenics and calisthenics skills (like front lever) combined with with free weights and machines?

 

[ckxcr]

@dawn16 Muscles will enhance your output but skill acquisition is its own thing. Give each one as much time as they need to flourish. It’s best if you try not to combine the two.

Look at how modern day powerlifters train, but replace the sbd with whatever skills you want to master

 

[dawn16]

@ckxcr Thanks for the perspective, Alberto, I'll look more into powerlifting training techniques and think how I can switch it up for the skills I'm looking at learning.

 

[giamfreeg]

@paparazi257 I frequently hear from bodybuilding influencers that between 12 and 20 sets per body part per week is sufficient.

However I would like some more detail for smaller body parts - is it 12-20 for delts in general or is it 12-20 for anterior, 12-20 for medial and 12-20 for rear delts.

Furthermore do you only count movements that work the part directly or would you, for example, count squats as a set for your hamstrings or military press as a set for your rear delts even though they are not the primary muscle working for the movement.

Cheers!

 

[ckxcr]

@giamfreeg What he said!

 

[dawn16]

@giamfreeg This may give a glimpse of his future answer

 

[giamfreeg]

@dawn16 “There is so much more to a good program. Much more depth and moving parts than sets per week.”

… ok great. What is the “so much more” that’s the detail I was asking about.