Project HUGE: Huge In A Hurry - Get Big - Phase 3 / Week 1
Posted July 3, 2009 at 5:22 PM
So this week, I started Phase 3 of the Get Big program in Chad Waterbury's Huge In A Hurry workout. This is the final phase (not counting the unloading week) of the "Get Big" program.
Workout A
Load: Super Heavy (2-3 RM)
Reps: 15
- Power Clean
- Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
- Front Squat
- Standing Single-Leg Calf Raises
Workout B
Load: Medium (10-12 RM)
Reps: 40
- Cable Row - One Arm, Supinated Grip
- Cable Standing One Arm Chest Press
- Bulgarian Split Squat (Dumbbells)
- Cable One Arm Tricep Pushdown
Workout C
Load: Heavy (4-6 RM)
Reps: 25
- Neutral Grip Pull Up
- Dips
- Overhead Squat
- EZ-Bar Reverse Curl
While this phase makes use of many exercises seen in previous phases, the two new big compound movements are the Power Clean and the Overhead Squat. The Power Clean, I think I can do an OK job at, as long as I practice my technique. But the Overhead Squat - that's just a beast! While today's rep range (Workout C) was 4-6 reps, I went lighter weight and higher reps on the overhead squat in order to practice my technique. This exercise is totally new to me, and felt super awkward. The outsides of my shoulders are completely thrashed from keeping the weight in the right place. On top of that, I am not sure that I will ever be able to push my legs hard enough; I fear that the technique will always be my limiting factor. Although, who knows - I saw some YouTube videos of people doing crazy weight, so maybe it's just the nerves talking.
Anyway, here's a video of me attempting to learn OH squats for the first time. The side view is 65lbs and the back view is 85lbs (at which my last rep completely breaks form).
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Any feedback on the technique would be super appreciated as I don't think anyone in my gym has ever done these before. Chad Waterbury is quickly making me the guy in the gym who does "weird exercises."
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Reader Comments
Very good, there were some near perfect reps, and there were some dodgy ones, but you're getting there your body position is good. Work on your depth and do not let the bar move forward or backward, you want up and down.
Watch this
http://www.nsca-lift.org/videos/default.shtml
a good technical explanation
http://crossfitphoenix.typepad.com/crossfit_phoenix_forging_/the-overhead-squat.html
One program that I've always re-visited because of its sheer awesomeness is Leo Costa's "Big Beyond Belief". He describes the science of the growth window and how bouncing between over training and under training results in constant gains as well as throttling a bit back in stages in order to build solid platforms to sky rocket the next phase of growth.
It has been by far the best book/program I have read in the past 10 years.
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Beyond-Belief-Leo-Costa/dp/1931363765
I also bought "Huge in a Hurry" after reading your posts but wont be getting around to reading it until I finish "Better Then Steroids" which seams to be a summarized variation of "The Anabolic Diet" but still a good general overview
Keep up the good work.
Ha ha! I know that one too - I do too some weird exercises. Don't be the guy who only trains their chest and biceps, and the guy who only trains their upper body. Squats and deadlifts are essential to get big and strong.
@Isnogood,
Really good video, thanks! He's motion is so smooth - I really need to get used to the movement. My shoulders and traps were wicked sore all weekend, especially the medial delts. I'm looking forward to giving it another go this Friday.
@Steven,
Thanks for the link, the book looks really interesting. The reviews on Amazon look quite favorable. Perhaps when I am done with this program, I'll give that one a read.
Kudos Ben for attempting the overhead squats - I'm on the same phase and week of the Get Big program. It is definitely the Snatch lift and it looks like all you need to correct is the body tilt position - the bar should be perpendicular to the floor, not the upper body which is what your positioning seems to be. Have your head and upper torso on a forward angle with the arms holding the bar perpendicular to the floor - it is a forward tilt position similar to the form used at the finish of the jerk motion in the clean and jerk technique. The nsca video is an excellent resource. good luck - interesting posts.
jk
@JK,
Thanks my man. I think I just need to get practice at it. It's definitely funky. Today is my next chance. I'll report back.
Oh my! I just tried these again. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT! My form was horrible, I felt completely weak, I was shakey. Nothing felt right. I tried to move up *5* lbs and everything fell apart from last week.
The whole movement just felt so much more awkward this week. I don't know what happened. I want to learn these, I really do; but, my fear is that by using so little weight and taking so much time to learn the form, I'm essentially not doing a leg exercise for the day (more like walking up a few stairs with a heavy backpack).
I'm quite conflicted.
One thing to keep in mind is that Chad specifically picked compound exercises that utilize many more muscle groups than the primary muscles involved. All of the other stabilizer muscles are getting a heck of a workout with the overhead squats, as you mentioned above.
In fact that's what I personally believe was intended with this exercise considering on workouts A and B you are doing front squats and Bulgarian split squats which are definite quad/hamstring/glute mass builders. Also consider that the only other exercise that targets your shoulders are the power cleans on workout A. On top of that I believe that the power cleans and overhead squats are in preparation for the clean and snatch exercises in Get Lean phases 2 and 3 respectively.
And I wouldn't fret over the amount of weight. Again, if you look at this as more of a stabilization of the torso exercise first and a leg exercise second then "heavy" should be based upon what your upper body can handle for the 4-6 reps. At least that's my take on it.
@ColdFusionWi
I think you're dead on man. Plus, they say once you master the OH squat the technique in regular squat gets perfect by itself. There are even well known trainers out there who get you started on OH squats even before they teach you, back squat. http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/295/
And as with power cleans and power snatches the amount of time you spend learning it pays in the end. My only concern is that if you are going to perfect something you need to be doing it more often than once a week. But again who is a computer guy to speak about program design to Mr Waterbury right :-)
@Isnogood,
Perhaps I should try OH Box Squats. I find that box squats really help me to keep better form and to really force me to concentrate on getting my hips back rather than my knees forward. Perhaps, if I start really light and do OH box squats, my form will be more forced upon me.
Box squats are an excellent tool when used properly, I would also suggest spending about 30sec in deep squat with a broomstick held overhead(after dynamic warm-up), that will do two thing for you 1) It will help stretch tight muscles and 2) it will be in itself a good workout for your postural muscles, as a progression don't increase the wight or duration but decrease the width of your arm placement. That will really help you... It certainly helped me. Peace.
@me
Man, I should really stop multi-tasking, or alternatively, start checking what I write, while I multi-task :-) Sorry about the grammar in my last post.
@Isnogood,
No worries :) I will try that with the many body bars that my gym has lying around.
Hey man. Don't know if you read Tony Gentilcore's blog. You should def. check it out if you don't (but being that you read T-nation, you probably do.) Look up his video of I think he calls them Waiter Walks. It's basically an overhead farmer's walk. He talks about the idea of "loading" the shoulder complex. Basically, most people, anytime they go overhead with a weight, they shrug, activating their upper traps. While for stability purposes, they should be doing the opposite, activating their lower trap and securing the shoulder to the body. I was doing this same thing until I spent about 2 months learning how to properly activate my lower traps. I notice that you are shrugging the weight up when you go overhead for OH Squats. I am by no means an expert, but I noticed a HUGE difference in the amount of weight I could handle on OH squats when I learned how to secure the weight by locking my shoulderblades down and back by activating lower traps. Now OH Squatting near 200 lbs from starting with little more than the bar. Great website. Do you live in DC? Where do you train at?
Cheers,
Robert
@Robert,
I live up in NYC - train at Equinox - although lately I've been a huge slacker; unfortunately, work and other activities have taken priority over working out. Hopefully, in the upcoming weeks, I'll get my life back on track.
Sounds right with the shoulder complex; In general, locking the shoulders down and back is smiled upon, whether it's benching of lat pull downs. I'll keep that in mind when I play with some more OH movements.
Thanks for the tip!
Hi,
Please don't show the entire program on yur blog for protecting the Chad's work.
Good job on ypur training
Regards
