I decided to return to Doggcrapp Training (a.k.a. DC Training). I just plain miss it.
Rest pause training has to be my favorite form of weight training. The pumps are insane and I find I grow the best using Doggcrapp's methods.
Doggcrapp is just the screen name of a highly advanced trainer named Dante Trudel. He hangs his hat over at intensemuscle.com and is known as the Big Dogg. If you see his picture, you'll know why ; ) One big strong mofo. Dante is also very smart and has trained pro bodybuilders as well. He also owns trueprotein.com and sells some of the best protein and supplements on the market. If you get a chance, check out some of his posts over at IM.
I've been away from DC training now for a good 8 months or so, doing a 5/3/1 basic power lifting routine. This has given my joints a chance to mend themselves, but I'm in no hurry to pile on the weights; not right away anyway.
Before I hit the gym this evening, I planned out my new Blast. It is the 2 way DC training split. There is also a 3 way DC split which is for more advanced athletes and those preparing for bodybuilding contests.
Workouts are done 3X per week, and I try to throw in 1/2hr to 45 mins of low intensity cardio in on non-training days, at least twice a week, more like 3X's though. This keeps me hungry as hell to eat all the food I need to recover from those gruelling Doggcrapp training workouts.
Here is my new Doggcrapp Training Routine:
Notes:
RP = Rest Pause
SS = Straight Set
WM = Widow Make Set (20+ reps)
1A - Monday | ||||
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS | ||
Chest | Smythe Decline Press | 11-15 RP | ||
Shoulders | Life Fitness Shoulder Press | 11-15 RP | ||
Triceps | Dips | 15-20 RP | ||
Back Width | CG Pulldowns | 15-20 RP | ||
Back Thickness | Smythe Rows | 6-10 SS | ||
10-12 SS | ||||
1B - Wednesday | ||||
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS | ||
Biceps | BB Curl | 15-20 RP | ||
Forearms | Hammer Curl | 12-20 SS | ||
Calves | Leg press calve raise | 20-30 RP | ||
Hamstrings | Lying Leg Curls | 20-30 RP | ||
Quads | Smythe Squats | 6-10 SS | ||
- Widow Maker set | 20 SS | |||
2A - Friday | ||||
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS | ||
Chest | Incline Bench Press | 15-20 RP | ||
Shoulders | Smythe Shoulder Press | 11-15 RP | ||
Triceps | Skull Deadlifts | 20-30 RP | ||
Back Width | HS Front Pulldown | 15-20 RP | ||
Back Thickness | T-Bars | 4-6 SS | ||
10-12 SS | ||||
2B - Monday | ||||
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS | ||
Biceps | Lat Bar Curls | 15-20 RP | ||
Forearms | Pinwheel Curl | 12-20 SS | ||
Calves | HS calve raise | 20-30 RP | ||
Hamstrings | SLDL | 6 SS | ||
10-12 SS | ||||
Quads | Squat Machine | 6-10 SS | ||
- Widow Maker set | 20 SS | |||
3A - Wednesday | ||||
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS | ||
Chest | BB Decline | 11-15 RP | ||
Shoulders | Standing BB Press | 11-15 RP | ||
Triceps | Decline Skull Crushers | 15-20 RP | ||
Back Width | NG Pulldowns | 15-20 RP | ||
Back Thickness | DB Rows | 4-6 SS | ||
10-12 SS | ||||
3B - Friday | ||||
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS | ||
Biceps | Standing Alt. DB Curls | 15-20 RP | ||
Forearms | One Arm Reverse Cable Curls | 12-20 SS | ||
Calves | Seated calve raise | 10-12 SS | ||
Hamstrings | Seated Leg Curls | 20-30 RP | ||
Quads | Squats | 4-6 SS | ||
- Widow Maker set | 20 SS |
I should explain a little about Doggcrapp Training and Rest Pausing for those that aren't familiar.
DC and Rest Pausing
In DC Training, a rest pause set (RP set) consists of 3 sets with short deep breathing breaks in between in each set.
For instance, let's take the Decline Smythe chest exercise as an example. This exercise is a rest pause exercise.
When I first start out a blast, I choose a weight that I am comfortable with and try to push that weight within the rep range I'm after; in this case it is 11-15 RP. Rep ranges are not set in stone, however I am most comfortable using the 11-15 RP rep range for most chest exercises.
DC has a good post over at IM about rep ranges for those 34+ years of age for anyone that's interested. I should probably be upping my rep ranges according to his notes, and I may just do that in the near future once the weights get heavier, but for now the rep ranges I am using for this blast are listed above. I am not too concerned with using the higher rep ranges right now, because the weights I am starting with are light compared to what the Big Dogg's over at IM use.
So let's say I start my blast off with 185 lbs on the smythe machine.
Again, the RP set is 3 sets with deep breathing in between each set...
1st Set: 185 lbs X 10 reps
10-12 deep breaths (approx. 15-20 seconds for me)
2nd Set: 185 lbs X 5 reps
10-12 deep breaths (approx. 15-20 seconds for me)
3rd Set: 185 lbs X 2 reps
Total: 185 lbs X 10+5+2 = 17 RP
Now, the above reps are not engraved in stone or ones that I had pre-chosen. The reps are taken to FAILURE each and every set. Whether you are rest pausing or doing straight sets, in Doggcrapp Training all sets are takes to absolute failure.
This is why 1 day off between workouts is necessary; you need to recover from the heavy workouts.
And Here's Tonight's Doggcrapp Training Workout...
Workout 1A - Monday
Setting baseline weights and reps in this workout. (For the next 2 weeks I will be setting baselines).
LT = Last Time
TT = This Time
BW = Body Weight
The reason "last time" and "this time" are indicated is because in DC training we try to beat our previous weights and or reps (preferably beat the weight) from the last time we worked a specific exercise. If I can't beat EITHER the weight or reps for 2 consecutive workouts, then I switch the exercise out to a different one.
So in 2 weeks time, I will try to beat tonight's numbers.
Note: There is no "last time" for the next 2 weeks as these will be my starting weights. In 2 weeks time, tonight's numbers will become "last time".
Bodypart | Exercise | RP or SS |
Chest | Smythe Decline Press | 11-15 RP 245 lbs X 9+6+4 = 19 RP |
Shoulders | Life Fitness Shoulder Press | 11-15 RP 110 lbs X 10+6+4 = 20 RP |
Triceps | Dips | 15-20 RP BW + 45 lbs X 10+6+4 = 20 RP |
Back Width | CG Pulldowns | 15-20 RP 160 lbs X 9+6+6 = 21 RP |
Back Thickness | Smythe Rows | 6-10 SS 235 lbs X 6 SS |
10-12 SS 185 lbs X 12 SS |
So there you have tonight's Doggcrapp Training Workout. Wednesday will be Biceps, Forearms, Claves, Hamstrings and Quads (including the BRUTAL Widow Maker set 20+ reps SS)
One thing I forgot to mention was the extreme stretching that is performed between exercises. These are very important to recovery and growth and a main principle in DC Training. You can learn more about DC extreme stretches here.
Ok, that was one long post! I'll get into more about Doggcrapp Training as I post my workouts up and I also plan on listing some of (what I think are) Dante's best posts.
