Frankie NY's Mass Building Program

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Originally posted by Frankie NY

Front squats are a great exercise and in many ways better than back squats.

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Frankie - would you mind elaborating please?

I was doing fronts for three months, i've switched to Back's now, so would be very interested in your opinion.

Skrewdriver:

Relax my friend. Back squats and front squats are BOTH great leg developers. Front squats have the benefit of shifting some of the stress away from the posterior chain and transferring more of it to the quads. Front squats also help you develop better balance. Finally, front squats allow you to rest your lower back a little more if deadlifting taxes it too much.

That being said, back squats are an excellent exercise. I would alternate between the two from cycle to cycle.

I've never tried front squats, when i plataeu on my regular squats i normally shift to leg press. I think the next time a change is due i'll incorporate them.

I'm seeing if i can back squat 200kg by the end of march for 5 reps at least once, i'm doing 4x5 with 187.5k now.

Two questions, 1) does this look realistic and two given my current strength what would it be reasonable to assume i could front squat (given that for the first month or so i will simply be learning a new technique)

any suggestions about the ant/post compartment syndrome i mentioned on p20?
also, my obliques are... well i dont have any! could i add a set of these to the ab ses at end of legs. I kno u'l say i dont need to cos they will get hit enough, but would one extra set lead to overtraining?

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Originally posted by Frankie NY

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Originally posted by Ozman

I'm in my 5th week of the Frankie program. My problem is I have made very little progress.

I am eating about 2000 to 2200 cals a day at 3hr intervals

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As Pike suggests, I think you're not eating enough, even for someone who weighs 160 pounds. You need to eat closer to 3,000 calories. Try to eat a protein, carb, and fruit or vegetable at every meal. Given how lean you are and your desire to bulk, don't be too fat conscious. Eat good fats - peanut butter, avocado, nuts, etc..

Are you sleeping enough? 5x5 is very taxing on the body, and you need to get plenty of sleep (8 hours or more per day)

In terms of your routine, is it possible that you started off too heavy and immediately plateaued? When I see someone describing your kind of results, often that is what has happened.

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Thanks for the replies guys.

I have been feeling a bit tired so it's possible I need more sleep and rest so I'll work on that.

I don't think I started too heavy cos I chose weights that I could do 6/6/6/5 reps in the 4x6 routine.

I don't think I need more calories. Maybe I'm not adding them up correctly, but if I am putting on fat then I have an excess, IMHO.

First off Frankie thanx for this great routine and much respect to you for the effort you put in to replying to people. This routine has postponed my use of gear (maybe permantly as the gains are what I was looking to be post cycle after only 6 weeks of 5x5) I have just a few questions.


my routine
Mon Pull
Deadlifts
Bent over BB rows
BB curls

Wed Push
Flat BB bench
Incline DB presses
Standing Military Press

Fri Legs
Squats
SLDL
abs


First question is my grip I have read your replys that the grip will eventually catch up but was just wondering how long it takes as it is the only thing hindering my deadlifts right now. After warmups it is usually fine for the first 3 sets but then it just goes and I have to regrip the bar after every rep or two for the remainder (on both deadlifts with same weight)and I am not sure if that is benificial or not because it takes 5-7 seconds(been at the same weight for 3 weeks after making good gains the first few weeks, its really not that difficult for me just trying to be patient) Also a question about farmers walk do I really need to walk or can I just hold (just had the house tiled and will catch hell from the misses if I break anything)

Second question is on press days. These are my favorite days as I see the most improvement however the last two weeks been totally exhausted after benching that military press suffered in form and weight. Today I took a 30 minute break and when I returned all was good. Is this OK to do or is it not recomended.

do you eat or drink anything between that half hour? im not sure if it matters to be honest but i get well paranoid if i dont get some nutrients in me straight after a work out!
do you do both presses then military? c i cant do that, after flat bench i do shoulders, and after that my shoulders and chest feel pretty dead! i was told by the all high and mighty franky(!) to do a tricep execrise after that. this personally works for me as i was actually getting weaker in my last exercise!-the inc db press.

I also do flat bench, then military press and then back to inclines. If I do flat bench and then incline press, I can't really give the military press much of a go as I get too sh@gged out....

Frankie, could you comment on Barbell Curl form please. I curl with my elbows tucked in and my forearms moving through a vertical plane, keeping my knees bent and body as rigid as possible. Problem is that I'm getting a pain in my right forearm. It hurts most as I let the bar back down on the negative rep, and most of all, just as I rack the bar and remove all pressure from the arm. Maybe it's nothing to do with form!! Whaddya think?

Thanx ad19 and robt
I tried that also but my incline presses aren't as much at the end as they are as the second exercise. I eat a bananna during the break and then after presses its the hot tub and a nice big clean meal.
Either way it seems that the first two exercises kill me and whichever is last just suffers without the break. Maybe I will just change them up each time so each one gets a chance to be first second and third

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Originally posted by Dan321

After warmups it is usually fine for the first 3 sets but then it just goes and I have to regrip the bar after every rep or two for the remainder.

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Regripping is normal. You should set the bar down completely, regrip, and reset your posture between reps. This should take no more than about 2 seconds.

Your grip strength will increase. Just be patient.

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Also a question about farmers walk do I really need to walk or can I just hold

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I really don't like static holds for grip work. Anytime you use your grip in weightlifting or everyday life you're moving, so I like to train grip that way. It's harder, and it's better.

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however the last two weeks been totally exhausted after benching that military press suffered in form and weight. Today I took a 30 minute break and when I returned all was good. Is this OK to do or is it not recomended.

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Don't take a break. Instead, try doing just 1 movement for chest, 1 for shoulders, and 1 for triceps. Many, many people find that 2 chest movements is too much on 5x5.

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Originally posted by Lars

Frankie, could you comment on Barbell Curl form please. I curl with my elbows tucked in and my forearms moving through a vertical plane, keeping my knees bent and body as rigid as possible. Problem is that I'm getting a pain in my right forearm. It hurts most as I let the bar back down on the negative rep, and most of all, just as I rack the bar and remove all pressure from the arm. Maybe it's nothing to do with form!! Whaddya think?

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Your form is spot on. Good job. Minimizing the amount you cheat keeps more stress on the biceps.

I suspect your forearm problem is caused by one of two things - either a relative weakness in your forearms or using one arm more than the other. If you are right handed and your right arm is stronger than your left, you may be using the right arm proportionately more than the left and thus placing too much stress on it. Try to focus on exterting both arms with the same force. Drop the weight if you need to.

If that doesn't alleviate the problem, then I suspect that your forearms may be relatively weaker than your biceps and shoulders. Try adding in 2 sets of hammer curls or reverse curls to PULL day and see if the problem doesn't go away after a few weeks.

mate, any thoughts on the shin issue or the obliques? glad you aint charging per question!!!! u should you know!any light on the problems would be great,

What you're currently doing with your son is just fine. Moderate weights at about 3 sets of 10 reps is great. 3 days a week of weights is more than enough. I wouldn't do 4 days at his age. Since his tendons, ligaments, and bone structure are still maturing, I wouldn't lift heavy weights. He'll make good progress staying at moderate weights.


Frankie,
I really appreciate you response. Could you tell me where moderate weight ends and heavy weight begins? My 14 yr old, 140lb son can bench 150lbs for 5 reps and easily squat 150lbs for 10 reps, I haven't let him go higher than that. I don't know if you consider that heavy or moderate. It may be my fault, but doing his body weight or more has been his main goal for bench, squat & deadlift. Also, can he do your workout at 3x8-10 or would you recommend something different. Thank you again for help.

Thanks Frankie. I assume you mean 2 sets of 5 hammer curls or reverse curls. I'll try that. It could definitely be related to relative weakness in my forearms. My wrists are skinny as hell but I'm quite happy with my upper arm.
Thanks again!

Moderate would be 10 reps at a weight that would equal his 15 rep max. Just guess at this, you should have a fairly good idea if you often train together

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Originally posted by ad19

can doing a sudden increase of leg work, like squats and deadlifts, increase the risk of acquiring anterior/posterior compartment syndrome? i now sometimes feel as if i have saw shins when jogging in my cv sessions and was wondering if this could be a possible cause?

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It shouldn't. The best thing you can do to protect your shins is to stretch them out really well before and after cardio sessions. Also, make your cardio sessions fairly intense but of shorter duration. This will reduce wear and tear on your shins and knees.

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Originally posted by ad19

any thoughts on the obliques?

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Obliques and abs are much more dependent on bodyfat level than the exercises you do. They shouldn't be a major concern for you until later. Hanging leg raises and cable crunches are good oblique exercises if you want to do something.

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Originally posted by NJ Viking

Could you tell me where moderate weight ends and heavy weight begins?

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A moderate weight is a weight that you can do for 8-10 reps. A heavy weight is a weight that you can only do for 3-5 reps.

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Also, can he do your workout at 3x8-10 or would you recommend something different.

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3x8-10 would be ideal. He could do up to 5 weight exercises per workout on a 3x8 scheme.

yes but (and i think this has come up alot!), will making sessions shorter and more intense reduce the amount of body fat i burn? and use up more glycogen instead? this isnt really the point of cv work. or, is shorter sessions, that burn roughly the same amount of cals anyway do the same thing?