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DOGGCRAPP TRAINING SYSTEM: WHO LET THE DOGS OUT AND WHYPart 2 of 2
5.Doggcrapp training WARM-UPS Trudel advocates doing as many warm-ups as necessary before the dc working set. In the Doggcrapp workout we watched, Henry performed four progressively heavier warm-ups before his maximum set of Hammer strength incline presses, and he followed the same progression before his max set of Hammer strength overhead presses Dc style. Someone using much less weight than henry uses during each working set may need fewer warm-ups. MORE 'DOGGCRAPP"
"I'm not the Doggcrapp guy," Henry states giving all credit to the system's creator, Dante Trudel, co-owner of trueprotein.com. For an interview with Trudel explaining his system, see "A Load of Doggcrapp" in the September 2006 FLEX
6 REST-PAUSE The working set of doggcrapp for most body part is performed in the rest--pause manner for a total of 11 to 15 reps with three failure points.
When Henry does Hammer Strength incline presses dc style, he reaches failure at eight reps on his doggcrapp set, then rests (while keeping his hands on the handles) as he takes 25 deep breaths, After three more dc reps, he again reaches failure on his doggcrapp set, After 15 deep breaths, he reaches failure a third and final time after tow reps.
It's paramount that you push your self to absolute failure on your doggcrapp set before resting each time--not really wearing down but completely worm out." This is best determined by attempting--with all your mental and physical focus--a rep which you fail to complete on your own, as Henry does at each of his three failure points 7 STATIC CONTRACTIONS As Trudel explains, some trainees should perform static contractions (holding the weight near lockout)or static reps (two-inch-range-of-motion reps) at the end of a rest--pause set of doggcrapp to gain confidence in using a heavy weight and tax their muscles with more time under tension.
Henry is a believer in this technique, and ,after a training partner helps him achieve the position, he'll frequently hold the final rep of a rest pause set of dc near lockout, clenching his teeth in pain until his muscles give out.
8 EXTREME STRETCHING Speaking of painful static holds, with extreme stretching, a maximum (barely) tolerable stretch is attained and held for 60 to 90 seconds (see "static Shock" in August 2007 FLEX, for descriptions of each stretch). This is done to increase flexibility, but also to expand muscle fasciae and potentially foster greater growth after a doggcrapp set.
Each trained muscle is stretched either immediately after it's trained ,or all trained muscles are stretched post workout. Henry prefers the latter approach; so the day of our visit, we watch him stretch his pecs by holding two 80-pound dumbbells in an exaggerated low position of a palms--forward flye.
For his shoulders, he tucks his hands behind the ankle support on a decline bench while assuming an invisible chair" sitting position in front of the bench and letting his bodyweight tug painfully at his delts
9 BLASTING AND CRUISING Henry aggress with Trudel's contention that you can't train all-out all year, so he periodically eases off the doggcrapp accelerator and coasts for two weeks.
Trudel prescribes blasting phases of six to eight weeks, wherein the Doggcrapp three-exercise rotation is followed ,seeking a personal best strength mark for each trained bodypart in every workout.
Then there's 10-to-14 day "curising, non doggcrapp" phase when you visit the gym less often and train with straight sets, unconcerned about reaching new plateaus. After that, it's blast--off doggcrapp time again for another six to eight weeks
10 DEDUCTIVE REASONING If there's one message Trudel preaches above all others, it's to let reason dictate how you train, not emotion, tradition or peer pressure.
Don't get caught up in what he calls an obsessive-compulsive mindset" of always doing something more and/or doing something different, plowing through low-intensity sets or reflexively moving from one approach to another.
Instead, focus on what works best, eliminate the rest and develop a logical plan to get from point A (where you are today) to point B (where you want to be) in the least amount of time possible.
"Most guys don't question why they do what they do," Henry states. "They just do it, even though they don't change much. I looked around and discovered DC training.
It made sense to me right away. Get stronger and get bigger. Drop all the other junk. I let Dante dictate what I do. But you've got to put your faith in something. I put my faith in something that works, and it was the best decision I could've made."
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