[Nick Gill]

You’ll find it hits you all at once out of nowhere like a tonne of bricks, anxiety the lot. This has happened to me, feel great at week 5 like I can go on forever strongest I’ve ever been, post workout cereals going down etc, by week 6 appetite goes and you’d rather do anything than go to the gym.

Think Scott Stevenson said if not feeling like needing a deload by week 6 you could have trained with higher intensity or at a higher volume. The point of the deload/cruise in FT is that you continue to grow as you recover, by keeping kcals up and so on then come back stronger.

[Nick Gill]

Wicked idea – your buddy Roman would be a good guest, been following his prep and his approach is really interesting. Almost makes me want to try high volume.

Well done on the 400 members btw, that’s a massive achievement for a pay site for what really is a niche subject.

[Nick Gill]

Totally agree with you about getting hot during a session, especially during a weekend or a time when not pushed for time – you’d think it’d be the opposite and a hot gym is the last place you’d want to be but they are 10000% better sessions.

Also think your FB post about NEAT levels is the best one you have put out recently; I have become utterly convinced that being active when you’re awake is absolutely the key to being lean and staying in shape, for everybody. Did not enjoy your post about cheat meals as much.

[Nick Gill]

Front squat machine works awesome for Loading Sets, MRs and pump sets.

I usually keep it loaded or partially loaded and use it to hit calves after I’ve done quad/hams in between. You can absolutely fuck your legs up in 35 minutes on lower Muscle Round day of FT.

[Nick Gill]

JP when moving to your new style of training, did you need to build up volume tolerance or were you able to go straight into it?
Are there any tactics that can be used, other than progressively working up to it?

The last plan you did [the leg focussed one], I had to back off from as I couldn’t recover, sometimes couldn’t get through the whole session. Using FT as it suits the diet set up you did and I can work through the volume tiers, before having another crack at it. In fact it’s a blessing as last time I did FT was with minimal focus on diet, following this set up with fats/carbs placed strategically etc, PBs are being hit everywhere – I just know if I tried volume 3 I’d hate training again in a fortnight and wouldn’t get meals in.

[Nick Gill]

I did one of JP’s plans a couple of years ago and at the end of it my only question was why are my chins not progressing; I’d added a plate to my dips, same weight to my decline bench, rows, loads of PBs but nothing on my chins. The fact is they just don’t progress easily or rapidly.

Other thing to consider is if your reps, tempo, form etc and added weight stays the same but you increase or decrease in bodyweight, you are actually making progress, either with total load or by maintaining strength at < bw.

[Nick Gill]

Looking at that pic you had with that Aussie powerlifter [her deadlift was insane, there can’t be a stronger 5 foot person on the planet?] I thought I hadn’t seen you looking healthier for a long time. The difference from last year is amazing and you look your age. Still a monster but shutting up the naysayers at the same time, mega impressive.

[Nick Gill]

I don’t think there’ll be many copying that diet. In all the time I’ve been following your progress on various platforms I don’t think you’ve ever slipped on it once. How many hours per week on food prep? I know either Corinne or you have said before that previously you’d sometimes cook clean meals as you go along just using your macros as a guide but surely not possible with that quantity!

[Nick Gill]

When training with higher volumes now, I simply need an intra shake. Without, I might as well strip the plates off the bar for my 2nd sets of the exercise.

If doing something like Fortitude tier 1 lower muscle rounds for example – this is a 35 minute session, two muscle rounds and three pump sets, still hard but it just doesn’t feel needed. I’d have to remind myself to drink it.

Ben Pakulski said it best I think; you need to earn your carbs

[Nick Gill]

I’m always interested to see what the actual food looks like during off season, mixing protein sources in each meal etc and novel ways of getting more and more usually clean calories in.

I have just finally started the new programme today with the high[er] volume, much higher than anything you’ve put out before. At first I hated it but have noticed today [trained at 12] I have an appetite for the first time in at least two months. The increased volume combined with the same frequency whilst still touching on PBs must be benefiting you in this respect too. Recommend the plan to anyone struggling with the same thing.

[Nick Gill]

How was the chinese deep tissue? I read a long piece Dorian wrote once saying he got this a couple of times a week but this isn’t something I’m aware of many bodybuilders doing, but we all walk around/train with niggles.

[Nick Gill]

I’d do these every session if I could playing with different rep ranges etc, thinking of buying one for the garage as my gym keeps hiding the machine.

If they’re good enough for Justin Compton then they should be included in everybody’s leg training. I like the way you were doing them in the last video which I’d never considered before; heavy dumbbell each hand – really ensures the resistance is in the right place.

[Nick Gill]

Really interesting posts, great to have these updates back.

I think after last year there was a grand total of zero people who thought 300 lbs was a good idea, buy you’ve done it now, the mental thing is lifted and 300 lbs of mass at a shade under 5’6 looked fucking cool.

Hope you are taking the Go Pro to Tampa and filming the shit out of everything.

[Nick Gill]

Thanks for the tips JP, I had to read through that a few times to truly get it but absolutely makes sense. Will get to the point of being uncomfortable and then readjust, the idea of getting your appetite in a position where you actually want to fill up with veg I hope will work or it’s back to the blender..

I do feel awkward whinging about eating to a guy who’s pushed himself up to 300 lbs on clean food lol. When you see pros and top amateur BBers [Sasan is one] who seem to actually enjoy eating it absolutely astounds me.

[Nick Gill]

Sorry to thread hijack but I was going to post something almost identical [so much so it’s a little scary] and looking at it, my training and thoughts about it are similar too – can I progress more. Since last running Fortitude when my strength was at an all time high I messed about with some Push/Pull/Legs which didn’t really work for me and then after reading I think one of your FB posts on progression settled on a two way upper lower split Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday, with the focus truly on progressive overload:

Upper A:
Flat lying machine press – 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
Slight incline DB fly – 3 x 12, heavy as possible
Cable rows – Pyramid into one heavy set, then one lighter set
Pullover machine – 1 x 12-15, 1 x 6-10
Machine laterals 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
Hammer strength dips – 1 x heavy set
BB/DB/Machine Shrugs – 1 heavy rest pause

Lower A:
Seated leg curl 3 x 20
Hack squat 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
Sissy squat 1 x rest pause, first two sets weighted, final set bodyweight
Low/Narrow leg press 1 x 20
High/wide leg press – 1 x 20
Donkey calf machine – 3 pyramid sets
Optional: Biceps/abs

Upper B:
Incline BB bench: 1 x rest pause
T Bar Row 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
Plate loaded lat pulldown – 2 x 10
Pec Dec [sorry] – 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
DB Pullover 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
Standing DB laterals – 1 x 20-30
BB/DB/Machine shrugs – light rest pause

Lower B:
Leg Press: 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15, 1 x 15-20
Leg press calves – 1 x rest pause
Stiff leg DB deadlifts – 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
Lying leg curls – 1 x 6-10, 1 x 12-15
1 x DB goblet squat, 1 x 15-20
Optional: Biceps/abs

If you don’t mind, having a quick scan through that, is there anything blatantly lacking? I know you favour a three way split but I feel a two way REALLY works, however I am thinking of adding in a third rotation to include squats/deads/DB presses etc missing from the other two rotations and hopefully allow for a longer period of progress.