Dr. Squat - Dr. Fred Hatfield

### I really hope your last sentence was correct and you appreciate my advice. Because while it's nothing personal, I'm about to beat you up.

I just started classes and will start training again now summer is over. This is the simple general routine of weights I am doing. I'm not going into much detail but I do my exercises probably as good as a rating of 8 out of 10.

I do the a,b,c periodization following Doc's chart. Zig zag dieting (low carbs on light days and high carbs on heavy days).
Doc's BCAA 1 hour before workouts and Doc's protein 1 hour after.

### Take the protein immediately after your workout, there's no point nor benefit to taking it an hour later other than limiting the anabolic response and promoting anabolism via cortisol.

Hign complex carb loading the night before heavy days and sticking to a low glycemic diet.

### Pointless at best. Has ZERO affect unless you are involved in an aerobic sport, and even then it's highly debatable.

Cardio following weights for no more then 20 minutes on workout days to not raise cortisol. 1 hour on non workout days.

### This is like saying jumping from the top of the building next to the Empire State building in order to prevent injury. ANY aerobic work, particularly post workout even if only for 20 minutes will increase cortisol and won't do jack for dropping bodyfat.

1 gram of protein per lean pound of bodyweight per day.

### This is good if you're going out for the chess team. Shoot for 2 grams per lb. with 1.5 per lb. being your minimum.

Fasting on fridays (Im not very religious but I have read that fasting is good one day a week)

### This is again pointless..... I'm not against fasting per se, but I'm definitely against it one day per week. There won't be any health benefit in that. I would recommend you look at Charles Poliquin's blog and read about his fasts that he's describe in amazing detail. You may not be ready for a 7 day fast, or even a 3 day, but at least have some type of reference as to how you are going to do it, as opposed to: "I'm not going to eat on fridays."

EC (Siberian GInsing) daily along with a good mega multi vitamin with fish oil.

### What's the ginseng for? I admit, that Ginseng has benefits, but taking it for the sake of taking it doesn't. Unless you are a writer, programmer or something else that takes a high degree of concentration through out the day, it's hard to argue for daily Ginseng supplementation, unless you simply like ginseng tea or something.

Not to sound disgusting but also every 12 weeks a herbal colon cleansing to ensure proper nutrient absorption. Also, digestive enzymes (papaya, acidophilus, etc) to ensure proper digestion of protein.

### You'd be better off supplementing with glutamine and getting your stomach acid levels checked. If your gut is healthy, a colon cleanse isn't necessary. Certainly not every 12 weeks. That could do more damage than good. Nothing wrong with a colon cleanse, your average person will benefit from them, but the smarter you eat, and the smarter you supplement your diet, the less need you have of it. I had rather not need it than go through that every 12 weeks.

I decided to do my heavy days on the hammer strength machines, This way I do not need a spotter and it is quicker. I know my stabalizers will not get used to the max but I think it will be ok.

### If it makes up more than 20% of your total volume, you'll likely end up injured. As a rule of thumb with almost ANY machines, don't go heavy, go higher reps, nearer the end of the workout preferably.

No squats due to knee tendonitus (upper)

### Don't work around injuries, fix them. Working around injuries just leads to more injuries.

The whole idea of zig zag gets me away from the ketogenic diet which has put me in the hospital twice hypoglycemic and in a daze.

### I'm a big fan of low carb dieting, but the state of ketosis is a bit overrated with regards to getting results via body fat loss. However, I'll bet a nickel to a donut, your problem wasn't ingesting sugar, but a lack of total calories and probably specifically, fat.

I think with periodization and zig zag I can stick to a routine all year instead of peaking twice a year then resting because I was doing more of an HIT routine in the past always going heavy and to failure.

I bought a pill crusher on ebay and will get Doc's glucasamine pills too to avoid future joint problems. Geesh those suckers are huge HAHA.

I am almost 39 and am hypo gonad with one testicle so I possibly will get on HRT to progress as much as I can.

I apreciate your advice.

3-7 days fast after reading poloquin's article about it (honestly, I lost my apetite for 6 months and fasted quite a bit so I know I can handle it)

### Handling hunger isn't the issue, fasting so that it has a health benefit is the issue. Not giving in to hunger is a mere matter of self discipline.

No high weights on machines just on free weights, gotcha

Protein 10 minutes after workout

### Where did you get 10 minutes from? I never said ten minutes. If that's the best you can do fine, but you need protein ASAP after a workout. If you can't start drinking your protein drink immediately after your last rep, fine, but get it ASAP.

Cardio not limited to 20 minutes even though it is useless in burning fat.

The ginsing is for higher activity levels for weights and cardio (I do not want to give up cardio, it burns calories that could be stored as fat and is good for the cardiovascular system)

### Search the archives, those are "cardio" training myths that have zero scientific basis. I've posted extensively on it providing the biology, the endocrinology, the physiology, and tons of references numerous times. "Cardio" (which is a completely inaccurate term) does burn calories, but so does catching the flu. No, repeat NO evidence even suggests that aerobic work is in any way more beneficial to the cardiovascular system than anaerobic and/or resistance training. The only purpose aerobic work serves is for the athlete who's sport demands extensive use of the aerobic system.

I will cancel carb loading becuase it is useless for heavy overloads rather then marathon running.

Of course, I will stick to low GI foods with an ocasional mountain dew HAHA

1.5-2 grams of whey protein per pound of lean. I have heard that's alot and sometimes not enough. It seems like the average so I'll go for that goal.

I have cream for my knee tendonitus and will start light doing squats and keep regular watch and feel for it to get worse.

### Again, search the archives, I've given the exact same advice hundreds of times now on how to fix most cases of knee tendonitis. Plenty of folks on here have cured tendonitis by following my, rather generic, advice concerning tendonitis with me knowing little or having any hands on with their experience. There's a case every blue moon that it doesn't fix, but most who've given it an honest shot have sent me an appreciative email or two simply because they quit hurting.

Colon cleanse once a year (I actually have high acidity typical for type O blood.) So I doubt I will have much mucus and undigested meat in there.

### Let me state this YET again.... Get your HCl levels checked. Without gut health, everything else is in vain.

Thanks, You helped me save some wastefull training ideas. If your ever in Iowa drop me an email I'll take you and your GF/wife out for a 5 star steak dinner.

### I would love to make a return to the Electric Company in Iowa City if I'm ever back in the neighborhood.

### Again, search the archives, I've given the exact same advice hundreds of times now on how to fix most cases of knee tendonitis. Plenty of folks on here have cured tendonitis by following my, rather generic, advice concerning tendonitis with me knowing little or having any hands on with their experience. There's a case every blue moon that it doesn't fix, but most who've given it an honest shot have sent me an appreciative email or two simply because they quit hurting.

I will search the archives for your advice. I have done some research and many of the rehab case studies didn't help. I guess I gave up hope for rehab but will try what you recomend to eliminate pain doing legs. I saw you suggest lighter front squats but I don't do them. It's been 3 years so I will try something new.
Sorry for the repetative questions, I have a memory deficit from a head injury (but) I ususally progress and build on the questions to something new. I see the archives now and will just check them with a keyword search.

10 minutes after a workout was my idea, I wasn't quoting you. I like to shower and have some protein but if it is imparative I can down one after my last workout (abs).

Yeah, I figure 10 minutes is the easiest time to manage. I have heard before an hour and after an hour relating to a GH spike. I do not get to particular anymore, like you said the effect is negligable. I stick with zig zag and periodization and correct form and technique. I do have a site that has some interesting studies about test boosters but the studies were small colleges and I notice they sell the product so I think it is biased. Many of the herbs do not have an anabolic effect even they raise testosterone some (such as tribulus I have read).

I think I will get on HRT and quit if I cannot compete bodybuilding natural and can tolerate having low T)

The Iowa River Power Company you must have been to. It flooded a few times along the river but they probably still have the best steak. The bar there "Flannagans" is a good place to have a few drinks. I try to promote it because the owners friends and family offered me some free food to stimulate my appetite. I think they were right, I needed tastier food then I was eating to eat enough then HAHA.

I've been taking it for about a year, before it was well known I took pycnogenal and grape seed. I once spent $250 a month on vitamins and herbs (10 years ago). This may sound femanine but once I am making good money as a Pharmacist I am starting a herb farm and berry/orchard (hobby). Nothing big but it is amazing what herbs can do for a person. I had a touch of depresion (nothing serious) and some St. John's wort brought me perfectly back to normal. I had a coated tongue from too much dairy and parsley juice cured it.

IF I had the cash this is what I would take: Pycnogenal, EC, daily vegetable juice (fresh juiced), glucasamine chondroiten, mega organic multi vitamins, fish oil, olive oil, GABA, melatonin, alpha-gpc, and others (I do not want to go on).

Before this site I always wanted to integrate healthy nutrition and herbs into my weightlifting and doc's book (natures sports pharmacy) is a good start but I think there is so much more for his next book if he wants to write part two.

Here is that interesting site, it may be biased and not well researched but it is interesting. www.ergo-log.com

Ok, I never heard of him but it sounds like a good book. I'll Check amazon and save it for next payday. Thanks

BTW, I never knew powerlifting increases testosterone (but knew running increases hGH). I wondered why I was getting outspoken and wanting my way all the time (within reason of course).

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