Strong Curves
tomatoey
Posts: 5,446 Member
I just looked at the training log and have poked around the forum - is it really high-volume bodyweight stuff for legs all through up until the last week, no weight at all, in the bodyweight and beginner programs?
Looks like it goes 3x10-20 for most exercises, 4 days a week, which looks like this:
A
B
HIIT
C
A
HIIT
Rest
And then the Gluteal Goddess advanced one is the same setup (4 days a week, AB-HIIT-CA-HIIT-Rest-BC etc), with 3x8-12 (except for the hip thrusts)?
Looks like it goes 3x10-20 for most exercises, 4 days a week, which looks like this:
A
B
HIIT
C
A
HIIT
Rest
And then the Gluteal Goddess advanced one is the same setup (4 days a week, AB-HIIT-CA-HIIT-Rest-BC etc), with 3x8-12 (except for the hip thrusts)?
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Replies
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Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.0
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Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks
I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok? 0 -
Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
So I completed the Gorgeous Glutes/lower body program. I started with bodyweight until I was comfortable with the moves, then I added weight pretty early on. For example, hip thrusts with a plate or dumbbell on top, then the bar. I used weights in my squats, walking lunges with dumbbells, etc. If you feel ready (and confident in your form), or you are not a beginner lifter, you can definitely add weight to make it more challenging.0 -
Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
I don't understand how you can be asking this if you've actually read the pdfs. Read them through again. There are four programs. Three are full body. Only one of those is bodyweight the entire time. The fourth program is lower body only. Look at each exercise. If it includes the words "dumbbell" or "barbell" or "kettlebell" it is clearly not a bodyweight exercise.
I would actually recommend that you buy or borrow the book at this point. Being able to use it as a reference guide for the exercises will help you.0 -
This. I really enjoyed reading the entire book, and it explains all 4 programs and suggests different reasons why you'd want to choose each one.Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
I don't understand how you can be asking this if you've actually read the pdfs. Read them through again. There are four programs. Three are full body. Only one of those is bodyweight the entire time. The fourth program is lower body only. Look at each exercise. If it includes the words "dumbbell" or "barbell" or "kettlebell" it is clearly not a bodyweight exercise.
I would actually recommend that you buy or borrow the book at this point. Being able to use it as a reference guide for the exercises will help you.
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Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
I don't understand how you can be asking this if you've actually read the pdfs. Read them through again. There are four programs. Three are full body. Only one of those is bodyweight the entire time. The fourth program is lower body only. Look at each exercise. If it includes the words "dumbbell" or "barbell" or "kettlebell" it is clearly not a bodyweight exercise.
I would actually recommend that you buy or borrow the book at this point. Being able to use it as a reference guide for the exercises will help you.
I've got it in front of me. I'm trying to understand the logic of the overall programming. Many of the programs are recommending 3 sets of 10-20 for the lower body exercises well into the last weeks. With four days of working out, higher volume / lower intensity makes sense.
The advanced ones are 3x8-12, also set for four days a week.
Most programs recommend 2-3 full-body sessions a week for beginners, usually in the 6-12 rep range (i.e. with weights - this program has a lot of bodyweight stuff in it). I'm just curious about this approach.0 -
Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
So I completed the Gorgeous Glutes/lower body program. I started with bodyweight until I was comfortable with the moves, then I added weight pretty early on. For example, hip thrusts with a plate or dumbbell on top, then the bar. I used weights in my squats, walking lunges with dumbbells, etc. If you feel ready (and confident in your form), or you are not a beginner lifter, you can definitely add weight to make it more challenging.
Good to know, thank you!0 -
This. I really enjoyed reading the entire book, and it explains all 4 programs and suggests different reasons why you'd want to choose each one.Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
I don't understand how you can be asking this if you've actually read the pdfs. Read them through again. There are four programs. Three are full body. Only one of those is bodyweight the entire time. The fourth program is lower body only. Look at each exercise. If it includes the words "dumbbell" or "barbell" or "kettlebell" it is clearly not a bodyweight exercise.
I would actually recommend that you buy or borrow the book at this point. Being able to use it as a reference guide for the exercises will help you.
I may pick it up, it does look interesting.
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This. I really enjoyed reading the entire book, and it explains all 4 programs and suggests different reasons why you'd want to choose each one.Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
I don't understand how you can be asking this if you've actually read the pdfs. Read them through again. There are four programs. Three are full body. Only one of those is bodyweight the entire time. The fourth program is lower body only. Look at each exercise. If it includes the words "dumbbell" or "barbell" or "kettlebell" it is clearly not a bodyweight exercise.
I would actually recommend that you buy or borrow the book at this point. Being able to use it as a reference guide for the exercises will help you.
I may pick it up, it does look interesting.
If you are going to do the program I would strongly recommend reading the book. I skimmed a lot of it because some of I was already familiar with but the parts about activation, figuring out if you are activating the correct parts, etc, is pretty important if you are going to do the program.
It is pretty cheap as an e-book. I downloaded it to my phone, you can get a free Kindle app to use on your phone or computer. The hard copy would be better for reference in the gym but I got by with the e-version.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »
This. I really enjoyed reading the entire book, and it explains all 4 programs and suggests different reasons why you'd want to choose each one.Google "strong curves pdf" to look at the actual program sheets. It can be run 3 or 4 times a week.
Thanks I have seen them - I'm wondering though, is it mostly bodyweight for the lower body exercises the whole way through, or can (or should!) you add weight at some point if it feels ok?
I don't understand how you can be asking this if you've actually read the pdfs. Read them through again. There are four programs. Three are full body. Only one of those is bodyweight the entire time. The fourth program is lower body only. Look at each exercise. If it includes the words "dumbbell" or "barbell" or "kettlebell" it is clearly not a bodyweight exercise.
I would actually recommend that you buy or borrow the book at this point. Being able to use it as a reference guide for the exercises will help you.
I may pick it up, it does look interesting.
If you are going to do the program I would strongly recommend reading the book. I skimmed a lot of it because some of I was already familiar with but the parts about activation, figuring out if you are activating the correct parts, etc, is pretty important if you are going to do the program.
It is pretty cheap as an e-book. I downloaded it to my phone, you can get a free Kindle app to use on your phone or computer. The hard copy would be better for reference in the gym but I got by with the e-version.
Aaaaah, that must be why, activation, makes sense. Yes, I think I will grab it. Thanks
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I agree with others. Reading the entire book would be very helpful. I've completed the beginner's program and am a third of the way through the advanced program.
As a breakdown, the beginner program (and the first 4 weeks of the advanced program) will have you doing a higher rep range for one particularly movement: glute bridges, hip thrusts, and elevated/single-leg version of those.
Your back/arm/shoulder/chest lifts will be between the 8-12 rep range for the entire beginners program and lower to a max of 8 reps for the advanced program.
Your back/ham lifts - multiple deadlift variations and extensions will be 10-20 range for the entire beginners program and lower to 8 reps range for advanced.
Your abduction work will always be a higher rep range (due to the fact that it will always come after you do all your major lifts...so don't switch up and put it at the beginning).
Body weight is really only lower body (hip thrusts, box squats, etc) to begin with. It may seem simple at first but you'll soon see a lot of single leg versions that are a b*tch to complete at a higher rep count for a beginner. With it being single leg, you honestly don't need weight. It's deceiving until you actually do it. You'll do tension versions as well with pauses.
All of your upper body lifts are dumbbells within the first 4 weeks and then barbells after that (with dumbbells mixed it). So you have control over the weight your comfortable with for these in a decent rep range. Personally, it's been a great mix for me in strength gains.
The majority of the advanced program focuses on lower rep ranges.
I'd do the program as is and not mess with it. The only real exercise that uses body weight regularly is hip thrusts and glute bridges to begin. The higher rep range is the help you with the muscle endurance before you dive into some heavy weight hip thrusts. Could you lower the reps and add weight if you want? Sure. But, the program as is is very beneficial IMO. I ran through the program as is. The only the I switched is squats because of an Achilles issue I have and I did dumbbells for a while instead of barbell because I didn't have access to one at first. The high reps and body weight may seem pointless at first with everyone telling you to lift heavy. But the way Bret does it really prepares you to power through some heavy lifts for the advanced program and helps with range of motion.
I did the body weight hip thrusts (I did end up adding some dumbbells because adding an extra rep after 20 was pointless). On the advanced program, I just did 185 pounds for 8 reps. Not too shabby progress.0 -
Yes, do read the book. Contreras goes into detail about how women can train more often due to the ability to recover faster and about how the body responds more favorably to higher reps for many of the exercises.
Also, keep in mind that Contreras typically trains physique competitors, not power lifters. The rep range his program is going to be in is for hypertrophy, not specifically for strength. You are going to build strength, because there is overlap in the ranges and you'll be following a progressive resistance program. But it's certainly not a 5x5 (or 3x5 or 5/3/1) type program.0 -
@jemhh - Fantastic I do want hypertrophy, as well as any functional strength that comes with it
@terar21 - that is an amazing breakdown - thanks so much for taking the time to explain it in full! I'm not at all against bodyweight stuff, on the contrary - I'm limited in the amount (and ways) I can lift due to a wrist injury, so that's what I've been doing for months, for the most part (other than using a few machines here and there for some kind of challenge). So this whole thing is very appealing to me - the typical lifting routines are kind out of reach for me, at the moment. With this program, I could just do the lower body stuff.
One thing on my mind was, right now I'm at 3 x 30 for single leg glute bridges; I was sort of wondering where there might be to go from there without using weights. (Although, @sardelsa - I'd never thought about just using plates vs. a barbell - I could maybe use my good (but non-dominant) hand to get one in place, worth a try anyway ) But, it sounds like there are bodyweight progressions built in. So that's all excellent news
Thanks, ladies!0 -
It is probably the perfect program for me right now, lol0
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@tomatoey for the single leg, you can try foot elevated single-leg glute bridges, or move on to elevated single leg hip thrusts (eventually making it more challenging with foot elevation) if you are looking to up the challenge. You will see all kinds of variations at the back of the book, so I also recommend getting a copy and reading it. Lots of fantastic info and explanations in there.0
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