Thread: IM Official FAQ

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Suggestions, questions/answers, etc all welcome and very much appreciated!

This thread is such a great idea

What about some basic supplement information - maybe even specific recommendations for newbies, hardcore lifters, ectomorphs, endomorphs, females, etc...

In relation to the core part of the FAQ -

I wonder who came up with the term "core". Is it even an legitiment anatomical term used in text? Or is it just some word for trainers to use to easily describe the midsection?

Reason being, there may be some variation between different pepole in determining what the actually physiology demonstrated by a core muscle needs to be and/or what is actually included.

For instance - I would include the thoracis and lumborum muscles in the "core". However, they go all the way up to the upper back originating from the lower, but they work to stabilize nearly the entire spine. Not the traditional muscles thought of as "core", atleast my my experience.

Yeah they are various terminologies for the 'core'. I'll note that down. Mike Robertson gives a pretty good list I think. I just chose the term I see around most. Edited.

Great idea. Links can also be made to past threads as references for certain questions. One question I can think of that seems to come up a lot is "How to get a six pack."

How do i put on mass?

What split should i use?

What is the best supplement?

Best idea for thread ive heard in a long time. Bravo

Err I was afraid this would happen. I can't edit my posts anymore. I guess this thread will be the drawing board for the 'official' thread then. So all updates and modified Q/As will be posted in a new thread and when there is enough material I'll put everything in a new thread.

Exercises
Q: How do I target the inner portion of my chest? And how do I get a good peak on my biceps?
A: Technically speaking, there is no inner portion of your chest. The chest consists of the sternal and the clavicular part of your chest. There is no clear answer as to whether you can isolate/emphasize a part of a muscle yet, but most trainers believe this is not possible. This means incline presses and decline presses give your chest the same shape. Same for hammer curls and concentration curls for the biceps.
'You can't isolate parts of a muscle'.

Programs
Q: What's the best program? How do I get big fast?
A: There is none. There are good and bad programs, but there is no best. The best you can do is periodize your programs and switch programs once every X weeks. That way you're less prone to overtrain and you provide your body with more variation and variation is key to weighttraining.
What your body needs for hyperthrophy (muscle growth):
- Progressive resistance. There are many ways to progress, the most simple being more weight. You can up the density, doing more work in less time. You could progress with volume and intensity, etc.
- A caloric surplus. If you're not eating enough, you're not growing! Lots of trainees are undertraining.

General training
Q: My goals are leaning out and gaining some muscle. How do I do it?
A: You can't do both at the same time, generally. A super clean diet and a very balanced program could make it happen though, especially if you're a novice lifter. But for the average trainee, you need to be in a caloric surplus to gain weight or a caloric deficit to lose weight. You can't do both at the same time.

Q: How do I get a good pump in my arms? I also want a good burn to stimulate muscle growth.
A: Neither the pump nor the burn means you're having a sucessfull workout. They're so called bodybuilding myths.
Pump & Burn

I would also add that this thread should be allowed to be edited by Witchblade to allow him the creative latitude required to do this job.

Hats off to you for the effort Witchblade. This will not be an easy task ...

Thanks everyone

Programs
Q: What split should I use?
A: This depends on your goals, training experience and preference. Novice lifters should begin with a fullbody program. Advanced lifters are better off rotating programs. You should try out many different splits and total body programs to ensure you're getting enough variation.
The top 3 splits this forum preferes (in no particular order): Total body 3x a week, Upper/lower 2x a week (4 sessions), Push/pull/legs 1x or 1.3x a week (3 or 4 sessions).
Analysis: TBT vs Splits

How do i know if im overtraining?

Exercises
Q: Should I put deadlifts on back or leg day?
A: Most people on this site aren't fond of splits, but anyway deadlifts are a lower body exercise. The movement that occurs during deadlifts is hip extension. The glutes and the hamstrings contract, the back just stabilizes the weight.
Deadlifts: back day or leg day?

Q: Is squatting below parallel dangerous?
A: No, it isn't. You should always squat as low as you can with good form(!). Try working on flexibility and form if you can't go to or past parallel.
Squat Analysis

Q: My wrists hurt when I curl. How can I fix this?
First of, never do an exercise if it hurts! If you're using a straight bar, try the EZ-bar or dumbells. Don't use machines, they only aggrevate the problem. Dumbells are just as good, if not better, for curls, so don't worry about 'not stimulating the biceps enough'. Anyway, curls are just an isolation movement. You can do without them.

I'm still searching for definitive answers to the following questions.
1. Should I do fasted cardio?
2. What's the difference between running inside and running outside?
3. What's the difference between using dumbells and using barbells?
4. How do I know if I'm overtraining?
I know the general answer, but I need a good list that contains all the arguments. I can only find scattered pieces of information. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also looking for more FAQs, so feel free to post! And don't shy away from correcting me.

Find P Funks reasoning for not running in a fasted state. Convinces the hell out of me.

Originally Posted by Double D

Find P Funks reasoning for not running in a fasted state. Convinces the hell out of me.

Here ya go:
Metabolism kick-start Question....

Thanks.

Programs
Q: Should I do fasted cardio?
Fasted cardio is unnecessary. Just do your cardio and watch your diet, if you want to lose fat. If you've eaten before cardio, you have more energy to use => more cals burned => greater caloric deficit.
Fasted cardio
But fasted cardio burns fat while normal cardio burns glycogen, right?
No, the amount of fat burned by the cardio itself is negligible.
Cardio fat burning myth

There isnt a better explination imo!

Exercises
Q: Running hurts my shins. How do I prevent the pain?
A: You might have shin splints. If so, you should
- keep your shins warm while exercising
- ice massage your shins, especially after each workout
- take some time off from running or at least find a softer surface to run on
- buy running shoes that support your feet better
Shin Splints

It is beneficial to also note Stress fracture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Witchblade

Exercises
Q: Running hurts my shins. How do I prevent the pain?
A: You might have shin splints. If so, you should
- keep your shins warm while exercising
- ice massage your shins, especially after each workout
- take some time off from running or at least find a softer surface to run on
- buy running shoes that support your feet better
Shin Splints; also see Stress fractures

This is some outstanding stuff. It's already becoming the best collection of knowledge yet on IM.

Thanks.

General training
Q: What is the correlation between strength and hyperthrophy?
A: Generally, when lifting for hyperthrophy (and you're in a caloric surplus) you could say that getting stronger means getting bigger. The most common method of progressive overload is still putting more weight on the bar. The correlation is a bit more complex though, as you can get stronger without getting bigger by neural adaption.
The correlation in depth

I agree with everything except the Smith exert.

But, since you put a mild disclaimer in their about "knowing what your doing", It cool.

Originally Posted by camarosuper6

I agree with everything except the Smith exert.

But, since you put a mild disclaimer in their about "knowing what your doing", It cool.

I actually put that in because I figured that's what you and duncandonuts would have wanted.

Perfecto!

"What is DOMS?"

Trying to search up the explanation. Im sure P-Funk has explained it in detail in the past.

Should I add 'Q: What's all that stuff about muscle fibers?'?

To do list:
What's DOMS?
What's the difference between running outdoors and running on a treadmill?
When should I bulk and when should I cut?
*those listed above in a post of mine some posts back*

here are posts on what DOMs is and how it 'possibly' happens.
Chest is never sore

I think a nice long excerpt on regeneration/recovery strategies would be good as well.