Casey Butt Appreciation Thread

[xKyle10]

To add to my post above/make it a little more neat looking I stumbled upon this randomly while looking back in my log for something. This was how I had originally planned on running back in November after reading the Beginners Article and how I interpreted it.
Looking back at what I have done now, I followed it almost verbatim except I took time switching chest exercises (decline for a while until it stalled, incline for a while, and then finally flat) and was stubborn. I kind of regret taking out SLDL at one point (my knee had some problems) because I was looking back at old journals I kept from when I was doing power/hyper and I got up to 245 for reps at one point on those and my hammies respond very well to SLDL.
I definitely like the idea of cycling deadlifts on the program like I am doing now, between sumos, trap bars and standard deadlifts. Once you stall (phase 6), you could introduce deficit deadlifts or rack pulls as well (Starting to get into this area now, can no longer hit the 10 rep range for deads with the weights I'm using so need to address sticking points. The beauty of this routine is that you can stick with it for so long and supplement a lift for a while and then switch back...for example you could do box squats for a while and then switch back to squats and surpass former PRs, the versatility is just awesome.)
Also, I go pretty overboard on my light days now as I have added sets/exercises as I delved deeper into the program to make it more challenging, but I kept it pretty simple in the beginning. I should probably cut a few exercises on my light days now but you could start out with these exercises and see where it gets you. My traps are one of my better bodyparts, but IMO they can get enough work from shrugging at the top of the OHP, if yours are lagging you could do upright rows or a few sets of shrugs on the light day.

Originally Posted by xKyle10

Casey Butt's Beginner Full Body Routine:

Phase 1 (2 Weeks):

Squats: 2x10
Decline Bench Press: 2x10
Barbell Rows: 2x10
Standing Overhead Barbell Press: 2x10
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 2x10
Barbell Curls: 2x10
Standing Calf Raises: 2x10
Reverse Crunches: 2x10

Performed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (preferably). Going to use about 50% of 10RM for these exercises for the first week. And increase 5-10 lbs the next week. Weight stays the same for both sets.


Phase 2 (2 Weeks):

Same exercises and rep scheme as before, however now the first set is easy, and weight is added on the second set. Going to use about 70% or so of 10RM. Also, shooting for more reps on reverse crunches for the second set.


Phase 3 (2 Weeks):

Same exercises as before, however now there are 3 sets. First set is easy, weight is added on the second set and more weight is added on the third. For SLDL, only 2 sets are performed on the alternative week. Only two sets are performed for reverse crunches.


Phase 4 (2 Weeks):

Squats: 3x10
Decline Bench Press: 3x8
Barbell Rows: 3x8
Standing Overhead Barbell Press: 3x8
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 3x10
Barbell Curls: 3x8
Standing Calf Raises: 3x10
Reverse Crunches: 2x10 (Second set is on an incline)

Since reps are lowered to 8 reps/set for upper body exercises, the weight is upped a bit on them. On the second training day (Wednesday), the third set starts to become difficult as weight is added. Shot have a few more reps left in me, but shouldn't be considered easy. Also, on Monday and Friday, 80% of Wednesday's weight will be used for all exercises (except reverse crunches). For SLDL, only 70% of Wednesday's weight is used for the other days and for reverse crunches, aim for 20 reps on the second set with the incline.


Phase 5 (2 Weeks):

Squats: 3x10
Decline Bench Press: 3x8
Barbell Rows: 3x8
Standing Overhead Barbell Press: 3x8
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: 3x10
Barbell Curls: 3x8
Standing Calf Raises: 3x10
Reverse Crunches: 2x10 (Second set is on an incline)

The same principles apply that were for phase 4, but now there are two heavy days (Monday and Friday). Wednesday is now the "light" day, which uses 80% of the weight on the heavy days (except SLDL, which uses 70%). Both sets of reverse crunches are now on an incline.


Phase 6:

Monday and Friday (Heavy)
Squats: 4x10
Decline Bench Press: 4x8
Barbell Rows: 4x8
Standing Overhead Barbell Press: 4x8
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts/Deadlifts (Alternate every other week): 4x10
Barbell Curls: 4x8
Standing Calf Raises: 4x10
Reverse Crunches: 2x20 (Second set is on an incline)

Wednesday (Light):
Front Squats: 2x10
~30 Degree Incline DB Press (3 plates stacked under bench): 2x10
Wide-Grip Pull Ups: 2x10
Side Lateral Raise: 2x10
Decline SkullCrushers: 2x10
Seated Wrist Curls: 2x10
Reverse Wrist Curls: 2x10
Seated Calf Raises: 2x10
Crunches: 2x10

For the heavy days, the first set is easy, the second set is still easy, and the third and fourth sets are difficult and use the same weight. For SLDL/Deadlifts, 70% of the weight is used on the second heavy day than as was the first one. Once 20 reps can be performed for reverse crunches for both sets on a steep incline, change to hanging knee raises and repeat. Once 20 reps can be reached for both sets of these, change to hanging leg raises and repeat the process.

For the light day, the first set is easy and weight is added on the second (same principles apply for progression as did from phase 1 and on. Eventually add in more reps/sets as I see fit. Also possibly introduce or sub out exercises: mainly would like to eventually add: Gironda Dips, DB Pullovers and Weighted Hyperextensions.

*The most important factor is to keep workouts under an hour (except when Post Workout Cardio is performed). Also, training to failure should not occur often as it will only hinder progress and gradual weight progression would be preferred. Once plateaus become strongly evident, it will be time for a new routine.

[IronWarrior]

Wow, thanks for the information Kyle. I think for my first time running this program I'm going to stick with the main exercises and not deviate too much. However, I was wondering myself how to get full deadlifts from the floor incorporated into the program so I really appreciate your suggestions/ideas. Maybe things will change once I get to Program 6, but for right now I'm still making progress so I don't want to mess things up.

Could you explain why you would shrug at the top of an Overhead Press? I have long arms so I'm pretty unstable at the top... wouldn't shrugging just add more instability?

I'm really looking forward to adding pull-ups/chin-ups. I worked hard on getting my reps up on these before starting this program and they did wonders for my uppper body development.

Thanks again! Great thread and a much better forum than bodybuilding.com!

[xKyle10]

Originally Posted by IronWarrior

Wow, thanks for the information Kyle. I think for my first time running this program I'm going to stick with the main exercises and not deviate too much. However, I was wondering myself how to get full deadlifts from the floor incorporated into the program so I really appreciate your suggestions/ideas. Maybe things will change once I get to Program 6, but for right now I'm still making progress so I don't want to mess things up.

Could you explain why you would shrug at the top of an Overhead Press? I have long arms so I'm pretty unstable at the top... wouldn't shrugging just add more instability?

I'm really looking forward to adding pull-ups/chin-ups. I worked hard on getting my reps up on these before starting this program and they did wonders for my uppper body development.

Thanks again! Great thread and a much better forum than bodybuilding.com!

Yeah I didn't deviate from it at all really, I had decline bench press but ended up stalling, then ran it with incline for a while until I finally switched back to flat bench press, stalled again, and just got finished running blast your bench on top of this the other day (3 week program, took my bench from 185x5-210x3), and now I'm back at it.

Like I said, I wish I stuck with SLDL but I didn't think it was enough for back...looking back at it, I think once you get to heavy rows your back gets hit quite hard, my lower back is usually still sore from the last set of squats, even with a belt, and then I row right after (I do bench first), so definitely easy into deadlifts. I pretty much used baby weight and started with like 225 and just added 20 lbs every heavy workout if I remember correctly.

It's not really a shrug so much as it is just activating your traps. Rippetoe talks about it in this video, which is the form that I do my best to mimic. You see a lot of guys that use a wider grip or don't go down to their clavicles, and sometimes cheat the weight up/use their legs. That doesn't hit the delts as much as the Rippetoe form does though IMO. Watch that a few times and just hold a broomstick or just do it with the bar until you have that down (assuming it's not like this already). The hardest part for me was just getting my elbows out more, and keeping my wrists straight, but once I got that down I was able to pretty much jerk myself forward naturally. The whole shrug at the top pretty much comes natural, it's not like you press, stop, and then shrug, eventually it will come all at once, but exaggerate it for a few times until you get it down.

YouTube - Mark Rippetoe: Press Review

YouTube - Mark Rippetoe: Press Review

I feel you on the pullups...last year I worked my weighted pullups up to BW+45 with good form but I think the fact that I gained almost 20 lbs or so since then just destroyed my strength on those, so I just did BW and got fed up with the lack of progress so just did lat pulldowns. Either one works solid provided you are doing them with proper form (good article on that: 3DMUSCLEJOURNEY - Q & A January 2011

Casey's forum/site is awesome. It is not as active as I would prefer, but most of the posters are quality guys that are very well versed not just in lifting but in a lot of facets of life. Definitely one of the better places out there to get information from.

[Trevor Ross]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

From Casey's site today.

Joe Weider and Arthur Jones....the kings of Bodybuilding BS.

[xKyle10]

Good article Casey just put up on the WeighTrainer blog on cutting/LBM loss expectations and realistic weight loss needed on a cut/in a deficit:

The WeighTrainer Blog: How Much Weight Do You Need To Lose, Really?

Originally Posted by Casey Butt

MONDAY, JULY 30, 2012

How Much Weight Do You Need To Lose, Really?

Most inexperienced “dieters” drastically underestimate how much weight they have to lose to look “lean”. As a quick example, let’s say you’re a big guy weighing in at 250 lbs. You look in the mirror and guess that you need to lose 25 lbs or so in order to see your abs.

If you’re a little more meticulous and can do some basic math you might estimate that you’re about 20% body fat now, and you want to go down to 10% body fat. If you weigh 250 lbs at 20% body fat, then that means you have about 200 lbs of lean body mass. If you kept all that lean body mass as you dieted down, losing only pure fat in the process, then at 225 lbs you’d be 11.1% body fat. Under these ideal conditions, you’d actually have to diet down to 222.2 lbs to be at 10% body fat (again, assuming you held on to the full 200 lbs of lean body mass that you have now) but still, seemingly not a bad guess. The math is as follows:

Current LBM = Current Weight x (1 – Body Fat Percentage/100)

Final Weight = Current LBM / (1 – Desired Body Fat Percentage/100)

The problem is, almost nobody can hold on to all their lean body mass (LBM) as they lose weight. No matter how good your training and nutrition is, as you lose weight you’re going to lose LBM too. In fact, the number that shows up time and time again with natural bodybuilders dieting down from the 15-18% to the 5-9% body fat range is that for every three pounds of fat they lose, they lose about one pound of LBM with it. In other words, their weight loss will be comprised of about 75% fat and 25% lean body mass (a 3:1 ratio of fat to LBM loss). Some very gifted bodybuilders may do a little better than that, but a 25% LBM loss is a pretty good rule of thumb.

People under different circumstances, though, may lose more or less LBM than that. For instance, a person checking in at 25% body fat and dieting down to 15% body fat may lose only about 15% LBM and 85% fat. Generally, the more fat you're carrying the greater percentage of fat you'll lose as you lose weight. Likewise, the leaner you are the more LBM you're going to lose as you diet. A competitive bodybuilder might lose up to 50% LBM in his last bid to get down to extremely lean levels in the 4-5% body fat range. Rank beginners might actually be able to gain a little muscle as they drop body fat... as long as their diets aren't too severe, last too long or they're not super-lean to start. Past the beginners stages though, that's highly unlikely to happen.

Notice that I keep referring to LBM and not just muscle. Why is that? The simple fact is that lean body mass is composed of much more than just skeletal muscle. Lean body mass means your skeleton, skin, organs, contents of your stomach, glycogen in the muscles and yes, your skeletal muscles. Even if you did manage to hold on to 100% of your skeletal muscle mass as you lost weight you’d still lose lean body mass because of these other factors… which is why even the best natural bodybuilder will lose LBM as he/she diets down.

So let's say you're about 18% body fat now, have some experience lifting weights, and would like to get down to the 10% body fat range. How do you more accurately estimate how much weight you need to lose in order to reach a certain percentage of body fat given this nearly inevitable rate of LBM loss? The equation is as follows.

Final Weight = (Current LBM – 0.25 x Current Body Weight) / ( [1 - Desired %bf/100] – 0.25 )

This is assuming the 3:1 fat-to-LBM ratio (25% LBM loss) that most likely applies to you. As an example of the equation in use, let’s say we have a bodybuilder who weighs 190 lbs at 15% body fat. He wants to reach 10% body fat so he’ll look lean, defined and get some abs. As his current lean body mass is 161.5 lbs he thinks he’ll have to diet down to 179.4 lbs to be 10% body fat. That is, using the mistaken assumption that he won’t lose any LBM as he loses weight…

Current LBM = 190 x (1 - 15/100) = 161.5 lbs

Final Weight = 161.5 / (1 - 10/100) = 179.4 lbs

Unfortunately, that’s extremely unlikely to be the case. In reality, his final weight will need to be more like

Final Weight = (161.5 – 0.25 x 190) / ( [1 - 10/100] – 0.25 ) = 175.4 lbs

That’s four pounds lighter than he thought he would have to be. Furthermore, if you add in the effects of fluid and stomach contents loss when dieting he’d probably have to go down to a morning weight (i.e. empty stomach) of closer to 170 lbs to be a “true” 175 lbs when he starts eating more normally again (at which point his weight will quickly shoot up a few pounds due to fluid and glycogen replenishment).

If you're above the 18-20% body fat mark and only intend on dropping down to about 15% body fat, then you can optimistically try substituting 0.15 for the 0.25 factors in the above equation. The equation becomes,

Final Weight = (Current LBM – 0.15 x Current Body Weight) / ( [1 - Desired %bf/100] – 0.15 )

But bear in mind that this more optimistic rate of LBM loss applies to people starting off fatter than a typical off-season natural bodybuilder and not dieting down to very lean levels. So don’t think that as an experienced trainee you can go all the way from 15% down to 6% body fat and lose only 15% LBM in the process. Unless you are very gifted and/or have reliable past experience or other special circumstances to indicate otherwise (i.e. coming back after a training layoff or start taking steroids), that isn't likely - stick to the 3:1 "rule".