Ask the Guru
Lyle McDonald
BSc.
Lyle is a researcher and coach who has worked with bodybuilders, powerlifters and other athletes on all aspects of their training, diet, and supplementation.
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Doggcrapp Training
Q: What is Doggcrapp training, and what’s your opinion on its use for bodybuilding from a scientific perspective?
A. Doggcrapp (aka DC) training is the brainchild of a guy named Dante Trudel, a buddy of mine. In short, it’s based around the use of rest-pause training and attempting to send a maximum growth stimulus with a minimal volume. For most movements, this means first hitting the point of concentric muscular failure (where the weight can’t be lifted another time) within about 6 to 8 reps. This is followed by 12 to 15 breaths and another 3 or 4 reps. Another break and another 3 or 4 reps.
Movements where this can get dangerous (think deadlifts) are taken merely to the point of concentric failure without the drop. Essentially it’s a way to achieve both intensity (by using a weight that only allows 6 to 8 reps) and fatigue (with the drop sets) in the same set; this is a proven scientific way to generate growth. Weights are lifted explosively and lowered slowly. Occasionally a second set or exercise is done, and most lifts are followed by what Dante calls “extreme stretching,” a heavily weighted overloaded stretch held for 30 to 60 seconds. Body parts are trained roughly every five days, and the focus is on making progress in weights as often as possible along with eating big.
And effectively it encompasses most of what we know about what stimulates growth: progressive tension overload, heavy weights, fatigue, a sufficient training frequency. I would note that it can burn some people out with the constant focus on failure. Some do better keeping the first set (called an activation set by another friend of mine who has a similar system called Myo-reps) a rep or two short of failure but still doing the rest-pause sets. For those that can survive DC training, it’s extremely effective and produces excellent results. People who like volume training will hate it.
To ask Lyle McDonald a question, email us at questions@muscle-insider.com or visit his website at http://www.bodyrecomposition.com
PHOTO CREDIT: JASON BREEZE
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