Dante Trudel's Doggcrapp (DC) training is a deviation from the volume training that 99% of the bodybuilders out there do. Dante started off his quest as a bodybuilder with the old volume training concepts like everyone else did. He followed what he read in magazines for a couple years, skipping around training program to training program.
Eventually, he realized all of what he had been reading was all based on obsessivecompulsiveness. It was far simpler to gain mass than he and many others though. Instead of the
"I must do 4 sets each of inclines, declines, flat bench, cable cross-overs to hit my chest at all angles so I can grow," over the past decade and a half or so, he created a more straightforward way to gain mass that has come to be known as DC training.
The fundamental principles of DC training include:
Incredibly heavy weights
Multi-rep rest pausing
Low volume with higher frequency
Extreme stretching
Carb cutoffs
Low intensity cardio
High protein intake
Blasting and cruising phases
Heavy weights are essential for training DC. According to Dante's philosophies, although strength gains do not completely equate to size gains, a bodybuilder that makes the greatest strength gains(in a controlled manner) will make his/her greatest size gains.
It's ridiculous to see how many 160lb bodybuilders claiming that you don't have to lift heavy to get big, but you never see those same small bodybuilders benching 405lbs, squatting 550lbs, and deadlifting 655lbs. A bodybuilder who can throw around that kind of weight will be no doubt an above average bodybuilder.
As for rest pausing, you pick a rep range to reach and you pick the heaviest weight you can use for that exercise. You're not there to get a "pump" or whatever you want to call it. You want to lift that weight with all out intensity for how ever many reps you can handle.
After you hit your first failure, sit up and recuperate for 12-15 breaths, then go at it again with the same weight until you hit failure. Rinse and repeat one more time. This is the multi-rep rest pause technique that you must use on many of the exercises, with a few exceptions of course. You do not rest pause quad and back thickness exercises for safety reasons, and forearms also do not need to be rest paused.
One part of DC training that makes it very unappealing to experienced volume trainers is because of its very low volume. It's one set per body part per workout. "One set? I can't get much out of one set!"
Believe me, after hitting failure 3 times within that one set, you should not be able to do any more.
The split looks like this:
Monday: chest, shoulders, triceps, back width, back thickness
Wednesday: biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings, quads
Friday: repeat of Mondays body parts
Monday: repeat of Wednesdays' body parts
You will cycle through this 2-way split. Pick one exercise for each body part for three different workouts. That means on Monday (week 1), incline bench presses are done, Friday (week 1) decline presses are done, then on Wednesday (week 3) flat dumbbell presses are done. I will write a full sample DC rotation later. Here are some examples of exercises that can be done.
Incline barbell press (11-15rp)
Hammer strength press (11-15rp)
Decline barbell press (11-15rp)
Front rack chins (11-20rp)
Front pulldowns (11-15rp)
Close grip pulldowns (11-15rp)
(back thickness exercises and quad exercises are not rest paused due to safety)
Deadlifts (6-9reps) + (9-12reps)
Rack deadlifts (6-9reps) + (9-12reps)
T-bar rows straight set (10-12 reps)
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Rack Deadlifts.
Military presses (11-20rp)
Hammer strength presses (11-15rp)
Upright rows (11-20rp)
(quads are done with one heavy set 6-10 reps, a 3-5 minute rest, then a lighter widowmaker (20-repper) set but still very very heavy)
Free squats (6-10 rep straight set) then (20 rep widowmaker)
Hack squats (as above)
Leg press (as above)
Lying leg curls (15-30rp)
Seated leg curls (15-30rp)
Straight leg deadlifts (straight set of 15-25 reps)
Dumbbell curls (11-20rp)
Preacher curls (11-20rp)
Barbell drag curls (11-20rp)
Reverse Barbell Curl (straight set 10-20 reps)
Reverse grip cable curls (straight set 10-20 reps)
Hammer curls (straight set 10-20 reps)
Reverse grip bench presses (11-20rp)
EZ bar tricep extensions (15-30rp)
Close-grip bench presses (11-20rp)
(all calf exercises are done with a very slow negative and a extremely long stretch. This will be intense and one of the hardest things you will do on DC. When you are up on the toes slowly lower it down over the course of 5 seconds, and once you reach the bottom, hold it for a deep stretch for 15-20 seconds)
Leg press toe press (10-12 reps)
Hack squat toe press/sled (10-12 reps)
Seated calf raises (10-12 reps)
Other exercises can be incorporated as well. One of the major aspects DC advocates is compound movements. Isolation movements have their place, but who can seriously make huge strength gains doing lateral raises. Maybe you can go from 20lbs to 50 or 60lbs or so, but that's not a huge strength gain. Those people who go from military pressing 155lbs to 315lbs will sure as hell have nice deltoid development.
One of DC training's best features is the extreme stretching techniques. These are best done for a body part directly after its exercise. These will stretch fascia and help recovery immensely.
These are a must!
These are best described by Dante:
Retrieved From www.thepumpingstation.com, October, 2006.
Flat bench 90lb dumbbells chest high--lungs full of air--first 10 seconds drop down into deepest stretch and then next 50 seconds really push the stretch (this really, really hurts) but do it faithfully and come back and post on the AE message board in 4 weeks and tell me if your chest isn't much fuller and rounder.
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Doggcrapp Chest Stretch.
Seated on a flat bench-my back up against the barbell---75lb dumbbell in my hand behind my head (like in an overhead dumbbell extension)--sink dumbbell down into position for the first 10 seconds and then an agonizing 50 seconds slightly leaning back and pushing the dumbbell down with the back of my head.
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Doggcrapp Triceps Stretch.
This one is tough to describe--put barbell in squat rack shoulder height--face away from it and reach back and grab it palms up (hands on bottom of bar)---walk yourself outward until you are on your heels and the stretch gets painful--then roll your shoulders downward and hold for 60 seconds.
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Doggcrapp Shoulder Stretch.
Just like the above position but hold barbell palms down now (hands on top of bar)--sink down in a squatting position first and if you can hack it into a kneeling position and then if you can hack that sink your butt down--60 seconds--I cannot make it 60 seconds-- I get to about 45-it's too painful--if you can make it 60 seconds you are either inhuman or you need to raise the bar up another rung.
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Doggcrapp Biceps Stretch.
Honestly for about 3 years my training partner and I would hang a 100lb dumbbell from our waist and hung on the widest chin-up bar (with wrist straps) to see who could get closest to 3 minutes--I never made it--I think 2 minutes 27 seconds was my record--but my back width is by far my best body part--I pull on a doorknob or stationary equipment with a rounded back now and it's way too hard too explain here--just try it and get your feel for it.
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Doggcrapp Back Stretch.
Either leg up on a high barbell holding my toe and trying to force my leg straight with my free hand for an excruciating painful 60 seconds.
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Doggcrapp Hamstring Stretch.
Facing a barbell in a power rack about hip high --grip it and simultaneously sink down and throw your knees under the barbell and do a sissy squat underneath it while going up on your toes. Then straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can---60 seconds and if this one doesn't make you hate my guts and bring tears to your eyes nothing will--do this one faithfully and tell me in 4 weeks if your quads don't look a lot different than they used to.
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Doggcrapp Quads Stretch.
My weak body part that I couldn't get up too par until 2 years ago when I finally thought it out and figured out how to make them grow (with only one set twice a week too).
I don't need to stretch calves after because when I do calves I explode on the positive and take 5 seconds to get back to full stretch and then 15 seconds at the very bottom
"one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand etc" --15 seconds stretching at the bottom thinking and trying to flex my toes toward my shin--it is absolutely unbearable and you will most likely be shaking and want to give up at about 7 reps (I always go for 12 reps with maximum weights). Do this on a hack squat or a leg press--my calves have finally taken off due to this and caught up to the rest of me thank God.
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Hack Squat.
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Leg Press.
The DC routine is not complete without the DC diet and cardio paired with it. DC's recommended diet and cardio mainly consists of:
High protein intake (2g per lb of bodyweight)
Low intensity cardio 3-6 times a week (depending on your body-type)
High water intake (2 gallons/day)
A 6pm carb cutoff (or 4-5 hours before you sleep)
The point of this is to make your body into a "human blast furnace" as Dante would call it.
Blasting and cruising phases are needed as well. A blast, where you continually beat the log book and eat like a monster, is usually 4-12 weeks depending on the individual's recovery time. During the blast it is crucial to write down every exercise you do and the pounds and reps you did because you must beat that weight every time.
After that, a cruise is needed to fully recover yourself and your CNS. During a cruise, do sets of
20 for every body part and never go to failure. The point is to recover and maintain. You may also drop a meal during the day. The cruise should last about 10 - 14 days.
The CNS.
The human central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. These lie in the midline of the body and are protected by the skull and vertebrae respectively.
This collection of billions of neurons is arguably the most complex object known.
The central nervous system along with the peripheral nervous system comprise a primary division of controls that command all physical activities of a human.
Neurons of the central nervous system affect consciousness and mental activity while spinal extensions of central nervous system neuron pathways affect skeletal muscles and organs in the body.
There are many other aspects that may not have been covered so it is necessary to contact
Dante personally to fully achieve the phenomenal DC results.