Bodybuilding Roundtable

Cedric McMillan & Justin Compton Answer Your Questions

CEDRIC McMILLAN

Reps and Sets to Build a Really Big Mac

Do you still do six to nine sets total per body part, around 12 reps? Or has something changed?

Everything is still around 12 reps. As far as sets, I do:
Chest
Pec Deck                         3 sets
Cable Crossovers            3 sets
Incline Barbell Press       1 set
 
Back
Pulldowns or Pull-Ups                   3 sets
Seated Rows or Barbell Rows      3 sets
Left Lat, One-Arm Rows               2 or 3 sets (left side is a bit smaller than right)
 
Shoulders
Side Raise Machine                          3 sets
Front Raises or Rear Delt Flyes        3 sets
Shoulder Press                                  2 or 3 sets
 
Quads
Leg Extensions, Leg Press, Lunges (giant set)       3 sets
 
Hams
Seated Leg Curls, Stiff-Leg Deadlifts (superset)      3 sets
Lying Leg Curls                                                        2 or 3 sets
 
Calves
5 sets of whatever, every other workout
 

Biceps
6 sets of whatever, every other workout
 
Triceps
6 sets of whatever, every other workout

When You’re Deployed, Survival Is More Important Than Bodybuilding

Cedric, when you became deployed, did you worry about not being able to grow like you do at home? I am getting deployed to Afghanistan, and I am worried that all of my years of hard work will wither away in a heap of convoy dust. I’m sure they will make us do PT [physical training] every morning, and that is catabolic as hell.

My focus was on trying to maintain, not really trying to grow. If the muscle you have is real, it doesn’t need much but basic nutrition and water to stick with you. Eat as much as you can, when you can, but you will have plenty shit to worry about OTHER THAN bodybuilding. Just be safe and take care of your battle buddies. Fuck muscles … stay alive!

Never Consider Yourself an ‘Average Joe’

I am considering alternating biceps and triceps at every workout, with all other muscle groups, for a few weeks— like you talked about in MD, to see if it works. My arms seem to recover a lot quicker than chest, back, legs or shoulders, unless I bomb them with tons of work. Someone once said that since calves and arms are used a lot daily, they should be trained more often, just not as intensely or as hard as the other body parts that get more rest. It might not work for the “regular Joe” like me, but it’s worth a try. Did it take you long to feel this training have any effect? Have you seen an improvement in your arms?

First of all, never consider yourself an “average Joe.” Every great bodybuilder in history seemed normal until they dedicated time and energy into a goal. You could have the best genetics ever, and the ability to be a champion one day, if you try. If you limit yourself mentally to being an “average Joe,” that negative energy could limit your physique. Dedicate yourself to your goal, and show yourself and everybody else what you REALLY got!

Now, about arms— I felt the benefits of training my arms this way immediately. It seemed as if the frequent training and blood flow to those muscles helped them grow better. In a few months, the results I’ve seen are enough to make me want to keep training arms this way. After each workout, I do six sets for bi’s one day, and then six sets for tri’s the next day.

JUSTIN COMPTON

Do Less Volume When Other Body Parts Take a Beating

When you train back, biceps and calves, what are the maximum sets for back that you typically do? On a big body part like back or legs, do you do two to three sets to warm up and then three or four heavy sets, and move on? Or do you gauge it based on how many exercises you hit (for the angle differences of how you hit the muscles)? When you do biceps and calves, how many exercises do you typically do? Finally, do you always do biceps after back so you don’t have to train them with as much volume or sets, etc.?

When training back, it kind of varies. If I do deadlifts, it takes a lot out of me. So I will drop my volume by three to four sets, overall, that day. But if not, I’ll usually hit my warm-ups for two to three sets and then probably a total of 15 sets after that. For biceps after back, I don’t always train that way. My body part groupings change all the time. But when I do, you are correct. I do less volume because they take a beating during the back training.

Superhero Size: Tough to Enter the Justin League

Dude, I’m eating 330 grams of protein and 500 grams of carbs a day, and I am still nowhere near your size! Crazy, I have always been big on food, but not on the rest of the stuff! (wink, wink) Time to change that!

I’m a person who can speak freely and usually I do speak my mind. Usually these are positive thoughts as well. Your comment only makes you look silly, man. I’m very conservative on everything (and I literally mean everything in life … money, luxury stuff, food, supplements of all kinds, training, etc.). I believe in getting by with the bare minimum of things in life because that is how I was taught and how I was brought up, so I have adapted that philosophy into my bodybuilding career as well. So to assume that I’ve made the progress that I have, based on your statement of “the rest of the stuff, wink, wink,” is totally your opinion and you’re entitled to that. If you wish to pursue that route, then please let me know how it goes for you and if you suddenly become my size!

No Injuries, and No NSAIDs

How do you stay injury free? Have you ever experienced any threatening injuries/aches that piss you off on a daily basis, perhaps during your prep or off-season? I’m curious if you use ibuprofen/NSAIDs at times to combat these issues?

No real injuries, just a few nags that even normal people have. I do not use any NSAIDs because I worry about the stomach lining issues that come along with that stuff. They will eat that lining up, eventually. I would be very concerned if I were using them on a regular basis, because they are far more dangerous and lead to far more deaths than most people realize.

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