Some thoughts on Programming

This is something I wrote up a while back and never got around to finishing / posting, part of the process of compiling my first comprehensive system of training. You can see the implementation of this system if you look at my 'training-log' posts from March and April of this year. Ended up being quite a great system for me, resulting in some solid PR lifts. Its somewhat of a 'loose' system, in which you make daily decisions on what lifts/sets/reps you want to do. Its intended to be high frequency, but I suppose it could work just as well with 3-4 training days per week.
 
Hopefully it benefits someone else. -Joe 

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·         Top-Set Work – Going for Rep-PRs with a given weight, typically 5-8 or 10+ rep range. Choose to do a PR day based on energy level, physical/mental preparedness, bar-speed on warm-ups & elapsed time since the last PR.

o    Actions

§  1 – Perform 5/4/3/2/1 warm-up. The final single should be around ~90% of current Training Max (which is a 1RM estimate from Rep-PRs).

§  2 – Back-off to the desired weight or % for the PR attempt.

§  3 (Optional) – Perform 1 or 2 back-off sets after the PR attempt, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the tank.

 

·         Volume Work – Sets across at a given weight or % (based off of the current training max), aiming to build strength, mass & work capacity.  These days should be of medium difficulty overall, putting the work in without psyche-up. Do not rush the workload, pick a weight that you can sufficiently handle in correct style, without forcing or grinding reps.

o    Actions

§  1 – Perform 5/4/3/2/1 warm-up. The final single should be around ~90% of current Training Max.

§  1A (optional) – Perform a traditional style warm-up, increasing weight up to the amount required for the working sets. For example; 135x10, 225x8, 275x6, 315 5x5.

§  2 – Aim for 15-50 reps total, via one the following;

       Sets of    5 @ 75%*   until RPE 9+ is reached

            “        8 @ 70%*                “

                                "        10 @ 60%*               “

                                “        15 @ 55%*               “

                                “        20 @ 50%*               “
 

*Based on training max

·         Base Template – 6 Training days / Rest days as needed

o    Day 1 – Squat, Pressing, Abdominals

o    Day 2 –   Pulls,    “   , Back-work

o    Day 3 – Squat,    “    , Abdominals

o    Day 4 –   Pulls,    “   , Back-work

o    Day 5 – Squat,    “    , Abdominals

o    Day 6 –   Pulls,    “   , Back-work

o    Day 7 –   Rest

 

·         Daily Layout

o    Day 1

§  Warm up: Stretching, Jump-Rope, Band Good Mornings

§  Pressing: Bench, Dip or Press

§  Squat

§  Ab Wheel

o    Day 2

§  Warm up: Stretching, Jump-Rope, Band Good Mornings

§  Pressing: Bench, Dip or Press

§  SLDL

§  Back-work: Rows, Chins or Shrugs

Revamped Training... Again

After going over some short and long-term goals with my training partner and discussing recent changes made to the training schedule, we've settled on an Upper/Lower Split. 

The basic cycle is Lower / Upper / Rest-day / Repeat, with two variations of each day ('A' workout & 'B' workout)

Regarding Deloads; they will be done for one Lower/Upper/Rest cycle (3days) every 2-4 weeks. I haven't been very good with incorporating deloads in the past, so I'm going to see how It works out. 

Lower-Body A
Deadlift: 3-5 x 5
Squat (Light): 3-5 x 10
Leg Curl: 3 x 12

Upper-Body A
Dips: 3-5 x 5
Db Row: 3-5 x 10
BTN Press: 3-5 x 8
Single-Arm Pulldown: 3-5 x 10
(optional) Face-pull / Arms: 2 x 12

Rest Day

Lower-Body B
Squat: 3-5 x 5
Deadlift: (Light) 3-5 x 10
Band Good morning: 3 x 15+

Upper-Body B
O.H. Press: 3-5 x 5
Chins: 5 x 5
Flat Db Press: 3-5 x 10+
Single-Arm Row: 3-5 x 10
(optional) Face-pull / Arms: 2 x 12

Rest Day

Current Training Schedule

Day 1
Back Squat - Work up to 3 reps @ 90% + optional singles up to maximum
     Superset with Band Good-Morning (5x15+ reps)
BTN Press - Work up to 3 reps @ 90%
     Superset with Weighted Chins (5x8 reps)
Bicep Curl - 3x8 reps

Day 2
Back Squat - Work up to 5 reps @ 85% + optional singles up to maximum
     Superset with KB Swing (5x20 reps)
Bradford Press - Work up to 5 reps @ 85%
     Superset with Face-Pull (5x12 reps)
Deadlift - Work up to 3 reps @ 90%

Day 3
Back Squat - Work up to 1 rep @ 95% + optional singles up to maximum
     Superset with Band Good-Morning (5x15+ reps)   
Strict Press - Work up to 1 rep @ 95% + optional singles up to maximum
     Superset with Rows (5x10 reps)
Bicep Curl - 3x8 reps

Training Week HIghlights - 5/9/2013

Rather than doing vids of invidvidual workouts, I decided to do a highlight reel of sorts. Just to capture some good stuff over the course of the week.

Let me know what you think. Stuff you'd like to see incorporated? Comments are welcomed. 

Thinking differently about the Deadlift

Throughout my training career the deadlift has been the hardest lift for me to increase, bar none. It seems to be a real stubborn old bastard with quite the ‘voodoo’ to it. By that I mean, one workout I’d walk into the gym and kick serious ass, while the next workout the same weights (sometimes even lighter weights) feel as though they are welded to the floor. That’s what I call Deadlift Voodoo, and let me tell you, that shit is frustrating.

To give a brief history, the absolute majority of my deadlift training over the years has been thus;
-3to5x5, sets across
-3sets 3-6, RPT style
-Top set of 3-5 reps, followed by lots of RDL work

These are not listed in any particular order; the methods were rotated / changed however I saw fit at the time, in order to keep progressing.

For the last month I have been consulting with my coach Jamie Lewis (chaosandpain.blogspot.com). On top of a complete overhaul to my training, he led me to try an interesting method for training the deadlift which I will outline below.

First, a quick tangent. When most consider manipulations to be made during training they focus on increasing one or more of a few variables; Sets, Reps and Poundage. Now there is nothing wrong with this approach. In fact, increasing these variables (in some fashion, over time) is the key to success. There is one variable that is commonly overlooked though. That variable is TIME. Increasing your work output with a given poundage, within a given time period CAN and WILL make you stronger.

This is the workout recommended to me by my coach;

Singles with 85-90% of 1RM, as many as possible within 30 minutes

Your rest periods between singles are completely up to you, basically on the fly. When you feel ready to do so, pull another rep. When you can achieve 23 or more repetitions within 30minutes, you are to increase the weight 10-20lbs and work your way back up. Since implementing this approach I have been making steady gains week to week, to the point where I am now at my strongest deadlift to date. I have also been able to avoid any and all instances of Deadlift Voodoo, entering my workouts feeling strong and pulling fast.

So that’s it. When you want to try something new for deadlift training, I highly suggest this method.  

Keep it simple, brutal and effective.

The RDL is not a 'cheaty' exercise

This is something that many people manage to screw up. 

For those not in-the-know, RDL is an acronym for Romanian Deadlift.

This lift should be treated as an accessory movement for the hamstrings & posterior chain. To get the max benefit from this lift, you want the target muscles to be doing the majority of the work (obviously). This is not a test of moving the maximum poundage at the expense of good technique. Use the heaviest weight possible that you can handle with PROPER FORM. 

Here's an example video along with a few cue's to help you not look like a dumb-ass at the gym; (Note: EXCESSIVE VOLUME WARNING)

-Initiate the movement by pushing the hips backward
-Maintain a SLIGHT bend at the knee
-Do not lower the bar further than you are able, while maintaining a strong (flat) thoracic & lumbar spine position 
-Bar should glide along the thigh/shin, or very close to it
-Raise & Lower the bar in a smooth fashion, concentrate on keeping tension on the target muscles 

In my (completely non-professional) opinion, this lift is best done for medium to high repetitions & total volume. For example; 4-5 sets of 6-12 reps. If done correctly you WILL feel tremendous tension on the hamstrings and glutes. As well as crippling soreness the following day or two.

Happy RDL'ing!