Autoregulation Programs

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

There seems to be a lot of questions in the “Perfect Rep” discussion board as well as CT’s Training Questions about how to put together a program using these principles. I figured I’d post what I’m going to be doing, and others should as well just to give people some ideas.

I’ve written 6 workouts, and I lift 5 times a week, so I’ll be hitting the major muscles twice every 8 days. I would like to bring up my back squat, so I’ll be using that on both leg days. I also want to bring up my arms, so I’ll be hitting bi’s and tri’s 3 times each in 8 days.

Some of my exercises are positioned in the workout to best accommodate the location of equipment in my gym.

Horizontal Plane 1

A1) Low Incline Bench Press 3RM
A2) Bent Over Row 3RM
B1) Wide Grip Bench Press to Neck 5RM
B2) Wide Grip Cable Row 5RM
C) Reverse Preacher Curl 6RM

Vertical Plane 1
A1) Standing Shoulder Press 3RM
A2) Pull Up 3RM
B1) Lateral Raise 6RM
B2) Wide Grip Lat Pulldown 5RM
C) Partial Overhead Press 5RM

Legs 1
A1) Back Squat 3RM
A2) Feet High Leg Press 3RM
B1) Standard Leg Press 5RM
B2) Romanian Deadlift 5RM
C) Seated Hammer Curl 6RM

Horizontal Plane 2
A1) Incline Bench Press 3RM
A2) Close Grip Cable Row 3RM
B1) Floor Flys 5RM
B2) Bent Over Rear Delt Fly 5RM
C) Skull Crushers 6RM

Vertical Plane 2
A1) Push Press 3RM
A2) Chin Up 3RM
B1) Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5RM
B2) Neutral Grip Pull Up 5RM
C) Wide Grip Preacher Curl 6RM

Legs 2
A1) Front Squat 3RM
A2) Glute Ham Raise Max Reps
B1) Deadlift 3RM
B2) Close Grip Bench Press 5RM
C) Back Squat 5RM

2

I thought of this thread when I posted the following in the perfect rep splits thread. So I figured I’d just post this in both.

Here is my training journal for the past week, similar to what CT posted in the ANACONDA Protocol Users forum. This is based on my leg-push-pull split. I don’t consider it idiotic since my current goals are lots of leg development and shoulder and tricep strength. Plus I’m also trying to work on my bench press technique (since my current bench press is total shit, especially after checking out this article): Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION

Day 1 (January 5, 2010) - Legs

A. Exercise: Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

B. Exercise: Seated Leg Extension
Method: Eccentric Isometric Contrast (stopped eccentrics with 3-6 sec. pauses)
Load: 60-80% concentric max for sets of 5 reps (partner lifting for me on concentric portion)

C. Exercise: Seated Leg Extension
Method: 2/1 (Bilateral/Unilateral) Eccentric Technique
Load: 100-150% concentric “two-limb max” for sets of 5

D. Exercise: (Unilateral) Bulgarian Split Squats
Method: Overcoming-Isometrics
Load: 45 lb. olympic barbell and safety pins (power rack), sets of 5-10 sec. holds

Day 2 (January 6, 2010) - Push

A. Exercise: Standing Overhead/Military Press
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

B. Exercise: Bench Press
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s with an emphasis on PROPER bench press technique

C. Exercise: Bench Press
Method: Superslow Eccentrics, executing negative portion in 6-12 sec. (my body definitely responded positively to this)
Load: 60-85% of concentric max, sets of 4s

D. Exercise: Weighted Dips
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

Day 3 (January 7, 2010) - Pull

A. Exercise: Weighted Pull-Ups
Method: perfect rep style, autoregulation, ramp up to MFS
Load: sets of 3s

B. Exercise: Upright Rows (barbell)
Method: shock training (to prime nervous system); drop/catch/lift
Load: 25lb. x 3, 35lb. x 3, 45lb. x 3

C. Exercise: Upright Rows (barbell)
Method: perfect rep style; autoregulation, ramp up to MFS
Load: sets of 3s starting at 50% concentric max

D. Exercise: Bent Over Rows (supinated grip)
Method: perfect rep style; autoregulation, ramp up to MFS
Load: sets of 3s

Day 4 (January 8, 2010) - Off

Day 5 (January 9, 2010) - Legs

A. Exercise: Front Squat (I activated/potentiated my quads with 20" box jumps for 3 sets of 10 reps)
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

B. Exercise: Walking Lunges with Dumbbells, emphasis on long step for hamstring stimulation (I activated/potentiated my hamstrings with some alternating split-squat jumps for 3 sets of 6 reps)
Method: working in between MPP and MFP
Load: starting at about 50% (which for me was 15lb. dumbbells)–> ramped up to 30 lb. dumbbells and stayed with the 30lb. dumbbells for sets of 6 reps (for this day, my body told me to stay at the 4 set minimum for perfect rep style autoregulation)

D. Exercise: Front Squat
Method: Blast Isometric (the finisher) from strongest point in range of motion up to the safety pins about mid-waist area of my body if I were standing
Load: 45 lb. olympic barbell for two sets of 6 reps (holding for 6 seconds after contact with pins)

Day 6 (January 10, 2010) - Push

A. Exercise: Overhead/Military Press
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

B. Exercise: Bench Press, with an emphasis on PROPER bench press technique
Method:ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

C. Exercise: Close-Grip Bench Press
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

Day 7 (January 11, 2010) - Pull

A. Exercise: Power Snatch (from floor, used as a potentiating explosive movement for back)
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: sets of 3s; I actually ended up just dropping the weight down to something I could dominate for 5 reps after that Max Force Point because I’m not an advanced Olympic Lifter BY ANY MEANS

B. Exercise: Corner Rowing
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

C. Exercise: Bicep Curls (barbell, medium-wide grip)
Method: ramp up to MFS
Load: autoregulation/perfect rep style; sets of 3s

D. Exercise: Bicep Curls (barbell, medium-wide grip) → added this because I felt like getting a “pump” in my biceps today
Method: Drop Set with little rest in between sets below / BLAST ISOMETRICS with safety pins 4" apart
Load: 85lb. x 8, 75lb. x 10, 65lb. x 15, 55lb. x 20, 45lb. x 25 / 45lb. x 6, 55 lb. x 6

Day 8 (January 12, 2010) - Off

Day 9 (January 13, 2010) - Off

I may use the back squat instead of the front squat next time around (and then just go back and forth). But for the most part, I’m feeling “in the zone” with the way I am executing the reps for the exercises in this split. I will stick with this for the next month or so.