I read a lot of what you write on here and I like the idea of going back to the basic big lifts and compound movements rather than isolation. Strength and size training is pretty alien to me, i only know the basics. So ive written up a new programme for myself and wondered your thoughts on this.
Basically I’ve decided for the first 4-6 weeks of training to adopt a full body approach and stick with the same routine 3/4 times per week before progressing to a split programme so i can build a foundation first. My first cycle consists of back squats/BB lunges/bench press/incline DB press/Arnie Press/military press/bent over rows/deadlifts all in that order working 4 sets 8 reps with roughly 60-70% load. My goal is to build strength and size together which is why i’ve opted for the 8 rep range for 4 sets so i have a reasonable volume and load too. Do you think this is a good starting platform or anything you might change to make it better?
[quote]saban116 wrote:
I read a lot of what you write on here and I like the idea of going back to the basic big lifts and compound movements rather than isolation. Strength and size training is pretty alien to me, i only know the basics. So ive written up a new programme for myself and wondered your thoughts on this.
Basically I’ve decided for the first 4-6 weeks of training to adopt a full body approach and stick with the same routine 3/4 times per week before progressing to a split programme so i can build a foundation first. My first cycle consists of back squats/BB lunges/bench press/incline DB press/Arnie Press/military press/bent over rows/deadlifts all in that order working 4 sets 8 reps with roughly 60-70% load. My goal is to build strength and size together which is why i’ve opted for the 8 rep range for 4 sets so i have a reasonable volume and load too. Do you think this is a good starting platform or anything you might change to make it better?[/quote]
I don’t like it…
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Too many exercises to “focus on the basics”… focusing means doing a lot of work, not 4 sets (your nervous system starts to function optimally on the 3rd set) … 4 pressing movements is too much, especially if doing it at every workout. To me focusing on the basics means 1-2 lifts per main movement pattern and doing a lot of sets on that movement.
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No super balanced… 8 sets for legs, 16 sets for pressing muscles, 8 sets for pulling muscles 4 of which involve upper body pulling.
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High frequency work is better done when training for muscle performance (strength or power), sets of 8 reps are generally too high since they will cause more inflammation.
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How is the Arnold press a basic exercise?
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The order sucks… deadlift, which is the most demanding movement done last… after 7 exercises have been completed???
Okay, so if i scrap some of them and do:
back squats
dead lifts
bench press
bent over rows
military press
then instead of 4x8 do 5x5?
[quote]saban116 wrote:
Okay, so if i scrap some of them and do:
back squats
dead lifts
bench press
bent over rows
military press
then instead of 4x8 do 5x5? [/quote]
Much better
Thank you CT!! Obviously as im looking for strength as well as size how do you recommend i increase my weights, shall i add aroud 10-15% on every couple weeks or should i do it where i add the smallest amount on every other session like 1.25kg? (my gym is all in kg not lbs)
Hi CT,
I’ve started on the workouts now but yesterday when doing the military press I did 2 sets of 5 but my 3rd set I only managed to get 3, my shoulders were feeling a little fatigued so I ended up doing 2 sets of 5 and 5 sets of 3 which I managed so I still did the total of 25 on the same weight. Was this the right thing to do or should I have lowered the weight and still finished off as 5x5?
Thanks
[quote]saban116 wrote:
Hi CT,
I’ve started on the workouts now but yesterday when doing the military press I did 2 sets of 5 but my 3rd set I only managed to get 3, my shoulders were feeling a little fatigued so I ended up doing 2 sets of 5 and 5 sets of 3 which I managed so I still did the total of 25 on the same weight. Was this the right thing to do or should I have lowered the weight and still finished off as 5x5?
Thanks[/quote]
I personally prefer the approach you used, I’d rather keep the weight heavier and increase the number of sets. That having been said, still shoot for 5x5 and do not increase the weight until you can do 5x5 with the same weight.
However I do decrease the weight if I fall outside of the rep range zone which is 2 reps… for example if you have to do 5 reps then the rep range os 3-5 so if you can only manage 2, you should decrease the weight.
Awesome thanks coach! Got another session today so will keep pushing for 5x5 throughout