My back can’t handle the West Side Program AND tire flipping, as much as I like that tire. But my fat ass still needs GPP. This is my idea:
First off:
I am fighting AC arthrosis, so this needs to include minimal shoulder use.
I fight lower back soreness brought on by, I think, tight hamstrings. I stretch religiously, but still have trouble.
I want to do circuit training, actually super-sets with no break, after my actual workout. I think it would be best to do exercises that work the same muscles as the workout prior.
Leg Night: Reverse Hypers and some kind of body-weight ab work. I actually did this tonight.
Bench Night: Pushups and “bodybuilder” tricep lifts. Think cable and DB kickbacks. Add in 21’s if I can handle it.
Upper Back Night: Pullups and light bicep work, similar to my tricep work.
Do this three times a week, for 10 to 15 minutes. The key will be LIGHT weights, with minimal breaks.
I have been working throught the same thing to stimulate some weight loss and GPP. I have been doing the following.
Incline Bench Day - Dips, DB Rows, Step-ups
Box Squat Day - GMs, Inverted body weight rows, KB Side Bends
Bench Day - Pull-ups, DB Press, Step-ups
DL Day - Lunges, KB Military Press, Spread Eagle Sit-ups
I rest ~10sec between exercises and 60sec between circuits. I do three circuits right now. Reps are between 3 (fat guy pull-ups) and 12 (KB mili and ab work).
It’s taken me more than a few workouts to sort something effective and not too brutal.
I wanted to move reasonable weight so most compond movements are in the lower rep ranges.
Just doing upper body movements on upperbody day wasn’t that challenging. Adding in step-ups made the circuits much more difficult but didn’t effect my Squat DL days.
Doing more than one compound lower body movement in a circuit is brutal. Try a circuit with GMs and RDLs and then some ab work. I couldn’t put any weight on the bar without coming close to passing out. Any pairing of RDLs, GMs, Glute Ham Raise, Step-ups, or Lunges was brutal. Maybe when I am in better shape.
I’ve only just recently gotten to a point where I am satified with what I am doing, so I can’t comment on the effectiveness. I am completely gassed after my workouts, so I would assume GPP will increase. We’ll see on the weight loss.
There is no exact formula for gpp, just make up something that is doable and add in progressions when needed. Ask yourself do you need the conditioning, how often you want to do it, and will it benefit or take away from my current program?
Also, I would break away from regular barbells and dumbbells for gpp unless your doing oddball stuff(carries, walks, etc…). Think of sled drags, jump rope, boxing, cone drills, etc… All these can be done a couple days a week if your careful with the volume and don’t overexert yourself.
Remember, exercise is a stress to your body. What you can handle and someone else can handle are two different things. Always go by how you feel, and modify programs to fit yourself!!!
How does your shoulder react to pullups? I’m just wondering because I’ve had AC joint problems, and pullups aggravated it.
Also you mentioned “21’s if I can handle it”. I know a tight bicep tendon can aggravate shoulder problems, so is that what you are referring to?
For GPP, I’d agree w/ dhickey about needing more lower body or metabolic work in there. Maybe jump rope, C2 rower, or airdyne sprints, then do the circuit when you are breathing hard. BW Bulgarian split squats can get brutal, and may double as a hip flexor stretch, which may help your lower back.
I don’t know what the rest of your program looks like, but it might be a good place to get some shoulder rehab work in if you aren’t doing it elsewhere.
[quote]
How does your shoulder react to pullups? I’m just wondering because I’ve had AC joint problems, and pullups aggravated it. [/quote]
No problem. After taking a few months from lifting (because of work) my shoulder feels fine.
No. I’m just concerned too much shoulder work will cause my AC arthrosis to flare up. If it does, it will bother me until I take another extended brake.
Yeah, I plan on still doing some tire-flipping. Just not as much. I’ll try that Bulgarian split squat as well.
I’ll add that in on my bench night. It will have to be part of a thee-way split, as none of my prehab work is very strenuous.
Last night, after DE benching, I did a pushup/calf raise split, and then a DB side bend/cable twis split. Each for about six minutes. That’s all I can do right now.
I’ve started doing GPP in the morning. Every GPP session is a rotation of three lifts, usually working the same muscle group as my lifting session the night before. For example, last night was my squat/DL night, so today I did a rotation of farmer walks, calf machine, and reverse hypers.