Critique My Program

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hey T-Nation. Decided to ditch the training for mostly aesthetic reasons and start focusing on strength. I figured the people I ultimately respect in the weight lifting world are the strong folks. May as well become one.

Anyway, I strained my right pec twice in the past, and I’ve found it’s because of an enormously weak right Tricep. So I can’t bench right now without pec pain. Just going to focus on unilateral tri work and doing loads of pushups until my right tri doesn’t suck.

1.Get stronger
2.Fix Triceps imbalance
3.Start Benching heavy again

Here it is

S OFF / GPP
M Lower
T Upper
W OFF / GPP
R OFF / GPP
F Lower
S Upper

Monday
A. Back Squat
5X5
-Ankle Mobility
B. Barbell Short-Stride Lunge
4X8-12
C1. Back Extensions
4X12
C2. Ab Machine
4X12

Tuesday
A. Military Press
5X5
-Sleeper Stretch
B1. Pushups
3X(Rep Progression)
superset
B2. Face-Pulls
4X12
C. Unilateral Triceps Pushdowns (Reverse Grip)
4X8
D. Serratus Crunches
4X12

Friday
A. Deadlift
5X5
-Ankle Mobility
B. Pull Throughs
4X8-12
C1. Palloff Press
4X5 (5 sec in, 5 sec out = 1 rep)
C2. Swiss Ball Rollout
4X15

Saturday
A. Chin Up
5X(6,7,8,9,10 weekly rep progression)
B. Pushups
3X(rep progression)
C1. Alternating Biceps Curls
3X8-10
superset
C2. Unilateral Skull Crushers
4X8-10
D. Reverse Pec Dec
3X12-15

I’ll do BB calf raises whenever I feel like it

PROGRESSIONS

Bar-Bell Lunges �?� Pistols
(4 weeks)(5/12/08)

Pushups �?� DB Bench Press �?� Barbell Bench Press
(Pushup Rep progression gets to 18 with no pain)

Back Squat 5X5 �?� Back Squat Building Up to 3RM in 5 sets
(Six Weeks) (5/26/08 test 3RM)

Swiss Ball Rollouts 4X15 �?� Ab Dolly Elbow Rollouts �?� Ab Roller �?� Barbell Rollouts

Chin Ups 5X10 �?� Add 10 lbs. and start rep progression again (5,6,7,8,9,10)

I’m open to any advice you may have. I had planned a routine previously and posted it, but it wasn’t working out because I messed my pec up again. This is what I’ve made since then.

I appreciate any input!

2

Oh, and here’s a preemptive thanks to any of you that respond.

Thanks.

3

I only see one back exercise (chins) and quite a few pressing exercises. Might wanna work on that.

4

Ah, gotchya there. Thanks, I had meant to throw in some DB Rows. . . Don’t think I need Face Pulls AND reverse pec decs. . .

Here’s my edit to Tues.

Look alright?

Tuesday
A. Military Press
5X5
-Sleeper Stretch
B. DB Rows
4X6-10
C. Pushups
3X(Rep Progression)
D. Unilateral Triceps Pushdowns (Reverse Grip)
4X12
E. Serratus Crunches
4X12

5

Well I’m no expert so hopefully some others will chime in, but it looks like the basics are all in there.

6

Thanks a lot

7

Looks like a well thought out programme to me. How serious is your pec injury? Once its healed up a bit some single arm pressing might be a good option, maybe start from the floor to reduce the range and work up as the pec improves.

8

[quote]Dave284 wrote:
Looks like a well thought out programme to me. How serious is your pec injury? Once its healed up a bit some single arm pressing might be a good option, maybe start from the floor to reduce the range and work up as the pec improves.[/quote]

Hey Dave284

It’s serious enough to where I haven’t set a PR since more than a year ago when I pressed 275.

The first injury was just about a year ago. . . I’d call it a strain, and that’s what a PT told me it was. I kept my flexibility up and slowly moved back into lifting. Eventually, I started to improve my strength back to my earlier PR. . .

Previously (a month ago), I was going for a triple on 205 lbs., and I felt the same damned tweak in my right pec, maybe two inches medially from its insertion on the humerus.

Every time I do a bilateral pressing exercise (dips, barbell presses, pushups), I get this huge pump in my right pec and a far less obvious pump in my left. My arms are the same measurement each side, but my right Tri is visibly smaller on the medial head than my left. I suppose since muscle cross sectional diameter is correlated with strength, that this is the culprit in my pressing problems. . . My pec has had to compensate and take more of the load for my weak right tricep, and this has caused my strains.

This came through in my training as well, because I can get twice as many reps with my right arm than my left when I do extension exercises that put emphasis on the medial and lateral heads of triceps.

I’ll give single arm pressing a try as soon as I can.

I’m just going to keep my fingers crossed that my Tri strength balances out and my pec isn’t so problematic ASAP.

I want to Bench, damnit :confused:

9

If its too soon for single arm pressing try press ups with one hand elevated on a medicine ball. Good rehab exercise for that kind of thing. Its interesting how you say you get a huge pump im your pecs from bilateral pressing, I never feel any movement like that in my chest at all, for me its just in my triceps. With the single arm extensions do you work the weak side first and then do the same number of reps with the strong arm to correct the imbalance?

10

[quote]Dave284 wrote:
If its too soon for single arm pressing try press ups with one hand elevated on a medicine ball. Good rehab exercise for that kind of thing.[/quote]

Thanks, I’ll definitely see how that feels!

Yeah, that’s essentially what I do with extensions. On certain extension exercises, specifically unilateral reverse grip push-downs (I hope it’s relatively clear what that looks like), my right side lags behind so much that I just don’t do my left side anymore than two or three solid reps. I sort of feel it out, but I never do more on the strong side than the weak side.

I did Monday’s workout today and it was freaking solid. Really enjoyed it. I worked my form on my squats and took as little rest as possible on B-C1&C2.

Those Barbell Short Stride Lunges are a beast of an exercise. The hardest part for me is keeping my eyes up. I have this tendency to watch the ground in front of me that just gets worse and worse as I get further into each set.

I should find a lifting partner. Really would appreciate the queueing.

11

It could be doubly helpful for you as someone watching you lift might be able to let you know about any imbalances. For instance my training partner always benched with his left hand coming up slightly before his right, after having this pointed out to him he has added more weight to his bench in a matter of weeks. Good luck with the pec dude.

12

Thanks again for all the help Dave