Critique My Strength Plan

Training Powerlifting
1

Hey all

Just cut down to 180 @ 6’, and I realize that I’m in serious need of some strength and size. Strength is the priority right now, so here’s the routine I’ve put together.

I’ve a serious imbalance in my quads, which I’m addressing with lots of unilateral quad dominant stuff and loads of stretching for the culprit tight muscles. :stuck_out_tongue:

Anyway, here’s the split. I can’t squat well, so I’ve opted for EDT based bulgarian split squats which I’ll progress to front squats as soon as my imbalances are a bit more ironed out.

By the way, I take rest between sets on a set by set basis. If I’m going for a heavy as hell triple when I’m deadlifting, I may take as long as 5-6min. between a set, but, if I just did something really easy, I’ll cut down the rest periods to keep things moving. The rest periods represented are just a guideline.

I’m getting in 2700-3000 calories daily with a zone diet esque approach. Will up my cals as needed. Basically Fruit with protein for my first two meals, and the rest of my meals are protein and fat. 6 meals daily. Surge Peri-workout.

I like my workouts short and intense. I have a tendency to throw in miscellaneous assistance work to keep my heart rate going between heavy compound sets.

S Upper Push
M Lower Pull
T OFF
W Upper Pull
R OFF
F Lower Push
S OFF

Upper Push

A. Bench Press 8X3-5 R120-240s
B. Overhead Press 4X4-8 R60-90s
C. Pec Dec 3-4X12-20 R45s
D. Side Plank 3X to F R60s~

Lower Pull

A. Deadlift 8X3-5 R120-240s
B. Single Leg Deadlift 4X8 R60s
C. Back Extensions 3-4X12-20 R60s
D1. Abductor work 12-20
s/s
D2. Dumbbell Hex hold to F
R0-30s
X3

Upper Pull

A. Weighted Chin ups 8X3-5
B. Pendlay Row 4X4-8
C. Face Pulls 3-4X12-20
D1. Lower Trap Dumbbell Raises 12-20
s/s
D2. Black Band Pulldown 12-20
R0-30s
X3

Lower Push

A.
EDT 15m
Right leg Bulgarian split squats
Left leg Bulgarian split squats
Up the weight if 60 reps exceeded per leg
B. Walking Lunges 3-4X12-20reps a leg R60s
C1. Abductor work12-20
s/s
C2. Standing Calf Raise 10-12
R0-30s
X3

Thanks for any input.

I’ve noticed most push/pull routines are full body based, but I feel I can get a more intense workout from a pseudo push/pull-bodypart split routine. Let me know if I’m nuts and it doesn’t look like it’ll work.

2

If you “can’t squat well,” avoiding squats doesn’t seem to be the prescription. Squat frequently until you can squat well. And ditch the abductor BS. If you learn proper squat technique, you won’t need crap like that because you’ll be hitting those muscles. Pick up Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore.

3

Personally, I’d ditch the upper push/pull and just train your entire upper body two days per week. I actually used to use a program like this and didn’t see a great improvement in upper body strength. Just go with large compound movements for push and pull. Besides, by working both push and pull in the same session, you’ll hit a larger amount of muscle mass and get a bigger hormonal response. Lower push/pull works well, though, keep that. Like OneEye said, squat and squat some more.

4

[quote]OneEye wrote:
If you “can’t squat well,” avoiding squats doesn’t seem to be the prescription. Squat frequently until you can squat well. And ditch the abductor BS. If you learn proper squat technique, you won’t need crap like that because you’ll be hitting those muscles. Pick up Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice. I hyperextended my left knee and it basically shot my knee to the point where I can’t squat with heavy weights without left knee valgus and my entire body weight shifting to the right.

How should I include the squats?

Maybe include them for 4X10 purely based off working on form 3 days a week?

5

[quote]StonesAreFun wrote:
Personally, I’d ditch the upper push/pull and just train your entire upper body two days per week. I actually used to use a program like this and didn’t see a great improvement in upper body strength. Just go with large compound movements for push and pull. Besides, by working both push and pull in the same session, you’ll hit a larger amount of muscle mass and get a bigger hormonal response. Lower push/pull works well, though, keep that. Like OneEye said, squat and squat some more. [/quote]

Thanks Stones

I’ll do just that.

So maybe:

Upper 1
Chins 6X3-5
Bench Press 6x3-5
Face Pulls 3X12-20
Pec Dec 3X12-20
Side Planks 3XF

and

Upper 2
Pendlay Row 6X3-5
Military Press 6X3-5
Rear Delt Cable Pull 3X12-20
Push up 3X12-20
Chops 3X12-20 a side

6

If you have an injury preventing you from squatting, that may be a different story. I won’t pretend to know anything about your injury, but if you can squat, even with light weights, without making your injury worse, then by all means do. Use light weight if you need to just until you are strong enough to use heavier weight, but don’t increase the weight unless you can do it with good form.

7

I can squat now, but not with anywhere near the weight I used before the injury. My Deadlift is a different story. This is really a long term imbalance that was perpetuated by bad form on heavy squats, to the point where I tweaked my knee pretty badly a few months ago.

I’ll get more aggressive with solving the problem from here on out.

Anyway, here’s what the plan is looking like now

S Lower Pull
M Upper 1
T OFF / GPP
W Upper 2
R OFF / GPP
F Lower Push
S OFF

Lower Pull
A. Squat Form Work 4X10
B. Deadlift 8X3-5 R120-240s
C. Single Leg Deadlift 4X8 R60s
D. Back Extensions 3-4X12-20 R60s
E1. Abductor Band work 12-20 (I still feel I need this and I can throw it in between hex hold sets)
s/s
E2. Dumbbell Hex hold to F
R0-30s
X3

Upper 1
A. Chins 6X3-5
B. Bench Press 6x3-5
C. Face Pulls 3X12-20
D1. Pec Dec 12-20
D2. Side Planks F
0-30s
3X

Upper 2
A. Pendlay Row 6X3-5
B. Military Press 6X3-5
C1. Rear Delt Cable Pull 12-20
C2. Push up 12-20
X3
0-30s
D. Chops 3X12-20 a side

Lower Push
A. Squat Form Work 4X10
B. EDT 15m
Right leg Bulgarian split squats
Left leg Bulgarian split squats
Up the weight if 60 reps exceeded per leg
C. Walking Lunges 2X12-20 a leg R30s
D. Standing Calf Raises 4X8-12 R45s

Also I’m upping my cals (more fruit and protein shakes).

Let me know how that plan looks, if you wouldn’t mind taking a second of your time.

Thanks in advance. Greatly appreciated.

8

What are you trying to accomplish with the single leg DL on your lower pull?

If it’s hamstring hypertrophy to iron out some imbalances, I think there are a couple of better choices you could make in that spot.

Also the sets and reps for your first two lifts on the upper body days,

It might get to be pretty draining going heavy on both exercises. I would experiment, but if that does tend to be the case, you might want to try arranging your day like so:

A. Chin 6x3-5
B. Bench 3x6

Do the opposite, and then when you start to burn out on them, go heavier on B with the sets of 3 and then switch A to higher reps.

Doing something similar to that in my own training has allowed me to keep progressing without having to change movements.

9

[quote]Blongo wrote:
What are you trying to accomplish with the single leg DL on your lower pull?

If it’s hamstring hypertrophy to iron out some imbalances, I think there are a couple of better choices you could make in that spot.
[/quote]
I’ve found that Single leg deadlifts have done well for me as far as ironing out imbalances this far, but what whould you recommend as something to change things up? I have been using them for a few months now. May as well change em’ up.

Excellent. Thanks for that. I’ll try it out and rotate them every three weeks or so.