@isdatnutty, Yo dude, nice job on correcting yourself. You need to remember that one of your weaknesses is your tendency to want to change what you’re doing too often.
You are not in the position to be tweaking things so much. Stick with the basics, progress on those smoothly and slowly, and over time you will reach your goals.
Nice advice given by all parties in here, by the way.
Thanks man! Never thought about it like that. I’ll keep that in mind the next time I feel like changing everything lol.
Appreciate it man! Yeah I think I have a big imagination, so sometimes it can get the best of me. That’s a good way to look at it. You know sometimes I feel like I’m not doing enough, but I forget I need to rest and not beat my body to death.
I think not having a “program” but making sure every session I have a oly lift, squat, press, pull, core as the basis and trying to better than the last workout has paid dividends. I mean I still use 5x5, but I also push the volume some days. I think not having a “structured” program has me think too much sometimes, but at the same time not having a program has helped me make the progress I’ve made so far because the underlying principles are there.
My only question is there such a thing as too much pulling lol? I pull from the floor 4x a week, rows 2x, chins 3x lol.
Thanks man! I knew I was starting to over think. Especially reading your quote from the other thread had me thinking. Squats/Pulls = Legs, Presses/Chins/Rows = Upper body. Don’t really need much more than that lol. Thanks for the advice man, I think more than anyone else on the site, I follow your style of training philosophy. You keep it simple and don’t worry about rep ranges and all that. Strong is strong no matter what sets/reps are used.
I had a question for you though man. Since I am trying to get to a 315 BS, do you think it’s best to squat 2 or 3x a week? Currently I back squat 2x and front squat once. But would it make more sense to just BS 3x a week and drop the FS until I hit my goal?
Just so you guys are aware I’m moving back to a 3 day template (my program doesn’t change) so I can really focus in on my goals and cut back time in the gym. Fiance has been complaining my evenings are always taken up, especially with all wedding stuff happening.
I do my conditioning in the AMs so maybe I’ll be better served to cut back time being at the gym.
If there is anything you guys feel like I should cut out please let me know.
TUESDAY
-Snatch
-Back Squat
-OH Press
-Rows/Chin Ups/Dips/Ab Wheel
THURSDAY
-Jerk from Rack
-Front Squat
-Push Press
-Deadlift/Chin Ups/Curls
SATURDAY or SUNDAY
-Clean & Jerk
-Back Squat
-OH Press
-Rows/Chin Ups/Dips/Ab Wheel
JERK FROM RACK
135x2
155x2
175x2
185x1
185x1
155x3
FRONT SQUAT / NG CHIN UPS
155x5 / 5
155x5 / 5
155x5 / 5
155x5 / 5
155x5 / 5
PUSH PRESS / NG CHIN UPS
135x3 / 5
135x3 / 5
135x3 / 5
135x3 / 5
135x3 / 5
DEADLIFT / CURLS
225x5 / 20
235x3 / 20
255x8 / 20
NOTES: Everything felt good and crisp. Haven’t done Push Press or jerks from the rack in a while, but still felt solid. Timing was still there. Being weaker allows me to really focus on technique. Will come in handy as I get stronger. Can’t wait to up the weights next week, light weeks make the body feel good though especially when being sick.
Ummm, I think it depends on the person and the goal in mind. If you are trying to build mastery in a lift, I whole heartedly believe in training that lit exclusively. So, in other words, if you don’t care about your front squat, or don’t need it for some other reason, then don’t front squat. If back squatting is your goal, then do nothing but back squats.
Until you reach some really high level strength (relative to you of course), all you need to do is squat and practice that lift as much as you can to get better at it. This philosophy, in my opinion, should carry you into the mid 400s-- it has for me at least and I am not a gifted lifter at all. I am literally an “average Joe.”
I currently front squat because it is useful for my specific goals, I am not specifically training for maximal strength… so keep that in mind if you are at all looking at what I do. For you, if you really want that 315 squat-- I would say just back squat. Specificity is king. That doesn’t mean you need to squat 3x per week, or even that front squats will destroy your progress, that isn’t what I am saying. However, sometimes just keeping shit very specific will speed up the progress. To me, it would be like trying to learn to play the trumpet and the saxophone at the same time-- you could do it, but you’ll get better much quicker if you devoted your time to just one instrument and master it, before moving on to another-- IF that is your goal. Think about the time and energy being split up, or focusing that to just one skill.
Thanks for the thorough response man. I think you are absolutely right! Instead of trying to master a bunch of movements at once, sticking to one will get me those results faster and better technical mastery of the lift.
I think I will do something I’ve never been able to do before and that’s have laser like focus to hit this goal. Once I get to a 315 back squat, then I’ll know there’s no goal I can’t achieved. Thanks for the advice man, I’m about to get after it now!
Just because I was so hype:
BACK SQUAT
165x10
165x10
165x10
165x10
165x10
AB WHEEL
50 reps
Got my tax return and decided to make a purchase today.
I bought a Rogue ES-1 Squat stand. Built to last a lifetime. Whether I’m in an apartment or can continue to use my in-law’s garage, this will be perfect! Time to do the AM workouts again! Should be here within 3 weeks since it’s on back order.
I’m gunnin’ for that big squat!
Once it arrives I’ll be basically working out from the house 95% of the time. Will have to alter my training a bit since I don’t want to drop weights wake everyone up and I won’t have access to dip bar (maybe I’ll make one using PVC pipe). I’ll have to get a doorway pull up bar, but luckily those are cheap as hell.
Going to get a horse stall mat this weekend, so I’ll be primed for when the squat stand arrives.
Well done. You’re learning.
Just listening and acting on the advice you guys have been giving me!
Date night so had to keep the session short and to the point
BACK SQUAT
205x5
205x5
205x5 (lost balance on rep 3 and had to catch myself lol)
205x5
205x5
OVERHEAD PRESS
115x5
115x5
115x7
95x12
CHEST SUPPORTED ROW
45x12
70x8
70x8
70x8
70x8
70x8
55x12
55x10
45x15
NOTES: Great workout. One of those punch the clock type ones. I forgot how great chest supported rows are, take the lower back out of the equation. Back was pumped!
How do you guys balance intensity and volume? All my lifts are high frequency.
I feel like after a heavy day like 5x5, even 2 days later I have to lighten the weight (or do more of a 3x10 type of thing) because my body isn’t fully recovered. But then 2 days after that (so like on the 4th/5th day after a 5x5) my body is primed to push the intensity.
Man, at the risk of sounding like the Texas Method;
Listen to your body. Make the 5x5 the lighter day, or sets across day, or volume day, however you like to think about it. Take a little weight off, so you can recover.
Use that to “set you up” for the “heavy day” or “push intensity day.” Ramp up to heavier weights on this day.
So for example would you say in a week the 3 squatting sessions would look like this:
DAY 1
205x5
205x5
205x5
205x5
205x5
DAY 2
165x10
165x10
165x10
DAY 3
185x5
205x4
225x3
235x2
250x1
Or something like that?
Shhh… Bill Starr. Just say Bill Starr.
Yeah, pretty much like that.
You get to touch heavy weights and weights that move fast.
You can check out DUP for an example of how to plan intensity vs volume.
I was looking for a post by Storm the Beach, from sometime last fall maybe? He layed out his DUP scheme.
