Hello coach Paul,
I try to give you all the background information you need in case you have the time/ will to give me a short program critique. Otherwise I also would appreciate an answer to only question 2) at the end of the post.
goal:
My goal is to achieve maximum hypertrophy and to create the “powerlook”.
resources:
I can train every day and have an “good” gym with some different machines.
background information:
I am a 23 year old male with 7 years of training experience. My best lifts are a 550 Deadlift, a 420 bench, a 420 Squat, a 275 press and 375lbs total weight chin up. I currently weight 205lbs after dieting down from 240 lbs. I realize my training thinking is going in the wrong direction, that’s why I am here to learn a better way. I am not yet totally convinced of your methods but I want to try them and learn much of your knowledge.
old training philosophy:
My old training philosophy was mainly influenced by westside, CT, reading t-nation articles, Meadows and following the „more-is-better approach“. So I blended different elements together and experimented for my own. Also I believed in volume is the key for muscle grow, so I always added more sets and more exercises over the course of training weeks and months. I liked to rotate exercises and do lots of sets, while still doing intensity techniques. I first did low rep Strenght work (MAX effort or 5*5 stuff) and then lots of volume like 4-5 sets of 10 reps with various exercises. This was done every training session. Training was done 6-7 days a week and the goal was to beat your body down. I used upper lower or push pull leg type or split.
new idea:
My new idea is mainly influenced by you and your friend DC Trundle.
-use a push pull leg split
-take after every training day a day off
-maximum 5 exercises a day
-1/2 real working sets per exercise taking to failure, rest pause style
-use exercises that are suited for hypertrophy and forget the classic power-lifts
-beat the log book
-rep range for upper body 6-8 and for lower body 10-15 reps (depends on exercise)
example of training week:
Day 1: Push (A)
Military Press
Dips
Incline Dumbbell Bench
Tricep Extensions on floor
Side Raises/ Face Pulls
Day 2: off
Day 3: Pull (A)
Snatch Grip High Pulls
Zercher Pin Squat
Chin Ups
Cable Rows
Dorian Deadlift
Day 4: off
Day 5: Legs (A)
Snatch Grip High Pulls
Zercher Squats
Bulgarian Split Squat
Land Mine Deadlift
Leg Curls
Day 6: off
Day 7: start again with Push, but change to Workout “B” (other exercises)
Day 8: off
Reasons for exercises:
I chose Snatch Grip High Pulls because CT says it’s the best exercise for the powerlook and it gave me some trap development in the past. The Zercher Squats hit legs and back at the same time, so more back stimulation for the powerlook even on the leg day. I hope rest is somehow clear to your.
Questions:
1.1) What do you say to my program ?
1.2) Should I add some body weight pump work on the days off? Like on day 4 doing some push ups for a pump, or lunges, fat man rows… this low frequency scares me hahah
2.) What’s with G.P.P when the training volume for hypertrophy is so low? How does one built that ?
Best wishes and thanks for reading.