Southwood + Push/Pull = ?

Training Beginners
1

After reading Dan John’s article, Lessons From Southwood, my workout partner and I decided to give it a shot
http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1844960

We would do this, with 100lbs on the bar (limited by the press as he states in his article)
Power clean 8-6-4
Military press 8-6-4
Front squat 8-6-4
Bench press 8-6-4

We could plow right through this, and enjoyed the speed of this full body routine. What I’d like to do is start every workout with this (3x a week) more so as a warm-up, then go into a push-pull routine along the lines of:

Day 1 (push)
Squat Variation
Incline DB Bench
Weighted Dips

Day 2 (pull)
Deadlift Variation
Bent Over Row, High Pulls or other heavy pulling variation
Weighted Chins

Alternating days between weeks (1-2-1, 2-1-2, repeat) Any additional time will go into isolations such as lateral raises, rear delt, triceps, and biceps.

Rep scheme being around 25 total reps, so 5x5 for some, 3x10 for others, etc.

Goals are strength and size. I’ve been working out a few years, but seriously more in the last year thanks to this site making me balance out my squat. Current stats are 6’4", ~200lbs, max lifts: squat 300lbs, deadlift 385lbs, bench 225lbs. It’d like to start this in ~4 weeks when my back heals (wrestling injury).

Wanted to get some thoughts on this and see what you guys think.

2

I think it’s a great idea. As long as the weight is reasonable, and it sounds like it is, you shouldn’t have any loss of performance. It will give you a boast in heart rate and turn your whole workout into a cardio worout and should improve your cardio fitness and improve fat loss. As well, the extra variety in the warmup will hit muscles you don’t directly target in the workout and give a little extra stumulus to them.

You probably should leave out the bench press and do the first 3 movements as a complex without putting down the bar.

3

Thank you, stuward. I appreciate the feedback. Improving conditioning is also a part of it. Removing the bench press from the start is reasonable. I will do that. I’m very fond of the complex method.

Considering the routine further, I’m wanting to make the days medium (3x8-12), heavy (5x3-5), light (1x20-25). To keep repeated days of the week lighter, and the day performed once being heavy.