Strength Program:Need Criticism!

Diet and Nutrition
1

This is a strength program I have designed for myself based on some of Chad Waterbury’s and Christian Thibaudeau’s ideas and DT’s Westside principles so I would really like some comments/suggestions.

The program is set up in a pendulum fashion alternating a function strength or maximal effort week with a speed/structural or dynamic effort week in a six week cycle:

Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6
Func. Spd. Func. Spd. Func. Spd.

Here is my program:

FUNCTIONAL (ME)

MONDAY (Heavy singles 95-100%)

Warm-up:(1rm) 50%x5, 60%x5, 75%x3,
85%x3 per exercise

A1) Floor Press 6X1 or 1/5 method
Rest 60s
A2) Box Squat 6x1 or 1/5
R60s
A3) Chin-up 6x1 or 1/5
R60s
B) Decline leg raise 3x8 (Tempo
contrast)

WEDNSDAY (Heavy triples to singles)

Warm-up: Same as Mon.

A1) Wide Bench 6x3, 2x1
R60s
A2) Good Mornings 6x3, 2x1
R60s
A3) Barbell Row 6x3, 2x1
R60s
B) Standing Cable Crunch 3x5
R60s

FRIDAY (Heavy singles 95-100%)

Warm-up: Same

A1) Incline close-grip bench 6x1
R60s
A2) Front squat 6x1
R60s
A3) Pull-up 6x1
R60s
B) Hang Pike 3x5 (Iso-pause)
R60s

SPEED/STRUCTURAL WEEK

MONDAY (Assistance Tri/Bi)

A1) Ballistic Bench 8x3
R30 25%
A2) Jump Box Squat 8x2
R30 Bodyweight
B) Cleans 8x3 (light)
R30
C1) Elbows out ext. 3x5, 1x ext. set.
R30
C2) Bar Curl 5x7 (Iso-Pause)
R30
D1) Decline Dumbell Ext. 5x8
(tempo contrast)
R30
D2) Zottman Curl 4x8 (temp. contr.)
R30

WEDNSDAY (assist:Lats)

A1) Speed Bench 8x3
R30 55%
A2) Box Squat 8x2
R30 50%
B) Dumbell Press (Reptition method)
1x2-3min 60%
C1) Incline Dumbell Rows 5x7 (Iso-
Pause)
R30
C2) Face Pull 5x8 (tempo contr.)
R30
D) Incline reverse fly 3x8
R60 Temp:331

FRIDAY (assist:Hams)

A1) Explosive push-up 8x3
R30
A2) Speed Dead (Platform) 8x1
R30
B) Cleans 8x3 (light)
R30
C1) Glute-ham (manual) 3x5
R60
D) Pull-through 4x8 (Tempo Contr.)
R30
D2) Leg Curl 4x7 (Iso-pause)
R30

That’s it.

Some of the things I am wondering about are volume and intensity. I know that CT stated in his Different Journeys article that intensities in the 95-100% range should be between 30-45 reps weekly per exercise but I am wondering if you count warm-up reps in to that?

I am also wondering if I am not using too much volume on the ballistic/speed 3 times weekly?

Thanks for all the suggestions, comments. Snippdawg.

2

Why? Why even waste your time devising this? Why periodize? Train all styles each week. You always need to be fast and strong, not on a week in, week out basis.

Why train the whole body in the same fashion each day? Too much speed work in one session, on the flipside you’re getting a whole week before you train speed or max effort again…not good. Speed and ME need to be trained at least twice a week for MAXIMUM benefits.

Why tamper with a good thing? Use the westside template. Train speed twice a week and strength twice,at least IMO.

3

I see your point and in the future I may move to a more conventional WS program but I also think the Pendulum is a valid approach but I’ll just have to try it for myself and find out. Also this way I get 6 ME & DE Upperbody as well as 6 Lower per month as oppossed to 4, but I understand more isn’t always better. Thanks for the input.

4

bump.

5

bump.

6

bump.

7

volume is very much an individual thing and depending on how your trying to fatigue the body for what purpose

You should try autoregulation - that way volume is tempered by you on that day