Strength Routine Help

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

So I am currently doing a 4 day training with days off. During my days off I am doing Limbar 11 mobility and mobility training advertised through DeFranco. Its not bad and I can notice the improvement and flexibility with my training.

However, I am starting to get stuck with my main lifts and may need some advice on some assistance exercises you guys may reccommend for me to try. I am open to try new things but I have dont almost everything.

Lately, my work schedule has messed with my training but what I noticed that I am able to perform better and gives me the confidence to increase my weight with specific lifts. For example, for a week or two straight i was basically doing 1 on, 1 off, 1 on, 1 off training which basically was train one day and rest the next and do it for four workout days. Doing this I noticed that my workouts felt more fluid and didnt require me to grind out reps and made me feel more comfortable and motivated to move up on weight. However, I noticed that doing the 4 days straight I could still do the weight but felt more strenous and harder to peform the lifts. Have you guys experience this before or noticed the same???

Below is what my training looks like and I am open to new ideas on how to increase my numbers on the big lifts.

Sunday:
Legs

  • Front Squat (4 sets of 2 reps)
  • Landmine Romanian Deadlift (3 sets of 6-8 reps)
  • Band Assisted Glute Ham Raise (3 sets of 8-12 reps)
  • Leg Extensions ( 2 sets of 12-15 reps)

Monday:
Back/Triceps

  • Weighed Hammer Grip Pull Ups (4 sets of 2 reps)
  • Incline Chest Support DB Rows (3 sets of 6-8 reps)
  • Landmine T-Bar Rows (3 sets of 8-12 reps)
  • Underhand Cable Bent Over Rows (2 sets of 12-15 reps)

-Weighted Tricep Dips (3 sets of 6-8 reps)

  • Single Arm Cable Extensions (3 sets of 8-12 reps each arm)
  • Single Arm DB Rollover Extensions (2 sets of 12-15 reps each arm)

Tuesday:
Overhead Press/Abs

  • Standing Overhead Press (4 sets of 2 reps) (Need help to increase numbers on this - I am having difficulties keeping the bar close and need help avoiding the excessive arch once the bar above my nose)

  • Standing EZ straight bar behind the neck press (3 sets of 6-8 reps)

  • Standing Snatch Grip High Pull (No Hip Drive - Fixed position only) (3 sets of 8-12 reps)

  • Bent Over Face Pulls with the Rope (2 sets of 12-15 reps)

  • Hanging Leg Lifts with tilt (3 sets of failure)

  • Lunged position palloff press (3 sets of 6-8 reps each side)

  • Lying palloff press (2 sets of 12-15 reps each side)

Wednesday:
Chest/Biceps

  • Moderate to Close Grip Bench (4 sets of 2 reps) (Touch and Go) ( I am having trouble staying tight on the bench and engaging leg drive, however my hamstrings are always sore the following day…am I doing it right then because I still cant get a leg drive in the press)

  • Arnold Styling Dumbell Press (Advertised through Supertraining by Mark Bell) (3 sets of 6-8 reps)

  • Hammer Strength Press (Paused at bottom) (3 sets of 8-12 reps)

  • Standing Cable Press (Rotating press - elbows in while pressing elbows out during press movement) (2 sets of 12 - 15 reps)

  • Biceps ( I wont list the bicep exercises because I dont think it really matters - I am more concern with the other lifts)

Let me know what you guys thinkg but please keep in mind that I want to have powerlilfting/bodybiulding style workout thats why I kept specific exercises and with different rep ranges)

2

I just don’t see a lot of substance to your program, not enough volume on the big three. A lot of fancy movements I think you could replace with a more practical approach.

3

[quote]cparker wrote:
I just don’t see a lot of substance to your program, not enough volume on the big three. A lot of fancy movements I think you could replace with a more practical approach.[/quote]

This. There’s so much fluff there I’m not surprised you’re stalling.

If you like the mobility stuff, why not try De Franco’s Westside For Skinny Bastards?

Seriously, the amount of junk exercises you’re using is high. You’re doing something like eight reps of a main movement and then a gazillion reps of assistance.

You’d probably do better with high volume on the main movements to get good at them and a little assistance work to round things off.

4

[quote]shiz wrote:
Let me know what you guys thinkg but please keep in mind that I want to have powerlilfting/bodybiulding style workout thats why I kept specific exercises and with different rep ranges)[/quote]

If you want a powerlifting style workout - how can you write something up with none of the competition lifts? I appreciate the conjugate method but it would be a stretch to call your program that.

If you feel better on 3 days, I don’t know why you don’t train 3 days per week.

Here: Official Website | Jim Wendler - Elite Powerlifter & Strength Coach

5

Be aware that the two are different things. Powerlifting is about being strong, bodybuilding about being big, balanced, conditioned, etc.

You can work on both but you’ll need something like this to do it.

Even doing that, you won’t get as strong as you could powerlifting or as big as you could bodybuilding - but if you don’t mind, that’s fine.

6

Thanks for the info Markko. What would you suggest then? Such as volume for the big lifts and specific assistance exercises?

7

I wasnt trying to say 3 a day but still 4 training days except for every training day follows an off day and continue repeating.

8

[quote]cparker wrote:
I just don’t see a lot of substance to your program, not enough volume on the big three. A lot of fancy movements I think you could replace with a more practical approach.[/quote]

Can you give me an example routine?

9

[quote]shiz wrote:
Thanks for the info Markko. What would you suggest then? Such as volume for the big lifts and specific assistance exercises?[/quote]

Well, at first focus on getting good at the big three, or whatever version of them you want to do.

Just for example, training three days a week you would go:

Day 1
Front squat 3x3 @ 85%, 1x10 @ 50%
Bench press 3x5 @ 70%
Deadlift 3x5 @ 70%
Back extensions 3xAMRAP
Pull ups 3xAMRAP

Day 2
Deadlift 5x2 @ 85%
Press 3x5 @ 70%
Front squat 3x5 @ 70%
Dumbbell rows 3xAMRAP
Pull aparts 3xAMRAP

Day 3
Bench press 3x3 @ 85, 1x10 @ 50%
Front squat 3x5 @ 70%
Deadlift 3x5 @ 70%
Press 3x10-12 @ 60%
Pull ups 3xAMRAP

Then if you really want you can add a day four where you’d do your direct arm work and fiddly exercises, but only if you feel recovered enough.

Add 5 kg to the lower body every couple of weeks and 2.5 kg to the upper body every couple of weeks. For each set of the main exercises try to leave at least two reps in the tank, especially the 70% sets. Those are for practicing the exercise and getting technically better.

You could easily swap them for plan old squat, bench and deadlift but since you’re front squatting and pressing I picked those.

To calculate your loads use about 90% of your maximum single lift for each. After twelve weeks, test.

10

[quote]shiz wrote:

[quote]cparker wrote:
I just don’t see a lot of substance to your program, not enough volume on the big three. A lot of fancy movements I think you could replace with a more practical approach.[/quote]

Can you give me an example routine?[/quote]
I won’t write a template since there are so many free ones available here and good articles on how to approach creating one. The example Mark gave looks good for someone wishing to train 3x a week. I would scrap what you are currently doing to be honest

11

To keep it simple, when you aren’t planning for a contest, it’s a good idea to keep the reps up to build muscle. When you set up a plan to peak for a contest, start increasing bar weight and decreasing reps.

When you aren’t on a peaking cycle, go ahead and do your bodybuilding stuff but you MUST incorporate the three main lifts.

A good approach would be similar to Westside’s format from the perspective of order of exercises and not necessarily methods. For instance, when you bench press; do the competition bench set up to start and get in a good workout w/ that. Make the next exercise a variation of that: maybe close grip, wide grip or incline for reps. Then work some exercises to enhance your weaknesses. Maybe your triceps need some extra work or your pecs, delts, upper back, biceps, forearms.

The key is: you MUST put in the majority of the work on the main lift. Don’t kill yourself doing the bodybuilding work. It’s only there to assist, not dominate.

You could work this range back and forth on the main lifts:

Week 1 Bench sets of 10 reps / Squat and DL sets of 8 reps
Week 2 Bench sets of 8 reps / Squat and DL sets of 6 reps
Week 3 Bench sets of 6 reps / Squat and DL sets of 5 reps

This would be if you aren’t planning a contest.

If you plan for a contest, a simple peaking cycle might look like this:

Week 1 50% for 1-2 sets of 10
Week 2 55% for 1 set of 10
Week 3 60% for 1-2 sets of 8
Week 4 65% for 1 set of 8
Week 5 70% for 1 set of 5
Week 6 75% for 1 set of 5
Week 7 80% for 1 set of 3
Week 8 85% for 1 set of 2
Week 9 90% for 1 set of 1
Week 10 50% for 3x5 or take the week off before the contest.

The percentages can be based on your last contest or current max.

These are all just examples and not carved in stone. It’s a simple approach that has worked in the past and should help you hone out your own routine over time on what works and what doesn’t.

12

[quote]tsantos wrote:

[quote]shiz wrote:
Let me know what you guys thinkg but please keep in mind that I want to have powerlilfting/bodybiulding style workout thats why I kept specific exercises and with different rep ranges)[/quote]

If you want a powerlifting style workout - how can you write something up with none of the competition lifts? I appreciate the conjugate method but it would be a stretch to call your program that.

If you feel better on 3 days, I don’t know why you don’t train 3 days per week.

Here: http://www.jimwendler.com/2015/06/building-the-monolith-531-for-size/[/quote]

Fantastic template, def worth a try