Superhero Program Right for Me?

Training Beginners
1

Hey guys, i broke my ankle about a week ago and have a cast for anywhere from 6-8 weeks. For the passed few weeks i have been doing a split that consits of Day 1 - Back/abs, Day 2 - Bis/tris, Day 3 - Chest/shoulders, Day 4 - Legs/abs… i didnt base my exercises on a premade program or anything, i jus did whatever i felt worked for me - not the best idea i know. I am 5"11 and 165lbs, bench 3x8 at 150lbs, deadlift 4x6 at 155lbs, and squat 155lbs(squat number is a few weeks old).

Having said this, my goals are to have a nice physique, i dont workout for a sport or anything like that. Basically i just want a “beach-body” - laugh if you must, but atleast give me credit for being honest.

Anyways, with the broken ankle and all i thought it would be a great time to try Thibs Superhero program, but instead of doing the ab work in the Superhero program i wanted to do the one in Superhero, i wanted to do the ab workout for “Ab Training for Athletes and Babehounds, 2K3” by Thibs since i just started it and love the results thus far.

Anyways the first 4 weeks look something like this.
WEEKS 1-4: lateral head of the shoulders and traps

Monday (Shoulders conjugate/Traps heavy)

A. Seated dumbbell press
4 x 6-8 reps

B1. Upright rowing
3 x 10-12 reps
B2. Seated incline lateral raise
3 x 10-12 reps

C. Arnold press
3 x 8-10 reps

D. Lateral raise
1 x 100 reps

E. Barbell power shrugs
5 x 5 reps

Tuesday (Quads/Hams/Biceps/Triceps)

A1. Back squat
1 x 15, 1 x 12, 1 x 8, 1 x 20
A2. Romanian deadlift
1 x 12, 1 x 10, 1 x 8, 1 x 15

B1. Barbell curl
3 x 6-8 reps
B2. Close-grip decline press
3 x 6-8 reps

C1. Preacher curl
3 x 10-12 reps
C2. Decline dumbbell triceps extension
3 x 10-12 reps

D1. Hammer curl
3 x 12-15 reps
D2. Cable triceps extension
3 x 12-15 reps

Thursday (Traps conjugate/Shoulders heavy)

A. Barbell shrugs
4 x 6-8 reps

B1. Haney shrugs (behind the back shrugs in the Smith machine)
3 x 10-12 reps
B2. Upright rowing
3 x 10-12 reps

C. Standing calf machine shrugs
3 x 8-10 reps

D. Rear delt machine
1 x 100 reps

E. Military press
5 x 5

Saturday (Chest/Back)

A1. Incline bench press
3 x 6-8 reps
A2. Bent over barbell rowing
3 x 6-8 reps

B1. Flat dumbbell bench press
3 x 10-12 reps
B2. Lat pulldown
3 x 10-12 reps

C1. Decline bench press
3 x 12-15 reps
C2. Seated rowing
3 x 12-15 reps

The full Super Hero program is here:
http://www.T-Nation.com/portal_includes/articles/2006/06-021B-training.html

And the ab program that i want to use is here:
http://www.T-Nation.com/portal_includes/articles/2006/06-021B-training.html

Okay, so i was just wondering if this program would work for me even though i am still a beginner. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. I feel this would be okay since leg work isnt an emphasis too much, and it does meet my goals. However, me being a beginner might be a concern but then again Thibs said he designed it for a beginner? Thanks in advance.

2

Nothing wrong with trying this while your on the injured list, but as soon as you’re healed, get back to the heavy shit. No offense, but your strength and mass base needs to be addressed first and foremost.

3

Thanks for the reply, so what ur saying is this wont help me in terms of strength and gaining mass? or it wont be as beneficial as another program?

4

I gained a lot of mass when I did this entire program. Best gains I ever made. By the end of stage 1 people were commenting on the changes of my shoulders.

One thing I would do now though if I was to do it again; I’d change up upright rows with armpit rows.

Also - The program that is right for you is the one that you will stick with consistantly.

5

thanks goodfellow. Anybody else have any suggestions?

6

Tomorrow is my last day for the program and I am very pleased with the results. I am just wondering what to do next.

7

If you’re thinking of wearing shorts, you might want to do more low-rep, heavy lower body movements than just back-squats and RDL’s. The rest of the program looks great, though.

I actually just started a similar program, but with a dedicated leg day, and deadlifts done on back day.

8

I guess maybe I should have read the rest of the program. Weeks 9-12 look a lot like what I’m doing now. Except I’m pairing small groups with large groups:

Legs/forearms
Chest/biceps
Back/triceps
Shoulders/calves

I’m doing these workouts in the afternoon, with slightly shorter, higher rep ‘feeder’ workouts the next morning.

9

i just had a look at the program, sorry for the hijack dom, and im a little unsure about the instances where you have varying rep ranges per set ie 1x15 1x12 1x8 1x20.

is this 4 sets of varying reps at the same weight or 4 sets at varying reps at the same weight?

yes im ignorant but id rather expose myself to gain further knowledge than to stay silent and never understand.

Thanks in advance
Tubby

10

Which one are you?

Batman?

11

[quote]tubbynewb wrote:
i just had a look at the program, sorry for the hijack dom, and im a little unsure about the instances where you have varying rep ranges per set ie 1x15 1x12 1x8 1x20.

is this 4 sets of varying reps at the same weight or 4 sets at varying reps at the same weight?

yes im ignorant but id rather expose myself to gain further knowledge than to stay silent and never understand.

Thanks in advance
Tubby[/quote]

im not too sure, i was just about to ask that question myself. Thibs doesnt say. My guess would be that id be keeping the same weight. Does anybody know for sure?

12

[quote]dom91 wrote:
tubbynewb wrote:
i just had a look at the program, sorry for the hijack dom, and im a little unsure about the instances where you have varying rep ranges per set ie 1x15 1x12 1x8 1x20.

is this 4 sets of varying reps at the same weight or 4 sets at varying reps at the same weight?

yes im ignorant but id rather expose myself to gain further knowledge than to stay silent and never understand.

Thanks in advance
Tubby

im not too sure, i was just about to ask that question myself. Thibs doesnt say. My guess would be that id be keeping the same weight. Does anybody know for sure? [/quote]

my problem with keeping the same weight is that to finish of with a good quality set maintaining good form of 20 you are going to have to go fairly light. so you are really only working hard for one set. I dont see how this would work.

13

[quote]dom91 wrote:
tubbynewb wrote:
i just had a look at the program, sorry for the hijack dom, and im a little unsure about the instances where you have varying rep ranges per set ie 1x15 1x12 1x8 1x20.

is this 4 sets of varying reps at the same weight or 4 sets at varying reps at the same weight?

yes im ignorant but id rather expose myself to gain further knowledge than to stay silent and never understand.

Thanks in advance
Tubby

im not too sure, i was just about to ask that question myself. Thibs doesnt say. My guess would be that id be keeping the same weight. Does anybody know for sure? [/quote]

1x15, 1x12, 1x8, 1x20 = varying weight.

14

Same weight for 1x15, 1x12, 1x8. Work hard but not to failure.

Then drop weight by 20% or so and bang out the 1x20 - go all out on this one.

15

[quote]justrob wrote:
Same weight for 1x15, 1x12, 1x8. Work hard but not to failure.

Then drop weight by 20% or so and bang out the 1x20 - go all out on this one.

[/quote]

I am pretty sure that CT has said before (in relation to that question) to increase/decrease weights for those wave loading sets.

16

[quote]Goodfellow wrote:
I am pretty sure that CT has said before (in relation to that question) to increase/decrease weights for those wave loading sets.[/quote]

If he has, that’s fine, do that. Increase weights each set for 1x15, 1x12 and 1x8. But using the same weight for all 3 sets works well.

And you’re still going to have to drop weight significantly for the last set of 20.

The old timers had the concept of a back-off set (1 set of 8-20 reps) to stimulate hypertrophy after heavy lifting, and that is exactly what they’d do.

17

[quote]justrob wrote:
If he has, that’s fine, do that. Increase weights each set for 1x15, 1x12 and 1x8. But using the same weight for all 3 sets works well.

And you’re still going to have to drop weight significantly for the last set of 20.

The old timers had the concept of a back-off set (1 set of 8-20 reps) to stimulate hypertrophy after heavy lifting, and that is exactly what they’d do.
[/quote]

That’s what ill be doing. Today is going to be my first day since im going away this weekend. Ill let you guys know how things go. Thanks for the help!

wow, i just realized i didnt post my ab program, instead i posted the Superhero program twice. Anyways heres the ab program:

18

makes sense now, thanks for straightening me out.

19

Hey guys, ive done the ab program i chose a couple times now and it leaves my abs dead, and im seeing great results very early. I just re-read the article and it doesnt say how many times i should do each superset.

I originally thought that they are to be done 3 sets each, 3 times for the 1st week. So the routine will look like this:

A1 - Ab Wheel Roll (5-15) [3]sets
A2 �?? Plank (30-60)

B1 �?? Cable Crunches (6-8) [3]sets
B2 �?? twisted cable crunches (6-8)

C1 �?? Negative Swiss Ball (max) [3 sets]
C2 �?? Negative Leg raises (max)

Ive been doing this, but i realized that it doesnt say to do 3 sets each on the article, maybe i just missed it. Anybody know if im doing it right??

20

[quote]dom91 wrote:
Hey guys, ive done the ab program i chose a couple times now and it leaves my abs dead, and im seeing great results very early. I just re-read the article and it doesnt say how many times i should do each superset.

I originally thought that they are to be done 3 sets each, 3 times for the 1st week. So the routine will look like this:

A1 - Ab Wheel Roll (5-15) [3]sets
A2 �?? Plank (30-60)

B1 �?? Cable Crunches (6-8) [3]sets
B2 �?? twisted cable crunches (6-8)

C1 �?? Negative Swiss Ball (max) [3 sets]
C2 �?? Negative Leg raises (max)

Ive been doing this, but i realized that it doesnt say to do 3 sets each on the article, maybe i just missed it. Anybody know if im doing it right??

[/quote]

From the article:

A1 & A2: Trunk Stability.
The weekly periodization is:

Week 1: Repeat superset 3 times

Week 2: Repeat superset 4 times

Week 3: Repeat superset 3 times

Week 4: Repeat superset 6 times

B1 & B2: Trunk strength.
The weekly periodization is the same as for Superset A:

Week 1: Repeat superset 3 times

Week 2: Repeat superset 4 times

Week 3: Repeat superset 3 times

Week 4: Repeat superset 6 times

C1 & C2: Trunk strength-endurance
The weekly periodization is the same as for Supersets A and B:

Week 1: Repeat superset 3 times

Week 2: Repeat superset 4 times

Week 3: Repeat superset 3 times

Week 4: Repeat superset 6 times