Thanks for all your recommendations and for this awesome program.
I was scheduled to start week 10 today. I warmed up my squats all the way to working weight (did a single rep just to make sure everything felt comfortable), but before I could start the first set of three I got called in to work. Is there any harm in going back and doing the workout tonight, or would you recommend that I wait until tomorrow instead? I was wondering if the warmup from this morning would get my nervous system activated?
I am planning to adopt the Power Look in on/on/off/on/off/on/off pattern. I am a sailor and I aim to be more explosive in pulling (upward, downward and horizontal) and hip hinging. In my previous training, I focused in deadlift and overhead patterns. I squatted too in order to stimulate testosterone production. I put little emphasis on chest and it certainly lags behind.
In your article āTurn Rest Days into Growth Daysā, you recommended this:
Day 1: Moderate loading and volume
Day 2: Highest training volume
Day 3: Growth day 1
Day 4: Heavy training
Day 5: Growth day 2
Day 6: Heavy training
Day 7: Growth day 3
And train the lagging muscle group with higher volume on Day 2
To put the Power Look into it, it will become
Day 1: Front squat (Moderate loading)
Day 2: Beach press (High volume)
Day 4: Deadlift (Heavy)
Day 6: Push press (Heavy)
Should I follow the periodisation scheme in the Power Look? Or should I modify them according to the growth day article? If so, how should I modify the scheme?
Could I ramp to the prescribed rep for the main lift? e.g. ramp to 3rm in week 1 and then ramp to 4rm in week 2
Could I add in snatch high pull and power clean to improve my explosiveness? I think I can replace deadlift with snatch high pull and use snatch grip variants for the assistance lifts. But I am not sure what I should do with the deficient sumo deadlift Any recommendation for assistance lift to improve upper traps?
Where should I put the power clean? Replacing one of the main lift? or should it be used as an assistance lift?
If I want to add some cable crunches, should I superset them with loaded carries at the end of workout days? Or should I do them with the neural charge training, mobility work and walking in growth days?
That is honestly a myth. While some training methods or exercises might lead to a transient elevation in testosterone it likely has zero bearing on gains or health. I would honeslty never plan a workout solely to get a rise in testosterone.
No, it completely defeats the prupose of the progression model and you will likely bonk after 5 weeks due to neural fatigue from going to your limit on every workout
Do NOT add neural charge workouts days on this program. You will need your rest days.
If you decide to add loaded carries they need to replace one of the two assistance lifts in a workout, the cumulative stress would be too high if you just add them.
You can simply add some abs work at the end of your sessions
Thank you Coach! Thank you for stopping me from doing too much and pushing myself in the workout. What I planned was really defeating the purpose of growth day.
I still have a few question.
I guess the reason that you order the main lift in bench/squat/push press/deadlift is to make sure my lower body can rest 3 days before deadlift (instead of 2 days in my plan). Am I correct?
For snatch high pull, could I do it as main lift for day 6 (instead of deadlift)? Or this lift is better used as assistance lift?
For power clean, as itās a whole body lift, I guess using it as assistance lift for front squat is fine? Or should I use it as assistance lift for deadlift? I feel like it fits the hip hinge pattern more.
Yes, the hardest day is placed Saturday, so more rest and normally not a work day. In reality you could put your most demanding workout there or the lift you want to focus on the most,
Both work actually. If you had the back squat instead of the front squat I would have said to put it on deadlift day. And it is still the best option, but it would also work on front squat day.
I never recommend anything over anything. Iām not here to make choices for you, All the programs I have publishes throughout the years are programs that Iāve used either with me or my clients and know they work.
Just because I change some of my views or design different programs doesnāt make the former programs obsolete. HOWEVER the most current info is what is more in line with what Iām currently doing.
Well in that case the deadlift (clean deadlift) would be one of the assistance list. Power clean from hang, power clean from blocks. Clean pull from hang, clean pull from blocks, paused cleanā¦
For example:
Phase 1: Power clean paused just above knees (3 reps) / Romanian deadlift (5 reps)
Phase 2: Power clean hang (3) / Clean pull blocks (5 reps)
Phase 3: Clean deadlift (3 reps) / Clean pull hang (3 reps)
Also, how do you recommend progressing? Iāve read other statements made by you that didnāt recommend going past sets of 3 on cleans due to the technique and fatigue.