Workout Critique

Training
1

I wrote a program for myself and my brothers inspired by your stuff. Hope i didnt butcher it too bad. My goal is bigger legs right now.

Push Day

A. Rotator cuff lengthening exercise: One arm external rotation on knee

  • work to a top set of 15

B. Pec Lengthening exercise: 1 ¼ cable coastal pec flies

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)
1 x remove ¼ movement and do AMAP with the last sets weight

C. Pec Shortening Exercise/ Integrated compound pec exercise: 30’ or 45 ’ or 60’ Incline DB Press (arms at a 45 degree angle) or incline barbell press or machine chest press at any angle

  • ramp to a top set of 8

D. Shoulder lengthening exercise: step back cable lateral raise with cable height set to wrist height to fully lengthen medial delt or machine lateral raises

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

E. Shoulder shortening exercise: Incline cable y raise or step back standing cable y raise

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

F. Shoulder integrated compound movement: Military press or behind the neck press or machine overhead press or standing cable overhead press

  • ramp to a top set of 10

G. Triceps shortening exercise Step back standing Cross cable triceps extension (contract shoulder blades together and just move forearms)

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

H. Triceps Lengthening exercise: PJR Pullover, triceps machine, 1 ¼ Triceps Dips or 1 ¼ Cross cable Overhead triceps extension either seated or standing

  • ramp to a top set of 12

Legs 1 Quad focus

A. Quad shortening exercise: 1 1/4 Leg extension

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)
1 x remove ¼ movement and do AMAP with the last sets weight

C. Integrated Quad compound exercise: Front Squat or Back Squat or zercher or Machine Hack Squats (heels elevated if you want and push knees forward and pause to fully lengthen)

  • ramp to a top set of 8

D. Quad Lengthening Exercise: frog stance machine hack squat or sissy machine hack squat

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

E. Calf shortening exercise: seated calf raise With 5 sec pause at bottom and 2 sec squeeze at top.

1 x 20 (easy)
1 x 18 (moderate)
1 x 16 (hard)

F. Barbell or db continuous walking lunges (bodyweight is fine until you can add weight)

3 x 20-25 (straight sets)

Pull Day

A. Hammer Strength Low Row or chest supported machine row

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

C. Supinated or neutral grip hammer strength lat pulldown or standing or seated chest supported pulldowns or 1 arm kneeling cable pulldown

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

C. Barbell row

  • ramp to a top set of 8

D. Stepped back standing Hammer Strength one arm lat row

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

E. Biceps Lengthening: 1 ¼ Low cable face away curls

1x 14 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 12 (hard)
1 x 10 (failure)
1 x remove ¼ movement and do as many as possible

F. Biceps shortening: preacher db spider curls with off set grip with a supination at end of movement or dual rope squat hammer curls with supination facing cable machine

  • ramp to a top set of 12

G. Dual cable shrugs

1 x 20 (easy)
1 x 18 (moderate)
1 x 16 (hard)

Legs 2 Hamstring Focus

A. Hamstring shortening: Lying, Seated or Standing Leg Curls
1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)

B. Glute Lengthening: Sumo Stance Leg Press

1x 14 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure then do rest pause)

C. Glute shortening: Barbell or DB hip thrust (when your knee falls back you’ve gone too far down, squeeze abs and glutes at the same time at the top and keep chin on chest)

  • ramp to a top set of 12

D. Hamstring Lengthening: Romanian Deadlift

  • Ramp to a top set of 8

G. Calf Lengthening: One Leg Calf Raise or standing calf raise or donkey calf raise With 5 sec pause at bottom and 2 sec squeeze at top.

1 x 20 (easy)
1 x 18 (moderate)
1 x 16 (hard)

2

Edited it down to 3 days

Feel free to do cardio or yoga on off days

3 day a week program (on, off, on, off, on, cardio, off)

Push Day

A. Pec Lengthening exercise: 1 ¼ Half foam roller flies or 1 ¼ cable coastal pec flies or 1 ¼ cable sternal pec flies

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)
1 x remove ¼ movement and do AMAP with the last sets weight

B. Pec Shortening Exercise/ Integrated compound pec exercise: 30’ or 45 ’ or 60’ Incline DB Press (arms at a 45 degree angle) or incline barbell press or machine chest press at any angle

  • ramp to a top set of 8

C. Shoulder shortening exercise: Incline cable y raise or step back standing cable y raise

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session) if you are doing standing move forward and do as many as possible

D. Shoulder lengthening exercise: regular or smith machine wide grip behind the neck press seated or standing

  • ramp to a top set of 10

E. Triceps shortening exercise Step back standing Cross cable triceps extension (contract shoulder blades together and just move forearms)

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session) then move forward and do as many as possible

F. Triceps Lengthening exercise: PJR Pullover, triceps machine, 1 ¼ Triceps Dips or 1 ¼ Cross cable Overhead triceps extension either seated or standing

  • ramp to a top set of 12

Legs

A. Hamstring Shortening exercise: Seated leg curls

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)

B. Quad shortening exercise: 1 1/4 Leg extension

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)
1 x remove ¼ movement and do AMAP with the last sets weight

C. Integrated Quad compound exercise: Front Squat or Back Squat or zercher or Machine Hack Squats (heels elevated if you want and push knees forward and pause to fully lengthen)

  • ramp to a top set of 8

D. Hamstring Lengthening Exercise: BB or DB Romanian Deadlift (regular or snatch grip)

  •   ramp to a top set of 8

E. Front and rear foot elevated split squat at same time. Front foot elevate with 5 or 10lb plate. Rear foot elevate with an aerobic step up.

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure)

E. Calf shortening exercise: seated calf raise With 5 sec pause at bottom and 2 sec squeeze at top.

1 x 20 (easy)
1 x 18 (moderate)
1 x 16 (hard)

Pull Day

A. Hammer Strength Low Row or chest supported machine row or cable low row

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

B. Dual rope or regular straight arm pulldown

1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

C. Supinated or neutral grip hammer strength lat pulldown or standing or seated chest supported pulldowns or 1 arm kneeling cable pulldown or Stepped back standing Hammer Strength one arm lat row
1x 12 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)

C. Barbell row

  • ramp to a top set of 8

D. Biceps Lengthening: 1 ¼ Low cable face away curls

1x 14 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 12 (hard)
1 x 10 (failure)
1 x remove ¼ movement and do as many as possible

E. Biceps shortening: preacher db spider curls with off set grip with a supination at end of movement or dual rope squat hammer curls with supination facing cable machine

  • ramp to a top set of 12

F. Dual cable shrugs

1 x 20 (easy)
1 x 18 (moderate)
1 x 16 (hard)

Day 4

A. Glute shortening exercise: single leg hip thrust (go down until knee starts to roll back so about 4 to 5 inches)

  • ramp to a top set of 12

B. Cardio: 20 to 30 mins to stairmaster, air assault bike or erg rower.

C. Any ab work you want

3

You guys need to get off the foam rollers in your shoulder blades for chest work. It’s just creating even more dysfunction in your scapula movement.

1 Like
4

Paul,
At the risk of being called a bitch fruit loop

"A little “hack” here is to use a rolled up towel in the middle of your back to facilitate a deeper setting of retraction.

The towel is a pretty strong reminder to hold it there as well."

Isn’t this what you said yourself?

The article is pretty recent, so assuming you wrote it, what’s with the difference in stance between that and what you say now? Am I misinterpreting what you wrote in the article or did you change your mind on that?

Genuinely interested in the answer so please no insults or stuff.

1 Like
5

Yeah I don’t teach that anymore. Clearly. I’m pretty sure you follow me on IG so I know that you already know I’ve changed my stance on this as I’ve gotten more into the bio mechanics of the scap-humerus.

So not sure what your point is here.

6

Is there any point to using machine flies unless you get your back above or off the pad? Seems for pec development might as well stick to cables.

7

Yes you can still use them, the pecs still get lengthened and shortened. You don’t need an excessive lengthening of the pecs for them to get simulated effectively.