I know a lot of T-Nation memebers design their own programs based on the authors’ principles. If this is the case, please post your program(s) here. I’m curious about what these programs are, and I’m sure many others are as well.
Most experienced guys don’t follow a program. If I go in to train legs, what if my quads are sore. Do I still do front squats because some program says so? Once you know how your body responds to training, you won’t need one. That said… Here’s a rough outline of what I do.
I lift twice a week. On Sunday I work up to a one-rep max on deadlifts. I also do chin-ups (low reps), dips (low reps), GHRs (high reps), and reverse hypers (high reps). I’ll then do lunges (high reps), step-ups (high reps), or some other unilateral exercise. (I define high reps as anything over 10.)
During my second workout, I’ll do front squats, chins, biceps, triceps, rehab work/joint traction with band, reach through with bands, other band shit, and lower-back and ab stuff.
It’s all flexible and based on how my body feels and what my goals are. My current emphasis is on posterior chain and back, thus why I do deads and pull ups and chins every workout.
In a couple of weeks, I’ll work on shoulder girdle and traps, and thus my “program” will entirely change.
My advice to you is to not do what I do. Follow a program since you are still in high school. Since you wrestle, the only program you should follow is Joe DeFranco’s modified Westside template. You can use it year round.
I’m pretty pedantic, unlike CaliforniaLaw. I train for powerlifting, and do best w/ a combination of frequent exposure to the core lifts, and basic assistance work. My template looks like this:
SQ or Box SQ done according to cycle
GM 3-4 sets of 3-8 reps
GHR 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Core work
BP work up to a single above 90%, done according to a pre-planned cycle
Top-End Work 3-4 sets of 3-6 reps
Lats 3-4x6-12
Shoulder Prehab
DL done according to cycle
Rack Pulls 3-4x3-8
Pull-Throughs 3-4x8-15
Core Work
BP rep work done according to cycle
Bottom-End Work 3-4x6-12
Lats 3-4x6-12
Shoulder Prehab
If I feel like it, I’ll come in and do bodybuilding-type work for my upper body once a week. 3-4 sets x 8-12 reps for stuff like different shoulder raises, bicep work, more back work…
That’s what a training week looks like for me. The main lifts are done according to a cycle that’s planned weeks in advance. I spent a lot of time winging it w/ ME work, doing DE work and just doing whatever I felt like that day for assistance work. This works better for me. Maybe when I’m a lot stronger something else will work better.
I change it up completely every four to six weeks. Sometimes from week to week. There really is no answer in what my “program” would be at the moment.
Except I have decided to try the traditional westside template for 3 months to work on my power. I’m liking it.
A1 Deadlift
A2 Close grip incline bench
A3 One Arm row
repeat 3 times, one minute rest in between
B1 Dumbell Front Squat
B2 Glute Ham raise
B3 Hammer Curl
Same as above
Finisher: Farmer Walk and wrist roller
wrist roller:
This is one of my two weekly weight training workouts I am still designing the other, but I will have a very limited equipment. This is what I am planning on doing now but it is likely to change:
Bulgarian Split Squat
Bench Press
Alternated sets of:
Weighted Pullups
Clean and Jerk or push press
Weighted dips
Small arm superset and jump rope for 5 minutes
The rest of the week I train in bowing, MMA, judo and BJJ.
I very rarely try someone else’s program, but every once in a while I will give it a try if it intrigues me. If I have success with the program, I will steal parts of it and file it away for later.
I tried CT’s HSS-100 and got some good results with it. I switched around the days, but kept the basic parameters. However, by the end I was getting some shoulder pain because I was pressing more often than I was pulling.
I like to train 5 days/week and take two off, as I respond better to frequent training. My current program (my own) was designed to bring up my leg strength and work on my back (which I felt were my weaknesses).
Day 1: Quad dominant legs & vertical pulling
Day 2: Hip dominant legs & horizontal pulling
Day 3: Horizontal & vertical pushing
Day 4: Quad dominant legs & vertical pulling
Day 5: Hip dominant legs & horizontal pulling
Day 1 & 4 are the same muscle groups but different lifts (i.e. Back Squat vs Front Squat and Pullups vs Chins)
Day 2 & 5 are set up like day 1 & 4 (SLDL’s vs Deadlifts and BOR’s vs Seated Rows)
I do 4 exercises per day with 5 working sets for the first exercise, 3 for the second, 5 for the third and 3 for the fourth.
I will train this way for 12 weeks, increasing the weight and decreasing the reps every 4 weeks, and then reassess my weaknesses.
I do sprint intervals 2 days per week and weighted abdominals 2 days per week.
I try to eat 90% of my meals clean, and get about 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
I don’t use a specific program as much as I do guidelines.
I’m a believer in simplifying your life, not adding complexity to it, so I really don’t do anything fancy.
The goal is just to find a way to improve every workout and that’s about it.
If you were to look at what I do in the gym I suppose you would guess that I like Dan John, Staley and Pavel’s stuff.
Read Charles Staley’s “The A-B workout” for a quick guide to designing your own program. You can make it an upper-lower, a full body 3x a week and many more, its a very flexable program if you want to start making your own.
Here is the link to my current program, based on Waterbury’s High Frequency protocols.
http://community.staleytraining.com/proteus/programs/show/471
Well before I started my 10 x 10 squats… My work out was like this
Monday Squat with 225 x 10 then 315 2 x 5 and then with 405 and the pins in place I did heavy partials for 10 reps and then back to 315 2 x 5 then 225 for 10
Hammer Iso Latt pull down 8 sets of 3 I just changed it to 6 sets of 6.
Flat bench 225 x 5 245 x 3 255 x 2 245 x 3 225 x 5 then finish with either 185 till fail or 210 till fail. Varied Grip width
Shrugs high reps <50 plus> moderate weight 60 - 85 pound dumbells.
Delt raises with 40s and only 2 sets of 10
Finish with Abs and lower back raises with a 45 pound plate cradled in arms 2 sets of 12
Tues : Behind the neck press with 115 3 sets of 10
Seated Row 180 pounds 5 x 5
Shrug Hammer light weight 2 sets of 25 2 <45s> on each side.
Seated Dumbell over head press with 35 2 sets of 10
Side delt raises with 25 pound dumbells 2 sets of 10
AB machine … entire stack but I can only do 8 reps … I started last month on that and could only muster 2 so I am progressing … I want to use the entire stack for 3 sets of 12 one day … it will happen .
Leg ext 200 pounds 2 x 15
Leg curls 35 pound plate on each side for 2 sets of 10
Wed: Dead Lift 315 5 x 5
Incline bench 185 1 x 10 1 x 8 and last set till fail 8 - 12 … depends on if I have a spotter
Pull ups 2 - 3 sets of 10
Trunk twists entire stack 155 pounds 15 reps each side
Dips body weight 40 reps
Thurs :
225 squat 2 x 10 to warm up
Hammer seated Iso row Fairly heavy with 3 <45s> on each side 3 x 10
Hammer Iso wide chest 3 <45s> on each side 2 sets of 10 not too hard to do .
Then Tricep push downs 110 pounds 5 x 5
hard to do
Cable curls to fore head Entire stack <guessing at 150 pounds> 3 sets of 10 usually fail on 7th reps last set
Drop one plate and then finish
Body weight dips till fail… 40 - 50 reps
… entire body 3 times a week but in a different fashion every day … and hit arms some everyday and hard on last day after that I have 3 days out of the gym … I return on Monday morning .
I am growing … and I do change it up all the time … I plan on taking a week off this monday … only one work out that week because I will be out of town.
Day One: Chest and Biceps
Bench Press: 4 x 10,6,6,6
Incline press: 3 x 10,8,6
Db Bench Press: 3 x 10,8,6
Dumbbell Flyes: 3 x 10,10,6
Incline DB Flyes: 3 x 12,10,10
Preacher Curls: 4 x 10,6,6,6
Standing Barbell Curls: 3 x 10,10,10
Incline DB Curls: 3 x 10,10,10
Incline Hammer curls: 3 x 10,8,6
Day Two: Quads and Calves
Barbell Squats: 4 x 12,6,6,6
Close Stance leg Press: 4 x 8,6,6,6
Wide Stance leg Press: 4 x 8,6,6,6
Barbell lunges: 4 x 6,6,6,6
Leg Extensions: 3 x 6,6,6
Day Three: Shoulders, Triceps and Abs
Barbell Seated Press: 4 x 10,6,6,6
Arnold Press: 3 x 10,8,6
Seated DB Side raises: 3 x 12,10,10
DB Rear Delt raises: 3 x 10,10,10
Tricep Push downs: 3 x 10,10,10
High Pulley Tricep Extensions: 3 x 10,10,10
Rope Push downs: 3 x 12,10,10
Seated DB Upright Extensions: 3 x 6,6,6
Crunches: 4 x 35,40,45,50
Reverse Crunches: 4 x 20,25,30,35
Day Four: Back, Hamstrings and Calves
Wide Grip Pull ups: 4 x 10,10,8,6
Supinated Chin Ups: 3 x 10,10,10
Bent Over rows: 3 x 6,6,6
One Arm DB Rows: 3 x 6,6,6
Seated Cable rows: 3 x 10,8,6
Leg press Calf raises: 4 x 10,6,6,6
One Legged Calve raises: 3 x 6,6,6
Stiff legged Dead lifts: 3 x 10,10,10
Lying Leg Curls: 4 x 10,6,6,6
TBDL: 4-10 X 3-12
HIP BELT SQUAT: 1-3 X 10-30
DUMBBELL BENCH: 3-5 X 5-12
ROW DUMB/BAR: 3-5 X 5-12
OHP DUMB/BAR: 3-5 X 5-12
CURLS: If I feel like it.
2-3 times weakly…I mean weekly.
Each workout I do is different in exercises, but the same set/rep scheme per body part.
Mon:
chest: 3 different exercises, 5-7 reps, 4 sets per exercise
triceps: 3 different exercises, 5-7, 4 sets
abs
Wed:
squats: 5-7, 4 sets
deads: 5-7, 4 sets
calves, about 10 reps, 4 sets
lunges, or leg press, or leg curls, 5-7, 4 sets
biceps: 3 different exercises, 5-7, 4 sets
fri:
back: 3 different exercises, 5-7, 4 sets
shoulders: 3 different exercises, 5-7, 4 sets
traps: 1 random exercise, 5-7, 4 sets
Thats the week. I add giant sets, post fatigue negatives, and sometimes supsets for added intensity.
Tues and Thur I do full body work. I make sure that for each push exercise I do, I do a pull to balance things out. I also make sure that the ratio of push/pull volume is 1:1 - 1:1.5 (a little extra pull never hurt anyone). I try to alternate between DE and RE type workouts, depending on my energy levels.
Sat is ME upper, and I usually work up to 1-3 RM on bench and weighted chins (again, equal volume, more or less). After the ME work, I’ll do some accessory work.
Sun is ME lower, and I alternate weeks between ME deads and ME squats. After ME work, I’ll do more accessory work, and quite a bit of calf work.
Nothing fancy. High intensity, balance between push/pull (both horizontal and vertical), and good times. I love to lift!
What I do myself changes, but one piece of advice I would give if you’re going to do your own programme out is to ‘do it, then stick to it’. Don’t start just randomly adding in more and more exercises to hit something you feel you missed a little, until you end up with 3 hour gym sessions.
Buy Ian Kings “How to write strength training programs” Book.
Wide-Grip Bench Press
10x5
Power Clean
10x5
Push Press
5x5
Snatch
5x5
Squats
2x20
Leg Curls
5x5
Barbell Curls
2xFailure
Skullcrushers
2xFailure
TBT three times a week, probably up the frequency in a couple of weeks to four times.
[quote]That One Guy wrote:
Wide-Grip Bench Press
10x5
Power Clean
10x5
Push Press
5x5
Snatch
5x5
Squats
2x20
Leg Curls
5x5
Barbell Curls
2xFailure
Skullcrushers
2xFailure
TBT three times a week, probably up the frequency in a couple of weeks to four times.[/quote]
Interesting program.
[quote]That One Guy wrote:
Wide-Grip Bench Press
10x5
Power Clean
10x5
Push Press
5x5
Snatch
5x5
Squats
2x20
Leg Curls
5x5
Barbell Curls
2xFailure
Skullcrushers
2xFailure
TBT three times a week, probably up the frequency in a couple of weeks to four times.[/quote]
I’m a bit confused. Over what period of time is all that volume done? All in one day, or over the three-day split?
[quote]KombatAthlete wrote:
That One Guy wrote:
Wide-Grip Bench Press
10x5
Power Clean
10x5
Push Press
5x5
Snatch
5x5
Squats
2x20
Leg Curls
5x5
Barbell Curls
2xFailure
Skullcrushers
2xFailure
TBT three times a week, probably up the frequency in a couple of weeks to four times.
I’m a bit confused. Over what period of time is all that volume done? All in one day, or over the three-day split?
[/quote]
For some reason I only react to higher volume. I am young and eat and sleep well so i can actually afford to do this program.