Linear progressive template

[Leeroid]

Recently I was asked to create a strength program for a friend. He has been going to the gym for a few months now using a bodybuilding style program that I made for him and has made solid gains. He has committed to running a half marathon in June so he wanted me to make him a new program that would allow him to recover adquately to allow his running training in conjunction. I made him this program which ended up being a lot more complicated than I initially intended it to be. Here is the program that I made:

 

"Here's what I would suggest. In your situation, your recuperative abilities are going to be hindered by excessive cardiovascular exercise. So it makes sense to reduce the volume and intensity of the weight training component of your training regime to the extent that it doesn't cause the balance of stimulation/recovery to tip towards overtraining. Therefore, you want to strip the weight training program down to the most efficient and effective movements. These would be big compound movements like the squat, bench press and the deadlift, which not only recruits muscle fibres in a majority of the major muscle groups but, as a result of being demanding of the Central Nervous System, stimulates an increased natural endogenous response of growth hormone and testosterone.

 

With that in mind, here's a sample program that I think would provide the most bang for your buck This is a 3 day per week program. I would describe it as an 8 weekly cyclical linear progressive template with a focus on strength, hypertrophy being a secondary objective. I borrowed certain elements from the 5x5 template and Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 template, both of which are great strength programs in their own way. The percentages that I include in the program are a percentage of your 1RM at the time of commencing the program. You will need an idea of your 1RMs which you can estimate using this website here: http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html

For example: if your 1 rep max is 100kgs, then 70% x5 is asking you to perform 5 reps of 70kgs.

 

Monday - Lower body day

Squat 
20% x12
40% x10
60% x8
Working sets
70% x5, 5 sets

Stiff legged deadlifts (percentages based on squat 1RM)
40% x8, 4 sets 

DB lunges
24 paces, 3 sets

Lying leg curls
x12, 3 sets

 

Wednesday - Push day

Bench press
20% x12
40% x10
60% x8
Working sets
70% x5, 5 sets

Overhead Dumbbell press
x8, 4 sets

Cable flyes superset with Tricep pushdowns
x15, 3 sets

Dumbbell lateral raises
x12, 3 sets

 

Friday - Pull day

Deadlift
20% x12
40% x10
60% x8 
Working sets
70% x5, 5 sets

Pullups
1 set of max reps

Dumbbell rows (or any sort of horizontal rowing movement)
x12, 3 sets

Face pulls
x15, 3 sets

DB or barbell bicep curls
x12, 3 sets

 

For the exercises that I have provided percentages for, increase the weight of the working sets every week in 5kg increments for the squat and the deadlift, and 2.5kgs for the bench press. Stalling is defined as two consecutive weeks in which you fail to complete the 5x5 at that weight for that particular exercise. In the event of stalling, perform a deload protocol and then an evaluation protocol which I will detail in the next paragraph. You should evaluate your 1RM or even your 3RM, if you are uncomfortable about going to maximal weight, every 6 weeks to recalibrate even if you don't stall.

 

Week 1-6

Linear progression template

 

Week 7

Deload protocol: Working sets are reduced to 50% x3, 5 sets

 

Week 8

1RM evaluation protocol: 
20% x5
40% x5
60% x3
80% x3
90% x2
95% x1
100% x1
105% x1
110% x1
And so on until you reach a max

 

Week 9 -

Start again from week 1 Linear progression template, starting at 70% of your new 1RM "

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

seems fairly good there. if your friend doesn't mind sharing, i'd be interested in seeing how exactly he integrates his running program around this

[jimmybro1]

How will recovery be will muscle groups like legs especially when running long distances continuosly? 

I remember when I ran in the 400m and the 800m I was training 4 times a week for running only and couldn't manage to fit much weights into my routine without hindering recovery for my running. Especially with compounds like squats and deadlifts. I did do reasonably high volume though (8-12 range). 

I guess I might not have been eating as much food as I could have though. 

[Leeroid]

Yeah it would be hard to do both but his main focus is on the gym. I think his mates wanted him to join them in doing the half marathon so he is going to be training for that simultaneously. He's not a competitive runner or anything.

 

And this program would be suited for someone that is still relatively inexperienced and new to resistance training. A newbie can make significant gains initially which is why they are increasing their working sets by 5kgs a week, in addition to re-evaluating their 1RMs every 8 weeks. Once someone has been training for a while and has gained all the muscle and strength that is easily gained, they would be foolish to expect to make gains at such a rapid pace.

[fitdoc]

Hey mate, any follow up here on how this went with the running?

I am doing Akl marathon later this year and don't want to lose ALL of my (admittedly modest) gains, so trying to currently figure out what the best options for me are training wise. 

Cheers