Possible new program, critiques and opinions?

[Phedder]

So lectures are finishing up for exams soon, and there's no chance I'm studying that whole time so wanting to lift 4 days a week, focusing on improving my lifts over the next 5 weeks. After that I'll be heading home and not sure what the gym situation will be yet, so currently this is a 5 week program. Will be running a linear weight increase on the big 3 lifts each week, to start with singles will be ~10% less than my current max. Will throw in calves/abs/ few isolations at the end of sessions when I feel like it or time allows.

Anyway I'm basically after opinions and critiques on the program, exercises you'd change and why, sets/reps, anything really. If you want to say that it's completely shit that's fair enough, just back comments up with some reasoning please. Looking for constructive criticism here :nod:

Monday – Heavy deadlifts/OH press

Deadlifts

3x5, 1x3, 3x1 few back off sets

Standing OH press with BB

4x5 ramping weights then 1 set max reps/ if a rack is free will jump in a try 50+kgs. Barbells I've been using only go up to 45kg.

Back Hyper-extensions

3x10 +20kg

Chin ups

3x max reps

Tuesday – Medium Squats/bench

Squats

5x5 up to 80% 5RM – first 2-3 sets paused on each rep.

Bench – close grip

5x5 up to 80% 5RM

Single leg split squats with DBs

3x10 each leg

Incline DB press

5x5 ramping to limit

Skull crushers – optional

3x10

Thursday – medium deadlifts/OH press

Romanian deadlifts

3x10

Good Mornings

3x10

Standing OH DB press

3x8, 2x5

DB bench rows/kroc rows

5x5 ramping to limit

Vertical rows

3x10

Friday – Heavy squats/bench

Squats

3x5, 1x3, 3x1

Bench

3x5, 1x3, 3x1

Pin lockouts - Not sure what sets/reps are best here? Lockout is my weak point on bench.

3x3

Leg press

3x15

Dips

3 x max reps

[ambi3nce]

I like your idea, But there is far to much accessory shit in there for my liking, I also like you lower rep focus on the big compounds,

IMO do more sets of tripples 8-10x3 etc on the main lift then choose two other accessory lifts, EG spend the first 30mins of your session dominating the crap out of the compound you are working on, then use whatever gas left on the stuff that doesn't matter as much,

Just something to think about

[tinytraps]

Yea awesome post ambi3nce!!! I would say for lockout pic a pin just below your sticking point then just do lots of heavy 5s-1s auto regulation will be if you feel good push it furthe if not tone it down a bit hit the basics hard then f*ck around with the rest

[Phedder]

So you're saying on the heavy days for the main lifts something more like 3 sets of 5 reps, 5?sets of 3 reps, and 3 sets of singles would be better? Or scrap the singles and do more sets of triples?

The accessory movements almost all serve to help improve the main lifts and work on my weak points. I've always responded well to moderate/high volume (depending on your perspective :pfft: ) So they're there to satisfy that also. Any in particular that you'd remove/swap/decrease sets or reps etc?

Thanks for the thoughts, keep 'em coming :grin:

TT I assume the lockouts should be done quite heavy? ie no lower than 85% of my max?

[tinytraps]

So you're saying on the heavy days for the main lifts something more like 3 sets of 5 reps, 5?sets of 3 reps, and 3 sets of singles would be better? Or scrap the singles and do more sets of triples?

The accessory movements almost all serve to help improve the main lifts and work on my weak points. I've always responded well to moderate/high volume (depending on your perspective :pfft: ) So they're there to satisfy that also. Any in particular that you'd remove/swap/decrease sets or reps etc?

Thanks for the thoughts, keep 'em coming :grin:

TT I assume the lockouts should be done quite heavy? ie no lower than 85% of my max?

I wouldnt stick to a set number of sets probablly shoot for a min of 5 for 5s, 8 for 3s, 10 for 2s or 15 for 1s. Im the same and respond well to high volume rather than intensity, for lockouts just go as heavy as you can. in lockouts are a concentric only exercise so you may/may not be able to use a set% of your max on them. I personally think their awesome for lockout power, one of the reasons I think my shirted bench was quite good compared to raw.

[Phedder]

I wouldnt stick to a set number of sets probablly shoot for a min of 5 for 5s, 8 for 3s, 10 for 2s or 15 for 1s.

Again just to be sure, that's not meant to be one session right :shock: I'm interpreting it as for one compound session I could do 5x5, or 8x3, or 10x2 etc. I'd like to incorporate a bit of all rep ranges to be honest, working up to a few heavy singles each heavy session.

[tinytraps]

I wouldnt stick to a set number of sets probablly shoot for a min of 5 for 5s, 8 for 3s, 10 for 2s or 15 for 1s.

Again just to be sure, that's not meant to be one session right :shock: I'm interpreting it as for one compound session I could do 5x5, or 8x3, or 10x2 etc. I'd like to incorporate a bit of all rep ranges to be honest, working up to a few heavy singles each heavy session.

you could try but i wouldnt recommend it :grin: If you want to do a bit of every rep range then go for it! If you feel strong push the singles if not drop it back and hit some volume. A measure of progress instead of constantly lifting heavier each week is to lift greater total tonnage each session

eg session one you do 80x5x3 90x3x2 100x1x5 total weight lifted=2240kg

session 2 your goal is to beat that number so you do 95x2x12 total weight lifted= 2280kg.

thats not an exact thing to do but you see the idea with the progression. Stick to 85%plus of your 1rm and then just go at it.

Alternatively you could use prilepins chart and do the ideal number of lifts at a set % your options are endless!

[Phedder]

That's a good way to look at it, cheers Really looking forward to applying that to squats, only ever gone as low as 5 reps, pretty sure my form's gonna give out before my strength does, but it'll be nice to find where that point is now.

[PeterDolan]

pretty sure my form's gonna give out before my strength does

On this note - I was talking to a couple of old school PLers at my gym a while ago and they used to load the f*ck out of a bar and just unrack it, walk it back, hold it for a bit and then walk it back and rerack it. Not saying this is what you need to, point is you've gotta get used to heavy weight to lift heavy weight.

Reading this, my post seems inda pointless but still posting it haha

[teamfatboy]

Nothing pointless about that, PD.... my current training partner's had me doing the same sorta thing, including hanging onto a 220kg bar for deads (pick it off the squat rack and hold on, or loading the bar up for squats and just walking it out and unlocking the knees. Good to know what it feels like.