gtbmed

I've seen good gains on this template and don't want to abandon it. That said, I'd like to switch up the lifts a bit because I like deadlifting and would like to improve on it.

Here's the current program:

Mon: Squat; Bench (ramp to 5RM); Row (ramp to 5RM)
Wed: Squat (lower intensity); Deadlift; Incline BP
Fri: Squat (ramp to 5RM); Bench; Row

My idea is simply to switch out the rows with deadlifts, get rid of the deadlifts and replace with cable rows:

Mon: Squat; Bench (ramp to 5RM); Deadlift (ramp to 5RM)
Wed: Squat (lower intensity); Cable row; Incline BP
Fri: Squat (ramp to 5RM); Bench; Deadlift

Now I guess I'll have to change up the accessory work. I'll do some type of high upper back movement on Monday and a lower back/glute movement on Wednesday. Something like face pulls on Mon. and GMs/Glute-ham raises on Wed.

What do you think?

gtbmed's strength journal

Yanick

I'd personally switch the squat strength work with the DL strength work. Do that for a cycle, deload then go back to squatting for strength and DL'ing (or variants) for repetitive effort. DL and squat have way more in common, from a movement POV, than rows and DL. Training the DL and squat for strength within the same week is too much IMO. Focus on one then the other and the lifts will complement each other so to speak (IOW, getting stronger on the squat typically helps people DL more and vice versa...the latter has been anecdotally reported not true but I find that it works for me).

"The greatest obstacle to knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge." -Barry Marshall, Nobel Laureate

gtbmed

Yeah, that's probably a good idea.

I generally do Olympic-style squats that are full range, so they engage the quads a lot. I use a wider stance on Deads because I feel it engages the hams and back more than a traditional stance. So I guess they would be decent conjugates.

Any thoughts on using box squats on Wednesday instead of traditional squats?

gtbmed's strength journal

Yanick

It all really depends on what you are trying to achieve. Box squats are used to train a certain ROM, where the athlete is weak, and the pause allows the stored potential energy in the muscle to dissipate thus training explosiveness out of the hole. That type of movement doesn't really lend itself to low intensity, repetitive effort work although I doubt it could hurt. If looking for a change of pace out of boredom I think a different variant would fit better, maybe something unilateral or a front squat and leave the box squats for the more strength/speed oriented stuff. If you have a specific goal you want to achieve with the repetitive effort box squats then it might be a different story, but I don't see a purpose.

"The greatest obstacle to knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge." -Barry Marshall, Nobel Laureate

gtbmed

I'm not sure why the squats would qualify as RE work. Everything in the template is done with the same rep range (5x5).

My goals right now are just strength based - improving the big 3 lifts mainly. I figured box squats would be a good variant. Like you said, they're often used to develop explosiveness without that stretch recovery.

If I'm only going to be squatting once per week, I figured it might be a good time to try some type of variant.

gtbmed's strength journal

Yanick

Oh okay. I'm not too familiar with the in's and out's of the 5x5 and assumed that lower intensity was with a higher rep range.

There's nothing inherently wrong with it either way really. Give it a shot and see what happens.

"The greatest obstacle to knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge." -Barry Marshall, Nobel Laureate