Thread: current routine

When you start lifting heavier you might have to swap the rack pulls for a hamstring curl, because deadlifting and rack pulls on the same day i would find really hard on my grip and forearms.

Originally Posted by lincoln

OK -- reporting back in. I bought a bench and a barbell with weights so I'm geared up.

Below is the routine I have developed. For the first few weeks I'm going to work with light weights and focus on form, maybe do 3 sets at reps of 7, 10, 7. Just hoping to gain confidence in my form and avoid injury.

Upper Push

Hang Clean + Press
Bench press
Military Press


Upper Pull

Bent-over BB rows
One-armed DB rows
Underhand supine rows

Lower Pull

Deadlifts
Rack pulls
Unilateral Romanian Deads

*calf work

Lower Push

Squats
Back squats
DB Bulgarian Split Squats

*calf work

My interpretation of periodization: Once I feel like I have the form down, I need to get a understanding of how much weight to lift for each exercise. I'll go through each exercise and test it out, stopping when I find the weight that I can successfully lift 1 time before failure. Once I know this amount, I'll multiply that amount by about 60% to get the weights that I'll need to lift during the first (hypertrophy) phase. Does that sound right?


I've also been tracking my diet, using fitday for the past few days. I have a lot to learn but its a start...

Here are my tweaks to your program. There was too much pushing versus pulling. You have no vertical pulling, but that's been covered. Also threw in a unilateral lift for each leg plane.

I wouldn't bother attempting a 1 RM to determine what weights to use. It takes a fair bit of lifting experience, especially maximal lifting, before you learn how to do a proper 1 RM. I would ditch the complicated percentage-based lifting and go for the much simpler rep-max form of lifting. For instance, if you were lifting at high volume and low-intensity you might perform 3 sets of 12 at your 16 RM. So, theoretically, that weight would have you reach concentric failure at rep 16. You might not always be 100% on the weight, but as long as it's close you stay within the range of intensity you're looking for. 3 sets of 12 at a 12-13 RM would be very intense, despite the fact that it wouldn't be maximal lifting. 3 sets of 12 at a 22 RM would be very low-intensity lifting. Get what I mean? This is a lot simpler than the percentage concept. I ditched that a while ago myself.

Re: periodization. Check out Gaz's article on linear periodization on his site: getlifting.info. You'll never read it more clearly than this.

Also, good work! This program looked miles ahead of the original!

Also, I didn't mean do the sessions in that order. Do an upper, then a lower. How you arrange it is up to you. Personally, I wouldn't do upper pull before lower pull in case all that lat work interferes with your deadlifts. Nevetheless, everyone is different!

Originally Posted by Phineas

Upper Push

Hang Clean + Press
Bench press
Military Press


Upper Pull

Bent-over BB rows
One-armed DB rows
Underhand supine rows

Lower Pull

Deadlifts
Rack pulls
Unilateral Romanian Deads

*calf work

Lower Push

Squats
Back squats
DB Bulgarian Split Squats

*calf work

Thanks Phineas.

3-4 exercises per day seems light. I guess I always assumed that I needed to do 6-7 to get a real workout in. You think 3 sets of 8-12 reps is enough? It seems like the work-out would be over in 15-20 minutes.

Originally Posted by Phineas

Also, I didn't mean do the sessions in that order. Do an upper, then a lower. How you arrange it is up to you. Personally, I wouldn't do upper pull before lower pull in case all that lat work interferes with your deadlifts. Nevetheless, everyone is different!

So something like this would work?

Sunday: Upper push
Monday: Lower pull

Wed: Upper pull
Thur: Lower push

Originally Posted by lincoln

Thanks Phineas.

3-4 exercises per day seems light. I guess I always assumed that I needed to do 6-7 to get a real workout in. You think 3 sets of 8-12 reps is enough? It seems like the work-out would be over in 15-20 minutes.



So something like this would work?

Sunday: Upper push
Monday: Lower pull

Wed: Upper pull
Thur: Lower push

It's a common mistake for people to gauge their workouts' intensity on the number of exercises. However, this is only one of many variables that can increase/decrease intensity.

It's all about quality over quantity. Some volume training works, but that's usually based on the numbers of sets/reps and rest intervals versus actual number of lifts.

Experiment with a variety of intensities, lift tempos, rest intervals, possibly advanced techniques (personally not a fan for most of them, but a lot of people swear by them). You can make a 30 minute work feel like hell if you structure it right. Don't just go in and do the same simple lift. Remember, you're not just trying to get the weight up and then back down however many times. You're using your muscles to strategically control objects. Focus is a big part of the getting the most out of your training sessions.

Lift for the moment. Just get lost in what you're doing, and lift with everything in mind. Know exactly what you're doing to your body and visualize the effects. This is how you get a quality session. You have to be devoted to the session, and truly seeking improvement in more than just "I lifted 5 more lbs on my bench." There's so much more to it.

Also, that training schedule looks great. Something interesting to do also is to mix up the upper body planes in terms of horizontal and vertical. So, one session could be upper vertical pull/horizontal push and the other be upper vertical push/horizontal pull. I trained this way for about 4 months and really enjoyed it!

Good progress, my friend. We have converted another one!

Originally Posted by davegmb

When you start lifting heavier you might have to swap the rack pulls for a hamstring curl, because deadlifting and rack pulls on the same day i would find really hard on my grip and forearms.

Eventually you have to get used to doing intense lifts together in one session. For the last few months I had been doing full-body sessions (one compound per plane of motion) with squats and deads in the same session. It's a intensity variable to throw in if you're not used to it.

Thanks man. I'm ready. It all starts tomorrow. I think I found a spot to do pull-ups (support joist under our deck, which should work at least until late fall) so I'm adding that to my upper pull day and adding an upper push to that day as well. Trying to keep it balanced.

I know this is the wrong forum, but now my challenge will be on the diet. I've learned that I need to double my daily protein intake. That is going to take some figuring out.

Originally Posted by lincoln

Thanks man. I'm ready. It all starts tomorrow. I think I found a spot to do pull-ups (support joist under our deck, which should work at least until late fall) so I'm adding that to my upper pull day and adding an upper push to that day as well. Trying to keep it balanced.

I know this is the wrong forum, but now my challenge will be on the diet. I've learned that I need to double my daily protein intake. That is going to take some figuring out.

Glad to hear about the pullups! Keep us posted on the program.

Re: diet, how do you figure you need to double your protein? That's quite the increase. Protein is crucial, but a lot of newer lifters oversimplify its purpose and take too much. Start a thread for yourself in the diet section and post a typical day of eating. And, give detail. Don't say "a chicken sandwich". Give us portions and include everything. It would help if you enter all the info into fitday so you can calculate your daily calories and macros, which will help us address your diet better.

Good stuff!

Originally Posted by Clapan

interested, i think! i too also try

Originally Posted by MyK 3.0

holy shit! its Yoda!

That was great, MyK!

Originally Posted by lincoln

Thanks man. I'm ready. It all starts tomorrow. I think I found a spot to do pull-ups (support joist under our deck, which should work at least until late fall) so I'm adding that to my upper pull day and adding an upper push to that day as well. Trying to keep it balanced.

I know this is the wrong forum, but now my challenge will be on the diet. I've learned that I need to double my daily protein intake. That is going to take some figuring out.

lincoln, read the link in my sig on "getting started" and follow the steps outlined in there to figure out what you're eating now. Post up your macros (you'll know what that means after you read it) and we'll start from there.

Originally Posted by Phineas

Glad to hear about the pullups! Keep us posted on the program.

Re: diet, how do you figure you need to double your protein? That's quite the increase. Protein is crucial, but a lot of newer lifters oversimplify its purpose and take too much. Start a thread for yourself in the diet section and post a typical day of eating. And, give detail. Don't say "a chicken sandwich". Give us portions and include everything. It would help if you enter all the info into fitday so you can calculate your daily calories and macros, which will help us address your diet better.

Good stuff!

Finished day 1 today (upper push) and I feel good. Shoulders and tri's feel like jelly. Tried to do push-ups when I was done and collapsed after 2. Pecs are still a little twitchy. I don't feel exhausted.. and I barely broke a sweat, but the muscles I hit today are feeling it. We'll see how sore I am tomorrow.

re: your protein question - I figure I normally eat between 90-110 grams of protein per day. I weigh 195, and from what I've seen the advice is to eat one gram of protein per pound if the goal is to build muscle. I don't know if 200 grams is feasible given my lifestyle, but hope to shoot for 180. Is this misguided?

I'll put a post up in the diet section tomorrow night. I went to the grocery store today and visited sections I normally walk by . Tomorrow's diet will be a better indication of what I plan on eating going forward.

Ah, that's okay then - you do need protein. Usual guidelines are at least a gram per pound lean mass, most of us go closer to 1.5g/lb LBM or higher but at least a gram is good, provided you eat enough calories of course - you have to eat more calories than you require or you won't grow, period - protein or no.

These look great,but must be follow

Updating after 2 weeks..

Most challenging lifts:
Seated Military DB Press - shoulders start to fail in the middle of my last set

Unilateral DB Romanian Deads - tough to maintain balance, but improving. Not 100% confident that I have the right form on these

Pull-ups - much to my dismay, I can't do one. I don't know why I was surprised, but it was a rude awakening. I'm trying to build the necessary strength by holding flexed arm hangs as long as possible and by doing slow negative pull-ups (starting with chin above bar, then lowering as slow as possible). The next two days I felt soreness in my lats that I didn't know was possible. Any other tips? I am making progress and feel like I'm close.

Squats - I'm doing both front squats and DB Bulgarian Split Squats. The 3 days following my first lower push day were agony just trying to walk (and going down stairs particularly)

Overall I feel good. I've gained 4 lbs in 2 weeks and my dress shirts are a little tighter in the shoulders. Focusing on a better diet including whole grains, fruit, nuts, and meat. I'm having fun with my routine, to the point where I look forward to it.

Thanks again for the advice on getting me started.

Millies - do 'em standing. Try push presses, also try Olympic bar corner presses.

Pull ups: just do the negatives for now. Or use a stretch band, tuck one knee into the loop and use it to support part of your weight. Or do kipping chins.

Squats: sounds perfect.

Unilateral DB RDLs: try holding a post to support your balance while you do 'em.

Glad it's going so well for you!

Don't sweat the pullups man. They told us in the military that they are pretty much THE definition of upper body strength, and most of us started out not being able to do any.

When I started I could do 2-3. So I started going for 5x5. I would do the ones I could, then cheat the others by using a chair and pushing just enough with my legs to help me out. Over time you will find that you will increase, and quickly too.

Checking in after squat day (ouch)

I have tinkered with my overall routine, just wanted to check it and make sure it still looks pretty balanced. I'm performing 3 sets of 8 for each exercise

Upper Push

Bench press
Incline press > 45 degree
Military Press
Dips
Corner Press

Lower Pull

Deadlifts
Lying leg curl (iso hams)
Unilateral DB Romanian Deads
Planks
Side Bends

Upper Pull

Pull-ups
Bent-over BB rows
One-armed DB rows
Curls (some kind of variation)
Shrugs

Lower Push

Front Squats
Lumberjack squats
Lever Leg Extension (quad iso)
Barbell push sit-up
Standing calf raise


Still struggling with pullups but making progress. I can do about 1.5 until failure, so I just stop and wait 45 secs and move on to my next upper pull movement, then go back and do more pull-ups until it hurts. Once I can't pull up any more I do flexed hangs and slow negatives

Feeling great overall (if great means some sort of soreness in varying areas of the body throughout the week). I'm pumped that I'm sticking with this. My weight amounts for most movements would probably be laughable to many on this board, but I know I'm performing complete motions and not cheating.

Sounds like you're doing GREAT! (And yes, that's what great means, lol!)

Remember your "skinny bitch" weights fondly. I know I do.