Some Routine - Fun Learning Experience

[lil2fiddyguy]

What's up. So for the past four years almost I've been reading training articles here and there, and lately have just been reading the stuff on T-Nation. I've also been training very inconsistently with a diet equally inconsistent for the same time. So while I have an idea of what works, I haven't seen the empirical evidence of those things on myself.

What I have learned though, is that I like to train often because it keeps me entertained and I feel like within four days of training a movement, if I don't do it again I'm back at square one. But from what I said before, maybe I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

So with that I decided to write my own program and follow it as a learning experience and especially for FUN. I'd rather do too much, just so I can see what too much feels like, than not do enough....as retarded as it may be.



The rep schemes are inspired by Wendler's 5/3/1 and the One Rep Max is actually 90% of what I have estimated my maxes to be (I have a very good idea of what they are). The + indicates repping out to within 1 or 2 reps of failure, good form of course. Each rep is done as explosively as possible. The tempo is probably like 1/0/X, but the focus is on the concentric.

Each workout is repeated 3 days, every other day, resulting in a total of 6 days. They typically happen in the AM. On the Push/Pull days I do an extra arm and shoulder workout in the PM with light weight. It consists of a couple variations of curls, extensions, and lat raises. Dumb? probably...Fun? Hell yes.

Exercise Sets Reps %One Rep Max
=Workout Legs=
Front Squat
SLDL
Day 1 3 5,5,5+ 65,75,85
Day 2 3 3,3,3+ 70,80,90
Day 3 3 5,3,1 75,85,95


=Workout Push/Pull=
Bench Press
Cable Row
Overhead Press
Cable Pulldown
Day 1 3 5,5,5+ 65,75,85
Day 2 3 3,3,3+ 70,80,90
Day 3 3 5,3,1 75,85,95

Each week I will add 5 pounds to each individual exercise. I'm two weeks in. So Monday I will start again, 10 pounds up on each exercise from the first week. It's been only a short time, but I feel fantastic. My off DAY is so boring

 

[Built]

I have powerlifter friends who use 5/3/1 and they love it.

Instead of cable rows and pulldowns, how about one-arm dumbbell rows, and weighted chins?

 

[lil2fiddyguy]

My pullups are pretty weak so I was starting rather light, but mainly I don't have a way of adding weight precisely, aside from holding a plate with my legs or something. As far as the rows, I don't have a good reason for using the cable other than I've done DB rows and just wanted to try it.

 

[Built]

Ah, gotcha. Dumbbell rows are a lot more effective than cable rows. You'll probably come to this conclusion fairly quickly yourself.

 

[Phineas]

Ah, gotcha. Dumbbell rows are a lot more effective than cable rows. You'll probably come to this conclusion fairly quickly yourself.

Agreed.

I'd like to add that, even though dumbbell unilateral rows seem like a very simple lift (and they are), ensure that you control the weight when rowing. This is one of those mainstream lifts that younger men tend to do often with poor form.

(1.) Allow your arm to fully extend. I've recently put these back into my program and I'm now positioning myself so that at full extension the DB is on the ground, so I end up rowing dead weight. I'm finding this is working very well. It has the element of a box squat or dead press where you pretty much can't use elastic rebound (i.e. using sudden shift of momentum to ease the weight back up (or down)). However, also ensure you don't just let it bounce off the ground. Maybe a 1 - 2 second pause.

(2.) Control the weight with the target muscle(s). In this case, the primary muscle is the lats. A lot of guys tend to lift too much with their arms, or, in this case, biceps (and, to a lesser degree, the brachialis (the thick middle muscle in your forearms) -- which is the primary assisting muscle in a row (also the posterior delts, rhomboids, and traps). When you begin the lift, you should be able to feel a tug at your lats. In the case of a close-grip lift like this, you'll likely feel the lats tighten further down then you would in other wider-grip rows. Use your lats to move the DB, and allow your biceps to only assist. This is a matter of focus and controlled lifting tempo.

(3.) Don't overthink the ROM. I know this sounds like the opposite of what we usually say, but all I mean is a lot of guys tend to bring the DB way passed where necessary. They perform an exaggerated row because they're obsessed with the whole "squeezing" principle that has taken the mainstream fitness world by storm. Everything thinks if you don't squeeze muscles into oblivion that they're not getting enough blood flow, or that certain fibres are remaining dormant. Really, you just need to ask what is the target muscle's function. The lats primary role is adduction of the scapula (shoulder joint), meaning it pulls objects towards the body (from certain planes). Once the object of resistance passes the plane from which the lats pull it becomes an exercise for other muscles. So, once you bring your arm to around 90 degrees or just passed you're not really training the proper mechnics of the lift. This is the same reason why I don't do the chin over the bar on pullups -- only to in line with the bar. Any further and you change the mechnics of the intended lift.