Strength Dedication Ambition

[Gazhole]

what sort fo rep range are you doing Gaz?

I was told that between 8-12 for 3 sets was wrong in my last thread so what do you suggest for push/pull/legs ?

Depends on what your goals are really, but i will say this - There is no golden rep range for ANY goal. Louie Simmons (i think it was him) said "Everything works, but nothing works forever" and this is very true.

The best rep range is cycling between MULTIPLE rep ranges. This is called periodization, and is one of the most useful, and beneficial things you can ever learn to utilize. Basically, periodization is the planned fluctuation of one or more training variables to provide a unique stimulus.

There are far too many ways to list, i think there are probably unlimited combinations of all training variables, but look at everything you can change:

Exercises
Rest Intervals
Sets
Reps
Rep Tempo
Density
Intensity
Frequency
Volume
Training Split

And there are probably a few more that ive forgotten.

If you can set up a program that plans the fluctuations of these variables well, you are guaranteed results.

Cowpimp wrote some awesome stuff on Periodization in his stickies in the training forum, and if you pick a handful of journals and read through them youll see periodization in many flavours and colours in use in pretty much all of them.

So yeah, 3x12 is wrong, but only because thats ALL you were programming to do.

Atm because im coming off injury, im taking it slow and just using 2x12-14 at the moment. This may seem hypocritical when reading all the stuff i put above, but rules are made to be broken and injury and the early stages of training are two exceptions to this periodization rule.

The reason being that you need to learn/re-learn proper motor patterns, and raise your conditioning to a base level before you start to think about going nuts with heavier weights.

I wont be going below my 8RM for a good 6-8 months. Maybe even longer. Human tissue is a bitch when its injured

Hope any of that helped in some way.

 

[Witchblade]

Learn from teh Gaz. Imitate teh Gaz. Be teh Gaz.

 

[Gazhole]

Warmup - Activation

Glute Bridges - 2x12
Wall Retractions - 2x12
Kneeling Squats - 2x12
Shoulder Dislocations - 1x12 per arm

Warmup - Dynamic Flexibility

Standing Knee Raises - 1x12 per leg
Standing Side Bends - 1x12 per side
Butt Kickers - 1x12 per leg
Shoulder Circles - 1x12 per arm per direction

Core Work

Planks - 2x30sec @ 30sec RI
Reverse Crunches - 2x20 @ 30sec RI

Workout A - "There are two people fucking upstairs as i write this, lol" (Fullbody)

Hyperextensions - 14, 14 @ BW + 10KG / 22lbs (1:30 RI)

Bent Over Rows - 14, 14 @ 30KG / 66lbs BB (1:30 RI)

Plate Squats - 14, 14 @ 15KG / 33lbs Plate (1:30 RI)

Single Arm Bench Press - 12, 12 (Per Arm) @ x1 25KG / 55lbs DB (1:30 RI)

Cardio

Stationary Bike - 5mins @ Lv3 (145 HR)
Stationary Bike - 5mins @ Lv10 (175 HR)
Stationary Bike - 5mins @ Lv5 (160 HR)

Warmdown - Mobility

A's - 2x12
Hip Circles - 1x30 per direction
Lateral Lunges - 2x12 per leg

Warmdown - Static Stretching

Side Neck Stretch (Each side)
Forward Neck Stretch
Overhead Tricep Stretch (Each arm)
Shoulder Dislocation Stretch (Each arm)
Forearm Stretch (Each arm)
Quad Stretch (Each leg)
Somatic Ham Stretch (Each leg)
Lying Ham Stretch (Each leg)
Calve Stretch (Each leg)

TOTAL GYM TIME = 80-90 mins

***

Full-on session today. Was really pleased with it. Aching like shit now though, and it took a bit longer than id hoped, but the gym was busy as anything.

Was going for 14 reps on the single armed bench aswell, but since i had to move it last due to the lack of available benches, i guess i was fatigued from that. Didnt help that i had pulling going on beforehand, but ya pays ya money ya takes ya chance.

Time for some pasta...

 

[Gazhole]

Learn from teh Gaz. Imitate teh Gaz. Be teh Gaz.

Sounds like a Nike advert...

 

[Scarface30]

Stop talking about my groove. We're a secret, remember?

whoa...whoa..whoa I'm talking weightlifting groove here.. lol

 

[Scarface30]

great workout though man

so have you changed your split around to a full body now instead of the upper/lower?

 

[Gazhole]

great workout though man

so have you changed your split around to a full body now instead of the upper/lower?

Cheers dude!

Yeah, i played around with a few things, and i thought this setup would be the most effective in terms of conditioning, while not stressing a particular plane of movement too much (and cause/exascerbate injuries).

The addition of cardio is just something ive been meaning to do for a while. Hell, im not getting any stronger cos i cant put that much stress on my back, and im sure as hell not getting any bigger cos of my ridiculous food intake atm, so i may aswell have a go at getting cut and boost my conditioning a bit

 

[goob]

Great session Gaz, very thourough. Got to love those single arm bench presses, good numbers.

Workout A - "There are two people fucking upstairs as i write this, lol" (Fullbody)

 

[Gazhole]

Great session Gaz, very thourough. Got to love those single arm bench presses, good numbers.

Cheers goobster!

Kudos to the guy, he must have been jackhammering away for a good 20 minutes straight at one point, good stamina

 

[goob]

Cheers goobster!

Kudos to the guy, he must have been jackhammering away for a good 20 minutes straight at one point, good stamina

...sounds like a steady state man. Most girls prefer the old HIIT style, but they seem to get pissed when they catch me timing it.

 

[Gazhole]

...sounds like a steady state man. Most girls prefer the old HIIT style, but they seem to get pissed when they catch me timing it.

Its all in the intervals, buddy!

 

[vortrit]

Cheers dude!

Yeah, i played around with a few things

Really. That's information we don't need to know about.

 

[Gazhole]

Really. That's information we don't need to know about.

How many do you think i have?

 

[DOMS]

Solid workout, Gaz!

So, how do you like those One-arm Bench Presses? Again, a simple modification to an exercise that turns it into something very different.

 

[Gazhole]

Solid workout, Gaz!

So, how do you like those One-arm Bench Presses? Again, a simple modification to an exercise that turns it into something very different.

Cheers DOMS!

Yeah, theyre a really interesting exercise with one arm. Takes a lot more concentration to actually keep the form correct, and more importantly - stopping yourself from rolling off the damned bench .

One armed floor presses are one of my favourites aswell. If i want to blast my triceps those are the ones that really do the trick. Theres nowhere to run

 

[Richie1888]

Depends on what your goals are really, but i will say this - There is no golden rep range for ANY goal. Louie Simmons (i think it was him) said "Everything works, but nothing works forever" and this is very true.

The best rep range is cycling between MULTIPLE rep ranges. This is called periodization, and is one of the most useful, and beneficial things you can ever learn to utilize. Basically, periodization is the planned fluctuation of one or more training variables to provide a unique stimulus.

There are far too many ways to list, i think there are probably unlimited combinations of all training variables, but look at everything you can change:

Exercises
Rest Intervals
Sets
Reps
Rep Tempo
Density
Intensity
Frequency
Volume
Training Split

And there are probably a few more that ive forgotten.

If you can set up a program that plans the fluctuations of these variables well, you are guaranteed results.

Cowpimp wrote some awesome stuff on Periodization in his stickies in the training forum, and if you pick a handful of journals and read through them youll see periodization in many flavours and colours in use in pretty much all of them.

So yeah, 3x12 is wrong, but only because thats ALL you were programming to do.

Atm because im coming off injury, im taking it slow and just using 2x12-14 at the moment. This may seem hypocritical when reading all the stuff i put above, but rules are made to be broken and injury and the early stages of training are two exceptions to this periodization rule.

The reason being that you need to learn/re-learn proper motor patterns, and raise your conditioning to a base level before you start to think about going nuts with heavier weights.

I wont be going below my 8RM for a good 6-8 months. Maybe even longer. Human tissue is a bitch when its injured

Hope any of that helped in some way.

Thanks it does, and I love how I don???t have to ask you to elaborate.

So basically what your saying is that cycling rep ranges from month to month is the best way to go?

Is from 4 right through to 12 a safe bet?

Well I have to be a pain in the ass and ask the next question how do you determine how many sets you do is that on a how good your feeling basis or are you again periodic with that as well?

Sorry to bombard you with questions mate but you seem to have a good understanding of how to go about this split and with lifting in general.

Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[Gazhole]

Thanks it does, and I love how I don???t have to ask you to elaborate.

So basically what your saying is that cycling rep ranges from month to month is the best way to go?

Is from 4 right through to 12 a safe bet?

Well I have to be a pain in the ass and ask the next question how do you determine how many sets you do is that on a how good your feeling basis or are you again periodic with that as well?

Sorry to bombard you with questions mate but you seem to have a good understanding of how to go about this split and with lifting in general.

Thanks for all the help so far.

Tis no problem. Thats what i love about the sport of lifting, no matter how big you are, how lean you are, or where your numbers are - those things can be taken away from you, but what youve LEARNED cant be. Anything you lose you can get back as long as you learn how you got it in the first place.

Cycling variables like sets/reps etc can be done on any basis you like. It can be as infrequent as program phases ranging from a few weeks in length to a month or two, or you can vary rep ranges on every single exercise within a session.

There are also a few methods you can employ to those ends aswell, like i said earlier - its a pretty rich tapestry of what you can put together. Browsing through the journals here, everybody has their own "style" of periodization. Its interesting to see so many perspectives and methods reaching the same goals.

A few simple ones are stuff like:

Week 1 - 2x14
Week 2 - 3x10
Week 3 - 4x6
Repeat

Thats sort of simple linear progression over training weeks.

Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4) - Conditioning - 2x14-18 Supersetted
Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8) - Hypertrophy - 4x6 with 4/1/1/1 rep tempo
Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12) - Strength - Main lifts working up to 1x1 PRs, accessory lifts 3x10 @ 12rm

Thats one i used to great effect, based off the Westside template for some of it. I made the best muscle gains thus far on that one. Pretty tough though.

Another one you could do is:

Movement 1 - Week 1 / 3x8, Week 2 / 2x20, Week 3 / 6x3.
Movement 2 - Week 1 / 6x3, Week 2 / 3x8, Week 3 / 2x20.
Movement 3 - Week 1 / 2x20, Week 2 / 6x3, Week 3 / 3x8.

Repeat for any other movements.

This one keeps the ranges cycling within one session, and varies them per exercise over a number of weeks.

Just a few ways you can vary Rep Ranges. Havent even looked at other variables yet, lol.

Basically just be inventive, mess about making programs that you have no intention of doing, just to see what you can come up with.

As for figuring out how much volume (sets) you can take per session - that just comes with experience. It also depends on how many days a week you are training, your conditioning, what rep ranges you are using (i can do many sets at low reps, but hardly any at high reps). Its a very personal thing, impossible for me to say.

Shoot for something between 10-20 total sets for a session. If it takes you longer than an hour to complete the weight training portion of a session, you're doing too much.

 

[Gazhole]

So upon seeing an advert in Dave's Gym, im considering following it up and starting some MMA again.

Its a beginners class exclusively, and they also do private sessions but ill get into classes for free since its in my membership deal.

Obviously im not sure what kind of MMA it is, since i havent been yet, but it could be interesting. Only once a week on a thursday so, yeah. Hmmm...

Have tried MMA multiple times in the past, haha. I was pretty good at Judo as a kid, fought in some tourneys and got me an orange belt (which i cant remember getting, nor can i remember the entire comp where i earned it...i must have hit my head HARD that day...).

Then a few years ago i did some Kung Fu for a while, and left that because of school pressure and for one reason or another didnt take that up again.

We'll see, just want to do something interesting...

 

[Richie1888]

Tis no problem. Thats what i love about the sport of lifting, no matter how big you are, how lean you are, or where your numbers are - those things can be taken away from you, but what youve LEARNED cant be. Anything you lose you can get back as long as you learn how you got it in the first place.

Cycling variables like sets/reps etc can be done on any basis you like. It can be as infrequent as program phases ranging from a few weeks in length to a month or two, or you can vary rep ranges on every single exercise within a session.

There are also a few methods you can employ to those ends aswell, like i said earlier - its a pretty rich tapestry of what you can put together. Browsing through the journals here, everybody has their own "style" of periodization. Its interesting to see so many perspectives and methods reaching the same goals.

A few simple ones are stuff like:

Week 1 - 2x14
Week 2 - 3x10
Week 3 - 4x6
Repeat

Thats sort of simple linear progression over training weeks.

Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4) - Conditioning - 2x14-18 Supersetted
Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8) - Hypertrophy - 4x6 with 4/1/1/1 rep tempo
Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12) - Strength - Main lifts working up to 1x1 PRs, accessory lifts 3x10 @ 12rm

Thats one i used to great effect, based off the Westside template for some of it. I made the best muscle gains thus far on that one. Pretty tough though.

Another one you could do is:

Movement 1 - Week 1 / 3x8, Week 2 / 2x20, Week 3 / 6x3.
Movement 2 - Week 1 / 6x3, Week 2 / 3x8, Week 3 / 2x20.
Movement 3 - Week 1 / 2x20, Week 2 / 6x3, Week 3 / 3x8.

Repeat for any other movements.

This one keeps the ranges cycling within one session, and varies them per exercise over a number of weeks.

Just a few ways you can vary Rep Ranges. Havent even looked at other variables yet, lol.

Basically just be inventive, mess about making programs that you have no intention of doing, just to see what you can come up with.

As for figuring out how much volume (sets) you can take per session - that just comes with experience. It also depends on how many days a week you are training, your conditioning, what rep ranges you are using (i can do many sets at low reps, but hardly any at high reps). Its a very personal thing, impossible for me to say.

Shoot for something between 10-20 total sets for a session. If it takes you longer than an hour to complete the weight training portion of a session, you're doing too much.

Interesting that you say 6 reps for hypertrophy I was always led to believe that you went into the higher rep ranges for that.

Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12) - Strength - Main lifts working up to 1x1 PRs,

Could this be replaced from time to time with a form of failure training even cuting the weeks down to 1 or 2 so not to burn out.The reason I ask is that the gym closest to me is just a local authority sports centre which doesnt go big for free weights its all machines and cardio stuff, its a 'Housewifes World' I call it.

I can always go for the 1 x 1 prs on the machines but thats cheating a bit as you always seem to lift more when using machines.

With the

Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4) - Conditioning - 2x14-18 Supersetted
Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8) - Hypertrophy - 4x6 with 4/1/1/1 rep tempo
Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12) - Strength - Main lifts working up to 1x1 PRs, accessory lifts 3x10 @ 12rm

I assue you still went Push/Pull/Legs as the split for this?

 

[Gazhole]

Warmup - Activation

Glute Bridges - 2x12
Wall Retractions - 2x12
Kneeling Squats - 2x12
Shoulder Dislocations - 1x12 per arm

Warmup - Dynamic Flexibility

Standing Knee Raises - 1x12 per leg
Standing Side Bends - 1x12 per side
Butt Kickers - 1x12 per leg
Shoulder Circles - 1x12 per arm per direction

Core Work

Planks - 2x30sec @ 30sec RI
Reverse Crunches - 2x20 @ 30sec RI

Workout B - "My mother always said a man would fuck a snake if you held its head." (Fullbody)

Zercher Squats - 14, 14 @ 15KG / 33lbs BB (1:30 RI)

Wide Grip Pullups - 8, 8 @ BW (1:30 RI)

Romanian Deadlifts - 12, 12 @ x2 25KG / 55lbs DBs (1:30 RI)

Dips - 14, 14 @ BW (1:30 RI)

Cardio

Stationary Bike - 5mins @ Lv3 (140 HR)
Stationary Bike - 5mins @ Lv10 (165 HR)
Stationary Bike - 5mins @ Lv5 (150 HR)

Warmdown - Mobility

A's - 2x12
Hip Circles - 1x30 per direction
Lateral Lunges - 2x12 per leg

Warmdown - Static Stretching

Side Neck Stretch (Each side)
Forward Neck Stretch
Overhead Tricep Stretch (Each arm)
Shoulder Dislocation Stretch (Each arm)
Forearm Stretch (Each arm)
Quad Stretch (Each leg)
Somatic Ham Stretch (Each leg)
Lying Ham Stretch (Each leg)
Calve Stretch (Each leg)

TOTAL GYM TIME = 87 mins

***

Another good session today. I felt totally zen after static stretching, if Saddam had walked in i would have given him a big ol' hug i felt so chilled out.

Noticed on Squats that when i went too low my lower back rounded a tad, have corrected it now. Just need to stay an inch or two higher and work up to my insane ATG from days of old.

Was only programmed to to 2x12 on Dips, wasnt sure how many i could do, so was stoked when i got an extra 2 reps on each set. Last rep on the second set was brutally slow. Stupid fatigue.

Another thing i noticed was that my heartrates were slightly lower today on Cardio - i guess that means im improving slightly. Yay me!

 

[Gazhole]

Interesting that you say 6 reps for hypertrophy I was always led to believe that you went into the higher rep ranges for that.

Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12) - Strength - Main lifts working up to 1x1 PRs,

Could this be replaced from time to time with a form of failure training even cuting the weeks down to 1 or 2 so not to burn out.The reason I ask is that the gym closest to me is just a local authority sports centre which doesnt go big for free weights its all machines and cardio stuff, its a 'Housewifes World' I call it.

I can always go for the 1 x 1 prs on the machines but thats cheating a bit as you always seem to lift more when using machines.

With the

Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4) - Conditioning - 2x14-18 Supersetted
Phase 2 (Weeks 5-8) - Hypertrophy - 4x6 with 4/1/1/1 rep tempo
Phase 3 (Weeks 9-12) - Strength - Main lifts working up to 1x1 PRs, accessory lifts 3x10 @ 12rm

I assue you still went Push/Pull/Legs as the split for this?

Hypertrophy rep range is generally 6 - 12 i find, though i got the best hypertrophy from using TUT principles (the extended negatives and rep tempo manipulation). Really, Hypertrophy has more to do with your diet. Whats the use of stimulating muscle growth if theres nothing there to grow it with. Planting trees in nutrientless soil just doesnt work.

Im not a big fan of failure training, certainly not for strength. The point of strength training is to succesfully lift more weight, how are you going to do that by purposely training to failure? Plus it puts far too much stress on the nervous system if done too much, which will cause you to burn out quicker if anything.

Strength doesnt have to be 1x1 PR lifting. Strength phase can just be the phase in which you go for PRs, this can be at any rep range you want. Pick a few lifts, say 3 (one for each day) and use those as your main lifts. The first 3 weeks of the strength phase start at 3x10 (same as accesory lifts) and each week change the rep range to something lower (3x8, 4x6).

Then when you get to the final week, peak at 4x4 or something and get records on your 3 lifts. The accessory lifts (have about 3 of them or something) will stay at 3x10 for the whole phase.

If the weights at your gym dont go high enough for a 4x4 configuration, get a PR at some other rep range. Its all good.

And no, with that periodization i went with Upper/Lower. But theres no reason YOU cant use something similar with Push/Pull/Legs.

To be honest, unless youve been lifting solidly on these sorts of splits for a good few years, i wouldnt suggest 1x1 PRs or messing about with extended negatives. Theyre tough as hell, and if you're not experienced enough its easier to get overtrained, or worse yet - injured.

Hell, even 10+ year lifters get injured on 1RM lifts. Theres a reason why you can only lift certain weights for 1 rep - theyre fucking heavy.

 

[Richie1888]

Hypertrophy rep range is generally 6 - 12 i find, though i got the best hypertrophy from using TUT principles (the extended negatives and rep tempo manipulation). Really, Hypertrophy has more to do with your diet. Whats the use of stimulating muscle growth if theres nothing there to grow it with. Planting trees in nutrientless soil just doesnt work.

Im not a big fan of failure training, certainly not for strength. The point of strength training is to succesfully lift more weight, how are you going to do that by purposely training to failure? Plus it puts far too much stress on the nervous system if done too much, which will cause you to burn out quicker if anything.

Strength doesnt have to be 1x1 PR lifting. Strength phase can just be the phase in which you go for PRs, this can be at any rep range you want. Pick a few lifts, say 3 (one for each day) and use those as your main lifts. The first 3 weeks of the strength phase start at 3x10 (same as accesory lifts) and each week change the rep range to something lower (3x8, 4x6).

Then when you get to the final week, peak at 4x4 or something and get records on your 3 lifts. The accessory lifts (have about 3 of them or something) will stay at 3x10 for the whole phase.

If the weights at your gym dont go high enough for a 4x4 configuration, get a PR at some other rep range. Its all good.

And no, with that periodization i went with Upper/Lower. But theres no reason YOU cant use something similar with Push/Pull/Legs.

To be honest, unless youve been lifting solidly on these sorts of splits for a good few years, i wouldnt suggest 1x1 PRs or messing about with extended negatives. Theyre tough as hell, and if you're not experienced enough its easier to get overtrained, or worse yet - injured.

Hell, even 10+ year lifters get injured on 1RM lifts. Theres a reason why you can only lift certain weights for 1 rep - theyre fucking heavy.

ok mate thanks for the help ill let you know how its going hell I might even start a journal.

 

[Gazhole]

ok mate thanks for the help ill let you know how its going hell I might even start a journal.

No worries at all man, always open for business

If you dont start a journal im gonna start one for you

 

[PreMier]

nice workouts. looks like a really good/structured routine.. i should have been following along earlier

 

[goob]

Nice workout Gaz. 14 rep Dip sets are really tough. Pullups look strong too.

It's a great when your heartrate stays low for cardio, no more heart attack man red face of death. This time last year after a cardio session, you could of powered a small city from the heat generated off my face. If I stood next to a white wall people would mistake me for he Japanese flag.....

 

[Richie1888]

No worries at all man, always open for business

If you dont start a journal im gonna start one for you

HA HA

 

[Scarface30]

Workout A - "There are two people fucking upstairs as i write this, lol" (Fullbody)

lol I did not see that at all! ooh the university life, eh?? I'm in a decent spot because the house we live in is pretty old so the walls are like a foot thick, plus we live in a flat on the second floor of a 2 story house which also helps.

great workout by the way simple but very effective, I like it!

about time to start adding some weight to those dips I think

 

[Gazhole]

nice workouts. looks like a really good/structured routine.. i should have been following along earlier

Haha, cheers man. I like to try and hit all the bases.

How you doing?

 

[Gazhole]

Nice workout Gaz. 14 rep Dip sets are really tough. Pullups look strong too.

It's a great when your heartrate stays low for cardio, no more heart attack man red face of death. This time last year after a cardio session, you could of powered a small city from the heat generated off my face. If I stood next to a white wall people would mistake me for he Japanese flag.....

Lol, thats not good! In fact, thats not goob. Seems youve made crazy progress in just a year!

Cheers though, i was pleased with the dips but dayum they hurt. How i could get 2x18 @ BW before stuns me .

 

[Gazhole]

HA HA

Just do it