5x5 in the Max phase

[siimon89]

@Pioneer

Are you just lifting or doing other forms of training as well? If so, then some isolation is probably fine but how much is actually needed if each of these areas that are being trained in isolation are being used quite a bit during compound exercises?

For most people, I would not think the inclusion of a few isolation exercises is going to impact hypertrophy to any significant degree. I (simply opinion) have typically been of the belief that if an isolation exercise is to be included it might be only one per session with only 2-3 total sets being necessary, if that.

If you want mass in those areas you have indicated, do more exercises that are still compound/multi-joint which may emphasize a particular area a bit more for example-do some of your bench sets with a close grip or dips/bench dips to get a bit more triceps work. Do more sets of chin-ups instead of pull-ups for 3-4 weeks (and early enough in the session to make them an effective choice) which may work the biceps a little more directly.

For the hams/glutes just emphasize along with back squats(perhaps even more of a low bar/power squat) more rdls/glute ham raises or the good mornings you have listed instead of leg curls.

It may not even be necessary to try to adjust an entire program for perceived imbalances that may not even represent an actual need/requirement.

Thanks for your response!

Since I’m doing one Hip Extension and one Knee Flexion exercise, both with slow eccentric phases and explosive concentric phase, I feel that Leg Curl has it’s place for fixing this.
I feel that it’s crucial to fix this if I dont wanna pull hamstrings and if I want to run a lot faster since I’m currently using my Quads for sprinting.

How about doing this then:

1. Clean Pulls 3x6
2. Good Mornings 4x8
3. Bench 4x8
   Short circuit:
   a) Split Squat 2x8
   b) DB Military 2x8
   c) Leg curl 2x8
   d) Chins/Rows 2x6/2x8 (alternating each training day)

If only do sprints and then only Hip Extension exercises in the weight room for the hams, how would this affect em’ (in a medical and injury view)?
And also, I do need hypertrophy for them and leg curls do help for that. It’s not like they’re useless!

[Pioneer]

@siimon89

Thanks for your response!

Since I’m doing one Hip Extension and one Knee Flexion exercise, both with slow eccentric phases and explosive concentric phase, I feel that Leg Curl has it’s place for fixing this.
I feel that it’s crucial to fix this if I dont wanna pull hamstrings and if I want to run a lot faster since I’m currently using my Quads for sprinting.

How about doing this then:

1. Clean Pulls 3x6
2. Good Mornings 4x8
3. Bench 4x8
   Short circuit:
   a) Split Squat 2x8
   b) DB Military 2x8
   c) Leg curl 2x8
   d) Chins/Rows 2x6/2x8 (alternating each training day)

If only do sprints and then only Hip Extension exercises in the weight room for the hams, how would this affect em’ (in a medical and injury view)?
And also, I do need hypertrophy for them and leg curls do help for that. It’s not like they’re useless!

I think you could satisfy all of your needs with an RDL or glute-ham raise. I’m not completely opposed to leg curls I am just of the belief that if you can accomplish a task using free weights or bodyweight + any needed external weight as in a GHR (which I like to think of in terms of being a lower body pull-up), that is the way to go.

Further on leg curls I don’t know how much they really contribute to hamstring mass as there are many athletes who have superior hamstring development from sprinting and multi-joint exercises that a large degree of hamstring contribution to the execution of the lifts. I’ve never found the leg curl to be necessary in the training of any athlete I’ve ever seen. That is, I think there are better tools for accomplishing the goal of hypertrophy of the hams than leg curls.

I like your order for the clean pulls, gm and bench. I could see an argument for splitting up the total body exercises like the cp and gm with the bp but I prefer the order you have listed.

On the circuit, I’d just say to be very careful to not let intensities creep into too high of a range so as to not compromise the high days and those exercises even though I’d prefer not to do the circuit in the first place.

With regards to ordering I’d think 1)ss 2)chins 3)db mil press 4)leg curls might be best though I could see an argument to be made for switching 3 and 4 to split up the lower and the upper work. On the chins again, I think they should come fairly early since being a bit more fatigued can really compromise gettting the reps you might be seeking.

I only asked about the other exercises to see if you really are only lifting then perhaps more volume is necessary if that is your only means. How much volume are you talking about with regards to the sprinting? Any plyos or med ball throws?

[siimon89]

@Pioneer

I think you could satisfy all of your needs with an RDL or glute-ham raise in which. I’m not completely opposed to leg curls I am just of the belief that if you can accomplish a task using free weights or bodyweight + any needed external weight as in a GHR (which I like to think of in terms of being a lower body pull-up), that is the way to go.

Further on leg curls I don’t know how much they really contribute to hamstring mass as there are many athletes who have superior hamstring development from sprinting and multi-joint exercises that a large degree of hamstring contribution to the execution of the lifts. I’ve never found the leg curl to be necessary in the training of any athlete I’ve ever seen. That is, I think there are better tools for accomplishing the goal of hypertrophy of the hams than leg curls.

I like your order for the clean pulls, gm and bench. I could see an argument for splitting up the total body exercises like the cp and gm with the bp but I prefer the order you have listed.

On the circuit, I’d just say to be very careful to not let intensities creep into too high of a range so as to not compromise the high days and those exercises even though I’d prefer not to do the circuit in the first place.

With regards to ordering I’d think 1)ss 2)chins 3)db mil press 4)leg curls might be best though I could see an argument to be made for switching 3 and 4 to split up the lower and the upper work. On the chins again, I think they should come fairly early since being a bit more fatigued can really compromise gettting the reps you might be seeking.

I only asked about the other exercises to see if you really are only lifting then perhaps more volume is necessary if that is your only means. How much volume are you talking about with regards to the sprinting? Any plyos or med ball throws?

Thanks again, very good response Appreciate it!

I was thinking to put the circuit on Mondays and Fridays, if I’ll have High/Speed days on Mon, Wed, Fri. Or I will have the circuit once a week on Mondays and not on the other high day which would be Thursday.
I’m also gonna manipulate the % of the RM on all days for the MAIN lifts, maybe Monday high, Wednesday Low, Friday High. How would you put these?

So is your suggestions to remove the Leg Curl and maybe add Natural Glute Ham Raises or just remove both of these? Then just stick to GM’s, Clean Pulls, Sprinting and Med Ball throws since these will all work the hams in one way or another, which actually would make sense since this is a lot of volume already for the hams I suppose.

Maybe like 3-5 starts/sprints per session on speed days, and 2 runs on endurance days, followed by 10-12 Med Ball Throws on each speed day before going into weights.

I was thinking 1-2 speed days, and 1 speed endurance day per week.

Since I feel like I would at least want to fit in the Split Squat and maybe Chin-ups, how should I do this if I remove this circuit? How about doing cp, gm and bp for all high days, and then finishing each session with either chins or split squat (mon chins 2x5, wed split squats 2x8, fri chins 2x5)?