1.Week 1 (10/11/03): 70% of ORM for 3 sets of 8 reps
Week 2 (17/11/03): 75% of ORM for 3 sets of 6 reps
Week 3 (24/11/03): 80% of ORM for 3 sets of 5 reps
Week 4 (1/12/03): 85% of ORM for 3 sets of 4 reps
Week 5 (8/12/03): 90% of ORM for 3 sets of 3 reps
Week 6 (15/11/03): 95% of ORM for 2 sets of 2 reps
Week 7 (22/11/03): Test for 1 set of 1 rep
Barbell shrugs 4 sets 10 reps
Split jumps with dumbells 4 sets for 20 reps
Calf Raises 2 sets 5 reps - heavy
Deadlift Workout:
Squat (light/fast) 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps (pyramid up with weight)
Deadlift Week 1: 60% of ORM for 3 sets of 8 reps
Week 2: 65% of ORM for 3 sets of 6 reps
Week 3: 70% of ORM for 3 sets of 5 reps
Week 4: 75% of ORM for 3 sets of 4 reps
Week 5: 80% of ORM for 3 sets of 3 reps
Week 6: 85% of ORM for 2 sets of 2 reps
Week 7: Test for 1 set of 1 rep
Good mornings 4 sets for 10 reps
Bent over rows 4 sets 10, 8, 6, 6 reps
Pulldowns in front 3 sets 8 reps
RDL 3 sets 8 reps
Because I am top heavy, I will not push too much weight on the flat bench, on the incline I will go heavy because that part of the muscle is used for sprinting.
I have taken most of it from David Knowles article and modifide it so that it meets my needs.
If anyone can modify it further please do. My weaknesses are lower back, hamstrings and core. My strengths are quads and upper body. I will be sprinting on Tue and Thurs, resting on Saturday and Sunday. The deadlift workout will be done on Friday.
Ok, IMO thats not a strength program, thats for hypertrophy. Also, moves like side laterals are useless for strength. And moves such as upright rows and behind the neck OH pressing are hell on your rotator cuff
heres my opinion of a strength routine
Squat, Squat workout:
Week 1+2 : 80% of 1RM for 3 sets of 5 reps
Week 3+4 : 90% of 1RM for 3 sets of 3 reps
Week 5: 95% of 1RM for 2 sets of 2 reps
Week 6 : 1RM of 102.5% max or whatever coach/partner believes you can handle
Good mornings/Stiff leg deads 3 sets for 5 reps
Calf Raises 2 sets 5 reps - heavy
Bench Workout (Light chest)
Bench Press
Week 1+2 : 80% of 1RM for 3 sets of 5 reps
Week 3+4 : 90% of 1RM for 3 sets of 3 reps
Week 5: 95% of 1RM for 2 sets of 2 reps
Week 6 : 1RM of 102.5% max or whatever coach/partner believes you can handle
dips 4 sets 15 reps
jerks/push press 3x3
Deadlift Workout:
Deadlift
Week 1+2: 80% of ORM for 5 sets of 1 reps
Week 3+4: 90% of ORM for 3 sets of 1 reps
Week 5: 95% of ORM for 2 sets of 1 reps
Week 6: 100+% of ORM for 1 sets of 1 reps
cleans/snatch 4 sets of progressively heavier singles
weighted pullups/chins 3x5
When your doing a strength routine you shouldnt grow much so thats no reason not to go heavy on the upper body moves
If you want to change it but keep it still focussed on strength and improvement of your weakness’s(posterior chain etc) then just swap the excercises for a fairly similar one
ie do cleans for 6 weeks, then snatches for 6
SLDL’s for 6, GM’s for 6
maybe even do dumbell bench instead of barbell bench
That’s what I thought. I will place dumbell work in my next cycle. How would things look different for a power program? As fas as I know, it will include oly lifts, low reps and a high number of sets? Correct me if I’m wrong but is that known as low volume, high intensity?
Hassan: I have to say, I don’t like your program at all.
Pyramiding by increasing itensity and decreasing volume is at best inefficient. There is insufficient volume later to support the gains made earlier.
I would drop the following: Bent over rows, Barbell shrugs, Split jumps with dumbells, Calf Raises
If your form permits, substitute deads/good mornings with cleans
One pressing exercise is sufficient (Bench, incline or military)
Absolute itensity must be >75%. Do the following test with each exercise: Load 75% onto the bar and lift to failure. Subtract two and that is the HIGHEST number you should use on that exercise. (<5’s for pulling exercises from the floor)
Not at all. Just that one pressing exercise per session is sufficient.
Let me illustrate one problem with your squat workouts.
W1 Total volume = 24 reps
W2 TV = 18 reps
W3 TV = 15 reps
W4 TV = 12 reps
W5 TV = 9 reps
W6 TV = 4 reps
There is a volume threshold that must be breached to stimulate/support strength gains. If you really want to pyramid in this fashion (I wouldn’t!) at least increase the number of sets as repetitions decrease (e.g. 4x5r; 5x3r, 6x2r).
In terms of exercises, I would simply do squat, bench, cleans and hypers each session. You DO need to change the stimulus fairly frequently (particularly as training age increases) but you need not change exercises. Instead manipulate volume or intensity. I have a very basic program I could mail you (it’s in excel form…)
No worries, if you could mail me at hali99@hotmail.com, I would appreciate it. I have changed the program.
Squat -Week 1- Moderate loading 80% of 1RM 3sets of 5reps
Week 2- Average loading 88% of 1RM 4sets of 4 reps
Week 3- High Loading 92% of 1RM 5sets of 3reps
Week 4- Average loading 88%% of 1RM 4sets of 4reps
Week 5- High loading 92% of 1RM 6sets of 3reps
Week 6- Super loading 95-100% of 1RM 1set of 1 rep
I will have to good mornings as I can not do reverse hypers at home.
isnt the point of periodisation routines to take u beyond your 100%? eg there is no point doing a periodisation routine that stops at 95%, surely and surely not 85%.
David W what is the volume threshold? I take it you are not a fan of Tsatsouline, in this area at least?
Seems like I’ve said this ten times this week but let me try one more time:
My philosophy, which is outlined in my ‘Buffering’ article, is that you should never lift at a RELATIVE intensity of >95% unless you are testing a maximum. For athletes who typically train with 3’s or 5’s ABSOLUTE intensity (i.e. %1RM) will NEVER exceed 90% (Even when testing maximum!)
As an example, lets assume that an individual has a 5RM of 170k and a 1RM of 200k
Applying the MINIMUM buffer (i.e. 5%):
95% of 170 = 161.5k = 80.75% of 1RM
Since the lower threshold for training strength is 75%, the RANGE of available intensities available to design a ‘periodized’ program with 5 reps is only 5.75%!!
Week 1- Moderate loading 80% of 1RM 3sets of 5reps
Week 2- Average loading 88% of 1RM 4sets of 4 reps
Week 3- High Loading 92% of 1RM 5sets of 3reps
Week 4- Average loading 88%% of 1RM 4sets of 4reps
Week 5- High loading 92% of 1RM 6sets of 3reps
Week 6- Super loading 95-100% of 1RM 1set of 1 rep
No!!
You are lifting at RELATIVE maximum EVERY session!! What are your 3 & 4RMs? My guess is 92 & 88%!!
Do you understand? You must employ a buffer between your training load and repetition maximum. See above post for example.
This buffer thing has got me feeling like I am doing ‘a’ level chemistry again. I think I will read your article.I got your mail. Thanks. I will study that to.
