Summer Weights Program Given to Me,,,

The Forums Strength
1

Hey all,
My coach recently gave me a summer weight program. I looked at it, and from my own instincts ( not that these instincts are highly regarded) I have a few uneasy thoughts about the program.
Day 1
Heavy Legs
Cleans
squats
Step Ups
Lunges
Total Hip Machine
Leg Curls

Day 2
Chest/Biceps/Triceps
Bench Press
Incline Bench
Flys
Cable Cross
‘Bicep Variations’
Dumbell
Barbell
‘Triceps Variations’
Lat Bar Push Down
Skull Crushers
Cables
Day 3
Shoulders/Back
Snatch
Upright Rows
Dumbell Raises
Shrugs
Lat Pull Down
Seated Rows
Reverse Flys

Day 4
Light Legs
Clean High Pulls 3x4 @ 65%
Hang Cleans 5x5
Push Press 5x5
Squats 2x10 @ 65-70%
Calf Raises

Day 5
Light Chest/Bi’s/Tri’s
Snatch Pulls 3x4 @ 65%
Bench 3x8 @ 60-65%
Decline Bench
‘Bicep Variations’
Dumbell
Barbell
‘Triceps Variations’
Lat Bar Push Down
Skull Crushers
Cables

Week 1 - Find a max for your 3 core lifts. It is the max you can lift one time. However, this is more easily done in sets of 3. If you can lift a weight 3 times, unassisted, add 15 lbs. to that for your max. Ex. I bench press 100 lbs 3 times. I move to 110 lbs. but can not get that 3 times. My max would be 100 + 15 = 115 lbs. It is important that this is done to figure out the amount of weight you will be lifting.

Weeks 2, 3, 4 - (Weeks starting June 12, 19, 26) Core lift Breakdown- 8 Reps Warm up @ 50% of max, 10 Reps @ 60 %, 8 Reps @ 65%, 6 Reps @ 70%, 4 Reps @ 75 %, 2 Reps @ 80%

Weeks 5, 6, 7 - (Weeks starting July 3, 10, 17) - 8 Reps Warm up @ 50% of max, 8 Reps @ 65 %, 8 Reps @ 70%, 6 Reps @ 75%, 4 Reps @ 80 %, 2 Reps @ 85%

Weeks 8, 9, 10 - (Weeks starting July 24, 31, and August 7) - 8 Reps Warm up @ 50% of max, 8 Reps @ 65 %, 6 Reps @ 75%, 6 Reps @ 80%, 4 Reps @ 85 %, 2 Reps @ 90%, 1 Rep @ 95%

Weeks 11, 12 - (Weeks starting August 14, 21) - 8 Reps Warm up @ 50% of max, 8 Reps @ 75 %, 6 Reps @ 80%, 6 Reps @ 85%, 4 Reps @ 90 %, 2 Reps @ 95%, 1 Rep @ 100%

So, he wants 5 days a week, minimum of 3 (and if only 3, get the heavy days in). The ‘heavy days’ are the first three days, as these include the 4 core lifts: bp, squat, clean, snatch. The days are obviously broken into different body parts, ‘in order to stray away from over usage of particular muscles’.

With that said, and I know this is a long post I apologize for, MY concerns/queries are the following:
Is 5 days a week to many?; I was more under the unfluence that maybe 3 days, and each day being a whole body workout

Would a deadlift incorporated into the program be a benefit?

I plan on starting my running again earyl-mid July. 5 days of lifting would now really seem too many, in trying to determine my speed workout days etc…

(By the way-I/we are in college, goin to be juniors. I have been lifting weights since freshman year of high school, I have exdperience in lifting)
I know coach has something in mind, obviously for us to get stroner coming into the fall semester, but I thought I could present this to the great minds of this forum for any possible feedback and opinions to put together a better fitting strength gaining program for the summer
if needed!

Long post I know, I apologize. All feedback is greatly appreciated! Thanks

2

I’m not pushy,

but,

anyone??? anything???

3

Is this a program for hurdling?

What are the reps/intensity like for the other lifts?

What types of breaks between lifts?

What are your current strength levels?

Do you know what the goals of the program are?

4
  1. This is the program sent to the team I am thinking, BUT, I am a 400 hurdler, soo, for me that answer to that is yes

2.-The secondary lifts are 3 sets of 8-10

3.-Breaks, not specified in the program given, but if I were to go do the workouts, I would 1.5-2 minutes at the MOST for breaks between sets (and lifts).

4.-Strenght levels (eeek)
I am 5’9, 150 ibs.
I will go in and do a beginning test this week, but I can give approximations:
Bench press = 200
Squat= 200
Clean = 185

5.- Goals of the program, basically to build strength over the summer. Coach has not given us any “running” program to do, but I AM going to run and make a program however (which is part of my concern, as 5 days TO ME seems to many to incorporate a 5 day a week running program starting mid July).

Anything else I’m leaving out, lemme know.
Again, all feedback is appreciated!

5

If you were to use the full five day program I would try to seperate days 1,2, and 3 by putting 4 and 5 between them.

I might suggest taking out the clean and push press on day 4 and the decline bench on day 5 if they are to be performed at 100% intensity.

Just try to keep a good awareness of your body during and after the workout, if your starting to feel great fatigue or that it is taking you a long time to recover from the workouts start dropping some of the less important lifts, although these are also lifts that are the least taxing they also have the least carryover such as the bicep/tricep work, or maybe the flies.

Also I would think about keeping the olympic lifts in the 1-4 rep area.

6

Good stuff so far Popequique, I appreciate it.
I think I understand where you’re going regarding taking out certain lifts. As far as the 5 day program goes, I was thinking about cutting it to 4 days -as once I start working over the summer, that 5th day in the weightroom may be demoralizing!-. HOW I am going to prioritize all of this into 4 days I have yet to sit down and plan, any suggestions I’m all ears (at first glance I was thinking of keepin the first three core days the same, and possibly combining days’ 4 and 5, of course not all of the exercizes but picking a few from each day and making it a light day. Just thinking while I type this, possibly like you recommended stick this lighter day in between on of the core days).

As far as limiting the oly, lifts to the 1-4 rep range, also, I think I know where you’re coming from. Reading around the forum I think I remember topics regarding oly. lifts and keeping the rep range down.

  • To cut to the chase, any suggestions on how I could incorporate this suggestion (lower reps) into the program, as it would obviously alter the program (regarding oly. lifts) quite a bit.
7

You may also want to up your rest between sets, it has been shown that 3 minutes of rest is usually optimal between sets.

Well, if this were my program I would set it up quite different, many people have posted workouts pretty similar to what I would use on here. In my past cycle I used a work similar to this:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday - Press exercise, Squat exercise, olympic exercise, usually around 4x6, for press and squat and 4x4 for the olympic lift to start

Tuesday/Thursday - Light circuit training

I mean dont get me wrong your coaches workout isnt terrible, he just has a different philosophy behind his training than I do.

8

Rest increase, most definately (I was kind of just throwing the other ranges out there).

I like, and already have, how the core/oly. lifts are separated into the three days. Like I said, I think I’ll cut it down to 4 days with the 4th day in the middle somewhere and being a light day.

I understand my coach seems to have his own philospophy and I think I will somewhat stick to it. I do however also like the idea of limiting the reps of the olympic, but under the circumstances I dont really know how to incorporate that idea into ‘coaches’’ program, sooo,we’ll see, again, maybe just sticking to his (coaches) philosphy and beleiving in his system may be the better.

Another thought I keep thinking about is incorporating a deadlift into the program? A good idea, or is leaving the deadlift out not the most traumatic thing? If beneficial, when and where? Maybe on the back/shoudlers day at the end of the week?

9

Deadlift really does not need to be incorporated into your program as the squat and deadlift are very similar in the muscles focused on as well as both working on general strength and tax the cns to a similiar level.

10

Sounds good. Thanks Popequique