Strength Weight Training: Anything and Everything II

[cptkirk]

here's a few other options:

#1 - train everything everyday so 1 exercise for each muscle/movement all at moderate to high intensity but low to moderate volume

#2 - train everything everyday but 1 exercise for moderate to high intensity but high volume for each session...so day 1 use squats as your focus lift and do low volume for everything else where you might alternate sets of squats with a set of everything else...it's a lot of vol for the focus lift but it's on low volume for the rest of the week so it's fine

#3 - same as #2 but use 2 focus lifts per session so you'd decrease vol for the other exercises even lower then #2 and use the same vol for the both focus exercises as in the focus lift for #2 OR decrease the vol slightly for the focus lifts compared to #2 and keep the low volume the same for the rest as you did for #2

#4 - use a variety of rep types (not ranges) like isometric, eccentric, drop catch, rebound etc and rotate through them throughout the week either having a full isometric day for everything OR do 1 exercise for each rep type per day do day 1 might be squats isometric, bench press drop and catch etc and the next day squats might be pliometric, and bench press isometric

food for thought

 

[Kompany]

So no legs in the push/pull (second option) split?

For me i train pull/legs/push twice a week and rest Sundays.

Yeah legs are included - for example squats are push and leg curl is pull. I'll just go with push/legs/pull though and see how I go with the resting days.

Thanks for that, cptkirk ! I'm really looking at more variation in my workouts as I feel I've been stuck doing the same things for too long.

 

[BrockBlitz]

Piked out of the squat challenge on day 35. It was a bit earlier than I'd hoped. My knee and ITB were just in a world of pain. I'll have another crack at it next year.

Totals:
3500 squats
131.25 tons lifted
PB increase of 15kg.
Deadlift PB increase of 10kg
weight increase 2.5kg - consistently 88 now.

I'd like to get to at least day 60 next time. I'll continue squatting 2-3 times a week.

 

[cptkirk]

Yeah legs are included - for example squats are push and leg curl is pull. I'll just go with push/legs/pull though and see how I go with the resting days.

Thanks for that, cptkirk ! I'm really looking at more variation in my workouts as I feel I've been stuck doing the same things for too long.

if you need more variation them a different split isn't really the best way to go...like i said above you need to look at altering your rep speed/tempo and volume (volume will dictate intensity for the most part)

 

[kirbatron]

6'3 96kgs - have a gut & poorish built legs. Upper body is suffice. Want to play footy next year.

Basically need a routine for legs/core & a better diet. Meal sizes are big. I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice, chocolate, bread. Any tips?

 

[HirdyLannister]

6'3 96kgs - have a gut & poorish built legs. Upper body is suffice. Want to play footy next year.

Basically need a routine for legs/core & a better diet. Meal sizes are big. I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice, chocolate, bread. Any tips?

I like 5/3/1, builds legs pretty quick.
Amazed about your body weight with height, I'm 5'10 and weigh 92kg with a flat stomach but my legs are tree trucks. I'm half Austria eg mountain climbing legs (genetics)...

 

[kirbatron]

Surprised, high or low?

Im reasonably in proportion but legs need bulking to absorb contact & physical nature of afl. Gut is not huge but i need to get a handle on it - im 35.

What do u mean 5/3/1?

 

[saj_21]

6'3 96kgs - have a gut & poorish built legs. Upper body is suffice. Want to play footy next year.

Basically need a routine for legs/core & a better diet. Meal sizes are big. I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice, chocolate, bread. Any tips?

I'd suggest with legs;

Warm up with 2 sets of leg extensions/lying leg curl 15-20 reps

4 sets of squats 4-8 reps
4 sets of deadlifts 3-5 reps
4 sets of leg press 12-15 reps

That is a type of workout i'd enjoy, these will help your core strength to.

As for diet;

I assume you exercise for an hour 4-5 times a week and your maintenance calories (the point approx you will lose/gain weight) would be about 3200 calories. Now it is difficult to eat in a calorie deficit and improve strength, but i'd suggest on days you work out eat around 3300 calories and on rest days eat around 2800 calories, this should keep you slightly in deficit over the course of a week.

As for diet, really restrict junk food and eat enough protein, moderate amount of carbs and plenty of veggies. I like to eat more protein than others may recommend becuase it keeps me fuller than eating more carbs. My macros will look like;

280g protein 80g fat 340g carb which equals around 3200 calories. If you need to eat less then drop carbs slightly.

my diet;

100g of oats and berries for breakfast / weekends will be eggs on toast
2 meals of 200g of chicken/beef with 200g of brown rice (lunches)
30g protein shake
1 meal of 200g ofchicken/beef with 400g of sweet potato (dinner)

snacks will be;
peanut butter and almonds
rice cakes with peanut butter and jam

Saturday's i will drop carbs during the day and eat a cheat meal at night.

 

[kirbatron]

Cheers.

I exercise on average 3 times a week. Weights & running

 

[Mofra]

4 sets of squats 4-8 reps
4 sets of deadlifts 3-5 reps
4 sets of leg press 12-15 reps

Brutal!
Do you have this as a weekly/bi-weekly workout?

 

[HirdyLannister]

Surprised, high or low?

Im reasonably in proportion but legs need bulking to absorb contact & physical nature of afl. Gut is not huge but i need to get a handle on it - im 35.

What do u mean 5/3/1?

Low weight for height when just comparing to myself but I'm too lazy to do a proper "cut" I just swim three times a week for cardio.

https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/531-how-to-build-pure-strength
http://www.jimwendler.com/2013/05/boring-but-big/

5/3/1 BBB increased my legs massively, my waist is like a 32-34 but I have to buy 36-38 pants to fit around my quads, like I said earlier I have genetics on my side for legs...

 

[saj_21]

Brutal!
Do you have this as a weekly/bi-weekly workout?

Twice a week and i would add in some more warm up sets on squats, and some leg extensions/hammy exercises to up the volume.

 

[Mofra]

Twice a week and i would add in some more warm up sets on squats, and some leg extensions/hammy exercises to up the volume.

Fair effort - I tend to have Tuesdays and Fridays as leg day, although Fridays tends to be more ABW. Cycling 10+ times per week tends to provide more than enough volume!

I've switched to single-leg leg presses as well as a supporting exercise and angled lunges to try and break up the linear nature of most gym-based leg work. Do some fast running/sprinting at the end of leg sessions as well.

 

[kirbatron]

Good stuff gents. Ill report back in a month.

 

[metcard99]

I'd suggest with legs;

Warm up with 2 sets of leg extensions/lying leg curl 15-20 reps

4 sets of squats 4-8 reps
4 sets of deadlifts 3-5 reps
4 sets of leg press 12-15 reps

That is a type of workout i'd enjoy, these will help your core strength to.

As for diet;

I assume you exercise for an hour 4-5 times a week and your maintenance calories (the point approx you will lose/gain weight) would be about 3200 calories. Now it is difficult to eat in a calorie deficit and improve strength, but i'd suggest on days you work out eat around 3300 calories and on rest days eat around 2800 calories, this should keep you slightly in deficit over the course of a week.

As for diet, really restrict junk food and eat enough protein, moderate amount of carbs and plenty of veggies. I like to eat more protein than others may recommend becuase it keeps me fuller than eating more carbs. My macros will look like;

280g protein 80g fat 340g carb which equals around 3200 calories. If you need to eat less then drop carbs slightly.

my diet;

100g of oats and berries for breakfast / weekends will be eggs on toast
2 meals of 200g of chicken/beef with 200g of brown rice (lunches)
30g protein shake
1 meal of 200g ofchicken/beef with 400g of sweet potato (dinner)

snacks will be;
peanut butter and almonds
rice cakes with peanut butter and jam

Saturday's i will drop carbs during the day and eat a cheat meal at night.[

I'd suggest with legs;

Warm up with 2 sets of leg extensions/lying leg curl 15-20 reps

4 sets of squats 4-8 reps
4 sets of deadlifts 3-5 reps
4 sets of leg press 12-15 reps

That is a type of workout i'd enjoy, these will help your core strength to.

As for diet;

I assume you exercise for an hour 4-5 times a week and your maintenance calories (the point approx you will lose/gain weight) would be about 3200 calories. Now it is difficult to eat in a calorie deficit and improve strength, but i'd suggest on days you work out eat around 3300 calories and on rest days eat around 2800 calories, this should keep you slightly in deficit over the course of a week.

As for diet, really restrict junk food and eat enough protein, moderate amount of carbs and plenty of veggies. I like to eat more protein than others may recommend becuase it keeps me fuller than eating more carbs. My macros will look like;

280g protein 80g fat 340g carb which equals around 3200 calories. If you need to eat less then drop carbs slightly.

my diet;

100g of oats and berries for breakfast / weekends will be eggs on toast
2 meals of 200g of chicken/beef with 200g of brown rice (lunches)
30g protein shake
1 meal of 200g ofchicken/beef with 400g of sweet potato (dinner)

snacks will be;
peanut butter and almonds
rice cakes with peanut butter and jam

Saturday's i will drop carbs during the day and eat a cheat meal at night.

What stage are you at now in terms of putting on weight or trying to lose it (or maintain)?

 

[metcard99]

I've been through Asia for the last month drinking and eating badly and probably only got about 6 sessions in at the gym compared to normally 6 a week so i'm hoping to try and gain a bit more muscle over the next 6 weeks and then try to get bodyfat back down after that but was wondering if anyone had an opinion on how best to go about it. I pretty much spend 80 minutes at the gym each day 6 (sometimes 5) days a week and I don't want to increase/reduce that because it works perfect for me and has over the last few years. Normally I'm a 5 day split but that's more when I'm training on maintenance or slight deficit in calories. However now I'm going to be in surplus I was thinking of day1-back/shoulders, day2-chest/arms, day3-legs/abs and repeat. I figure the extra calories will allow me to have a more taxing workout in comparison to say a day of just arms. My other option was just a two day split of upper/lower but I find it frustrating to try and fit so much in to the upper day.

Also out of interest saj_21 do you think whatever fat I gain in the 6 weeks of calorie surplus can be lost in 6 weeks without affecting muscle gained too much?

 

[bkozican]

Does anybody here follow mike rashid and ct fletcher?

 

[saj_21]

I've been through Asia for the last month drinking and eating badly and probably only got about 6 sessions in at the gym compared to normally 6 a week so i'm hoping to try and gain a bit more muscle over the next 6 weeks and then try to get bodyfat back down after that but was wondering if anyone had an opinion on how best to go about it. I pretty much spend 80 minutes at the gym each day 6 (sometimes 5) days a week and I don't want to increase/reduce that because it works perfect for me and has over the last few years. Normally I'm a 5 day split but that's more when I'm training on maintenance or slight deficit in calories. However now I'm going to be in surplus I was thinking of day1-back/shoulders, day2-chest/arms, day3-legs/abs and repeat. I figure the extra calories will allow me to have a more taxing workout in comparison to say a day of just arms. My other option was just a two day split of upper/lower but I find it frustrating to try and fit so much in to the upper day.

Also out of interest saj_21 do you think whatever fat I gain in the 6 weeks of calorie surplus can be lost in 6 weeks without affecting muscle gained too much?

For me since my comp i haven't eaten great still hit my macros but have enjoyed a few to many donuts and over indulged in take away on weekends. So am the moment i adding size and bodyfat lifting heavy and getting stronger. In October i will start to cut back my calories and drop some weight for summer, with the possibility of competing again early next year.

I would suggest only eat slightly above maintenance if you are coming of a period of over eating as you will already have excess bodyfat than you like. Secondly 6 days a week is fine, i prefer a push - chest/shoulder/tris, pull - back, bis, traps and legs......I rarely train abs especially in a bulk its a waste of time.

Lastly the more your calorie deficit is, the greater your muscle loss will be. Your body is far better at storing bodyfat than it is losing body fat. Long story short you may need to diet for longer to lose the desired bodyfat and maintain lean muscle. Number one tip whilst dieting, eat as much food as you can whilst losing bodyfat you want to aim for .5kg - 1kg a week. If you reduce your calories by 50% 1 week into dieting you will lose weight faster but when you hit a weight loss stall you have nowhere to go.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Brothers and Sisters I have a question. I am giving blood at lunch time on Friday - I usually do a heavy deadlift session on early Saturday morning. Should I give it a miss or would I still be OK. Hard to tell what is myth and what is reality with the light exercise only advice

 

[Shupe]

Do it and report back.

 

[Mofra]

Brothers and Sisters I have a question. I am giving blood at lunch time on Friday - I usually do a heavy deadlift session on early Saturday morning. Should I give it a miss or would I still be OK. Hard to tell what is myth and what is reality with the light exercise only advice

Keep a bench nearby so you can sit down straight after your working sets - I often get light-headed with deadlifts (and Pendlay rows) so try to prepare for it.

Just do it

 

[Contra Mundum]

Keep a bench nearby so you can sit down straight after your working sets - I often get light-headed with deadlifts (and Pendlay rows) so try to prepare for it.

Just do it

Yeh - I figure you might have problems if you walk out of Red Cross and then try to Smash some 180k deadlifts but the no activity for 48 hours seems a bit like the don't swim for an hour after eating.

 

[Mofra]

Yeh - I figure you might have problems if you walk out of Red Cross and then try to Smash some 180k deadlifts but the no activity for 48 hours seems a bit like the don't swim for an hour after eating.

You may have to deload/go lighter and be a bit more cautious as you add weight - I feel weird if I don't exercise for 48 hours to be honest, pent up energy and start feeling a little guilty

 

[Shupe]

Haha if I miss a day, I punish myself the next. Can't imagine not exercising for two days.

 

[bkozican]

Saturday morning gym after a big friday night of footy....I expect it to be pretty quiet.

Nothing better than having the gym to yourself