Chandler Routine

quadancer

New Member
As an old gymrat turned PL, I'm planning a multilevel program for strength and size. If you're familiar with and have done MyoReps, feel free to critique as this is the first draft from what I know. The idea here is balancing light speed work for slow twitch neural training, an ME day by relative percentages, and MyoReps for growth and strength:

-Chandler Training -
2rm Warmup - 25%x10, x5, 40%x3, x1, 55% x1
Determine desired Max 1rm for each lift you think you can hit.
Weeks 1,2
Day 1:
Squat - Speed work, beginning @ 50% 5x5
Bench - MyoReps @ 60% 10rm - one set
Deads - 2rm warmup, 2x runs up to 60% - one run

Day 2:
Squat - 2rm Buildup to 60%
Bench - Speedwork at 50% 5x5
Deads - MyoReps @ 60%

Day 3:
Squat - MyoReps @ 60%
Bench - 2rm buildup to 60%
Deads - Speedwork @ 50%
Shrugs 10x3 / Chins 10-15x2-3 / Face pulls 25x2
Two days off

Every two weeks, up all percentages by 5%

Week 14 will end at 95% x 2rm
Week 15 All 3 lifts 3x3 @ 60-75% (maintenance break)
Week 16 compete or go for 1rm each exersize.

Workout |Squat...........|Bench..........|Deads
First........|Speed 50%..|MR 60%......|60% double
Second...|60% Double.|Speed 50%.|MR 60%
Third.......|MR 60%.......|60% Double|Speed 50%
If speedwork slows too much, stay there until you can ramp up.
In event of a 2rm stall / fail, repeat percentages for this lift next week.
 
It looks like a Westside template merged with the Bulgarian ST philosophy. There are a lot of details in the Westside training method, too many for me to remember so I offer the advice to read the many articles available if you haven't already. I don't have anything to add but I will point out that this routine doesn't have any GPP in it. I like that you put face pulls in there. According to T-nation authors its a good lift to prevent problems that arise from too much benching.
 
Correct. But adhering to Faleev and Korte style simplicity, my purpose is to improve all 3 lifts to max out a meet total. I could pull my sled or sprint up our hill or do speed rows, but where to put them? If I put them on the off days, it's too much on the CNS, if I put them in the workout, I was allready worried this might be a bit brutal. If I split the w/o day and do them evenings, I'd have to warm up for it as well, eating up a lot of time.

This from Dave Draper: Working on GPP means working on aspects of fitness that your main training neglects. If you are a powerlifter, cardiovascular training will improve your GPP. Training for the powerlifts does not develop much cardiovascular fitness. Adding in some running, cycling, rowing, or other aerobic activity will improve this neglected component and raise GPP. Now so will endurance or interval workouts with a sled, and a sled may be a more appealing choice for a powerlifter than the usual options; but all of the above improve GPP.

So then it would appear that cardio on offdays would be a way. I agree that it's important, just as I got into speed reps for what they do.
Face pulls helped my shoulder impingement until one night it disappeared. I'm a believer.
 
For GPP when space is limited or when it's really wet outside (like it often is in the UK - or should that be Y-UK!), I always feel that higher rep clean and jerks or snatches are a great movement. Pick a weight you can do about 10 reps with and then do 30 or so total reps. Then there's all the body weight stuff that can be done in circuit fashion. I reckon one day a week for GPP is a good mix with heavy training.


I'm going to have to rig up a pulley system on my rack so I can give face-pulls a decent trial. My shoulder is improving and I'd like to see if face-pulls help or hinder my situation.

Quad, did you precede each rep with adduction of the scaps? Did you ever try pulling hands to above head level?

I suppose I could do a type of face-pull using my EZ-bar and a raised decline bench?
 
NO! I use a rope, hands pronated, but you could use a knotted towel if you don't have a rope. I sit upright, of course, and hands extended and in line with the bottom of the pulley, pull in a straight line to the ears, looking at the buckle...bringing it to your nose or eyes. This provides a 100-degree rotation of the humerus with the pull at the top, and a bit of a break at the bottom, to avoid continuous load. Last five reps of the 25 should make you grunt or squeal, whichever is your style.
If you want to have full rotation work, you'll then go over to a pad or table edge with a DB and rotate up from straight down. This will load the bottom 3/4 of your rotation.
Don't forget to squeal.  
laugh.gif
 
After much consideration, I've realized how to tweak this to work. It was going to be more brutal than I thought, and recovery was an issue, so I've changed to 2 days off between sessions for 72 hrs. recovery. This means you can kick butt every workout without overtraining. You don't lose that many workouts compared to 3/wk. as you will see:
-Chandler Training -
2rm Warmup - 25%x10, x5, 40%x3, x1, 55% x1,
Determine desired Max 1rm for each lift you think you can target.
Weeks 1,2
Day 1:
Squat - Speed work, beginning @ 50% 5x5 or 8
Bench - MyoReps @ 60% 10rm - one set or 2 with less reps than 15
Deads - 2rm warmup, 2x runs up to 60% - one run.
Shrugs 10x3 / Chins 10-15x2-3 / Face pulls 25x2 / 10rm ab sets x 2

Day 2:
Squat - 2rm Buildup to 60%
Bench - Speedwork at 50% 5x5
Deads - MyoReps @ 60%
Shrugs 10x3 / Chins 10-15x2-3 / Face pulls 25x2 / 10rm ab sets x 2

Day 3:
Squat - MyoReps @ 60%
Bench - 2rm buildup to 60%
Deads - Speedwork @ 50%
Shrugs 10x3 / Chins 10-15x2-3 / Face pulls 25x2 / 10rm ab sets x 2

Every mesocycle (6 workouts), up all percentages by 5%

Week 15 will end at 95% x 2rm
Week 16 All 3 lifts 3x3 @ 60-75% (maintenance break)
Week 17 compete or go for 1rm each exersize.

Workout |Squat |Bench |Deads
First |Speed 50% |MR 60% |60% double
Second |60% Double |Speed 50% |MR 60%
Third |MR 60% |60% Double |Speed 50%
If speedwork slows too much, stay there until you can ramp up.
In event of a 2rm stall / fail, repeat percentages for this lift next week.
Taking 2 days off between workouts will give you 10 workouts in a month,
and 72 hours recovery between each, so give it hell.

As you can see, it's only one week more than the former plan, but with MUCH more recovery. The assistance work each day is just to keep some show beef on and help strength a bit. Facepulls are to keep shoulders working and pain-free. You may wish for other things.
___
I do because I can.
I can because I do.
 
At this point, I've done 2 weeks of it without the two days between training - and I'm getting blasted, definitely overreached if not overtrained. Stuff keeps feeling DOMS, legs stiff, and bench went to heck. So now I'm sure THAT won't work.

Another tweak I've thought of, (since I have trouble skipping workouts) is to set it up for two lifts a day with the third being assistance work for the missing exersize.
 
I have not had time to read Blade's articles on MyoReps. Can someone give a quick description of what it is?
 
Do 9 reps of your 10rm. Take 5-10 breaths (or 5-10 seconds) and do 3 more. Repeat until you've done 5 of the 3 reps sets. I then suggest you do two other exersizes with MR's for the same muscle. Then look in the mirror if there is one.
You've been introduced to Myo Reps.
wink.gif
 
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(quadancer @ Oct. 23 2009,9:32)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Do 9 reps of your 10rm. Take 5-10 breaths (or 5-10 seconds) and do 3 more. Repeat until you've done 5 of the 3 reps sets.  I then suggest you do two other exersizes with MR's for the same muscle. Then look in the mirror if there is one.
You've been introduced to Myo Reps.  
wink.gif
</div>
How long do you rest after the 3 rep set before you do the next set of 9? I don't see anything too special about that other than you are increasing your volume by adding the 3 rep set 10 seconds after your main set of 9.

It actually sounds somewhat similar to Leo Costa's method called &quot;Muscle Rounds&quot; from a book he wrote (I believe) back in the year 2000.

Muscle Rounds go like this.....

Pick a weight that is somewhere around your 10 rep max. Do 4 reps, then rest 10 seconds (that's one round), do 4 reps, rest 10 seconds, do 4 reps, rest 10 seconds......rinse and repeat until you have done 6 rounds. When you have done 6 rounds that counts as one set. You should then rest for a min. or two before your next set. Do a total of 4 sets of 6 rounds. If you are working out 3 days per week you would only do this one day per week. The other two days you should do a more traditional workout. He basically recommends one day is geared toward endurance, one toward strength and then one for growth (muscle rounds). Actually he suggests a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday schedule, however you only work each muscle 3 times per week. If anyone wants more info send me a PM and I can give some more details.

Give it a go....you might like it.
 
It sounds good, if not a bit extreme with the four sets. Myo's tend to feel pretty much done after one set to me. The point Blade introduced that is most important is the activation set. The last 3-4 reps of the 9 rep set are under full activation, as are all the reps following; that's why you rest as little as possible. To be sure you understand a myo set, it goes like this:
9-10 reps, rest
3 reps, rest
3 reps, rest
3 reps, rest
3 reps, rest (if you can still get 3)...if you failed, then
2 reps, rest
1 rep.
Total after activation set: 15. All fully activated.
If you need more rest time, he says up to 20 seconds is allowed, as you need it.
With Muscle Rounds, you will not be activated by the first set, and maybe not even the second, lacking enough reps to engage all the fibers. He makes up for this by adding more sets. Myos do it in one set, totalling 19 activated reps. Compare to 3x8 where you get maybe 12 activated reps.
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Oct. 28 2009,9:43)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It sounds good, if not a bit extreme with the four sets. Myo's tend to feel pretty much done after one set to me. The point Blade introduced that is most important is the activation set. The last 3-4 reps of the 9 rep set are under full activation, as are all the reps following; that's why you rest as little as possible. To be sure you understand a myo set, it goes like this:
9-10 reps, rest
3 reps, rest
3 reps, rest
3 reps, rest
3 reps, rest (if you can still get 3)...if you failed, then
2 reps, rest
1 rep.
Total after activation set: 15. All fully activated.
If you need more rest time, he says up to 20 seconds is allowed, as you need it.
With Muscle Rounds, you will not be activated by the first set, and maybe not even the second, lacking enough reps to engage all the fibers. He makes up for this by adding more sets. Myos do it in one set, totalling 19 activated reps. Compare to 3x8 where you get maybe 12 activated reps.</div>
OK, I misunderstood what you meant. I thought you were saying you were supposed to do 9 reps, then 3 reps, then 9, then 3...... with rest in between each.

If I were working with my true 10 rep max and did 9 reps, there is no way in hell I would be able to do 3 reps 5 more times even with 20 seconds rest in between......it's just not going to happen for me. I probably wouldn't even get 3 reps 3 more times.

With Muscle Rounds it seemed to work well for me when I tried them. However, as you noted, 4 sets is a bit much unless nutrition and sleep are spot on. 3 sets of Muscle Rounds is about right.
 
All I can say is you don't know until you try, and I know you're not a noob. I've been showing myos to some of the college kids in our gym and some of them have taken nicely to them. I never said they were easy tho...some use lower percentages, and you could experiment with those. I've been playing with 6-7 rep maxes and following with 3's successfully, but not for legs.
 
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