I got bored and started looking at the best possible route to take to continue to add strength and mass. Due to my job, which requires 15-20 hours of physical labor spread across the weekdays, I would benefit little from the 15's and 10's in way of hypertrophy. Though HST is appealing, it wouldn't provide the strength gains I desire, and the loading would likely be too insignificant to cause much growth.
At the same time, the constant work is metabolic fatiguing, and my joints get worn from constant low reps. It's either that, or the job coupled with low reps. Either way, I feel achy after some time. After discussion with vicious, I decided it would be best to supplement a single-factor 5x5 routine with some metabolic work (i.e., HST's fabled 15's).
I also noted that I wanted to keep up on the core strength, along with grip and rotator cuff work, for MMA and prehabilitation. Thus, I took an idea from O&G and decided to do my trunk work (as well as the ancillary stuff) on Tuesday and Thursday.
It's nothing special, but this is my plan for the next few months. Really, as long as I can continue to milk gains from it, I'll stick to it.
The beginning is done like the typical 15's, for one or two weeks, depending on the need. Squats, bench presses and rows are all that is used. Typical, deep burning sensation, as many reps as necessary, etc. Submaximal loading is also used, decreasing from the 15 RM, back either 2 or 5 workouts, depending on the duration of this "phase".
From here, a classic 5x5 routine is done:
Monday - Squat, Bench, Row all for 5x5
Wednesday - Squat, Incline Bench, and Deadlift all for 4x5
Friday - Squat, Bench, Row for 4x5, 1x3, then 1x8
Premise:
Monday: The weight for each lift is increased on each set of 5, from a light warm-up to an all out set of 5. For squats, something like 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5. The weight should be increased evenly from your first to last set. If you are working up to bigger weights, say above 500, you can add a sixth set of 5 just to avoid making large jumps between sets.
Wednesday: First three sets mirror Monday's workout. The fourth (and optional fifth set) repeats the weight used on set three. Incline bench uses 80% of the weight used on flat bench.
Friday: First four sets mirror Monday's workout. The fifth set should be a 5-10 lb. jump over Monday's fifth set. This is done for a triple. After this, drop to the weight used on set three and do eight reps. Come Monday, you will use the weight from your triple for 5x5.
Once you stall, take off for a week, do the 15's (if you had joint problems during the cycle), and start again. If you stall and find yourself with no joint problems, you could always drop to a Monday & Thursday frequency, dropping the Wednesday workout, and changing to 3x3 both days until you stall again. Then follow the original steps. Start back at 90% or so of your old weights.
Tuesdays and Thursdays have you doing the following:
Bridges - 1x30 (seconds)
Side Bridges - 1x20 (seconds)
Nelson Situp (vicious recommended) - 1x10
CoC Gripper - 1x20
Dynamic Thumb - 1x8
Rotator Work - 1x15
The bridges are not the wrestler bridges known in highschools. They're also called planks, or iso-ab-holds. Forces activating of the TVA due to gravity, great for stability and core strength. Side bridges cover obliques. Vicious' Nelson Situp feels like a good movement to supplement with, and I personally enjoy it. Volume can be raised according to needs. One set each day gives me six total sets for the abs a week - that seems like enough.
The CoC (Captains of Crush) gripper is basically done to failure, until 20 reps is hit. I would've used the KTA program or something more advanced, but it bored me to get into grip training 6x a week, and I figure the huge weight jumps between CoC grippers calls for "mastering" the previous one before progressing. If all else fails, I'll switch to my Ivanko grippers to make smaller progressions over time. Dynamic thumb is done to supplement grip training. In fact, it's almost essential, the further you get into it. This is done with various size clamps I bought from a hardware store.
Finally, the four rotator cuff exercises I do in the order found on this webpage: http://familydoctor.org/265.xml
I do the Movement Prep routine (from the book Core Performance) every morning to prep me for daily activity. I do it away from training, due to the weakening of the myotatic reflex that occurs during active stretching such as this. I'm naturally very flexible, but it feels good to stretch and loosen up my body before the day begins.
Oh, and my warmups pretty much consist of using the bar for 10-15 reps for bloodflow. The 5x5 routine has you loading up to your max weights anyway, so that's even more of a warmup.
Whew...I'm done ranting. Hope everyone enjoys this read. If not...well, deal with it.
At the same time, the constant work is metabolic fatiguing, and my joints get worn from constant low reps. It's either that, or the job coupled with low reps. Either way, I feel achy after some time. After discussion with vicious, I decided it would be best to supplement a single-factor 5x5 routine with some metabolic work (i.e., HST's fabled 15's).
I also noted that I wanted to keep up on the core strength, along with grip and rotator cuff work, for MMA and prehabilitation. Thus, I took an idea from O&G and decided to do my trunk work (as well as the ancillary stuff) on Tuesday and Thursday.
It's nothing special, but this is my plan for the next few months. Really, as long as I can continue to milk gains from it, I'll stick to it.
The beginning is done like the typical 15's, for one or two weeks, depending on the need. Squats, bench presses and rows are all that is used. Typical, deep burning sensation, as many reps as necessary, etc. Submaximal loading is also used, decreasing from the 15 RM, back either 2 or 5 workouts, depending on the duration of this "phase".
From here, a classic 5x5 routine is done:
Monday - Squat, Bench, Row all for 5x5
Wednesday - Squat, Incline Bench, and Deadlift all for 4x5
Friday - Squat, Bench, Row for 4x5, 1x3, then 1x8
Premise:
Monday: The weight for each lift is increased on each set of 5, from a light warm-up to an all out set of 5. For squats, something like 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5. The weight should be increased evenly from your first to last set. If you are working up to bigger weights, say above 500, you can add a sixth set of 5 just to avoid making large jumps between sets.
Wednesday: First three sets mirror Monday's workout. The fourth (and optional fifth set) repeats the weight used on set three. Incline bench uses 80% of the weight used on flat bench.
Friday: First four sets mirror Monday's workout. The fifth set should be a 5-10 lb. jump over Monday's fifth set. This is done for a triple. After this, drop to the weight used on set three and do eight reps. Come Monday, you will use the weight from your triple for 5x5.
Once you stall, take off for a week, do the 15's (if you had joint problems during the cycle), and start again. If you stall and find yourself with no joint problems, you could always drop to a Monday & Thursday frequency, dropping the Wednesday workout, and changing to 3x3 both days until you stall again. Then follow the original steps. Start back at 90% or so of your old weights.
Tuesdays and Thursdays have you doing the following:
Bridges - 1x30 (seconds)
Side Bridges - 1x20 (seconds)
Nelson Situp (vicious recommended) - 1x10
CoC Gripper - 1x20
Dynamic Thumb - 1x8
Rotator Work - 1x15
The bridges are not the wrestler bridges known in highschools. They're also called planks, or iso-ab-holds. Forces activating of the TVA due to gravity, great for stability and core strength. Side bridges cover obliques. Vicious' Nelson Situp feels like a good movement to supplement with, and I personally enjoy it. Volume can be raised according to needs. One set each day gives me six total sets for the abs a week - that seems like enough.
The CoC (Captains of Crush) gripper is basically done to failure, until 20 reps is hit. I would've used the KTA program or something more advanced, but it bored me to get into grip training 6x a week, and I figure the huge weight jumps between CoC grippers calls for "mastering" the previous one before progressing. If all else fails, I'll switch to my Ivanko grippers to make smaller progressions over time. Dynamic thumb is done to supplement grip training. In fact, it's almost essential, the further you get into it. This is done with various size clamps I bought from a hardware store.
Finally, the four rotator cuff exercises I do in the order found on this webpage: http://familydoctor.org/265.xml
I do the Movement Prep routine (from the book Core Performance) every morning to prep me for daily activity. I do it away from training, due to the weakening of the myotatic reflex that occurs during active stretching such as this. I'm naturally very flexible, but it feels good to stretch and loosen up my body before the day begins.
Oh, and my warmups pretty much consist of using the bar for 10-15 reps for bloodflow. The 5x5 routine has you loading up to your max weights anyway, so that's even more of a warmup.
Whew...I'm done ranting. Hope everyone enjoys this read. If not...well, deal with it.