XFatMan’s Dan Alexander Peaking Program

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Flat Bench Barbell Press / Barbell Squat

8 reps at 45% of 1 RM
6 reps at 55% of 1 RM
5 reps at 65% of 1 RM
4 reps at 75% of 1 RM
2 reps at 85% of 1 RM
2 reps at 90% of 1 RM
2 reps at 95% of 1 RM
4 reps at 75% of 1 RM
30 minutes walking at 4.0 mph with running intervals.

The 95% range needed spotting on the second rep for the Flat Bench Barbell Press. But somehow I’m not worried about that since my new calculated 1 RM on that lift is already a good improvement. I’m also nearing 16% body fat now, so why should I worry too much about that now?
 
Friday, March 7, 2008

Barbell Overhead Press / Barbell Deadlift

8 reps at 45% of 1 RM
6 reps at 55% of 1 RM
5 reps at 65% of 1 RM
4 reps at 75% of 1 RM
2 reps at 85% of 1 RM
2 reps at 90% of 1 RM
2 reps at 95% of 1 RM
4 reps at 75% of 1 RM
50 minutes walking at 4.0 mph with running intervals. Another 30 minutes will follow in the afternoon.
 
Saturday, March 8, 2008

I did 50 minutes of walking / running in the morning and another 40 minutes of the same in the afternoon.

Sunday, March 09, 2008

... lots of changes …

Neck 15.2 in. (-0.2 in.)
Biceps 13.0 in. (-0.2 in.)
Forearm 11.0 in. (-0.2 in.)
Chest 39.6 in. (-0.2 in.)
Waist 32.1 in. (-0.2 in.)
Hips 37.4 in. (-0.4 in.)
Thigh 22.0 (-0.4 in.)
Bodyweight 157.4 lbs. (-0.2 lbs)
Body Fat Percentage 16.1% (-0.7%)

Looks like I’m almost there – at 15% or less body fat that is. There was a sudden weight gain within the last three days and I put on three pounds. I was also unusually hungry during these days – very strange. I believe it was because of the really heavy loads in the gym. My body wants to put on lean mass while I want to cut. Pretty unfair, huh? If I were lean, I’d have given in and eaten a bit or two more.
 
Monday, March 10, 2008

Flat Bench Barbell Press / Barbell Squat

8 reps at 45% of 1 RM
6 reps at 55% of 1 RM
5 reps at 65% of 1 RM
5 reps at 75% of 1 RM
5 reps at 75% of 1 RM
30 minutes walking / running. Another 30 minutes will follow in the afternoon.

That workout was quick and easy, so I started familiarizing myself with the Power Clean. It seems that it’s not such a terribly difficult lift as I had thought, but to get the form right should take some time. My first impression is that it could become one of my favorite lifts. Well actually, the only lift I don’t like so much is the Flat Bench Barbell Press and my absolute favorite is the Deadlift.
 
Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Barbell Overhead Press / Barbell Deadlift

8 reps at 45% of 1 RM
6 reps at 55% of 1 RM
5 reps at 65% of 1 RM
5 reps at 75% of 1 RM
5 reps at 75% of 1 RM
45 minutes walking / running.
 
Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Today it looked rainy, so I went to the gym to skip rope instead of walking / running. Really, the advice I got here to stretch my calves every day has seemingly worked wonders. I did 30 intervals of skipping 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds rest / stretching. I’ll do another 30 minutes or so in the afternoon.
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Mar. 09 2008,07:22)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">... lots of changes …

Neck 15.2 in. (-0.2 in.)
Biceps 13.0 in. (-0.2 in.)
Forearm 11.0 in. (-0.2 in.)
Chest 39.6 in. (-0.2 in.)
Waist 32.1 in. (-0.2 in.)
Hips 37.4 in. (-0.4 in.)
Thigh 22.0 (-0.4 in.)
Bodyweight 157.4 lbs. (-0.2 lbs)
Body Fat Percentage 16.1% (-0.7%)</div>
Excellent work, XFM. Your consistent progress is absolutely wonderful to see! I truly think you are on pace to hit and likely surpass your goals - though I don't want to jinx you, so ignore me if you so choose.
tounge.gif
 
Yeah, you have kept a good frequency of training along with a steady cut of calories. It is tough to keep up in the work-life balance!
 
See, this is what I've been saying. Consistency. Progressive improvement. Those of us switching around all the time are the ones left behind by these guys. We look up a few months later, they've hit their goals and are setting new ones.

Good work X.
 
Thanks for the comments. That’s additional motivation and very much needed. Near the end of this first cycle – only one more week to go – I’m pretty exhausted.

One trick that helped me getting closer to my goal is setting monthly / weekly / daily goals. And that fantastic program helped very much as well.

I’m already thinking about the next cycle. I’d like to do something with all important lifts for strength: Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Power Clean. How can I set up such a program?

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Flat Bench Barbell Press / Barbell Squat

8 reps at 45% of 1 RM
6 reps at 55% of 1 RM
5 reps at 65% of 1 RM
3 reps at 75% of 1 RM
3 reps at 80% of 1 RM
2 reps at 85% of 1 RM
20 x 30 seconds rope jumping at about 140 rpm followed by 30 seconds rest / stretching.
 
Well XFM, I'll throw in my two cents and suggest the triples routine I'm doing. It's very strength-specific, the HST principles absolutely apply, and it hit every exercise you want, plus a couple. If you'd be interested, I'll give you the specifics of the layout.

Great work this cycle!
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Mar. 13 2008,07:27)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I’m already thinking about the next cycle. I’d like to do something with all important lifts for strength: Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Power Clean. How can I set up such a program?</div>
Try a hybrid HST/5x5 or HST/10x3 routine...

HST for four weeks, two weeks of 10's, two weeks of 5's followed up by

5x5 3x/week frequency courtesy of Bill Starr - do that for another four weeks

OR

10x3, less frequency, comes at about 1.8x/week frequency when doing three exercises per day at strictly 10 sets of 3's
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Mar. 13 2008,07:27)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">One trick that helped me getting closer to my goal is setting monthly / weekly / daily goals.</div>
I wuz gonna recommend Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle book. It begins with a remarkably helpful chapter on goal setting.

I got my copy as a free download. Unfortunately, now it costs $40...
 
Yes, _tim, that would be an interesting program. Let me hear more about that.

Thanks colby2152. I was actually trying to set up such a thing. I gave up on this because I don't have a lot of experience with designing programs.

I have heard so much about this book that I was thinking about buying it, TunnelRat. On the other hand, since I'm still making good progress with my so-simple-that-it-hurts diet, I don't see much reason to make more complicated right now. But I guess when I get on my road to 10% body fat, that reader should prove useful.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Barbell Overhead Press / Barbell Deadlift

8 reps at 45% of 1 RM
6 reps at 55% of 1 RM
5 reps at 65% of 1 RM
3 reps at 75% of 1 RM
3 reps at 80% of 1 RM
2 reps at 85% of 1 RM
20 x 30 seconds rope jumping at about 140 rpm followed by 30 seconds rest / stretching. Same will follow in the afternoon.

And wow! For the first time in my adulthood, my body fat has dropped below 16%. It’s at 15.9% today – and that is sooooo cool – especially because I always had to say no to any kind of delicious food. It was really time for a reward!
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Mar. 14 2008,12:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">And wow! For the first time in my adulthood, my body fat has dropped below 16%. It’s at 15.9% today – and that is sooooo cool – especially because I always had to say no to any kind of delicious food. It was really time for a reward!</div>
Good for you XFM!

I agree with Colby (and Tim): just tack a 5 x 5 or a 10 x 3 (or maybe 8 x 3) at the end of the 5s. I think I'd rather do a version using sets of 3 reps as it allows you to push up the loads a bit further (but not too much - don't want any injuries) whilst helping manage fatigue for a few extra weeks.

I also quite like the idea of following 5s with a day of 15s, a day of 10s and a day of 5s each week (or perhaps 15s, 10s &amp; 3s). This might sound contrary to HST progressive loading but it's not really as you will still be doing one heavy day a week. The other days allow for a bit of CNS recovery whilst still providing enough work to at least maintain any adaptation from the heavy day. Try to increase the loads used on the heavy day by a few pounds each week until you stall out.

You could also arrange things so that you only hit one or two exercises with heavy 5s (or 3s) and do higher reps for the remaining exercises. Then swap things around the next session.

Take a look at Russ' logs where he outlines his 10 x 3 routine and some variations. He presents some good ideas.
 
<div>
(XFatMan @ Mar. 14 2008,07:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I have heard so much about this book that I was thinking about buying it........</div>
Remember that you can buy it on emule......for free
laugh.gif
 
me too, colby!

XFM - I just sent you a message about the program. I hope it helps!
 
Hey _tim, really nice program. I'll give that a shot. By the way, wouldn't it be good if we had some kind of Routine Deposit here? There are so many good ideas around that it would be fantastic to have them in one place.
 
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