Basic Training Routine

Wingman

Hello I'm new here ! I'm 5.9''/69kg/25yo and my main goal is a big Deadlift and Bench.

My lifts :

Deadlift : 163kg
Bench Press : ~99kg
Strict Curl : 53kg

I do Deadlift for Back/Legs and Bench Press for Chest/Shoulders/Triceps and finaly Curl for Biceps. I don't Squat because I don't have a rack and also because I believe there are too much overlap between Deadlift and Squat. I do my deadlift with legs // to floor so it hits my legs too.

I do 2 workouts per week :

Workout A : Deadlift 10x1 at ~85% (+2kg per week) + a static hold for grip
Workout B : Bench Press 10x1 at ~90% (+1kg per week) + a set of curls

I do singles because I want maximum strength I don't care about endurance. I keep intensity high and volume low. Volume is accorded to Prilepin Chart so I don't do unuseful volume. I do each lift only once a week to be sure I have recovered between workouts. I'll test my 1RM once every ~8 weeks.

My 2 last workouts :

A) Deadlift : 9x1x135kg, 1x137kg + static hold at 95kg
B) Bench Press : 3x1x89, 7x1x86kg + strict curl 6x41kg

Next workout on Monday !

GTForce

Great to have you aboard.

Do you do any auxillary exercises? Do you have a coach? Do you have any plans to try to compete in powerlifting? Has your training methodology developed through trial & error?
self-education?
a mentor?

I love bodybuilding, but I am also a big fan of approaching one's weightlifting as a sport with specific goals like the one's you have outlined.

My belief (and the opinion of many of the world's top strength coaches) is that you should periodize your training in order to peak for a max lift. Part of the year's training should be spent on auxillary exercises, many of which will be part of a bodybuilders training.

For example, you could do barbell shrugs with a very heavy barbell. That would provide additional grip work plus strengthen your upper back.

Your bench may be improved by incorporating dumbell work to strengthen stabilizers, close-grip benches for tricep power. explosive reps with 60% of max in order to increase barbell speed, isometrics against bars in a rack, front raises to build power in your front delts etc, etc...

Plenty of good ideas here.

Good luck with your goals!

Cheers, GTForce

Wingman

I don't do auxiliary exercises except curl because deadlift (alternated grip) and bench press don't hit the biceps. I like the idea of Stephan Korte : only the Big Lifts (no assistance at all). I developped my methodology trough trial and (a ton of) error. I don't have any plans about competitions maybe if I get much stronger in 1-2 years.

What I plan to do is to start at 85-90% of my 1RM then increase slowly the weight for 7-8 weeks. Test my 1RM, take a week of and restart at 85-90% of my new 1RM. So there is a sort of periodization. I want to keep my training very simple at least as long as I can make progress. If I stagnate I'll think about auxiliary exercises, partial reps but once again I like the philosophy of Stephan Korte and it seems it worked well for a lot of powerlifters (national and international champions) so all the assistance work Westside Barbell Guys do might not lead to much better gains (strength and size).

For example I used to do weighted chins but since I started deadlift again I noticed immediate lats growth ! So I believe I lost a lot of time on chins and others inferior exercises compared to the Deadlift (for back, whole back). I was also doing Dips (1x131kg BW inclued) insteed of Bench press but since I started again bench press I didn't lose triceps size nor shoulders/chest. How would look a guy who can Bench press 200kg and Deadlift 300kg ? I believe he would be big, damn big !!!

BTW if I had to add a lift it would be Front-Squat and I may do it (I never did it before). mmm why not some additional work for the quads which aren't hit hard in the DL !!!

Thanks ! 8)

GTForce

It's funny you should talk about Westside...I was thinking Westside when I wrote my response. Others like Charles Poliquin and Ian King also stress auxillary work, but your approach looks great. If it's not broken, no need to fix it. I have never studied Stephen Korte, is he British?

I would not say you "wasted" time on weighted chins, you were learning what works best for you. It would have been silly to not give it a go at least.

I like your methodical approach, you have a lot of focus.

Cheers, GTForce

Wingman

Stephan Korte is a German powerlifter. He was a champion but had a cancer. He has his own method called the 3x3. It means you'll do only Squat, Deadlift and Bench Press but each exercise 3x per week (which I believe is too much for lower back). If you want more informations here's a link :

http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/index.htm

It seems the BIG THREE really hit well all the major muscles of the body except maybe the typical "bodybuilders muscles" : Biceps. I personaly really like the idea of very abbreviated routines.

I lifted for over 4 years I made a lot of mistakes. So I'm not strong, nor big yet but I believe I know how to do things now and I'm still motivated even if I have to restart at ZERO with the new lifts I do (didn't squat or bench since 2 years, didn't do deadlift since 6 month). I did a few singles of (full) Front Squat at 60kg for the first time. I enjoy the lift and it should really hit hard the quadriceps and save the lower back compared to deadlift. I'll add it, so I'll do the BIG THREE + some curls ops:

Workout A : Deadlift + Curls
Workout B : Bench Pess + Front Squat

GTForce

Thanks for the link.

I had some publicity photos taken for my personal training company last January and then I went to California in the spring, so I did not bulk-up in the winter as I usually do. I weighed 177 for my photos (the lean look is better for attracting more clients) and went up to about 185 for my trip to Cal. When I got home I wanted to get strong and large again so I split my program around the BIG 3 as follows :

Day 1) Squat, Bench Press, Bent-over row
Day 2) Deadlift, Standing Military Press

Ultimately it proved to be too aggressive of a program. You may think my lower back would be way too fatigued, but it actually was my shoulders that started to ache. I made modifications:

Day1) Squat or Deadlift, alternating week to week, Bench Press
Day 2) Bent-over row, abdominal work, Power Cleans or Shrugs

In seven weeks (completely free of any supplements beyond a multi and protein powder) I gained 12 pounds, landing at 197!

My arms (biceps) gained strength and size. I am certain that it was the barbell bent-over row (done with the Yates-style underhand grip).

I'm sure you've probably given barbell rows a go in your program, but if not I think you might like them. Of course, although you would have biceps taken care of, you would run into the problem of overtraining back and using up valuable strength and energy

Wingman

great Gains GTforce !! I like your routine too 8) I tried the row especially Yates style. If the Deadlift don't gave me the results I want for back or if I stagnate I will probably add the Yates Row (insteed of curls).

Today Workout :

Deadlift : 9x1x139kg (85%), 1x143kg (88%) Static Hold 99kg for ~20 seconds.
Strict Curls : 7x42kg not to failure (NTF).

It was a relatively easy workout except for my grip ! Friday Bench Press + Front Squat. 8)

GTForce

Good work Wingman.

Have a great session on Friday. I have occasionally done front squats, but I find them uncomfortable. Not that training should always be "comfortable", but I found that the barbell dug into my shoulders far too hard. I also tried a clean & jerk style grip, which I thought I would be fine with, however, I found that after about 10-15 seconds my wrists were killing me. My wrists are not used to being in that position for an extended period of time. Anything over 175 lbs. was far too awkward. Fortunately, my back squat is very upright and very deep, that is why I found that my lower back was not too fatigued in the plan I followed May through July.

I think your idea of incorporating them is wise, as I said, I just hope you get on better with them than I. So far all seems well, you like the lift and 60 kg. is a promising start!

Wingman

12 august :

Bench Press : 9x1x87kg 0x88kg
Front Squat : 9x1x61kg 1x62kg

I didn't warm up enough on Front Squat and my wrist hurted ! On bench Press I wanted to see if I could recover in 4-5 days insteed of 7 so I tried to train a few days ago and it was a total failure. Fortunotely I was able to do my workout today but it was hard and I missed 88kg. I also missed 88kg because I tried to change my technique on this reps.
I did some little mistakes this week but now I know that I really need at least 7 days off on bench press with my singles and I may even do better with more rest. I'll do more warm up on Squat (for my wrist) and on Bench to work my technique.

----------

GTforce if you can do bakc squat with a straigth back your are lucky ! Mine looks like a good morning so the front squat should be better for my quads and it'll have little overlap with deadlift compared to bakc squat.

GTForce

Hang in there

A great way to learn to squat upright is to do squats facing a wall.
First, you need to go over a few points of form :
1) Shoulder blades should be pulled back and down. Always stretch your pecs before squats so you can comfortably get in that position.
2) Get a lot of motion through the hips. When you descend do not think "bend knees", think about doing an anterior pelvic tilt. On the ascent do not just think straighten legs, think about thrusting your hips forward.
3) Always keep the chest high. Pretend that there are rays of light coming out of your nipples (I know this sounds gay/ridiculous, but stay with me). The rays of light should be parallel with the ground. If the rays of light would be lighting up the floor out in front of you then you are leaning too far forward.
4) Look straight ahead, perhaps up slightly as you descend.

Now, get a broomstick. Trust me on this one, you want something very light but as long as a barbell. An empty barbell will be too heavy to start.
Face a wall with your toes 6 inches (maximum) from the wall. Place the broomstick high on your traps. shoulders down and back, chest up high, and descend into your squat. You may feel uncomfortable at first, you may also feel uncomfortable because you smack your forehead off the wall Persevere, as your technique improves you will be able to squat to full depth. Once you are able to get deep then do a set of 20 reps or so to really lock the pattern in. Next, squat down into the bottom position and hold it until failure. Keep the shoulders back and the chest up! Weight on the heels! Stay low! After a minute or so your quads will be burning somewhat, but I have a sneaking suspicion your lower back will be in more pain.
This drill teaches one how to squat upright and strengthens the lower back. It forces you to maintain lumbar lordosis and although it may feel like you are hurting your back you are certainly not. You are strengthening your back so that you go deep, stay upright, and avoid injury.