I know full well that this is a hypertrophy program, but I have no need for lower body hypertrophy and need to gain lower body strength. Therefore, I made the following adjustments that are actually in keeping with the principles of ‘The Best Workout Program’, i.e. low volume, high frequency, push-pull, different contraction types – eccentric, isometric, concentric.
I only changed the first exercise of each day – the rest of the plan I kept as-is:
Monday (eccentric emphasis) – Front Squat (3 sets of 5 reps)
- Weeks 1-3 – Same eccentric progression (from 5 sec. eccentric on Week 1 to 9 sec. eccentric on Week 3)
- Weeks 4-6 (Add 10 lbs and start over at 5 sec. eccentric on Week 4 and progress to 9 sec. on Week 6)
Tuesday (eccentric emphasis) – RDL (3 sets of 5 reps) - Weeks 1-3 – Same progression as Monday
Wednesday (isometric emphasis) – Back Squat (3 sets of 5 reps) - Weeks 1-3 – iso hold progression on each rep from week to week, i.e.:
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Week 1 – 2 x 3 sec. iso-holds on the eccentric (mid-range, bottom)
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Week 2 – 1 x 3 sec. iso-holds on the eccentric (mid-range) + 1 x 3 sec. iso-hold on the concentric (mid-range)
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Week 3 – 2 x 3 sec. iso-holds on the concentric (bottom, mid-range)
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Add 5 lb and repeat same progression on weeks 4-6
Thursday – Trap Bar Carries – 4 x 50 M – Progression : Add 5 lb every week
Friday (concentric emphasis) - Anderson Back Squat - 3 x 5 on Weeks 1 to 3 with increases in weight – Then, Weeks 4 to 6, Back Squat Clusters (3 cluster sets of 4-5 reps)
Saturday (concentric emphasis) - Rack Pull (3 sets of 5 reps - Add 5 lb every week)
I welcome any comments and suggestions (CT or others). The rack pulls on Saturday might be too much fatigue-wise, so I might swap that for Snatch-Grip High Pulls instead.
Merci.