want to be as strong as I possibly can but I also want to look awesome. I’ve run a few novice programs like Starting Strength and Grey Skull LP. Also, for a few reasons: I cannot bench-press without pain but for some odd reason can OHP pain-free. My workout follows the following outline.
1. Warm-up
-Foam Rolling
-Kettle Bell Squats
-Hip Airplanes and other dynamic movements to open the hips
-Box Jumps. 3 sets of 10
2. Upper Body Pull
Chinups AMRAP x 5 (once I can do 5 sets of 10 without problem, I’ll start doing weighted chins 5x5)
OR
Bent-over barbell Rows 5 sets of 8 Reps ( after 2-3 warm-up sets)
3, Upper Body Push
Seated Dumbbell OHP 3 warm up sets, 3 working sets of 8-10 reps
OR
Push-Press 2-3 warm up sets, Working set 3 sets of 5 reps
4. Lower Body Movement
Low-bar squat 2-3 warm up sets, 3 sets of 5 reps
OR
Conventional Deadlift after 4 warm up-sets, My working sets use the 5/4/3/2/1 rep scheme I read on Tnation:
5/4/3/2/1 with 80-95%
80% x 5
82% x 4
85% x 3
87-90% x 2
92-95% x 1
5.Explosive Movement/Ab Work
High-Pull from Hang 5x5 OR Hanging Led Raises or Cable Crunches 5 sets of 10 reps
Day A:
- Chin-ups/Weighted Chins
- Seated Dumbbell OHP
- Squats
- High-Pull from Hang
Day B:
- Bent-over rows
- Push Press
- Deadlift
- Ab work
Workout 3 days a week, A-B-A OR B-A-B
Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
First I would suggest putting squats and deads first during those sessions. Your saying Benching bothers your shoulders correct? Which could be a number of different things… have you tried different variations or even dips?
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It’s actually my elbows. I have long lanky arms (and forearms) and to top this my elbows are hyper flexible (like in the picture below). At the top of the bench-press, this not only looks very freakish but hurts like a bitch.
Google Images:
I’ve never tried dips, I’ll try that during my next workout.
My elbows were like this until I put on a little muscle mass. Whether you’re doing dips or benching, I will say do NOT go all the way to lock-out. As someone who dislocated their elbow (I’m talking you could see my radius pushing against the skin behind my lower tricep) doing an L-sit because I locked my elbow, I can tell you it is something you don’t want to go through. Keep a little bend in your elbow even at full extension, which will actually also increase your muscles’ time under tension. Just pay attention when you get fatigued, that’s when mistakes happen.
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holy smokes! Yea I’m gonna second the ‘don’t lock out’ comment. That looks like an injury waiting to happen. Hypermobility can be dangerous.
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Fyi… like as already been suggest . DONT lock out your elbows if you do Dips.
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I like overhead pressing, even with a bad shoulder I like it. But there’s a school of thought that suggests eliminating all overhead pressing, and there are reputable people who think that way. While I disagree with them, I do think that eliminating horizontal pressing for solely overhead pressing is a disaster waiting to happen. You don’t have to lock out on any pressing exercise if you don’t want to, but you might want to add some push-ups or DB bench/incline in. My shoulder won’t allow me to do dips, but god I wish I could do them, they’re probably the best chest builder there is.
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