[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
The higher rep days almost serve as “active recovery” between the heavier/lower rep stuff, but that high rep work is still brutal when you’re not used to it.[/quote]
I hear you. My current routine has me doing 3 x 25 in the lat machine… it’s basically breathers on the last 5-10 reps of set 3. Oddly enough, though, 5 x 20 leg press is a breeze (must be too light).[/quote]
Yeah, something weird with lightish, higher reps leg presses. Like after a point it’s just, “Oh yeah, I’m in a big chair, no biggie.” They just roll on and it seems easier. On the pulldowns, probably because the “rest” position is in the stretch, getting into that higher range takes that much more out of the muscle.
Either way, I think it’s definitely a good idea for most lifters to include some 20+ rep work at least once in a while. There’s a stigma about it being muscle-burning, pointless endurance work, but on the most basic level, there’s something to be said for hitting all rep ranges occasionally.
I swear, man, the best idea I ever had was to stop lifting weights and just ask them to lift themselves.
As far as the twice a week routine I started this week, if anyone’s interested…
Wednesday I did the first session.
A) Wide-grip deadlift 2x2
B) Deadlift 3x2
C) Barbell flat bench 3x10, 1x X
D) Neutral-grip pulldown 3x5-10
E) Standing dumbbell press 3x5-10
F1) Cable curl 3x5-10
F2) Cable overhead extension 3x5-10
G) Hanging knee raise 3x5-10
Next session (squats, flat bench, and more lower body stuff) will be tomorrow.
The bench is three progressively heavier, but manageable, sets of 10 followed by one even heavier final set for “whatever’s possible.” I got 7, and I’ll stick with that weight until whenever I get it for 10, then bump it up and basically repeat.
The “3x5-10” is basically an easy-ish set of 10 first, then a bit heavier for 5, then even heavier to almost-failure. Definitely an interesting take on “assistance” work (though I kinda hate calling it “assistance work” outside of a strictly-powerlifting or Olympic lifting context). It’s Dan John’s tweak on Thomas DeLorme’s old work from the '40s, which was the basis for the now-stereotypical “3x10” bodybuilding standard.
On paper, it almost looks like a straight-up maintenance routine. Not terribly high volume, frequency, or intensity. So it’s basically up to me to really push on the final sets when I can, to accumulate and progress throughout the program. I’m also adjusting my nutrition (scaling down portion sizes a little bit on non-training days), since I’m training 1 or 2 less days per week and the weather’s getting colder and darker sooner, so relaxing bike rides with my gal are limited to the weekends only.
Okay, all done. The year of the Archives is wrapped up. I finished with the twice a week plan last week and did the 365-Rep Challenge on New Year’s Eve. (Legs are still kinda tender.)
I’ll play around doing something today or tomorrow (we’re due to get a big blizzard overnight, so it’ll be garage lifting and plenty of snow shoveling), then take new baseline measurements/maybe pics over the weekend and attack things fresh at the start of the week.
The twice a week program, if I’m honest, I probably stuck with two or three weeks too long. My suspicions were right and it did more or less feel like an extended deload/maintenance plan. Low frequency and low volume. The lower body day was killer - there’s no easy way to get through 30-rep squats - but all in all, the plan didn’t kick my ass all that much. I also did seem to do well on that type of twice a week benching. Progress was slow and grinding there.
The good news is, I’m very ready to get back into doing my own thing. Everything in the Archives is solid, for sure, and I remain confident recommending people to consider trying any routine that’s been posted here in the last 15+ years. But at the end of the day, we always need to cobble together our own unique, individual, customized plan. Bruce Lee was right… absorb, filter, discard, always fine-tune.
Rough sketch of my upcoming plan:
Three workouts rotated through four sessions per week (so 1,2,3,1; 2,3,1,2; 3,1,2,3; etc.). I’ve really come to like the idea of mechanical advantage work, both for bodybuilding movements and strength work.
Each session is anchored to a pair of mechanical advantage movements (one for bench, one for the squat, and one for deads), followed by an “assistance”-type movement for the same bodypart, followed by something for the rest of the body. Everything’s worked with a variety of rep ranges through the week (4-6, 8-10 or 10-12, 15+) but the exercises will be swapped around in the last session of the week, so things aren’t carved in stone or repeated exactly.
Workout 2
A) Front squat 4x4-6
B) Back squat 4x4-6
C1) Reverse lunge 4x8-10
C2) Slight decline dumbbell press 4x8-10
D1) Stiff arm pulldown 3x15-20
D2) Lateral raise 3x10-12
E1) Deadstop French press 3x8-10
E2) Hanging knee raise 3x10-15
Workout 3
A) Snatch-grip deadlift 4x4-6
B) Deadlift 4x4-6
C1) Neutral-grip pulldown 4x8-10
C2) 1-arm plank 4x5ct
D) Military press 4x6-8
E) Pec-deck 3x12-15
F1) Standing leg curl 3x10-12
F2) Plate hammer curl 3x10-12
It’s not as complicated as it might look on paper. Idea 1 - Heavy lift, back, chest, legs, shoulders, abs, and bis or tris in each workout. Idea 2 - Hit each bodypart with low, moderate, and high reps through the week. Beyond that, I can wing it.
Note: I do, obviously, reserve the right to completely ditch or entirely revamp this plan after a week or two depending on how it goes. So, we’ll see.
Note: I do, obviously, reserve the right to completely ditch or entirely revamp this plan after a week or two depending on how it goes. So, we’ll see.[/quote]
Geeze. I didn’t think you would be the type to program hop after one week. (I am kidding)
[quote]Delawarestrong wrote:
Geeze. I didn’t think you would be the type to program hop after one week. (I am kidding)[/quote]
Ha, I know, right? But really I’m just not sure if I’m still up for the full body stuff or if I’m due to get back to a bodypart split. Both can be great, and I’ve been on full body or upper-lower for the last three months or so (6 weeks of a bodypart split and more upper-lower work before that), so I’m sorta up in the air and want to see how it goes.
I do know I want to focus on mechanical advantage work as a “base”, and that can fit into either type of plan, so it’s an easy enough switch.
[quote]confusion wrote:
What progress did you make in your pbysical measurements last year and what are your physique goals for this year? [/quote]
Not sure if I took down info last January, but from early June to mid-November:
Bodyweight: - 4 pounds
Neck: + 1/2 inch
Inhaled Nip Line: + 1 1/2 inches
Exhaled Navel: - 2 1/2 inches
2" Below Navel: - 3 inches
Right Arm: + 1/2 inch
Left Arm: + 3/4 inch
Right Thigh: + 1 1/2 inch
Left Thigh: +1 inch
Right Calf: +1/4 inch
Left Calf: + 1/2 inch
I know I kinda got on your case talking about progress, so hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass. Ha. It is what it is. Considering the technical goals of each training cycle were different (fat loss, muscle building, strength, etc.) I’ll take it. Leg, arm, and ab definition has visibly improved and strength/cardio conditioning has steadily improved. I’ll retake some baseline info tomorrow (I wasn’t thinking and already ate today), so I’ll have a better idea of my starting place.
As for goals, I have to sit down and give it some thought. Concrete, well-defined goals are definitely important, so I don’t want to just fluff it off. I’m fairly certain I’ll invest in a nutrition advisor for a few months to “outsource” my diet the way the programs have outsourced my training. Other than that, I can’t say I’m totally sure yet. Bigger, better, and badder sounds good, but that’s not all too specific.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
As for goals, I have to sit down and give it some thought. Concrete, well-defined goals are definitely important, so I don’t want to just fluff it off. I’m fairly certain I’ll invest in a nutrition advisor for a few months to “outsource” my diet the way the programs have outsourced my training. Other than that, I can’t say I’m totally sure yet. Bigger, better, and badder sounds good, but that’s not all too specific.[/quote]
I’ve been wondering the same thing, what your goals are. Curiosity is part of it, but also because that’s one of the first questions you ask of people both in general and in specific, so I’d like to see how you approach it.
I know I kinda got on your case talking about progress, so hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass. Ha. It is what it is. Considering the technical goals of each training cycle were different (fat loss, muscle building, strength, etc.) I’ll take it.
As long as we are keeping it real, it’s all good. I didn’t like hearing your comments, but it motivated me to improve, and this month’s measurements are better as a result(plus me working hard). Are you left handed by chance?Bigger better and badder works for me. Confusion
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
As for goals, I have to sit down and give it some thought. Concrete, well-defined goals are definitely important, so I don’t want to just fluff it off. I’m fairly certain I’ll invest in a nutrition advisor for a few months to “outsource” my diet the way the programs have outsourced my training. Other than that, I can’t say I’m totally sure yet. Bigger, better, and badder sounds good, but that’s not all too specific.[/quote]
I’ve been wondering the same thing, what your goals are. Curiosity is part of it, but also because that’s one of the first questions you ask of people both in general and in specific, so I’d like to see how you approach it.[/quote]
I hear ya, and yep, it’s definitely important and often taken for granted. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this thread, one of my problems up until a while ago was basically coasting with no real direction. That was largely due to having no specific goals/targets to aim at.
Researching certain articles (the DB clean and press, McCallum’s routine, etc.) helped a bit, but there’s nothing like that really in my sights for the near future. So I spent most of the weekend thinking about it. Best as I can figure:
Short Term
+1 inch to legs and torso/nip line by April 1.
15 three-minute rounds of boxing/kickboxing each week. (Basically an ongoing goal to get me back into consistent conditioning. Having the big picture goal leaves it flexible while still delivering a “decent” amount of weekly high intensity cardio however it breaks down - 3 rounds per day as a finisher vs one big “cardio day” with 10 rounds.)
Mid Term
Martin Rooney’s Mantathlon on August 4 ( Train Like A Man 9 )
16-week “contest” prep beginning July 1, culminating in a photo shoot at the end of October/my 35th birthday.
Long Term
24-inch shoulder width and 23-inch chest/waist difference by age 36/about 2 years. (Yes, these are basically Steve Reeves’ personal goals. We’re the same height and weight, so it kinda makes sense.)
2/3/4/5 x 10 @ 190-210 by age 40/about 6 years. (200-something overhead press, 300-something bench, 400-something squat, 500-something deadlift, each for 10 reps, while weighing 190 to 210. Logic being, if I want to hit these numbers for these reps, I need to keep strength and health a significant focus for the long haul. The muscle should more or less take care of itself along the way.)
[quote]confusion wrote:
As long as we are keeping it real, it’s all good. I didn’t like hearing your comments, but it motivated me to improve, and this month’s measurements are better as a result(plus me working hard). [/quote]
Very cool, man. I do appreciate you taking it well. Really glad to hear you’re on track.
Nope, I’m a righty. Like a lot of folks, my non-dominant left has always been a bit smaller, so I’ve been paying particular attention to bringing it into balance with my right basically using techniques from my Symmetry article (unilateral work while catering the load to the weaker/smaller side).
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote: Short Term
+1 inch to legs and torso/nip line by April 1.
15 three-minute rounds of boxing/kickboxing each week. (Basically an ongoing goal to get me back into consistent conditioning. Having the big picture goal leaves it flexible while still delivering a “decent” amount of weekly high intensity cardio however it breaks down - 3 rounds per day as a finisher vs one big “cardio day” with 10 rounds.)[/quote]
The 1+ inch goal sounds pretty ambitious to me. Good luck.
[quote]Long Term
24-inch shoulder width and 23-inch chest/waist difference by age 36/about 2 years. (Yes, these are basically Steve Reeves’ personal goals. We’re the same height and weight, so it kinda makes sense.)[/quote]
Where are you right now? And how are you measuring these? I haven’t found a good way to measure shoulders, width or around, and I haven’t decided whether it makes more sense to measure an unexpanded chest at the armpits, or an expanded chest at the nip line.
I like that thinking. Health has definitely become a bigger focus for me, especially after realizing just how long it takes to recover from a shoulder injury. That one behind-the-neck press session where I pushed the ROM a little too much back in August is still not healed up.
At this rate it’ll probably be another month or two before I can even really train overhead work again. The impact from injury kind of blindsided me a bit. I’m used to a week or two setback (from running injuries), not several months.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
The 1+ inch goal sounds pretty ambitious to me. Good luck.[/quote]
Thank, and yep, it probably it a decently high goal. Would it be worth it if it wasn’t though? Hope to capitalize on the classic “winter mass” concept, to a certain extent. I should probably set a bodyweight limit, but I’ll see how it goes.
I’m about 10 inches with the chest/waist and 20 1/2 inches for the shoulders. So there’s quite a ways to go.
But over time, shave the waist down a few, throw some on the pecs and most on the lats/upper back, and we’ll see how close it gets. In reading a bit more, I’m probably overestimating the potential, since a 23-inch drop would put me at well-over a 50-something torso. But it’s a few years off, so there’s time to see how it develops (no pun intended).
This article talked a bit about how to measure shoulders:
That’s basically how I do it. Shirtless right up against a wall (it’s always pretty cold, but oh well), standing up straight, breathe in, breathe out, relax, don’t flex anything. Have someone dot the wall with a pencil at the widest point of each shoulder, then step away and measure the distance between dots. You can probably make the dots yourself, one at a time, if you move very deliberately and are careful not to wriggle around as you switch hands.
For chest, you can really do either inhaled or exhaled as long as you’re consistent each time and get the tape in the same spot each time (that’s one reason I like just taping at the nip line. They don’t move. Much.). I guess you could actually do both, but I don’t really see the need. I do avoid flexing the lats, which would certainly increase the measurement. Deep chest-filling breath in, but not flexing. Basically, whichever way you want to do is fine, just note the method and stick with it.
[quote]Health has definitely become a bigger focus for me, especially after realizing just how long it takes to recover from a shoulder injury. That one behind-the-neck press session where I pushed the ROM a little too much back in August is still not healed up.
At this rate it’ll probably be another month or two before I can even really train overhead work again. The impact from injury kind of blindsided me a bit. I’m used to a week or two setback (from running injuries), not several months.[/quote]
Really sucks to hear, sorry man. But yeah, some stuff (low back, shoulders, sometimes the elbows) can linger and be very tough to fully resolve. It’s part patience and part figuring out what triggers the problems and avoiding it.
I know when I do most seated shoulder work, something in my neck/upper back/T-spine area pinches and can put me out of commision for a solid week or so. Almost no matter what seated variations and posture combinations I try, it’s just a no-go, so I avoid it altogether.
Colucci, seeing as you were encouraging to good knight in the old days (his personality and mine are now finally separate),
Would you mind looking over something I’m writing at some point. I’m only asking, because I’m not sure if I should submit it anywhere or just hang on to it. The whole writing thing is starting to happen- my arts blog has got readers in this country, scandinavia and locally, and I’d value your advice.
Will people stop saying things like that? Because the answer to option C is ‘maybe’. While I’m not a narcissist, people around me are still in love with their selves, and it’s disturbing. So can you explain that?
[quote]Der_Steppenwolfe wrote:
Will people stop saying things like that? Because the answer to option C is ‘maybe’. While I’m not a narcissist, people around me are still in love with their selves, and it’s disturbing. So can you explain that?[/quote]
wut? he posted a jokey facebook status that was multiple choice, and I’m not able to comment on them there so I impulsively did it here.
[quote]Der_Steppenwolfe wrote:
Colucci, seeing as you were encouraging to good knight in the old days (his personality and mine are now finally separate),
Would you mind looking over something I’m writing at some point. I’m only asking, because I’m not sure if I should submit it anywhere or just hang on to it. The whole writing thing is starting to happen- my arts blog has got readers in this country, scandinavia and locally, and I’d value your advice.[/quote]
Sure, no problem, man. My contact info is in my profile. I’ll do what I can.
And just for a mini training update, the program tweaks have settled with each session basically being:
Part 1) Mechanical advantage work (pause bench/flat bench, front squat/back squat, or snatch-grip dead/conventional dead)
Part 2) “Assistance” exercise for previous lift/bodypart.
Part 3) Supersets for back/chest, chest/legs, or back/legs (whichever parts were not the focus of Part 1).
Part 4) An exercise for either bis, tris, side delts, or rear delts.
Done. Reps are still rotated through the week so the big bodyparts are worked with 4-6 (the lowest rep range), 10-12, and either 15-20 or 20-30.
I’m also playing around with doing a bit of ab work (2-3 sets of one exercise) as part of my general warm-up each day. Just something different to see how I like it. So far, fine. No big deal and certainly not sapping any strength/performance from the day’s main work.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote: Short Term
+1 inch to legs and torso/nip line by April 1.
… [/quote]
The 1+ inch goal sounds pretty ambitious to me. Good luck.[/quote]
Okay so, you can have it in writing: LoRez, you were right. Ha.
Just over 1/2 inch gained on the torso/nip line, 1/4 inch gained on the thighs, 3 pounds total bodyweight gained.
Reflecting back, with goals like that, I would’ve been better served on some type of actual specialized training plan instead of full body sessions. But I really did enjoy the mechanical advantage-based full body sessions. I also probably could’ve pushed the calories a bit more, especially with the little bit of added weekly conditioning, but decided to err on the slow 'n low side to be safe.
Anyhow, one of the reasons for having goals is to keep a target in sight whether or not you end up hitting it. Reach for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars, or some such overly optimistic nonsense.
I was happy to learn that I’m able to do bodyweight dips again. A very old collarbone injury had always made them uncomfortable. Machine dips were fine, but the unsupported bodyweight version just felt funky. On a whim, I tried them out a few weeks ago and was very, very pleasantly surprised.
Maybe my mobility has improved, maybe the support structures have gotten strong enough to compensate (which could just be a band-aid solution), or whatever. I can do dips again, so that’s neat.
Next goal coming up is the Mantathlon in August, so I’ll spend this week thinking about how I want to train these next four months, taking into account the cutting phase I’ll be starting in July.
(I am kidding)
