Coan-Phillipi + Modified Routine

Training Logs
1

21 years old, 5’11"/180cm and ~88kg.
1RM Bench: 115kg (medium term goal: 131.5kg)
3RM Squat: 135kg (medium term goal: 176kg 1RM)
1RM Deadlift: 170kg (medium term goal: 207kg)

Bench is a few months old, and squat was just in a fairly long squat session so they may be understated maxes, but I figure that just means my gains will be greater…

Footy season just finished (rugby league, not gridiron or soccer) so I’m going to devote some time to hopefully gain some serious strength and size, since it’s always had to take a backseat to other things. I’ve always followed a basic program for 6-8 weeks then changed it up, but with sport getting in the way I barely even finished them anyway. I’ve never followed a structured program like this one, so I thought I’d try to get my deadlift right up and figured my other numbers would hopefully follow. After this 10 week deadlift program, I plan to bring in more power work with some olympic lifts.

So, I used this script

Current max: 170kg
Target max: 190kg

My weekly plan is below. Any and all advice is welcome, I’m not exactly sure how much other stuff I should be doing on top of the Coan-Phillipi deadlift day because I’m used to doing only 2 weight sessions with some sports training + a game…

Note: the days (Mon-wed-fri-sat) I do it are set as I work at a gym and that’s when I have convenient access to the equipment, but what I do on each day is open to suggestion

—Monday
Coan Phillipi deadlift session (see below for specifics)

—Tuesday
Rest or some low volume cardio

—Wednesday - Heavy upper body
Push press/squat jerk 4x2
Flat DB press 5x5
Weighted chinups 5x5
A1 Dips 3x10
A2 One arm DB row 3x10

—Thursday
Rest or some low volume cardio

—Friday - Squat work
Box squat work up to heavy triple (but not max out)
Front squat 3-4x6 light, as injured wrist still hurts a bit on these
Overhead KB lunges 2x10

—Saturday - Upper body again
Close grip BB bench press 4x6
DB chest flys 3x10
Shoulder int/ext rotations, scap protr/retr, wall slides etc
Levering

—Sunday
Rest

Did my first Deadlift session tonight, as below

Week 1

Deadlift (75%): 1x2 @ 142.5 kg (4@70,2@110,2@130)
Speed deadlift (60%): 8x3 @ 115 kg (90 sec rest b/w sets)
3 circuits (rest 90sec between exercises, 2-3 minutes between circuits):
Stiff-leg deadlift: 8 reps 75kg
Bent over row: 8 reps 75kg
Chinups (subbed for underhand lat pulldown): 8 reps
Arched back good morning: 8 reps 75kg

It wasn’t too bad, the circuit did me though because of the good mornings, I hate them and find them really awkward to do. Are they important? Should I stick them out, replace or remove them?

Is my whole program way too much volume, and going to hinder my deadlift gains, or does this look alright to you all?

I’m not really happy with my Saturday plan either, it seems sort of useless, but otherwise I don’t feel that I’m getting in enough upper body work in the week… I’m also sitting in the gym all day so I might as well do something. I guess it’s valuable for the shoulder prehab alone

Let me know what you think

Cheers

2

u can cut those out, just do some other lower back/ham strengthener, im on the coan routine and i hate gm’s so im not doing them,

ur volume is not to high, im currently doing 5 days a week, with 4x10 on squats and bench and all assistance is high rep to so dont owrry about it.

3

What are you doing instead of the GMs? I’m considering just decreasing the weight on the GMs and increasing the other weights in the circuit, so I can at least get better at them. As they say, do what you’re worst at…

What do you think of the two upper body days? Obviously there is a bit of upper body work in the deadlift day as well

I am not doing regular BB bench press as, for the last 6 weeks or so, I’ve been doing sets of 5 of benchpress with long pauses on the chest, so I figure I should lay off them for a bit

4

WED 13-8-08

Push press/jerk 4x45, 2x65,75,80,80
Bit of a mixture of the two, as flexibility prevents me from resting the bar on my shoulders

Flat DB press 8x30, 5x35,40,45, 4x45, 6x40

Med grip pullups 8x0, 5x4,8,8,8 (numbers are kg added to 89kg BW)

A1 Dips 3x10
A2 DB Rows 10x30,30,30

Neck bridges

5

THUR 14-8-08

No training. Did a good few hours of yard work, digging etc… active recovery?

FRI 15-8-08

Box Squat 5x75, 3x95,115,125,135
Last rep hard, but could have gone 140 at least

Front Squat 75x4x6
Weight wasn’t heavy, just wrists felt a little sore still… but getting better

Overhead KB lunges (alternating legs) 3x10 with 2x16kgs

Calf Raise 3x10 with 80kgs

Neck bridges

6

SAT 16-8-08
2mins between all sets
Close grip bench (middle finger where the knurling starts) 6x50,80,90,90 5x90
Failed the 6th rep on 90, but otherwise felt pretty decent

Dumbell flys 3x10 with 10kg DBs
Didn’t feel heavy but didn’t feel that good either, obviously this exercise is a weakness (as I never do it…)

Wall slides 3x6

Plank hold 3x30secs with 10kg plate on lower back
Not hard, though I shake a lot for some reason. Obv. could improve

RC exercises 2x10 each with 5kg DB

7

MON 18-8-08

Week 2

Deadlift (80%): 1x2 @ 152.5 kg (4x70, 2x110,2x140)
Speed deadlift (65%): 8x3 @ 122.5 kg (90 sec rest b/w sets)
3 circuits (rest 90sec between exercises, 2-3 minutes between circuits):
Stiff-leg deadlift: 8 reps 85kg
Bent over row: 8 reps 85kg
Chinups (subbed for underhand lat pulldown): 8 reps
Arched back good morning: 8 reps 65kg

All the deadlifts felt pretty good. I decided to keep the good mornings, drop the weight and work on technique, so they were better. Stiff-leg DLs weren’t too hard with 85kg, but the rows were hard with 85kg, and the last few were pretty average technique. I think I’m getting used to the volume already

8

WED 20-8-08

Push press/jerk 4x45, 2x65,75,80,85
The 85 Felt about as hard as 80 did last week, so I’ll keep upping it

Flat DB press 8x30, 5x35,40,45,45, 4x45 Just missed last rep

Pullups 8x0, 5x4,8,12,12,12 (numbers are kg added to 90kg BW)

A1 Dips 3x10
A2 DB Rows 10x30,35,35

Neck bridges

9

THUR 21-8-08

3.5km hilly road run. Didn’t time it, was more of a jog.

FRI 22-8-08

Box Squat 5x75, 3x100,120,130,140
140 this week felt like 135 did last week. I’ll try 145 next week hopefully

Front Squat 75x4x6
Same as last week. Weight isn’t heavy but wrist still gives me trouble

Overhead KB lunges (alternating legs) 3x10 with 2x16kgs

Calf Raise 3x10 with 80kgs

10

SAT 23-8-08
2mins between all sets
Close grip bench (middle finger where the knurling starts) 6x50,80,90,90,90
Last rep was a struggle, stick with this weight

Dumbell flys 10x10,12.5,12.5,12.5 DBs

Wall slides 4x6

Plank hold 30secsx10kg,15,15,15 Weight plate in small of back

RC exercises 2x10 each with 5kg DB

Neck bridges

11

MON 25-8-08

Week 3

Deadlift (85%): 1x2 @ 162.5 kg (4x70, 2x110,140,150)
Speed deadlift (70%): 6x3 @ 132.5 kg (120 sec rest b/w sets)
3 circuits (rest 90sec between exercises, 3 minutes between circuits):
Stiff-leg deadlift: 8x85,95,95
Bent over row: 8 reps 85kg
Chinups (subbed for underhand lat pulldown): 8 reps
Arched back good morning: 8 reps 70kg
Last 2-3 reps on the last circuit of the rows, chins and GMs (SLDLs were fine)

My grip was going towards the end of the DLs, so it made the rows harder. I was really feeling it in my lower back today as well, but at least I got through it all. I should probably drop the BB rows down to 75 or 80kgs just so I can do them all in good form

12

TUE 26-8-08

~500m jog to local set of stairs
5xsprints bottom to top, ~28secs each, 1 min rest between
Then walk back

13

WED 27-8-08

Push press/jerk 4x45, 2x65,75,85,90
Hard but doable

Flat DB press 8x30, 5x35,40,45,45,45
Missed a 6th rep on last set. Instead of going up to 50s next week, I think I’ll try for 3 sets of 6 with the 45s

Pullups 8x0, 5x4,8,12,8,8 (numbers are kg added to 90kg BW)
Felt pretty weak. I blame fatigue from the pulling on the Monday

A1 Dips 3x10
A2 DB Rows 10x30,35,35

14

THUR 28-8-08
3.5km hilly road jog. Lower back soreness again due to the Monday weights, but not as bad as last week

15

FRI 29-8-08

Box Squat 5x75, 3x105,125,135,145
Felt weaker through my warmup sets than usual, maybe due to 2 extra “cardio” sessions this week… Maybe not the best idea, but I want to up my work capacity as much as possible.

At least the 145kgs went up. The third rep was very slow, but my form didn’t breakdown I don’t think which is good

Front Squat 6x75,80,80,80
Wrist felt better (not 100%…) and the weight felt heavier, more due to prior squatting and running than the 5kg increase I think

Overhead KB lunges (alternating legs) 3x10 with 2x16kgs

Calf Raise 3x10 with 80kgs

16

SAT 30-8-08
2mins between all sets
Close grip bench (middle finger where the knurling starts) 6x50,80,90,90 5x90
Couldn’t make the 6th rep on 3rd set…

Dumbell flys 10x10,12.5,15,15 DBs

Wall slides 4x6

Ab wheel from knees 4x8

RC exercises 2x10 each with 5kg DB

17

MON 1/9/09

Week 4

Deadlift (90%): 1x2 @ 170 kg (4x70, 2x110,140,150,160)
Speed deadlift (75%): 5x3 @ 142.5 kg (120 sec rest b/w sets)
3 circuits (rest 90sec between exercises, 3 minutes between circuits):
Stiff-leg deadlift: 95x8, 100x8,7 grip failed
Bent over row: 80x8,8,6 grip again
Neutral grip chins: 8,8,8
Arched back good morning: 70x8,8,8

This really killed my grip, it failed me in the 3rd run through of the circuit, but at least it held up for the deadlifting which I would say is the important part…

I’m glad next week looks easier (on paper, anyway)

TUE 2/9/08
Spin bike 5min warmup, 5x30sec sprint, 60sec slow, end with 5min moderate cycling

18

WED 3-9-08

Push press/jerk 4x45, 2x65,75,85,90
Felt harder than last week - the 2 reps at 90 were not smooth at all

Flat DB press 8x30, 6x35,40,45, 5x45, 4x45

Pullups 8x0, 5x4,8,12,12,12 (numbers are kg added to 90kg BW)

A1 Dips 3x12
A2 DB Rows 12x30,30,30

THUR 4-9-08
3.5km hilly road jog. Lower back sore again…

19

FRI 5-9-08

Box Squat 5x75, 3x105,125,135,145
145 went up quicker than last week, felt alright.

Front Squat 6x75,85,85,85
Felt harder on legs than wrist finally

Overhead KB lunges (alternating legs) 3x10 with 2x16kgs

Calf Raise 3x10 with 80kgs

20

SAT 6-9-08
Rack liftoffs (scap activation) 6x70,100,140,160

Close grip bench (middle finger where the knurling starts) 6x70,90,90,90,90
Felt easier

Dumbell flys 10x10,12.5,15,15 DBs

Wall slides 4x6

Ab wheel from knees 4x8

RC exercises 2x10 each with 5kg DB