Could I Get a Critique for My Current Program?

Hi Coach,

New on here so please forgive any newbie antics/Layout, well lets start with the current stats (there little low -_-) and then the program which is 5 days a week Mon-Fri,

Age:31
Height: 6’1/185cm
weight: 97kg/214lbs
body type: Meso-Ectomorph

Snatch: 95kg/210lbs
Clean & Jerk: 105kg/231lbs
Squat: 150kg/330lbs
Bench:115kg/253lbs
Deadlift:180kg/396lbs
OHP: 85kg/187lbs
Pull up: 50kg/110lbs
Dip: 50kg/110lbs

The program (this program is timed because this is all done during my Lunch break).

Everyday warm up (30 second rest between movements)

Leg swings to side x10reps each (1 Minute)
Leg Swing back and forth x10reps each (1 Minute)
Abductor Machine x10reps (see Paul Carter article) (1 Minutes)
Adductor Machine x10reps (see Paul Carter article) (1 Minutes)
Dip tucks x20reps (1 Minutes)
Hanging knee raises x20reps (1 Minutes)

Core workout

5 sets of Complex = Power clean, front squat, push jerk, back squat, snatch grip width behind neck push press, full snatch (10 Minutes)

1 set of 1 Bench variation 4-5reps drop set to 50% 4-5reps = Dumbbell, Dips, Barbell, Elevated push up (2 Minutes)

1 Set of 1 weighted Pull up variation 8-10reps drop set to Bodyweight 8-10reps = overhand grip, underhand grip, neutral grip (2 Minutes)

1 Set of 1 OHP variation 4-5reps drop set to 50% 4-5reps = wall handstand push ups, single arm Landmine press, Hex bar press, single Dumbbell press (2 minutes)

1 set of 1 Row varitation 8-10reps drop set to 50% 8-10reps = High Cable row, normal cable row, Low Row Machine (2 minutes)

Lu Raises + half Lu raises 10 + 10 (1 Minute)
Face pulls 2 ropes + Band/cable pull a parts 10+10 (1 Minute)

1 set of 1 Conditioning variation 120meters/131yards : Bodyweight Sled pull and reverse pull (see Christian Thibaudeau article), 60-80% Bodyweight overhead snatch grip farmers walk and on back farmers walk(see Christian Thibaudeau article), Bodyweight Trap bar walks(see Christian Thibaudeau article)

so a session of this usually takes me anywhere between 30 minutes-45 minutes to complete give or take.

tell me what you all think, if anythings unclear or want to know the reason behind the madness please ask.

I’m obviously not CT, nor am I a coach, but I can offer my uneducated opinion. You are trying to do too much variety each day. If you have 45 minutes 5 days per week, why not focus on 1 main lift/antagonist pairing (or supersets/giant sets)?

Or use some programs from established coaches that align with your goals (speaking of which, what are your goals?) and also are designed to take 45 minutes to complete. There’s plenty out there.

1 Like

I really don’t like it. It seems to have no direction. It’s all over the place. You have a little bit of mobility. Some conditioning. Some lifting with tons of exercises and no real focus on any one.

Listen, I’m not saying that it won’t work: the intensification (drop set) technique will allow you to get some muscle growth from the program. But it is very far from what I would do. As such I do not feel comfortable giving you a critique because there is almost nothing in your program that goes along with what I do.

Hi Spice,

Thank you for your time, in-sight and recommendations,

My main goals i’d say would be technique (snatch and C&J), Strength, work capacity and weaknesses (my shoulders lol) and work on these over a very long period of time hence the variance and one main staple the Complex (sorry i didn’t put in the percentages for the Complex First set 50% of Snatch work up to 90% of Snatch on final set).

I have tried doing 1 main lift pairings per workouts/programs before but because of my work/life commitments I would always miss out a day or two of training here or there so the program i would be doing would be doomed to fail because i wasn’t able to hit the frequency required for technique development or hitting certain muscle groups,

So i thought the best solution would be a timed full body workout which hit all the major muscle groups it could while working on little bit of technique and weaknesses so if i was to miss a day or two of training a week(long as i trained bare minimum twice a week) it wouldn’t hurt/impact on my long term goals.

hope this helped clear it up a bit, i know its still work in progress lol.

P.S sorry for the long reply

Hi CT,

Thank you for your time, honesty and your thoughts on this,

as I just said to spiceweasel i did leave a few details out such as goals and reasoning (sorry my bad lol)

but after reading both your replies you do have very valid points it is a bit to much on the “to much fluff” side and less on the solid foundations side, will reevaluate after finishing 4 week cycle of this and probably re-focus on foundations and less fluff.

once again thank you for your time and thoughts.

This is incorrect. Frequency is only 1 factor out of many that influence progression. You miss a workout… So what? Do it the next day you can make it to the gym. Just because programs call for “deadlift Monday, bench Tuesday, squat Thursday, and OH press Friday” doesn’t mean that you have to adhere to that. It would be optimal, yes, but life happens.

In my programming, I lift between 2 and 4 times per week. This is due to other commitments: daughter, wife, MMA training, friends, caring for 4 rescue dogs, etc. Do what you can and stop stressing about optimization. I did that for a long time, and it was all for naught. I’ve actually noticed that my strength has improved greatly with slightly less frequency.

Just find a programme that suits your goals/days per week and follow it to the letter.
I wish I had done this when I began training rather than try and write my own programmes.

Learn from others mistakes

Hi Masfonos,

thank you for your wise words,

as i replied to CT i’m gonna reevaluate after finishing 4 week cycle of this and probably re-focus on foundations and less fluff.