Critique My Routine

Hello guys. I’ve been training for general strength for a while, doing routines like OLAD, Easy Strength, some Waterbury programs, etc, but decided to try a specific powerlifting program to start competing. I came up with this routine:

Monday:
Deadlift - Ramp up then 3x3, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the bank.
Assistence - Rows, Pull ups, KB Snatches, Hyperextensions

Wednesday:
Bench Press - Ramp up then 3x3, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the bank.
Assistence - Military Press, Cuban Press, Triceps extensions, and some extra upper back work

Friday:
Squat - Ramp up then 3x3, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the bank.
Assistence - Leg Curls, Hack Squats, Pistols

Saturday - Maybe some arms and ab work

*Assistence work is to be done in a more bodybuilding/volume fashion.

So, what do you guys think?

[quote]Braccini wrote:
Hello guys. I’ve been training for general strength for a while, doing routines like OLAD, Easy Strength, some Waterbury programs, etc, but decided to try a specific powerlifting program to start competing. I came up with this routine:

Monday:
Deadlift - Ramp up then 3x3, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the bank.
Assistence - Rows, Pull ups, KB Snatches, Hyperextensions

Wednesday:
Bench Press - Ramp up then 3x3, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the bank.
Assistence - Military Press, Cuban Press, Triceps extensions, and some extra upper back work

Friday:
Squat - Ramp up then 3x3, always leaving 1 or 2 reps in the bank.
Assistence - Leg Curls, Hack Squats, Pistols

Saturday - Maybe some arms and ab work

*Assistence work is to be done in a more bodybuilding/volume fashion.

So, what do you guys think?

[/quote]

Dont think it will be very effective as it has a serious lack of work load.

Maybe some ab work? You need direct core work to throw up big numbers, with only a few guys being the exception.

Assistance work done in BB fashion will do nothing for helping you for competition.

I see no Good Mornings, no GHR or any serious hamstring work. Dimmel deads ?

Where the heavy tricep work?

Im not trying to be a dick but why wouldnt you follow one of the many tried and true PL programs available and add in accessory work that your weak on?

I don’t see as many holes as popeye. You are going to be hitting the big lifts hard, which is most important, and as long as you keep the assistance work varied and work hard on it, you will probably progress… but I do agree, why not just do a tried and true program? There is nothing wrong with tailoring a program to your needs, but only AFTER you have done more than one powerlifting program, and put some serious time into them to see what works and what doesn’t work. Personally, I would jump on 5/3/1 and give that a go. Do it for 3-6 months minimum. If you don;t love it, checkout a westside variation or the cube method, and see if some of those methods work better for you. THEN work on tailoring the programs to your needs.

However, to give you feedback on this routine in particular… I would vary the rep ranges on the big lifts. 3 x 3 will get stale. some weeks go 5 x 5, 5 x 3, 3 x 8, 10 x 3, 3 x 2, etc. you will make better progress and get better at the lifts if you have some times where you do more volume to build muscle and strength, and other times where you focus on rehearsal with heavier weights at lower volumes.

Thanks for the tips guys. The reason I came up with my own and didn’t pick any tried and true is simply because I’ve never been able to complete a single program that has me worrying about percentages, periodization, how I should ramp, wich rep range should I shoot for each week, how do I progress.

I know there are very well designed programs out there that work extremely well, but the only way I know how to train, and the only I like to train, is by feel. So I designed my own super simple program, to auto-regulate day by day. The 3x3 is just a guideline, of course some times the 3rd rep will feel lighter than it should and I will do 5 or so, or increase the weight to the next set. Or I will have to cut the volume short somedays, do less reps, etc…

There are two things I will try to keep constant, wich I learned from Pavel and Dan John, that is: The total reps for the deadlift will never exceed 10 reps (5x2, 3x3, 2x5,etc), and I will avoid maxing out as much as I can, only leaving it to competitions, and even then, if possible, set competition PR’s whitout maxing out. I know it sounds crazy and stupid, but I really bealieve in this.

if you cant do the 5/3/1 program then i dont know your issues. This isnt what you want to do though.