Get Your Butt In Gear Program

I read “Get your Butt in Gear”, and I want to build a lifting program around it (my squat is very weak), but I’m a little unsure of how to start. I’m looking for suggestions on how best to put together a routine using the exercises featured in the article (reps, sets, days per week, etc).

Maybe a basic template or some sample routines others have had success with. If it matters, I’m 5’9", 180lbs, deadlift MAX - 365, benchpress MAX - 250, squat MAX - I don’t know, but it’s weak (maybe 250, not ass to grass?) I just started lifting regularly again two months ago after some years of laziness. Thanks.

good thinking…just add in some of the exercises they outline in the articles. Dynamic warmups-hip mobility stuff, glute activation before any leg training, etc. This stuff isn’t cool or popular but it’s absolutely necessary.

Yes best thing you can do is follow the article and put together a program you feel is good THEN come back post it for a critique then we can all comment on it and help you tweek it.

Phill

Alright, here’s what I came up with. I wanted something basic, because I don’t think I’m advanced enough to really benefit from getting hung up on details. My goal is simply to fix my squat form and get my MAX squat more proportional to my other lifts.

Every workout will begin with about 10 minutes of Dynamic Flexibility and then 10 minutes of Motor Control exercises; I will just perform each exercise listed in the article for about a minute (except the ones that require equipment I don’t have). Then I will do my Strength Training, and then finish with 10 minutes of Static Flexibility work, again just going through the stretches described in the article.

As for the Strength Training, I figured I could begin each workout with a Squat or Deadlift, then follow up with some of the exercises in the article, and end with an upper body lift just to keep my upper body strength. I also plan to vary the intensity from day to day. So, the Strength Training would look like this:

Tuesday:
Front Squat (HEAVY 7X3)
6" Box Lunges 5x5
Single-leg Reverse Hypers 5x5
Bench Press (LIGHT 3X8)

Thursday:
Olympic Style Back Squat (LIGHT 3X8)
Step-ups 5x5
Reverse Step-ups 5x5
Weighted Pullups and Dips (HEAVY 7X3)

Saturday:
Deadlift (HEAVY 7X3)
Kneeling Squats 5x5
Glute-Ham Raises 5x5
OH Press (LIGHT 3X8)

Sunday:
Powerlifting Box Squat (LIGHT 3X8)
Bulgarian Squats 5x5
Overhead Squats 5x5
DB Rows (HEAVY 7X3)

Then, on the following week, I would change the LIGHT lifts to HEAVY and vice-versa. Repeat for a total of six weeks.

It’s pretty simple, and I just threw it together, but it looks good to me. Let me know if it needs to be re-worked.

Id die.

Honestly i would skip over training and go right to the grave doing that much lower body work in a week. Not only do you plan on going heavy wice a week (done that and it can work) but then you add in this rep work in the 3 x 8 rep range which IMO if done with any intensity is NOT light 3 x 8 can be just as brutal and likely to cause even more or as much muscular damage.

then stack on all the 5 x 5 work that isnt exactly fluffy little isolations but big moves in and of them selves. Last the two days back to back OUCH!! your going to be in a constant state of near full body annihilation for shoulder to toe.

if wanting to go at it hard every day id go three days a week with 1 day of rest between two of the days then 2 for the next 4 off 3 on. then id say one day DL, one day squat, one day a unilateral move as the main move ( go for more rep lower load here like 2-3 x 15-20) id do the DL HEAVY 1-3 rep range squat moderate 5-10 in there. have the unilateral move in the middle then youall have two days of rest between the two harder days.

Toss 1 acc move for lower body in on each day like your reverse hypers, GHR’s. OH squats, etc. then one BIG pull one big push and call it a day. ah anmd abdominal move wouldtnt hurt and a set or two of very isolated work if you feel the need but base the program on four big moves.

Just my 2 cc,
Phill

[quote]M.L. wrote:
Alright, here’s what I came up with. I wanted something basic, because I don’t think I’m advanced enough to really benefit from getting hung up on details. My goal is simply to fix my squat form and get my MAX squat more proportional to my other lifts.

Every workout will begin with about 10 minutes of Dynamic Flexibility and then 10 minutes of Motor Control exercises; I will just perform each exercise listed in the article for about a minute (except the ones that require equipment I don’t have). Then I will do my Strength Training, and then finish with 10 minutes of Static Flexibility work, again just going through the stretches described in the article.

As for the Strength Training, I figured I could begin each workout with a Squat or Deadlift, then follow up with some of the exercises in the article, and end with an upper body lift just to keep my upper body strength. I also plan to vary the intensity from day to day. So, the Strength Training would look like this:

Tuesday:
Front Squat (HEAVY 7X3)
6" Box Lunges 5x5
Single-leg Reverse Hypers 5x5
Bench Press (LIGHT 3X8)

Thursday:
Olympic Style Back Squat (LIGHT 3X8)
Step-ups 5x5
Reverse Step-ups 5x5
Weighted Pullups and Dips (HEAVY 7X3)

Saturday:
Deadlift (HEAVY 7X3)
Kneeling Squats 5x5
Glute-Ham Raises 5x5
OH Press (LIGHT 3X8)

Sunday:
Powerlifting Box Squat (LIGHT 3X8)
Bulgarian Squats 5x5
Overhead Squats 5x5
DB Rows (HEAVY 7X3)

Then, on the following week, I would change the LIGHT lifts to HEAVY and vice-versa. Repeat for a total of six weeks.

It’s pretty simple, and I just threw it together, but it looks good to me. Let me know if it needs to be re-worked.

[/quote]

Good analysis phil; I completely agree. It seems to me that too many lifters get lost trying to design their own programs when they don’t have enough experience. Find a good one on here to follow.