I adopted this working from Beyond Bodybuilding, a great book by Pavel.
Basically, I start off with 67% of my one rep max and I’ll do one set of five a day. From monday to friday, adding 5 pounds per workout. When I reach my five rep max (155) I’ll then switch to a ladder routine for every other day for two weeks and perform sets of 1-2-3 until my form becomes shabby. Afterwards, I’ll take 10pounds off my 5 rep max (145) and resume to the linear add 5 pounds a day. When the 5 rep set gets tough, I’ll take two days off, and then max out.
Due to the gym complications I can only squat at one gym and bench at another, so I’ll probably try and squat with a ladder routine 2-3 times a week.
I’ve been doing carb cycling for the past month or two, so far I shedded two inches off my waist and about half an inch off my thighs. I retained if not gained a bit of lean mass.
In the next six weeks, I’ll cycle abs+ and HRX to speed up the fatloss. Perhaps even some moderate intensity cardio or HIIT on days I feel energetic. My goal is to shed another two inches in the next 6-7 weeks.
Spreading the bar made locking out a lot easier, still need to get my lat flare technique down
Machine Rows *kg
63x11
70x9
77x6
84x4
DB Snatch *each arm
35x5
40x5
45x5
50x5
Cable Shrugs *kg
23x10
26x10
26x10
Planks to finish up the day
Next workout is the time to incorporate ladders for benching. The PTP routine gave me a chance to focus on my form, I’m feeling more confident and tighter in my setup.
[quote]mrodock wrote:
I understood it to mean you try to set a new 5 rep max each cycle.[/quote]
There’s two separate parts to the program.
Part one: I continually add 5 pounds to my 67% one rep max which I do one set of 5 from Monday to Friday. The purpose of this phase is to practice high tension techniques and “strength” as Pavel puts it.
Part Two: Eventually when I reach my 5 rep max weight, I then switch to a ladder routine. With this 5 rm weight, I perform 1 rep, rest a bit, two reps, rest a bit, three reps, rest a bit, and that completes one ladder. It’s a 1-2-3 format and I repeat it until my form gets shady.
This is an easy way to increase total volume without incurring much fatigue. For example with my squat workout the other day, I did 5 ladder cycles with my 5rm weight, that’s 30 reps with my 5rm quite effortlessly!
A great increase from my typical squatting volume which is about 15 reps a session. I believe the point is to increase the totally training volume while minimizing fatigue. This is my first time trying it, hopefully it all works well.
BP: - YouTube
1-2-3 ladder x 5 with 155pounds :Total 4650
I might consider doing the ladders with 160, we’ll see.
Back Squat did 2 reps with 200 but the weight felt heavier than usual, I guess it’s better to split up the upper body and lower body days. Squat ladders tomorrow!
Pullups
BWx8
+20 x4
Neutral grip x9
DB Curls *Yes I know, sue me.
25x14
30x8 DropSet 20x8
30x7 DS 20x6
Today I forgot to eat lunch, needless to say my workout sucked balls. Anyhow, here it is, I lowered the volume. Probably a good idea so I can recuperate and push hard next session.
BP
1-2-3 (165x1, 160x1, 155x2)
105 x 5x3: - YouTube
Total:5385
Chinups
+25x5
+25x5
+25x4
Fatman pullups
bwx13
bwx13
MAY 6TH
Deadlifts
225x6
245x4
225x4
Facepull *kg
16x9
16x9
16x8
One arm dumbbell rows
45x10
70x10
Paused between reps
70x10
70x12
This pausing, or maybe the full range of motion is giving me this pump I never felt before. Will definetly continue to use this technique.
One arm dumbbell row *paused on the floor between reps
70x10
90x5
BP
1-2-3 ladder with 160x1, 155x5, 135x7, 135x8
Today’s benching sucked ass, I felt so burned out. Perhaps that’s why I should have stuck with 155 instead of ramping the weight up to 165.
Total: 3760 ~about 50% volume of last session
Power row
135x6
155x5
165x5
170x5
170x6
Smith incline
105x8 1.5 rep technique
105x7 1.5 rep technique, rp x2, one slow negative
One arm dumbbell row *paused on the floor between reps
70x12
70x15
80x10
Next bench cycle (If this cycle produces results) I will definitely adhere to the 5 rep max weight for ladders.
Lately because of of AP exams, I have been kind of putting leg training aside. Once my last AP exam (next Monday) is done, I’ll add them in and am going all out. Perhaps even doing some sprint sessions.
MAY 12th (50minutes) *Incorporated HSS 100 Back Specialization w/o the trap day.
Divine intervention, seriously, god doesn’t want me to bench. Today was suppose to be my last bench ladder set, but the gym teacher at school thought it was too unsafe to bench on those stepper blocks. So I headed to another gym. Turns out, they were laying some type of new flooring, so half the gym was out of service, the half of the gym while the bench rack was. Instead, I had a back workout.
Rack chins
25x8
25x7
25x7
25x7
Straight arm pulldowns *kg
14x12
19x10
19x12
Superset with forward lean lat pulldowns w/3second pause at bottom *kg
26x10
26x10
24x10