Opinions on New Program

Back from a 5 week European holiday. No lifting, lots of pizza, pasta, burek and beer.

Anyway I’m looking for a new program. Thinking of going “full body” 3 times a week. I will also go back to BJJ training 2-3 times a week. Main goals for the gym is strength and athleticism (if I’m allowed to say that). Needs to be time efficient. Previous lower back injury means that back squatting and deadlifts are out.

I’m thinking…

A.
Push: BB bench press 5x5
Pull: T bar row 8 x 4
BW dips and pull-ups 4 super sets
Front squats 5 x 5

B.
Overhead BB press 5 x 5
Weighted pull-ups 5 x 5
BW push-ups and BW rows 4 supersets
Reverse lunges 5 x 5

C.
Some type of hip hinging (such as RDLs)
Curls for the girls
db bench on a slight incline
dB rows and/or dB overhead press.

Obviously this program has been poorly written and this is why I am after suggestions. But hopefully my example give you guys some clue to what I am after.

Thanks in advance.

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I like the exercise selection, but I feel there is a bit too much “5x5.” I’d go with higher rep ranges on a few things, namely the overhead press and the reverse lunges. Heavier overhead irks my back sometimes when I’m trying to grind it out, and lunges just always felt like one of those exercises where feeling it in the right places was more beneficial than weight moved - again, with lower back lighter weight, higher rep lunges would probably be the all-around better way to go imo.

EDIT: also if time efficiency is a goal you may think about incorporating giant sets

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Man just look through the programs alrighty written. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever seen but there is just too much going on. For example there is not way in hell you will get through 5x5 front squats after 5x5 bench 8x4 rows and a bw superset… if you want to be strong and athletic do Jim wendlers 5/3/1 using one of the templates he uses for athletes.

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Sup Birdy,

I’m actually thinking of doing a full body experiment of my own. Basically going to be:

-Push Exercise
-Pull Ups
-Row
-Reverse Lunge
-Shoulder/Arm isolation
-Abs

Done as many times a week as I can be arsed. Going to decide which push variation on the day depending on how I’m feeling. Like, if my shoulders feel a bit beat up from the last session, I’d just use machines. Something like that. Rep ranges will also be chosen based on how I’m feeling.

I’ll alternate between rear delts/biceps or medial delts/triceps from session to session, and the lunges will be done in varying rep ranges for each session (low if I’m feeling strong, high if I’m feeling frisky).

That’s how I’m going to approach it.

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I’m a Waterbury convert.

That is all.

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Just throwing this out there, it’s something I’ve had in the back of my mind for a while:

Day one

Squat, work up to heavy five then some back off sets of five to eight
Press 5x10 cleaning every first rep
Chins/pull-ups

Day two
Press, work up to heavy five then some back off sets of 10, cleaning every first rep
Barbell row, 350 set
Bis/tris

Day three
Squat 350 set
Dips, work up to top weighted 10 then backoff set at bodyweight for AMRAP
Chins/pull-ups or barbell row 5x10 depending on how your elbows tolerate chins/pull-ups

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Unless you’re doing higher volume or intensity conditioning, how is this enough lower volume for strength or size?

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Fair question - my back is fucked so I’m very limited in the amount of lower body stuff I can do. Most exercises are out, but front squat grip reverse lunges are the business.

Some days I’ll work up to a heavy set of 8, other days it’ll be 5x20, etc etc.

It’s going to work out at 15-20 sets weekly of lunges. I’m confident it’ll be enough.

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Im heading that direction. Some of the stuff in his programs I tweak for my own purposes/equipment but yeah, for the most part I really have grown to like his stuff.

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Not bad. I’d keep it to a few sets and just alternate your first two days (minus the reverse lunges and fluffy exercises). Try teasing the volume or weight up gradually.

A.
Push: BB bench press 2-3 sets 5-10
Pull: T bar row 2-3 sets 5-10
Front squats 2-3 sets 5-10
20 minutes conditioning (farmer’s carry, prowler, ect.)

B.
Overhead BB press 2-3 sets 5-10
Weighted pull-ups 2-3 sets 5-10
RDL 2-3 sets 5-10
20 minutes conditioning

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Yup.

Little tweaks here and there.

10x3 is my favourite rep scheme ever.

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Thanks for all the tips friends!

So far I like @beerisgoodforyou recommendations. Maybe I could do that program and add a non-compulsory third day of some fluff and curlz?

I was also considering looking for a program a member once wrote up for his hockey athletes. I think it consisted off 2-3 days of only dips, front squats and dB bench.

I will also do some research in Waterbury. Sounds like his programs are popular.

And how do giant sets work? All the exercises done one after each other with a rest after the whole set?

I’m pretty keen to start up tomorrow. Feeling fat and weak!

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I didn’t mean only lift two days. It was meant to be three, just alternating A and B workouts.

Week 1: A B A
Week 2: B A B

I don’t know how much BJJ you’ve done, but even rolling just two or three days a week can definitely cut into lifting recovery. I would shy away from curls and giant sets. Just stick to the bread and butter lifts and get super strong for reps.

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Yeah that about sums it up. @Alpha’s new Conditioning part 2 video gets in detail on how he sets them up

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Ok, so I have had a read and a think. This is a rough draft that I have come up with:

Day one:
A1: BB bench 10 sets of 3 reps
A2: t-bar rows 10 sets of 3 reps
B: Reverse lunges or split squats 4 sets of 6 reps
Finish off with some face pulls

Day two:
A1: overhead BB press 10 sets of 3 reps
A2: weighted pull-ups 10 sets of 3 reps
B: RDLs or ham curls 4 sets of 6 reps
Finish off with some rear dealt raises

Day three:
A1: front squats 10 sets of 3 reps
A2: some BW pull ups or leg raises
B1: weighted dips or dB incline bench 4 sets of 6 reps
B2: seated rows 4 sets of 6 reps
Finish off with some curlz for da girlz

Please critique.

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Dude you are overthinking the shit out of this. Look at the first day MarkKO suggested. If you did that 2-4 times a week for moderate reps and sets, you would be fine.

Squat or DL variation
Upper body push
Lower body pull

10x3 is going to take over an hour and completely screw you for the rest of the lifting session as well as the next day at BJJ.

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I’m not a fan of rows done for such low reps, personally. Solid exercises choices though, so I doubt you could go too far wrong with it.

Don’t forget to give those lateral delts some love, Birdy.

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Look up the Waterbury method. Similar but way better then yours.

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I like many sets of low reps for the main work too.

If the load is right, 10 x3 should not take very long. Surely no more than 15 minutes. Sometimes it’s fun to push the pace.

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Only if it’s extremely heavy and you’re an out of shape cuc

Only if it’s extremely heavy and you’re an out of shape cuc

Only if it’s extremely heavy and you’re an out of shape cuc

But seriously, if you push the envelope and start lighter and build up to heavier shit, it shouldn’t take that long at all. Hell, you can do the push and pull back to back, then move on to squats and be done in less than/around an hour.

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