[quote]WildcatBaseball wrote:
Coach Pete, after reading what you said I have a few questions left as well as a few concerns. I’ll start with my two concerns being the bench press and shoulder raise.
I don’t think I’m ready to bench press heavy yet, I made a post earlier about my injury history and I’m still making progress very slowly, and I think benching would send me back a few steps instead of forward.
As for shoulder raises, if I did these with any considerable weight slight heavier than 5-10 lbs I can seriously hurt myself, and I know that from doing them. As for the questions, I’d like to know why there is so much isolation in it. The compound lifts look solid beside my concern with bench press.
My other question is your motive behind the set/rep scheme. Why should I bench/squat/dead/pull for 8-10 reps? I don’t mean this in a smug or agressive way, but I would just like to know.[/quote]
Hi WildcatBaseball
Let me try answer some of your questions.
Firstly regarding your past shoulder problems. I presumed you were ok to press overhead (i think your workout said you performed 5x5 overhead?). Is this is not the case then no problems at all. How about replacing the shoulder press with a prone shoulder curcuit. if you haven’t heard of this before (or refer to it by a different name), its simple a series of scaplar retraction exercises, the arms held in the shape of different letters (T, W, L, Y) as you pull the shoulder blades togather.
As for benching, i don’t claim to be a AT/PT and don’t want to tell you to do a exercise that will cause discomfort. However to avoid future imbalances and possible future injuries, you did to find some pushing exercise that you are able to perform. Im presuming DB bench is out also. How about push ups?
As for sets/rep scheme. You spotted the variance over 6 weeks. By stiking to this you are getting a good hypertrophy/strength base, that avoids overtraining with a unload in the 7th week. The problem with 5x5 all the time is that it will result in neutral fatigue unless you vary it a bit.
Not sure if i agree with there being that much isolation. The only exercises that i would regard as isolation are the shoulder press and calf raise. The shoulder press we have discussed. Calf raises are included to ensure there is no weak link in the posterior chain. Whether they are completely necessary, at the moment 'm not really sure. Many would argue that they are and others that they aren’t. At present i am unware of any research (other than some anecdotal) looking at their imact on performance. Due to the large forces they encounter, do we want them to be weak? I suppose their inclusion is a personal choice.
I think you are working along the right lines with the multijoint exercises that you have included. These other couple of exercises just help a little in developing a well balanced stronger body that is less likely to incur injury.
On a separate note remember as i’m sure you are aware, you are training for increased sports performance (in your case baseball) not necassary to be a powerlifter (the same holds true of weightlifting and bodybilding). i sense a heavy powerlifting influence in you current program design, which is no problem. As with olys and bb powerlifters incorporate some awesome ideas that really work. Just remeber their goals are slightly different to yours. Take the best from each.
I think i’ve covered about everything. Please get back to me if you have any more questions.