PL Workout

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

This is a PL type workout I’ve designed for strength, with significant hypertrophy.

Can anybody critique?

Mon: ME UPPER

Flat BB Press - 10 x 3 at 70-80%
Arnold Press - 4 x 6-8
BB Rows - 3 x 8-10
OH DB Extension - 3 x 8-10
BB Curl 3 x 8-10

Tu: DE LOWER

Box Squat - 12 x 3, working on speed and form
Leg Press - 4 x 6-8
Romanian DL - 4 x 6-8
Hyperextensions - 3 x 8-10
ABS - 3 x 8-12

Th: DE UPPER

Flat BB Press - 12 x 3, working on speed and form
Rack Lockouts - 4 x 6-8
Military Press - 4 x 6-8
Pull Downs - 3 x 8-10
Cable Curl - 3 x 8-10

Fri: ME LOWER

Box Squat - 10 x 3 at 70-80%
Rack Pulls - 4 x 6-8
Pullthroughs - 3 x 8-10
Hamcurls - 3 x 8-10
ABS - 3 x 8-10

2

Doesn’t look like you have enough quad work.

Your ME day movements are all predominately posterior chain and I understand the desire to have a strong pos chain especially if you squat wide like me, but the whole package should be strong.

Toss some front squats in.

My 2 cents.

3

Yeah, basically just follow a Westside template and eat alot and you will be fine.

But why are you using 10x3 at 80% and calling it ME? That is not the max effort method. Just work up to a max set of 1-5 reps. Or do what you have…and don’t call it something it is not, because the bar doesn’t care what name you give to that day.

4

What Dorso said. Instead of 10x3, work up to 2 singles at 90%+ of your max, then drop and do 5-7x3 at about 80%+. This keeps more work set volume but allows you to hit the max poundage. Singles can be anywhere in the 90% range, just as long as you get 2-3 singles completed in good form.

10x3 is for hypertrophy with strength maintenance/slight gains. It is not a PL workout with hypertrophy secondary focus. It is a good program for what it does, though. Really good.

5

[quote]brickt. wrote:
This is a PL type workout I’ve designed for strength, with significant hypertrophy.

Can anybody critique?

Mon: ME UPPER

Flat BB Press - 10 x 3 at 70-80%
Arnold Press - 4 x 6-8
BB Rows - 3 x 8-10
OH DB Extension - 3 x 8-10
BB Curl 3 x 8-10

Tu: DE LOWER

Box Squat - 12 x 3, working on speed and form
Leg Press - 4 x 6-8
Romanian DL - 4 x 6-8
Hyperextensions - 3 x 8-10
ABS - 3 x 8-12

Th: DE UPPER

Flat BB Press - 12 x 3, working on speed and form
Rack Lockouts - 4 x 6-8
Military Press - 4 x 6-8
Pull Downs - 3 x 8-10
Cable Curl - 3 x 8-10

Fri: ME LOWER

Box Squat - 10 x 3 at 70-80%
Rack Pulls - 4 x 6-8
Pullthroughs - 3 x 8-10
Hamcurls - 3 x 8-10
ABS - 3 x 8-10

[/quote]

This is a fine hypertrophy program, but it is far from optimal for strength. If you’re seeking gains in strength, then you need to change quite a bit of this routine.

First of all, as mentioned, you aren’t going heavy enough. If you have been lifting for awhile and have adequate form, then work up to a 3 or 5RM for your ME exercises.

Secondly, your exercise selection needs some tinkering. Throw out the hamstring curl and leg press. Substitute a good morning variation for these exercises. Also, I probably wouldn’t do Arnold presses as your first assistance exercise.

On speed days, your volume is a bit high. For squat, try 8-12 sets of 2, and on bench, 6-8 sets of 2-3. If you deadlift on lower body ME day, just do singles.

Getting back to not going heavy enough, if you haven’t been training with heavy loads, then the type of set/rep parameters you have are OK. Ideally, though, you’d want to have a setup something like this:

ME Day:

ME exercise: work up to 3-5RM
Assistance: 3-4 sets of 3-6
Assistance: 3-4 sets of 6-8
Supplemental: 3-4 sets of 12-20

So, for a lower body day, that might look like:

Good Mornings
Rack Pulls
Lunges
Reverse Hypers

Hope this helps. I’d be happy to try to answer any questions about your template.

Bear