Practical Programming Routine

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I have been lifting for around 4 years, but until I discovered starting strength I never really understand the difference between strength training and bodybuilding.

I am currently 5’4’’ (well, more like 5’3’'), 145lbs and have used the routines in Rippetoes starting strength to gain about 15lbs of bodyweight and achieve an OHP 5RM=115, bench press 5RM=195lbs, squat 5RM=275, deadlift 5RM=325lbs and powerclean 1RM=155.

I am training for grappling competition, both gi and no-gi My goal for my intermediate phase is to achieve the most strength and power per pound of bodyweight as I do compete in a sport with weight classes. However, I am still actively trying to gain weight and plan to compete at 154 lbs in the future.

If any of you have comments (especially if you have read practical programming), please bring them up.
(sets x reps)
Monday (volume)

  1. Squat 5x5
  2. Bench Press 5x5
  3. Power Clean 5x3
    Assistance:
  4. Weighted sit-ups 4x8
  5. Bodyweight hypers 2x20

Wednesday (recovery)

  1. Front Squat- 3x3
  2. OH Press- 5x5 (or 3x5?)
  3. Weighted Chins -5x5 (or 3x8?)
    Assistance:
  4. Weighted Sit-up 3x12
  5. Weighted Hyper 3x12

Friday (speed/power)

  1. Squat 10x2 65% 1 RM 60 sec rest
  2. Bench press 10x3 65% 1RM 60 sec rest
  3. Deadlifts -1x5 alternated weekly with 15x1 65% of 1RM 30 sec rest
    Assistance:
  4. Pullups using towel for grips: 3xfailure (limiting factor is grip)
  5. Dips 3xfailure alternated with 3x8
2

I was hoping to at least get a sarcastic comment =/

3

Looks good to me, go ahead and hammer away!

4

Your approach looks solid.

At least some of the time on Friday, I’d work up to a heavy or max 3-5 like Rip talks about. Maybe alternate 2 weeks of DE training, and 2 weeks of working to a max. The first week you’d hit a heavy 3rm or 5rm, the next week you’d try to beat it, then go back to 2 weeks of DE.

Also, on Wednesday, I’d keep the session real easy, so 3x5 instead of 5s5 for your overhead work. The purpose of this session is active recovery and maintenance of the motor pathways.

But what you’ve got looks good.

Best of luck.

5

[quote]Ramo wrote:
Your approach looks solid.

At least some of the time on Friday, I’d work up to a heavy or max 3-5 like Rip talks about. Maybe alternate 2 weeks of DE training, and 2 weeks of working to a max. The first week you’d hit a heavy 3rm or 5rm, the next week you’d try to beat it, then go back to 2 weeks of DE.
[/quote]

I agree, but for the moment I am training BJJ 6 times a week, and RM attempts can be grueling on my body. However, I think every so often I’ll rotate them in. I think I’ll base it more off instinct rather then having it scheduled in though, for example if I have a very light week of jiu jitsu, I might go for an 3RM attempt.

[quote]Ramo wrote:
Also, on Wednesday, I’d keep the session real easy, so 3x5 instead of 5s5 for your overhead work. The purpose of this session is active recovery and maintenance of the motor pathways.
[/quote]

I was confused on this too, especially cause rippetoe says to keep an even balance between OHP and bench. I was actually orginally planning to do only a 2x5 of OHP because I thought it was supposed to be an assistance exercise. I also posted this on rippetoes Q&A (http://strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36)
and got this response
“1. If you trim the tonnage on wed, then you will be treating the press as an assistance exercise, and it needs the same attention the bench does. Wed will probably work as 5x5, at least for a while. If it doesn’t, you might rotate between 5x5 and 3x5 for both the bench and the press, and do your weighted chins a little different each week.”

So I think he is saying I should keep it as a 5x5 until it is too stressful, then alternate between doing a 5x5 on just one of BP and OHP and a 3x5 on the other.

6

[quote]anoddparadigm wrote:
Ramo wrote:
Your approach looks solid.

At least some of the time on Friday, I’d work up to a heavy or max 3-5 like Rip talks about. Maybe alternate 2 weeks of DE training, and 2 weeks of working to a max. The first week you’d hit a heavy 3rm or 5rm, the next week you’d try to beat it, then go back to 2 weeks of DE.

I agree, but for the moment I am training BJJ 6 times a week, and RM attempts can be grueling on my body. However, I think every so often I’ll rotate them in. I think I’ll base it more off instinct rather then having it scheduled in though, for example if I have a very light week of jiu jitsu, I might go for an 3RM attempt.

Ramo wrote:
Also, on Wednesday, I’d keep the session real easy, so 3x5 instead of 5s5 for your overhead work. The purpose of this session is active recovery and maintenance of the motor pathways.

I was confused on this too, especially cause rippetoe says to keep an even balance between OHP and bench. I was actually orginally planning to do only a 2x5 of OHP because I thought it was supposed to be an assistance exercise. I also posted this on rippetoes Q&A (http://strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36)
and got this response
“1. If you trim the tonnage on wed, then you will be treating the press as an assistance exercise, and it needs the same attention the bench does. Wed will probably work as 5x5, at least for a while. If it doesn’t, you might rotate between 5x5 and 3x5 for both the bench and the press, and do your weighted chins a little different each week.”

So I think he is saying I should keep it as a 5x5 until it is too stressful, then alternate between doing a 5x5 on just one of BP and OHP and a 3x5 on the other.

[/quote]

I think he’s saying you should consider doing your overhead work on Monday and Friday, and bench on Wednesday at least some of the time to balance things out. I think it’s a good idea.

Maybe go a month benching on Monday and Friday and pressing on Wednesday, and then flip it the next month.

7

[quote]Ramo wrote:
anoddparadigm wrote:
Ramo wrote:
Your approach looks solid.

At least some of the time on Friday, I’d work up to a heavy or max 3-5 like Rip talks about. Maybe alternate 2 weeks of DE training, and 2 weeks of working to a max. The first week you’d hit a heavy 3rm or 5rm, the next week you’d try to beat it, then go back to 2 weeks of DE.

I agree, but for the moment I am training BJJ 6 times a week, and RM attempts can be grueling on my body. However, I think every so often I’ll rotate them in. I think I’ll base it more off instinct rather then having it scheduled in though, for example if I have a very light week of jiu jitsu, I might go for an 3RM attempt.

Ramo wrote:
Also, on Wednesday, I’d keep the session real easy, so 3x5 instead of 5s5 for your overhead work. The purpose of this session is active recovery and maintenance of the motor pathways.

I was confused on this too, especially cause rippetoe says to keep an even balance between OHP and bench. I was actually orginally planning to do only a 2x5 of OHP because I thought it was supposed to be an assistance exercise. I also posted this on rippetoes Q&A (strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36)
and got this response
“1. If you trim the tonnage on wed, then you will be treating the press as an assistance exercise, and it needs the same attention the bench does. Wed will probably work as 5x5, at least for a while. If it doesn’t, you might rotate between 5x5 and 3x5 for both the bench and the press, and do your weighted chins a little different each week.”

So I think he is saying I should keep it as a 5x5 until it is too stressful, then alternate between doing a 5x5 on just one of BP and OHP and a 3x5 on the other.

I think he’s saying you should consider doing your overhead work on Monday and Friday, and bench on Wednesday at least some of the time to balance things out. I think it’s a good idea.

Maybe go a month benching on Monday and Friday and pressing on Wednesday, and then flip it the next month.[/quote]

or each week.

YOur routine is good. Don’t neglect shoulder work. I’ve only been serious lifting for a year and I’m feelign the reprocussions of weak mililaties compared to my bench.

8

[quote]Ramo wrote:
anoddparadigm wrote:
Ramo wrote:
Your approach looks solid.

At least some of the time on Friday, I’d work up to a heavy or max 3-5 like Rip talks about. Maybe alternate 2 weeks of DE training, and 2 weeks of working to a max. The first week you’d hit a heavy 3rm or 5rm, the next week you’d try to beat it, then go back to 2 weeks of DE.

I agree, but for the moment I am training BJJ 6 times a week, and RM attempts can be grueling on my body. However, I think every so often I’ll rotate them in. I think I’ll base it more off instinct rather then having it scheduled in though, for example if I have a very light week of jiu jitsu, I might go for an 3RM attempt.

Ramo wrote:
Also, on Wednesday, I’d keep the session real easy, so 3x5 instead of 5s5 for your overhead work. The purpose of this session is active recovery and maintenance of the motor pathways.

I was confused on this too, especially cause rippetoe says to keep an even balance between OHP and bench. I was actually orginally planning to do only a 2x5 of OHP because I thought it was supposed to be an assistance exercise. I also posted this on rippetoes Q&A (strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36)
and got this response
“1. If you trim the tonnage on wed, then you will be treating the press as an assistance exercise, and it needs the same attention the bench does. Wed will probably work as 5x5, at least for a while. If it doesn’t, you might rotate between 5x5 and 3x5 for both the bench and the press, and do your weighted chins a little different each week.”

So I think he is saying I should keep it as a 5x5 until it is too stressful, then alternate between doing a 5x5 on just one of BP and OHP and a 3x5 on the other.

I think he’s saying you should consider doing your overhead work on Monday and Friday, and bench on Wednesday at least some of the time to balance things out. I think it’s a good idea.

Maybe go a month benching on Monday and Friday and pressing on Wednesday, and then flip it the next month.[/quote]

How does this look?

Week A

Monday -BP 5x5
Wednesday Press 3x5
Friday- BP speed sets 10x3

Week B
Monday Press 5x5
Wednesday BP 3x5
Friday Press Speed set 10x3

That looks like that would keep the balance between overhead and bench pressing.

9

[quote]anoddparadigm wrote:
Ramo wrote:
anoddparadigm wrote:
Ramo wrote:
Your approach looks solid.

At least some of the time on Friday, I’d work up to a heavy or max 3-5 like Rip talks about. Maybe alternate 2 weeks of DE training, and 2 weeks of working to a max. The first week you’d hit a heavy 3rm or 5rm, the next week you’d try to beat it, then go back to 2 weeks of DE.

I agree, but for the moment I am training BJJ 6 times a week, and RM attempts can be grueling on my body. However, I think every so often I’ll rotate them in. I think I’ll base it more off instinct rather then having it scheduled in though, for example if I have a very light week of jiu jitsu, I might go for an 3RM attempt.

Ramo wrote:
Also, on Wednesday, I’d keep the session real easy, so 3x5 instead of 5s5 for your overhead work. The purpose of this session is active recovery and maintenance of the motor pathways.

I was confused on this too, especially cause rippetoe says to keep an even balance between OHP and bench. I was actually orginally planning to do only a 2x5 of OHP because I thought it was supposed to be an assistance exercise. I also posted this on rippetoes Q&A (strengthmill.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=36)
and got this response
“1. If you trim the tonnage on wed, then you will be treating the press as an assistance exercise, and it needs the same attention the bench does. Wed will probably work as 5x5, at least for a while. If it doesn’t, you might rotate between 5x5 and 3x5 for both the bench and the press, and do your weighted chins a little different each week.”

So I think he is saying I should keep it as a 5x5 until it is too stressful, then alternate between doing a 5x5 on just one of BP and OHP and a 3x5 on the other.

I think he’s saying you should consider doing your overhead work on Monday and Friday, and bench on Wednesday at least some of the time to balance things out. I think it’s a good idea.

Maybe go a month benching on Monday and Friday and pressing on Wednesday, and then flip it the next month.

How does this look?

Week A

Monday -BP 5x5
Wednesday Press 3x5
Friday- BP speed sets 10x3

Week B
Monday Press 5x5
Wednesday BP 3x5
Friday Press Speed set 10x3

That looks like that would keep the balance between overhead and bench pressing.
[/quote]
I don’t know how smart speed overhead pressing for reps would be. try not just do inclines the third day? or alternate weekly like in starting strength.

10

[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
I don’t know how smart speed overhead pressing for reps would be. try not just do inclines the third day? or alternate weekly like in starting strength.
[/quote]

Perhaps that friday would be a good time to do some push presses or push jerks?

11

[quote]anoddparadigm wrote:
zephead4747 wrote:
I don’t know how smart speed overhead pressing for reps would be. try not just do inclines the third day? or alternate weekly like in starting strength.

Perhaps that friday would be a good time to do some push presses or push jerks?

[/quote]

go for it.