Hi CT - I’m thinking of going back to using EMOM (based on your 2016 article on EMOM using 4 reps). I wanted to see if you thought the following routine would be effective. My biggest question is wondering whether I can do 2 upper/lower pairings on my heavy days or if I should stick to 1 pairing.
Day 1 -
EMOM using 2 upper/lower pairings
Day 2 -
pump work focusing on muscles worked on Day 1 (1st set to set working weight, 2nd set using an intensity technique like rest-pause)
Day 3
Offf
Day 4
repeat Day 1 using different exercise
Day 5
repeat Day 2 using different exercise
Day 6
Off (might use this day doing a “challenge” workout (example - squatting my bodyweight 2 reps per minute for 30 minutes)
I’d appreciate your thoughts on this when you have time. Thanks!
My gut instinct is it might be too much if all 4 of the exercises are high neural stress exercises.
For example doing something like:
A1. Back squat
A2. Push press
B1. Sumo deadlift
B2. Bent over row
Might be too draining.
I think if you want to go with 2 pairings, one of the two pairings should be lower stress OR use one lower stress exercise in each pairing (one being for lower body the other for upper body).
For example…
Example of option 1:
A1. Sumo deadlift
A2. Push press
B1. Leg press
B2. Seated row
Example of option 2:
A1. Back squat
A2. Machine chest press
B1. Hack squat machine
B2. Bent over row
Thanks for the speedy response. I wonder if splitting those 4 pairings to one each day would work. Could I do that and then add 10-15 minutes of the pump/hypertrophy work after the pairing, similar to your Strength Skill Circuit routine? So it may look like:
Day 1 -
EMOM using 1 upper/lower pairing (flat bench/front squat)
pump work focusing on muscles worked on Day 1 (1st set to set working weight, 2nd set using an intensity technique like rest-pause)
Day 2
EMOM using 1 upper/lower pairing (strict press/deadlift)
pump work focusing on muscles worked on Day 2
Day 3
Offf
Day 4
EMOM using 1 upper/lower pairing (bent over row/back squat)
pump work focusing on muscles worked on Day 4
Day 5
EMOM using 1 upper/lower pairing (weighted chin ups/high pulls)
pump work focusing on muscles worked on Day 5
Day 6
Off (might use this day doing a “challenge” workout (example - squatting my bodyweight 2 reps per minute for 30 minutes))