Alright I’m starting a log, I started training because I was an overweight (230lbs) when I was 16 so I started jogging, after getting down to <160 mostly through distance running. Near the end I had started hitting the gym more and more but not getting anywhere because I didn’t understand that I needed to gain weight, needless to say I read up on that subject and started moving up in the weights. Now I’m just over 200.
During last semester I met the powerlifter at the college gym, and after watching him rep a 495 DL I realized how weak I am, even though I had been doing the big three lifts, with the exception of barbell bench press. (I was convinced early on that barbell bench would ruin my shoulders and tear my pecs, however I’ve changed my views on this)
I asked Meatmarauder for a good routine that combines mass building with good strength gains and this is what he said:
no problem. my basic program is as follows-
bench day-
2 Max Effort bench variations- i pyramid up for warmup sets. then i typically do 3x3 for my working sets. I do NOT max out on Max Effort work. i always try to leave a rep in the tank. the reason for this is that maxing out (going to faliure) is very fatiguing to the CNS. doing this on a regular basis doens’t allow you to recover. you will eventually start to get weaker and may lead to injury. i usually train in the 90% range for that particular variation. I pick Max Effort variations based on my sticking points in those particular movements (squat, bench, or deadlift). i stick to the same two variations for four week cycles and then i typically test my max. i then switch everything up.
after ME stuff i do accessory work. on bench day i follow it up with tricep work. i typically do one or two tricep movements for 3 set of 10 or more reps. i will go to failure on this stuff because light to moderate weight for high reps isn’t nearly as exhausting on the CNS.
Squat day-
i do pick one ME squat variation and then do one to two accessory movements for higher reps for 3 to 5 sets. i then sometimes do a quad dominant movement such as lunges or hack squats for 2 to 3 sets for high reps to failure.
deadlift day-
i do two ME variations. sometimes i rotate the second ME variation out for speed work. (that’s what i’m doing now). then i do accessory work for upper back, shoulders and biceps. reps are typically 10 and above and sets are 3 or more.
i train calves and abs every other training session.
i also rotate in speed work on squats and bench when i feel like I’m slowing down.
it’s pretty simple but very effective.
So I started it today, here’s what I did.
CG Bench
Bar x 10
135 x 6
185 x 3
205 x 1
205 x 3 x 3
Low Incline db bench
70’s x 3
75’s x 3
80’s x 3 x 3
BW dips
x13
x10
ez skull crush
75 x 10 x 2
75 x 8
pushups x 12 lol
I actually just read what meat said and I didn’t follow it perfectly, I’m going to read it before hand next time and try to follow it more closely.