Hey guys, what do you all think of the routine I’m doing right now? It’s DC and HIT inspired, focuses on progression and frequency.
Day One
Dips 2 sets + static hold (as long as possible)
Overhead Press 1 set to absolute failure (I mean I’m dying on that last rep)
DB Bench 1 x absolute failure
Back Squat 2 sets: 4-6 + widowmaker
Day Two
Rack Chins 2 sets + static hold
Preacher Curl 1 x absolute failure
Deadlift 2 sets: 4-6 + 9-12
Ab work
It may look like a bunch of stuff thrown together but it actually works really well. I do it Mon/Wed/Fri. Alternating of course.
Just wanted to throw it out there… food for thought you know
I have of a question.
Since you do dips prior to doing OHP do you lockout your arms on the pressing and bring the bar all the way down to your calivcle or do you bring it down to your chin/nose?
I would think doing those dips would zap your triceps and make it hard to go to failure on that particular movement.
What kind of size/strength gains have you seen thus far?
Also, if you are interested in building more size, I would think you would maybe use some HS pressing movements for your chest, considering you only do DB bench.
…u haven’t included the warmup sets in this right? like i mean, you DO do warm ups sets hopefully, adds a little more volume, otherwise i would imagine it would be difficult to add size, and i don’t mean like wimpy let’s-press-the-barbell-20 times kinda warmups but like ramping up the weight until u get to your workset kinda warmups
No I’m sure he walks into the gym and immediately picks up his heaviest working weight and starts repping it out to true concentric failure.
Der Candy: I understand the high-intensity high-frequency principles at play here but a routine like that just seems so limited in terms of proportional development.
Since it’s DC inspired why did you decide not to have at least one other set of exercises to use in rotation so that you can increase the probability of more frequent growth phases?
It looks like you actually cut some stuff out of the DC Template. Most people who want to alter it usually want to add stuff.
Why can’t you just do the DC Template?
If you’re doing something “DC inspired” but you’re not doing DC, then I think most people would agree that you’re missing out, especially if you’re not using Rest-Pause sets.
[quote]xb-C wrote:
I have of a question.
Since you do dips prior to doing OHP do you lockout your arms on the pressing and bring the bar all the way down to your calivcle or do you bring it down to your chin/nose?
I would think doing those dips would zap your triceps and make it hard to go to failure on that particular movement.
What kind of size/strength gains have you seen thus far?
Also, if you are interested in building more size, I would think you would maybe use some HS pressing movements for your chest, considering you only do DB bench.[/quote]
I lean forward a lot for my dips so they hit the chest more. It’s actually how I’ve always done them and it doesn’t leave my triceps too destroyed. But with the conbination of all the pressing, they get hit pretty darn well.
I bring the bar to my chin and push it up to near lockout.
The routine is in it’s infancy stages but I have been able to add weight to the bar nearly every session. Reps go up fast.
[quote]That One Guy wrote:
…u haven’t included the warmup sets in this right? like i mean, you DO do warm ups sets hopefully, adds a little more volume, otherwise i would imagine it would be difficult to add size, and i don’t mean like wimpy let’s-press-the-barbell-20 times kinda warmups but like ramping up the weight until u get to your workset kinda warmups[/quote]
I haven’t included my warm up sets. I slowly warm up through several sets until the muscle is completely prepared for utter destruction. It is important however to not do too intense warmups and take away from the potential intensity of the last set if the muscle is too fatigued.
[quote]mr popular wrote:
No I’m sure he walks into the gym and immediately picks up his heaviest working weight and starts repping it out to true concentric failure.
Der Candy: I understand the high-intensity high-frequency principles at play here but a routine like that just seems so limited in terms of proportional development.
Since it’s DC inspired why did you decide not to have at least one other set of exercises to use in rotation so that you can increase the probability of more frequent growth phases?[/quote]
I was very much considering having another set of exercises but truth be told these ones I have here (especially Dips, squats, deadlifts and rack chins) are ones that I am particularly desperate to get up. When I stall on the exercises however I switch them out for similar. I am not as advanced as a lot of DC trainers are so I don’t need to switch my lifts up so often… the philosophy here is getting as strong as possible on one set of exercises and when they stall switch them out for similar… basic DC principles but altered for someone who isn’t at the level that he needs to rotate through several different exercises to ensure gain.
The most important thing I kept in mind when reading the DC principles was that it is for advanced lifters. Dante trains some huge mofos there who are near their genetic wall and need to train incredibly intensely with varaible exercises to ensure growth. I admit that perhaps over long term it makes more sense to have at least two different rotations for a muscle but this is something that is evolving and I wanted to post it out here precisely for people like you to give me feedback like this.
[quote]FightingScott wrote:
It looks like you actually cut some stuff out of the DC Template. Most people who want to alter it usually want to add stuff.
Why can’t you just do the DC Template?
If you’re doing something “DC inspired” but you’re not doing DC, then I think most people would agree that you’re missing out, especially if you’re not using Rest-Pause sets. [/quote]
The primary points of DC in the gym are 1) ever increasing poundages on select exercises that you respond well to, 2) low enough volume to hit the muscle frequently to get in as many growth phases as possible, and 3) switching out an exercise for similar when you stall.
I took those points and applied them to a simpler format with less rotating of exercises (because I simply don’t need that much variation to progress, I haven’t reached that advanced point yet). I was enthralled with DC principles and the logic of it, how getting as strong as possible and having low volume but making up for that with mind-blowing intensity. You could say what I’m doing is more HIT than DC. I am definately not trying to call this ‘DC Hybrid’ or something because that is just stupid, I’m simply taking the principles behind it (low volume, high intensity, progressive poundages) and applying it to something less complicated and more linear.
The point is this: I will see what lagging muscle groups I have if I stick with this long enough to get to dipping a dozen reps with 100lb on my waist, squatting 400 on the widowmaker, OHPing 270 etc. Strength is a deciding factor when it comes to size and I would rather reach those goals while eating like a rhino than worry about how many angles I have got covered at the expense of getting stronger on a prime few selected exercises. Iron Addict meets DC I guess haha.
