T Nation

WS4SB 3: Switching Exercises

#1

I'm just starting the WS4SB 3 template this week, and I've run into a few things that I can't figure out or find clear answers too.

For upper body ME and RE days, how often are you supposed to switch exercises? And what about switching between chest and lat movements? It seems like there are some imbalances that could form depending on exercise selection.

For example;

The first, primary, movement on either an Upper Body RE or ME day could be a chest or back movement. Following the template of a RE day, if I was to choose a back exercise as the first one, there would be no way to work my chest on that day.

On a ME day, I could choose exercises and wind up neglecting my back. What gives? Does anyone have a link to someplace where DeFranco addresses this? Or, am I just supposed to know that I shouldn't make stupid choices like that?

#2

[quote]bmx2962 wrote:
Am I just supposed to know that I shouldn’t make stupid choices like that?[/quote]

Yes!

On a more serious note, it doesn’t seem too difficult to put together a balanced program out of WS4SB3 template:

MONDAY: Max-Effort Upper Body

  1. Max-Effort Exercise

barbell bench press

  1. Supplemental Exercise

Flat or Incline DB bench press (palms in or out)

  1. Horizontal pulling / Rear delt superset

Barbell rows superset w/ Rear delt flyes

  1. Traps: DB shrugs

  2. Elbow flexor exercise: Barbell curls

THURSDAY: Repetition Upper Body

  1. Repetition Exercise

Flat or Incline DB bench press (palms in or out)

  1. Vertical pulling / Rear delt superset

Lat pulldowns (various bars) superset w/ Face pulls

  1. Medial delts

DB military press

  1. Traps / Arms superset

Barbell shrugs superset w/ DB curls or DB triceps extensions (according to your needs)

  1. Grip / Forearms

Just switch ME exercise when stalling (not getting the prescribed # of reps with the “new” weight for two subsequent WOs). The more advanced you are, the faster you’ll stall, but at the beginning 4 weeks on the same exercise should be fine.

Choose assistance movements according to your weak points.