Yes....I'm doing it. I'm asking you to critique a routine.

[BadNapple]

Hey everybody. Let's just start off by saying that I love the forum. Interacting with so many people that share my passion is truly awesome. I'm an aspiring strength and conditioning coach. I've been working on an intermediate program for a while now. I've been running the current version for 6 weeks so far and I'm still progressing with my strength gains. I work a full time job that is very strenuous, so eating enough is always a challenge, but I do my best to make sure I'm still gaining weight. Right now I'm ingesting 4000 a day and gaining about a pound or two a week so I'm keeping it there for a while. The kicker is that I broke my wrist and was out long enough to lose quite a bit of what I had worked for. I don't know if the program is decent or if I'm just gaining back some of what I had just because I'm moving weights.

The routine is structured to apply progressive overload. It's only 4 exercises per day and it's a full body workout. It's also a 3 day split. The first two sets are warm up sets and the second two are work sets. The rep range is 5-8. You stick with a weight until you can rep it 8 times. Then you add 5 pounds. If you get 8 reps on your first work set then you add 5 pounds for your second and start back at 5 reps. Soon as you hit the top of the rep range it's time to add weight.

I've done the numbers and I've hit upon something I think is nifty (I'm sure it's well documented). One more rep with the same weight is more volume than the same reps with 5 more pounds. So by the time you can do 8 reps with a given weight, by the time you bump it up 5 pounds and start back over it's quite simple. This is the first time I've lifted seriously since my wrist injury, and I've put over 60 pounds on my squats and 85 pounds on my deadlift since I've been running this program. I'm jumping these lifts up by 10 if I feel frisky that day. I progress by 5 pounds on my upper body lifts so I've only put on 35 or so on my other lifts. I'm still happy with the progress :P

anyways... here is the program that I've been running for 6 weeks. I've seen great results from it. I would really appreciate some feedback and constructive criticism from people who know what they are talking about. I know who you are so I'll know which ones to pay attention to.

Intermediate/possibly advanced program

Monday
Squat 4 x 5-8
Weighed Close Grip Chinup 4 x 5-8
Military Press 4 x 5-8
Seated Calf Raise 4 x 15-20

Wednesday
Deadlift 4 x 5-8
Pendlay Row 4 x 5-8
Bench Press 4 x 5-8
Standing Calf Raise 4 x 8-15

Friday
Squat 4 x 5-8
BB High Pulls (or bb curls if you want) 4 x 5-8
Weighted Dips 4 x 5-8
Seated Calf Raise 4 x 15-20


I always tell people to do a routine that is proven to work and not to make their own. I totally agree with that advice. I just want to make a program that is proven to work. Someday, no matter how long it takes, I want to know enough about this to be able to make one. I can't get there without help and education, and I've got to start somewhere. So here I am.

[GinjaNinja85]

That's more like a beginner program

Calves are a slow twitch dominant muscle. Your wasting your time doing 5-8 reps. You'd do better at 15-25. Actually, I think your wasting your time doing them at all, but that's just my opinion.

[justroberson]

Seems decent enough. Personally i would have the press/bench/dips as the second exercise before the pulls. I would also switch the pendlay rows with one of the pulls on mon or fri that are less lower back dependent, so you're not doing pendlay rows after deadlifting.

Only way you can know if it works is to do exactly what you're doing- run it for a really long time making sure all the other variables are in check.

[wisdommaster1]

pretty basic beginner type routibne, seems decent. I agree with the above about increasing reps for the calf raises.

[MikeKK]

Tbh I'd do bench press first on the second workout. I always tend do to DL either in the middle or at the end of my workout, so then I'm all sweaty and warmed up. Not sure if its a good idea. Besides I'd drop DL to 3-5 reps. 8 reps seems like quite a lot and your grip may fail (at least it fails for me with higher reps).

[CamLeslie]

Are the BB High Pulls your pulling motion for Friday?

Aren't those more of a shoulder exercises than a back one?

Why not just BB Rows again?

Also do you have problems going from Deadlifts directly into Pendlay rows?

These are serious questions. Not trolling.

[GinjaNinja85]

I always do my pendlay rows straight after I deadlift and although it does ache a bit during the warm ups I find that with a decent amount of rest, around ten minutes between the final deadlift set and the first heavy row, I've had no issues.

[BadNapple]

That's more like a beginner program

Calves are a slow twitch dominant muscle. Your wasting your time doing 5-8 reps. You'd do better at 15-25. Actually, I think your wasting your time doing them at all, but that's just my opinion.

sorry that was a typo. I was tired after work :P

My calf reps are 15-20 on seated calf raise and 8-15 on the standing calf raise. You're right lol

The only reason I do them at all is because of the athletic part. My vertical has went up like crazy. I measured at 32 inches at the start of running this routine and last week I measured it at 36. My personal record is 38 so I'm hoping to break that soon.

This could also be because of the heavy leg work so I'm still not positive.

[BadNapple]

Are the BB High Pulls your pulling motion for Friday?

Aren't those more of a shoulder exercises than a back one?

Why not just BB Rows again?

Also do you have problems going from Deadlifts directly into Pendlay rows?

These are serious questions. Not trolling.

I'd say it's more of a trap exercise if anything. That's where I've always felt it.

[BadNapple]

I always do my pendlay rows straight after I deadlift and although it does ache a bit during the warm ups I find that with a decent amount of rest, around ten minutes between the final deadlift set and the first heavy row, I've had no issues.

Yeah I'm not having any problems whatsoever with it.

[LPAthickness]

Buy a copy of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 book. He has numerous templates laid out, and they are all fantastic.

[BadNapple]

Tbh I'd do bench press first on the second workout. I always tend do to DL either in the middle or at the end of my workout, so then I'm all sweaty and warmed up. Not sure if its a good idea. Besides I'd drop DL to 3-5 reps. 8 reps seems like quite a lot and your grip may fail (at least it fails for me with higher reps).

I was thinking this exact thing when I started doing it, I keep a double overhand for my first two sets and a mixed grip for my work sets. My grip hasn't failed me yet, but I'm only back up to 350 for 8 reps right now. Once I get up to the 400+ mark it may come into play.

[BadNapple]

Buy a copy of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 book. He has numerous templates laid out, and they are all fantastic.

Under any other circumstances I would totally agree. Like I said in the OP. I want to be the guy somebody like you refers to :P

It will happen one day.

[BadNapple]

Thank you so much for the replies everyone. I will continue without change for another 6 weeks or so. If I have any problems with any area whatsoever I will immediately take your considerations into action. I'm not ignoring your advice at all, but as of right now the routine is working great. I'm a big advocate of not fixing something that isn't broken.

Please keep your opinions coming.