All Pro Intermediate programs 1-4

[brandibopeep]

Here's a little trick for that set up, you do your 1x5, then reduce the weight to 75% of that set and do 1x15. You may or may not get all 15 reps. Don't increase the weight until you do. If your like everyone else you'll find that when you get all 15 reps you're also completing the 3x5. After the deload week reduce anything you were failing on by 2 weeks. That makes week 3 the moment of truth! AND if you use the same warm up weight for all 4 weeks that means that the final 15 rep set keeps the pressure on. That part is up to you. Some people love it that way others get frustrated with it.

That's a sweet trick....think I'm gonna try that so that I feel more confident when going for the 3x5s! Thanks!

[msagrain]

Intermediate 2
All Pro Split
5 week cycle
A
Bench Presses do 4 work sets rep scheme 4-5-6-7-8 Do 2 warm up sets. 25% of the work set weight for 15 reps and 50% of the work set weight for 10 reps.
Bent-Over Rows do 4 work sets rep scheme 4-5-6-7-8
Overhead Barbell Presses do 2 work sets rep scheme 6-7-8-9-10
Barbell Curls do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-9-10-11-12
Tricep press do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-9-10-11-12
Hammer grip dumb bell press do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-9-10-11-12
Pull down do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-9-10-11-12

B
Squats do 4 work sets rep scheme 4-5-6-7-8 Do 2 warm up sets. 25% of the work set weight for 15 reps and 50% of the work set weight for 10 reps.
Leg extensions do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-10-12-15-20
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-9-10-11-12
Leg curls do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-9-10-11-12
Calf Raises do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-10-12-15-20
Seated calf press do 2 work sets rep scheme 8-10-12-15-20
Add ab work
If you get all of the reps on week 5 add 5%
That should get you started. I would do this A/B/A then B/A/B until you come up to speed. Then try 4 work outs per week. A-B off. A-B off off.

I dont understand the Rep Range. Please expalin.

'Bench Presses do 4 work sets rep scheme 4-5-6-7-8

For instance I'm benching 100kg.Is it set1 x8, set 2 x7, set 3 x6, set 4 x 5. Is this correct or not?

[all pro]

I dont understand the Rep Range. Please expalin.

'Bench Presses do 4 work sets rep scheme 4-5-6-7-8

For instance I'm benching 100kg.Is it set1 x8, set 2 x7, set 3 x6, set 4 x 5. Is this correct or not?

That's not a rep range. It's rep progression. Each week you add 1 rep. Start with your rep max for the middle of the rep range. In your example of 4-8 you would start with a 6 rep max. On week 5 you're trying to push or pull it for 8 reps for 4 sets. You wont get them all the first time. Don't get frustrated just repeat the cycle and let dual factor periodization work it's magic.

[msagrain]

That's not a rep range. It's rep progression. Each week you add 1 rep. Start with your rep max for the middle of the rep range. In your example of 4-8 you would start with a 6 rep max. On week 5 you're trying to push or pull it for 8 reps for 4 sets. You wont get them all the first time. Don't get frustrated just repeat the cycle and let dual factor periodization work it's magic.

Just to confirm then,
All weeks till week 5 are the same weight.
Week 1 is 4 reps
Week 2 is 5 reps
Week 3 is 6 reps
Week 4 is 7 reps
Week 5 is 8 reps

The weight I lift for week 1 is my 6 rep max?
When on completion add 5%. Just a warm up set for the first exercise?


One more question, I am going to do this for 10 weeks starting soon. I then wish to cut up, can you recommend me a programme for cutting. Thanks in advance.

[Deviant Motive]

all pro, I started back doing Intermediate #2 but still doing very light weight & high reps. I got bored again with the Beginner's program.

I do like the upper/lower split and always have. I can't remember way back when you pm'd me this program, if I can add as many assistant exercises as I can handle (like the 636). I feel since I can't lift heavy or even do some exercises, I need some extra thrown in to supplement for what I'm missing out on.

Good idea? No?

If so, how many sets? 1 or 2?

I have graduated up to doing 4 x 15 (rep progression 15-20) body weight squats and thrown in lunges. Yay, I'm making a little progress. But, it'll be a few more months before I use any weight with squats.

My lower body and back are suffering the most from lack of heavy lifting. blah!

Oh well, I only have one chance to heal right so I'm not going to screw it up.

[Deviant Motive]

Just to confirm then,
All weeks till week 5 are the same weight.
Week 1 is 4 reps
Week 2 is 5 reps
Week 3 is 6 reps
Week 4 is 7 reps
Week 5 is 8 reps

The weight I lift for week 1 is my 6 rep max?
When on completion add 5%. Just a warm up set for the first exercise?


One more question, I am going to do this for 10 weeks starting soon. I then wish to cut up, can you recommend me a programme for cutting. Thanks in advance.

ok, I ran this one for a while and I'll try to clear this up for you.

You have the idea but each exercise has its own rep scheme............

Bench-4,5,6,7,8. You start with your 6 RM
week 1, 4 reps
week 2, 5 reps
week 3, 6 reps, etc

OHP-6,7,8,9,10. You start with your 8RM
week 1, 6 reps
week 2, 7 reps
week 3, 8 reps, etc.

Squats-4,5,6,7,8, Start with 6RM
week 1, 4 reps
week 2, 5 reps
week 3, 6 reps, etc

Leg extensions-8,10,12,15,20. Start with 12RM
week 1, 8 reps
week 2, 10 reps
week 3, 12 reps, etc

On week 5, if you complete all reps for every set, increase the weight for only each exercise you got all reps for that specific rep scheme. There will be some you won't complete and you just start back over with the same weight and repeat it until you get strong enough to get all reps at the end of the cycle. At the end of each 5 week cycle, you start back over with 4,5,6,7,8 or 8,9,10,11,12 or whatever the rep scheme is for that specific exercise, along with that added 5% increase on any exercises you get all reps on week 5.

Did that make sense? I'm kinda confusing myself ATM.

IMO, this program is fine for cutting.

[all pro]

all pro, I started back doing Intermediate #2 but still doing very light weight & high reps. I got bored again with the Beginner's program.

I do like the upper/lower split and always have. I can't remember way back when you pm'd me this program, if I can add as many assistant exercises as I can handle (like the 636). I feel since I can't lift heavy or even do some exercises, I need some extra thrown in to supplement for what I'm missing out on.

Good idea? No?

If so, how many sets? 1 or 2?

I have graduated up to doing 4 x 15 (rep progression 15-20) body weight squats and thrown in lunges. Yay, I'm making a little progress. But, it'll be a few more months before I use any weight with squats.

My lower body and back are suffering the most from lack of heavy lifting. blah!

Oh well, I only have one chance to heal right so I'm not going to screw it up.

That's fine. Run the split with just 2 work sets until you feel ready. Don't push it!

[Deviant Motive]

Thank you !

[msagrain]

Do you have a online calculator that allows me to work out the differnet rep max's

[Max10]

AP and Brandi -

Okay, week 1 of program 1 is in the books. The assistance work, 2nd set is deceptive. Just about the time I feel a little silly with such light weight, I hit the 15th or 16th rep and start to burn. Great stuff.

Quick question on the assistance work, though. I'm running OHP, HGDBP, SLDL, Curls, Lat pulldown, and calf raises. The only exercise I didn't hit all my reps in was HGDBP, so I'm set to move up 10 pounds in week 2 on all the others. EXCEPT - 10 lb increases in OHP and curls are pretty aggressive. Adding that weight in the SLDL, lat pulldown, and calf raises is about right. But an extra 10 lb increase on OHP and curls is significant. Should I be going 5 lb increases on those particular exercises and 10 lb on the others? My OHP is at 75 right now and judging by the 12 reps today, I figure I could have had a good shot at 80, but 85 would have been very unlikely.

[brandibopeep]

AP and Brandi -

Okay, week 1 of program 1 is in the books. The assistance work, 2nd set is deceptive. Just about the time I feel a little silly with such light weight, I hit the 15th or 16th rep and start to burn. Great stuff.

Quick question on the assistance work, though. I'm running OHP, HGDBP, SLDL, Curls, Lat pulldown, and calf raises. The only exercise I didn't hit all my reps in was HGDBP, so I'm set to move up 10 pounds in week 2 on all the others. EXCEPT - 10 lb increases in OHP and curls are pretty aggressive. Adding that weight in the SLDL, lat pulldown, and calf raises is about right. But an extra 10 lb increase on OHP and curls is significant. Should I be going 5 lb increases on those particular exercises and 10 lb on the others? My OHP is at 75 right now and judging by the 12 reps today, I figure I could have had a good shot at 80, but 85 would have been very unlikely.

I am not adding 10# at a time...way too much for my numbers. I will let AP advise you what to do ANd you are soooo right about those 20 rep assistance sets...it sneaks up on you!

[Deviant Motive]

Do you have a online calculator that allows me to work out the differnet rep max's

http://www.naturalphysiques.com/18/o...max-calculator

[kc0716]

Hey All Pro, regarding your routine #2 (the upper/lower split): I've asked this before on this thread and you've answered it. I've asked if this routine was supposed to be really hardcore (because the last couple weeks of the 1st cycle was already owning me), and you answered that yes, it's supposed to grind you into powder, with dual factor working its magic.

However, after even just 1 cycle, the "last half of the rep scheme weeks" (ie:, the rep 6,7,8 weeks for bench) are just purely owning me where I'm doing every set of every exercise to absolute failure.

Is there a way to reduce the intensity (or any other way) so I can do this routine for the next 6~8 months or so? Because I absolutely love the idea of upper/lower + the increasing rep scheme + the 5% increase at the end and starting over, but I cannot see myself continuing this routine for that long @ its current intensity. It got REAL heavy, REAL fast lol.

Should I maybe reduce the # of sets by 1 across the board during the last 2 weeks (ie: 7 and 8 rep weeks for bench press)

OR maybe should I skip the last week (so skip the 8-rep week for bench), and just start at my 6RM, then do 4-5-6-7, increase 5%, then do 4-5-6-7 etc? or maybe I should just pound my head against the wall and expect to stay on same weight for weeks and weeks?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks

[Neomar]

I've got a few question for All Pro regarding your intermediate 2 program:

1. Can power cleans+jerk be added somewhere in the routine?
2. Can bent-over rows be replaced with it's equivalent dumbbell rows?
3. Can the stiff-legged deadlifts be replaced by normal deadlifts?
4. Can the pulldown be replaced with pull ups?
5. In your opinion, can I start doing your intermediate 2 program with 6 months of experience doing Starting Strength?

Thanks in advance!

[Ussop]

What one should I go with after doing 5 cycles of all pros simple beginners routine?

[Adamspoon]

What one should I go with after doing 5 cycles of all pros simple beginners routine?

You can do whichever one you like the look of really. I think All Pro has said that 1 is the easiest and 4 the hardest, so probably best to start with 1and see how you go before moving on to 2 then 3 then 4. That's what I've done anyway, I started with number 1 and am enjoying it.

[Adamspoon]

As I understand it, if you fail to complete all 5 reps in one or two of your week 2 work sets then you do not reduce the weight, you just continue with that weight until you can complete all 3 sets of 5, then increase the weight again. You only reduce the weight if you fail to complete all 3 work sets of 5 in any exercise. Please correct me if i'm wrong All Pro.

Some people prefer that method or see my post above. At this level there are lots of options and they have to be dialed in to the lifter.

I think my original interpretation of this routine was wrong. You don't reduce the weight if you fail to get all 5 reps in the second workout of a week, you just press on with the weight until you can get all 3 sets of 5. As I now understand it you only reduce the weight if you fail to get 3x5 reps three weeks in a row. Have I got it now?

This brings me on to another question: If you fail to get 3x5 in your week three workout as above and have to reduce the weight by 30lb as you state in the original post, this means that in the next cycle you will be lifting 30lb less than the weight you failed at on week one, 20lb less on week two and 10lb less on week 3. Is this right? I thought that the point of this deload was to build back up to the weight you failed at by week 3, so should that be a 20lb de-load not a 30lb one? Sorry if this is confusing, not explaining myself veyr well!

Edit: I now see that on page 2 you say that the deload should be 10lb, so by week three you're lifting 10lb more than your failure rate. Could you advise what the correct deload is?

[Max10]

What one should I go with after doing 5 cycles of all pros simple beginners routine?

You can do whichever one you like the look of really. I think All Pro has said that 1 is the easiest and 4 the hardest, so probably best to start with 1and see how you go before moving on to 2 then 3 then 4. That's what I've done anyway, I started with number 1 and am enjoying it.

^^^ Solid.

When AP first posted up these programs I asked him if he thought running these in progression was sensible, and he agreed. He said you could run a few cycles of 1, move to 2, and same for 3. I specifically remember him saying #4 was "for the truly insane".

Like Adamspoon I started with #1. I figured I'd run a few cycles and go from there. I'm in no hurry. In fact, like Lionel Ritchie, I'm easy. Easy like Sunday morning.

Yep. Now if you'll excuse me and my musical digression, I'm going to cue up that song on my iPod because I have it in my head now. Solid tune. Have fun with whatever one you choose, Ussop, and let us know how it goes.

[Ussop]

I'm not really liking how the work out for 1 is or the others. Would there be a completely different routine someone can suggest after all pros beginners one? Or do you think it's just best to go with one of these after woulds?

[Deviant Motive]

I didn't try #1 but started #2 after the beginners routine and I liked it. It gives you a good variety of assistant exercises. You can run it 3 days a week...........A/B/A, B/A/B or crank it up to 4 days a week. A,B, off, A,B, off, off.

Its like all pro said, the intermediate programs aren't cookie cutter. They can be tweaked and individualized for each person. They are not as simple as the beginner routine. Once you get your mind wrapped around one of these, you might like one. I found that having a spreadsheet or having it written down helped tremendously. It took me a good week or two to grasp the concepts of these routines.

#4, 636 is the best out of all of them IMO but it will absolutely kick your ass and (per all pro) grind you into powder.

[MTA06]

thx

[kokidpham]

thx very much, i will try this out when i finish my cycle

[all pro]

Hey All Pro, regarding your routine #2 (the upper/lower split): I've asked this before on this thread and you've answered it. I've asked if this routine was supposed to be really hardcore (because the last couple weeks of the 1st cycle was already owning me), and you answered that yes, it's supposed to grind you into powder, with dual factor working its magic.

However, after even just 1 cycle, the "last half of the rep scheme weeks" (ie:, the rep 6,7,8 weeks for bench) are just purely owning me where I'm doing every set of every exercise to absolute failure.

Is there a way to reduce the intensity (or any other way) so I can do this routine for the next 6~8 months or so? Because I absolutely love the idea of upper/lower + the increasing rep scheme + the 5% increase at the end and starting over, but I cannot see myself continuing this routine for that long @ its current intensity. It got REAL heavy, REAL fast lol.

Should I maybe reduce the # of sets by 1 across the board during the last 2 weeks (ie: 7 and 8 rep weeks for bench press)

OR maybe should I skip the last week (so skip the 8-rep week for bench), and just start at my 6RM, then do 4-5-6-7, increase 5%, then do 4-5-6-7 etc? or maybe I should just pound my head against the wall and expect to stay on same weight for weeks and weeks?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks

One way to slow it down is to run 2 weeks at each rep range. But usually if you can get through the first cycle the second cycle isn't that bad. This is all a mental trick. You are purposely pushing into the over reaching range where you can't do it. Then backing up and repeating the weight. The rebound that this produces is incredible but you have to have and iron mind and an iron will to do it!

[all pro]

I've got a few question for All Pro regarding your intermediate 2 program:

1. Can power cleans+jerk be added somewhere in the routine?
2. Can bent-over rows be replaced with it's equivalent dumbbell rows?
3. Can the stiff-legged deadlifts be replaced by normal deadlifts?
4. Can the pulldown be replaced with pull ups?
5. In your opinion, can I start doing your intermediate 2 program with 6 months of experience doing Starting Strength?

Thanks in advance!

1. You can build a middle workout in between the original 2 and put power cleans, hang cleans or any other olympic lift that doesn't have a negative component to it.
2.Yes.
3. NO!
4. How are you going to adjust the weight?
5. ? You can try it.

[all pro]

I think my original interpretation of this routine was wrong. You don't reduce the weight if you fail to get all 5 reps in the second workout of a week, you just press on with the weight until you can get all 3 sets of 5. As I now understand it you only reduce the weight if you fail to get 3x5 reps three weeks in a row. Have I got it now?

This brings me on to another question: If you fail to get 3x5 in your week three workout as above and have to reduce the weight by 30lb as you state in the original post, this means that in the next cycle you will be lifting 30lb less than the weight you failed at on week one, 20lb less on week two and 10lb less on week 3. Is this right? I thought that the point of this deload was to build back up to the weight you failed at by week 3, so should that be a 20lb de-load not a 30lb one? Sorry if this is confusing, not explaining myself veyr well!

Edit: I now see that on page 2 you say that the deload should be 10lb, so by week three you're lifting 10lb more than your failure rate. Could you advise what the correct deload is?

For that program I use a three strikes and your out rule. Reducing the weight 30 pounds is not a big deal. The first work out is a breeze but the second one is still a bit of a challenge until recovery and super compensation happen. Also because of the rep range if you just increase your contraction speed you can still gain power and push your CNS even though the weight is lighter. The bottom line is you aren't losing anything during that deload and if all goes well you're going to crush your previous PR on the next cycle.

[Deviant Motive]

Friday was the first time I've worked out in the morning in over a year. I was quickly reminded how much a difference it makes working out on an empty stomach & working out after work when I've eaten all day. I barely had enough energy to get through it. I don't see how I did it for so many years previously. That's probably why I had a difficult time with weight progression.

Any advise on what I can do to get through a morning workout? I have to get up at 4:40am just to get it in before work. I dang sure can't & won't get up any earlier to down some breakfast before I workout.

[all pro]

Friday was the first time I've worked out in the morning in over a year. I was quickly reminded how much a difference it makes working out on an empty stomach & working out after work when I've eaten all day. I barely had enough energy to get through it. I don't see how I did it for so many years previously. That's probably why I had a difficult time with weight progression.

Any advise on what I can do to get through a morning workout? I have to get up at 4:40am just to get it in before work. I dang sure can't & won't get up any earlier to down some breakfast before I workout.

I don't know how much time you've got to work with because you didn't say. But if you can try a small serving of instant oatmeal and see if that helps.

[ABSPR]

not liking routine #2 on a cut

week 5 starts tomorrow

[Deviant Motive]

I don't know how much time you've got to work with because you didn't say. But if you can try a small serving of instant oatmeal and see if that helps.

Yeah, I have to get up at 4:40 to get about 45-1 hour of workout in before I have to get ready to go to work.

I thought about oatmeal but I'd have to get up, eat it immediately and workout immediately. Don't think that would give it enough time to kick in to give me enough energy to get through the workout. I'd have to get up at 4:00am to do that. ughh, and I can't eat as soon as I crawl out of bed.

Looks like I might just stick to the evening workout.

[Max10]

Yeah, I have to get up at 4:40 to get about 45-1 hour of workout in before I have to get ready to go to work.

I thought about oatmeal but I'd have to get up, eat it immediately and workout immediately. Don't think that would give it enough time to kick in to give me enough energy to get through the workout. I'd have to get up at 4:00am to do that. ughh, and I can't eat as soon as I crawl out of bed.

Looks like I might just stick to the evening workout.

Have you tried a protein shake? I generally always work out in the morning but can't stand any sort of food in my stomach. A quick protein shake, though, has always provided what I need.