Sample workout routines for intermediate routines. Post up your favorite.
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Sample workout routines for intermediate routines. Post up your favorite.
Bill Starr's 5x5, animal mass's version
The 5X5:
Monday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (same weight)
Benching 5x5 (flat, close grip or regular)(same weight)
JS Rows 5x5 (same weight)
Accessory (low volume triceps and abs)
Wednesday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (reduced 15-20% from Monday) or Front Squats 5x5
Standing Military Press 5x5 (same weight)
Deadlifts 5x5 (same weight) (if you pull 2.5x bodyweight do 3x5)
Pull ups 5x5 (use weight if you need it)
Accessory (biceps and abs)
Friday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (working up each set)
Benching 5x5 (flat or incline)(same weight)
Rows 5x5 (same weight)
Accessory (low volume triceps and abs)
The idea is simple: pick a weight you can do for 5 sets of 5, and if you complete all the sets and reps, then next time bump the weight up 5 or 10 pounds.
Before beginning the program it is important to establish 1 rep maxes for the squat, bench press, military press, and deadlift, and 5 rep maxes for the squat, bench press, rows, military press, and deadlifts.
The first week, it is important to begin very conservatively and prepare to set new 5 rep maxes on about the 4th-6th week, rather than the 1st or 2nd week. It will take some time for your body to grow accustomed to training this way, and in the beginning you’re gonna be sore as hell.
If you get all the sets and reps, then you increase the weight (5-10lbs) for the next week, and if not, you keep the weight the same.
Try and set new 5 rep maxes on weeks 4-6 for beginners , and weeks 3-4 for veterans and then move to a 3x3 for 2x per week.
Run the 3x3 for 2-3 weeks, drop the squatting frequency to 2x per week (or even every 4-5 days if you need the additional recovery), and try setting records on the 4th or 5th workout. (Also, weight increase are the important thing here).
Then cycle down to 1 set of 3 for 2 or 3 workouts, and maybe even go for a max single at the end.
So basically what you get is a 4-6 week prep phase, followed by a 3-5 week peaking phase.
One point – during the initial phase where 5x5 is being used you MUST stick to the required volume and frequency. Back off the weight if you have to, but always get in all 5 sets of 5.
Switch to 3x3 of three, and drop the Friday workout altogether.
Your workout should look like this:
Monday:
Oly squats: 3x3
Bench: 3x3
Rows: 3x3
Wednesday (or move this workout to Thursday if you'd like, I usually did)
Light Oly Squats (70% of monday): 3x3
Deadlifts: 3x3
Military Press: 3x3
Chins:3x3
If you get all 9 reps, go up 5-10 pounds the following week. Do this for about 3-4 weeks.
Volume Phase 4 weeks
Deloading Period 1 week
Intensity Phase 4 weeks
Mon......Volume Phase...........................................De load/Intensity Phase
Squat.......5x5................................... ..............................3x3
Bench.......1x5................................... ..............................1x3
Row.........1x5................................... ...............................1x3
Wed......Volume Phase...........................................De load/Intensity Phase
Squat.......5x5 with 15-20% less than Monday.................drop this lift
Deadlift.....5x5.................................. ...............................3x3
Military......5x5................................. ................................3x3
Pullups.......5x5................................. ...............................3x3
Fri.........Volume Phase...........................................De load/Intensity Phase
Squat........1x5.................................. ..............................1x3
Bench........5x5.................................. .............................3x3
Row...........5x5................................. ..............................3x3
*5x5 & 3x3 = warm up to working set weight
**1x5 & 1x3 = pyramid weights through 5x5 or 3x3 with the final set being target set weight
Pretty good program for the short term use. Ironaddict has a lot of success with his trainees by cutting out a lot of what Poliquin recommends.. Especially because most of Poliquin's writeups are for advanced lifters..
For the complete writeup of German Volume Training by Charles Poliquin, click here: Charles Poliquin Seminar Experience
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironaddict
I use this for various reasons. Either to unload the joints from the heavy pounding of low reps, or to get some fast growth. Works for both. I only use ONE lift when doing the 10 x 10 version and it looks something like this most often:
Monday
Dumbbell Bench Press 10 x 10
Chin-up 10 x 10
Wednesday
Squats 10 x 10
Calf 5 x 10
Friday
Dips 10 x 10
Incline Dumbbell Curls 10 x 10
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Why does GVT work for some people?
Joe BB'er can squat 350 x 5, that equals 1750 lbs of tonnage. if he does a static weight 5 x 5 he will likely be using about 335 for his sets. 335 x 5, x 5 sets =8375. LOTS of tonnage.
Depending on muscle fiber composistion he can likely do about 280 x 20 if pushed, the 20 rep weight would be his starting point for his 10 rep sets. 280 x 10 equals 2800 lbs of tonnage. If he can get his 10 x 10 with this weight his tonnage for the workout is 28,000 lbs!
Thats why people that aren't overtrained into the ground grow fast on 10 x 10's.
I just had 2 advanced lifters this week tell me they have gained 4-6 lbs in 4 weeks of 10 x 10. For those that are "recovery challenged" all it does is beat them into the ground, but it is still a good switch-up routine to insert from time to time for many lifters.
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It works for about 4 weeks, and for those it works for they get stronger on it each week. It is mainly for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy while in the 10 x 10 phase (the 10 x 5's build much more contractile protein) but some contractile protein is built. Transfer to lower reps is very individualistic. Like most people sets of 10 don't help their 1rm much, for others it helps. I had a guy I used to train recently contact me that ran 10 x 10 for 4 weeks and decided to see how much strength he lost on his 1rm's To his suprise he hit PR's on squats, benches and deads. This is not something I woud count on though.
Hypertrophy work is a very different animal than strengh work. But until you are already quite strong, strength work IS hypertrophy work. Once you have a base built, then you can and probably should start playing with hypertrophy work if more size is your goal.
Westside for Skinny Bastards: The Program
Source
Below you'll find my basic training template for this program. Notice that I provide lots of variety for your exercise selection and rep schemes. I don't like turning people into robots by having them aimlessly follow a set program. Choose the exercises and rep schemes you feel work the best for your body. Add some of your own exercises if you'd like. And if you're not familiar with all the exercises listed, just use the search engine here at T-mag.
After I lay out the basic program, I'll provide some more detail about it at the end of the article.
+++++ Max Effort Upper Body (Monday) +++++
A. MAX-EFFORT LIFT - Work up to a max set of 3-5 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
+++++ LOWER BODY - (Wednesday) +++++
A. MAX-EFFORT LIFT - Work up to a max set of 5 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
A. REPETITION LIFT - Work up to 3 sets of max reps, rest 60 seconds between sets.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:D. MEDIAL DELT or TRAP EXERCISE - Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Choose one of the following exercises:
Choose one of the following exercises:
Just pick a variety of ab exercises and perform them in circuit fashion with no rest between exercises
NOTE: Athletes who are approaching their season and want to incorporate running/conditioning/GPP work into their program can break up the week as follows:
Now, before all of the hardcore Westside "disciples" start grumbling, remember that this program is not intended for advanced powerlifters. It's intended for athletes and regular people looking to pack on some muscle mass without being "all-show, no-go."
Below I've provided descriptions of how the key components of this program have been manipulated from the traditional Westside template.
Max Effort Upper Body Day - The max effort method is the best method for developing maximal strength. In my opinion, max effort work should be the "nuts and bolts" of any strength-training program. If you're weak, you're dead!
Remember that most athletic qualities (sprinting speed, jumping power, etc.) rely heavily on your foundation of maximal strength. This is because maximal strength builds the foundation for all other strength qualities such as speed-strength and strength-endurance.
Your first exercise on this day will be your max-effort exercise.
Traditionally, most advanced lifters will work up to a one-rep max on this exercise. This is very neurologically demanding on your system and it takes great coordination. Because most beginner and intermediate lifters are less neurologically efficient, we'll shoot for a 3-5 rep max on our max-effort lift in this modified program. This still enables the lifter to train with maximal loads, but it's much safer than going for a one-rep max. The extra reps also increase the time under tension, which can lead to greater hypertrophy (size) gains.
I recommend rotating your max-effort exercise every two to three weeks to prevent your nervous system from getting burned out. Whether you shoot for a 3-rep max or a 5-rep max, the goal is to break your previous record every week!
Lower Body Day - Unlike a traditional Westside template, you'll notice there's only one major lower body day in this modified program. There's a reason for this: most beginner/intermediate athletes couldn't recover from two lower body days a week in conjunction with their running and conditioning work. Their legs would never fully recover and it would take away from their speed and conditioning workouts. One day has worked out much better for many of my athletes.
(If you're not an athlete or you only play one sport and it's your off-season, check out the "Extra Workouts, GPP, Conditioning Days" description below for adding another day to your lower body training.)
The first exercise on your lower body day will be a max effort lift. You'll work up to a max set of five reps in this lift. This lift will be rotated every two to three weeks as well.
On this modified program you'll always follow your max effort exercise with a unilateral exercise. This is one of the major differences between this program and a traditional Westside template.
I incorporate unilateral movements for many reasons. First of all, most athletes develop muscular imbalances between limbs. Unilateral exercises are a great way to overcome these imbalances. They also improve flexibility, balance and overall conditioning.
The unilateral exercises I prescribe are mostly quad-dominant exercises. Yes, I said the four-letter word, quad. The quads have gotten a bad rap lately, while the "posterior chain" has taken center stage. We must remember that the quads are extremely important for athletes and you can't neglect them. The quads are very active when an athlete accelerates into a sprint due to their forward body lean. The quad muscle on the inside of your knee (vastus medialis) also plays a major role in stabilizing the knee.
Finally, one of the most overlooked aspects in all of training is grip and hand strength. Improving your grip and hand strength will help with numerous athletic activities. We usually do our grip training after leg workouts. You'll see some of my favorite grip exercises in the training template.
Repetition Upper Body Day - I've substituted dynamic-effort days with repetition days for the upper body. This may be the biggest change from the traditional Westside template. I've also found it to be one of the keys to success for muscular growth in my younger athletes. Simply put, dynamic days just aren't that productive for weak, skinny bastards!
Remember that this modified program was put together for athletes who lack muscle mass. Well, the repetition method is an incredible way to elicit muscular hypertrophy. Compared to a smaller muscle, a bigger muscle has a better chance of becoming a stronger muscle. Packing on some muscle mass by means of the repetition method lays a great foundation for the more advanced dynamic days to come.
I even substitute dynamic days with repetition days for my NFL football players during the initial stages of the off-season. This is because repetition work is easier on the joints following a grueling season and it's a great way to pack on any muscle that was lost during the season.
Extra Workouts, GPP, Conditioning Days - Remember that my entire clientele consists of athletes. That's the reason why there's "only" three lifting days on my template. I don't use this program for bodybuilders or physique-geeks. I must leave room for conditioning workouts, GPP (general physical preparedness) and skill training.
If you're a non-athlete just looking to pack on some size and strength, you can incorporate "extra workouts" on non-workout days. Since Wednesday is your only leg day, I recommend a lower body sled-dragging workout on Saturday. This is just one example.
There's a lot of room for variety in this training template. That's what I love about it. Get creative and find out what works for you!
Hi,Quote:
Originally Posted by Talo
Just a quick question on GVT without hi-jacking the thread. What is the recommended rest period for 10x10 workouts? I think I read somewhere Poliquin recommend 1 minute. But I read Steve Holman ( from IronMan Mag ) recommends something like 30 seconds rest.
What is your opinion on it?
( Personally, I don't really trust Steve Holman since he has tendency to change/mix up routines/methods just to brand them as his own. )
Btw, very useful info. Thanks for sharing.
Taken from Poliquin :
Rest Intervals: When bodybuilders start with this method, they often question its value for the first several sets because the weight won't feel heavy enough. However, there is minimal rest between sets (about 60 seconds when performed in sequence and 90-120 seconds when performed as a superset), which incurs cumulative fatigue. (Interestingly enough, you might find you get stronger again during the eighth and ninth sets. This is because of a short-term neural adaptation.) Because of the importance of the rest intervals, you should use a stopwatch to keep the rest intervals constant. This is very important, as it becomes tempting to lengthen the rest time as you fatigue.
Tempo: For long-range movements such as squats, dips, and chins, use a 4-0-2 tempo; this means you would lower the weight in four seconds and immediately change direction and lift for two seconds. For movements such as curls and triceps extensions, use a 3-0-2 tempo.
I'm new to the whole body building scene in the sense of actually using terms, so what does it mean to say something like, Benching 5x5. Does it mean Bench Presses 5 sets 5 times? And also, what is an Olympic Squat and in Bill Starr's 5x5, animal mass's version
there's no hard triceps workout?