Lifting Plan page

[adamm]

OK, so I've been doing the Super Slow type workouts for 3 months, and I have to admit that while I've made some strength gains, I don't think it is working the way it should have. After a couple of posts on the forum, I went back and started checking the math. IE muscle mass gained, strength increases, etc, and I've come to the conclusion that super slow exercises don't seem to "do it" for me. So I'm going back to conventional LHT. I was hoping y'all could take a look at my plan. It is based upon a twice a week workout. First workout is more iron, second workout is more bodyweight. If y'all have concerns with that approach, let me know.


Day 1:

• Squats: 3 x 5
• Deadlifts: 3 x 5

• Bench Press: 3 x 5
• Barbell Row: 3 x 5

• Arm Curls: 3 x 5
• Triceps Dips: 3 x failure

• Front dumbbell raise: 3 x 6
• Front Plank: 2 x death
• Side dumbbell raise: 3 x 6
• Exercise ball crunches: 2 x 20
• Shoulder Press: 3 x 6
• Side Plank: 2 x 30 seconds each

Day 2:

• Squats: 3 x 5
• Deadlifts: 3 x 5

• Pullups/Chin ups: 3 x 5 (or failure)
• Pushups: 3 x 20 (or failure)

• Arm Curls: 3 x 5
• Triceps Dips: 3 x failure

• Front dumbbell raise: 3 x 6
• Front Plank: 2 x death
• Side dumbbell raise: 3 x 6
• Exercise ball crunches: 2 x 20
• Shoulder Press: 3 x 6
• Side Plank: 2 x 30 seconds each

Yesterday, for the heck of it, I did a full body workout with all of the above exercises combined. IE pushups + bench press, etc. I figured that might be a bit much, so that is why I'm breaking it up into two sessions a week.

I am, as y'all might see, heavily emphasizing shoulders, but I feel that historically I have under emphasized them, and also that they are almost as important as the back for training.

Please, feedback needed/welcome.

--Me

EDIT: corrected verbage for front plank

[Coach Palfrey]

This looks fairly solid - my only criticism would be the amount of stuff going on. You really don't need so many exercises. And (assuming you've listed it in the order you're doing it), I'd aim to have some separation between your bench press and shoulder press stuff - do bench one day and shoulder press the next.

[adamm]

This looks fairly solid - my only criticism would be the amount of stuff going on. You really don't need so many exercises. And (assuming you've listed it in the order you're doing it), I'd aim to have some separation between your bench press and shoulder press stuff - do bench one day and shoulder press the next.

Thanks for the response. It is not quite in order. I'm training fundamentally for strength, so I'm following Ripeetoe's recommendations to give a solid break (4+ minutes) between sets. So I'll be mixing things up a bit. Set of bench, set of barbell rows, rinse and repeat.

My plan, and please criticize, was to do shoulder presses during both exercises. I do put a fair break in between chest exercises (whether bench or pushups) and the shoulder exercises. Is that really too much? I mean, granted I'm doing three types of shoulder exercises on iron day, but outside of my back, I don't really think there is something I want to develop more than my shoulders.

EDIT: While I will always do squats first, and then deadlifts second, the rest of the ordering in my post was done according more to group and how I tend to pair up exercises.

[Coach Palfrey]

There is no getting around the fact that if you max out your bench then your overhead press will suffer - and vice versa. But, as is best in most situations, try both approaches and see what works for you. Best of luck!

[spinetilt]

I've made some pretty fast gains in strength using Reg Park's original 5x5 routine. About 45 days in and I've pretty much doubled my squat and deadlift weight. I'm not super huge yet, but then again, I'm less than two months in.