lifts vs. body part split

[grippo]

I know this is nothing new, but what is everyone's thoughts on a program based on big lifts (deadlifts, squats, cleans, presses, etc...) vs. the typical body part split?

I like to do a big lift, like the squat, pyramid up to heavy weights, low reps, then pyramid down to a high rep set, like starting at 135, adding 25's or 45's until I hit a good 1 rep around 405 with good form (not max, but close). I will keep my reps at 5 or less while I pyramid up, then I'll strip off a few plates and do 225 for 10 explosive reps and 135 for 20+. After squats, I'll do some good mornings, one-leg squats or lunges, leg curls, etc... Finishing off with a calve, core, arms circuit. Entire workout is about 45 minutes.

Upper body will be a bench press or overhead press, same way, pyramid up with strict, heavy reps and down with lighter, explosive reps, followed by a lot of pullups and rowing.

I pyramid up on deadlifts, and pyramid down with some explosive deadlifts and RDL's, throw in some front squats, GHR's, etc...

For cleans, I work up to a 'heavy' 5 rep with good form, once form breaks, I stop. Then I do some overhead squats and a bunch of pullups and rows.

My week looks like this:
Monday: heavy squats, hamstring/hip assistance work, and core, calves, arms circuit.
Tuesday: heavy bench press, pullups, rows, and rear delt work.
Wednesday: heavy deadlifts, front squats, hamstring/hip assistance work, and core, calves, arms circuit
Thursday: heavy overhead press, pullups, rows, and rear delt work.
Friday: cleans, overhead squats
Saturday and/or Sunday: hill sprints, tire flips, sled work, keg tosses

 

[asooneyeonig]

you mean like what many athletes do, and powerlifters, and strongman competitors, and olympic lifters and a myriad of others do?

i'd say what is more important is if you know how to balance intensity, volume, frequency, recovery, deloads, nutrition and progression in your plan then it just doesnt matter.

 

[grippo]

you mean like what many athletes do, and powerlifters, and strongman competitors, and olympic lifters and a myriad of others do?

i'd say what is more important is if you know how to balance intensity, volume, frequency, recovery, deloads, nutrition and progression in your plan then it just doesnt matter.

Thanks a lot, every post on here is about a 3-5 day body part split. I was just trying to change up the subject a little. I understand athletes, etc... use programming such as this, I'm tired of hearing chest day, leg day, etc.... My thoughts were to use squat day, deadlift day, etc... Not inventing anything here, just posting my routine and looking for comments, questions, criticism, and maybe someone that has used a similar program.

Anyone have anything useful to say?

 

[hvactech]

so squats 3 days a week? i guess recovery isnt in your agenda.....

 

[Rodja]

so squats 3 days a week? i guess recovery isnt in your agenda.....

Ever heard of Starting Strength, 5x5, or Olympic lifting?

 

[grippo]

so squats 3 days a week? i guess recovery isnt in your agenda.....

Recovery hasn't been an issue, back squats on Monday are heavy, front squats on Wednesday are moderate weight, and overhead squats on Friday are light weight, mostly works the core. There is nothing wrong with squatting 3 days/week unless all 3 days were near MAX effort

Next

 

[Rodja]

Recovery hasn't been an issue, back squats on Monday are heavy, front squats on Wednesday are moderate weight, and overhead squats on Friday are light weight, mostly works the core. There is nothing wrong with squatting 3 days/week unless all 3 days were near MAX effort

Next

I like what you have setup with the template. The only adjustment I would make is to rotate out the max effort lifts. For example, on Monday, make a rotation of squats, front squats, and box squats.

 

[hvactech]

Ever heard of Starting Strength, 5x5, or Olympic lifting?

nope never, whats that?..............

 

[hvactech]

i wasnt focusing on "squats" directly but 7 days a week training leaves zero room for recovery, dont post your routine if you dont like criticism...

 

[grippo]

Ever heard of Starting Strength, 5x5, or Olympic lifting?

Exactly why I posted this, thanks!

I would like to see someone's intense leg workout that takes 7 days to recover from!

 

[grippo]

i wasnt focusing on "squats" directly but 7 days a week training leaves zero room for recovery, dont post your routine if you dont like criticism...

I'm not working out 7 days a week, its 6 days with one complete day off a week and if I do lower body on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, that's almost 48 hours between each lower body workout and almost 72 hours between the Friday and Monday workouts.

Also, I wanted my post to be criticized, but by people that know what they are talking about. Not trying to start anything, trust me, I'm almost 30 and I'm not in high school. Just please do your research before you 'criticize' someone's routine.

 

[grippo]

I like what you have setup with the template. The only adjustment I would make is to rotate out the max effort lifts. For example, on Monday, make a rotation of squats, front squats, and box squats.

I like that, so one week I can do MAX effort box squats on Monday and moderate weight front squats on Wednesday. Then next week, I can do MAX effort front squats on Monday and moderate weight back squats on Wednesday.

And I guess rotating other lifts like MAX effort seated overhead press one week, MAX standing overhead press, the next week, etc...?

 

[Rodja]

I like that, so one week I can do MAX effort box squats on Monday and moderate weight front squats on Wednesday. Then next week, I can do MAX effort front squats on Monday and moderate weight back squats on Wednesday.

And I guess rotating other lifts like MAX effort seated overhead press one week, MAX standing overhead press, the next week, etc...?

Pretty much. My rotation for upper body is floor press, 2-board press, and bench.

 

[grippo]

Pretty much. My rotation for upper body is floor press, 2-board press, and bench.

Nice, I'll start rotating stuff around this week. Do you ever do bench press, but press off the rack instead of the standard press? I think they are called Anderson Presses?

 

[Rodja]

Nice, I'll start rotating stuff around this week. Do you ever do bench press, but press off the rack instead of the standard press? I think they are called Anderson Presses?

Like a pin press?

 

[xigotmailx]

I'm in an upper/lower split right now but basically I think of upper a: barbell day, lower a: squats, upper b: dumbbell day, lower a: deadlifts

 

[grippo]

Like a pin press?

Exactly, you think that's another 'press' to add to my rotation? So I would rotate pin press, floor press, and overhead press for my main lift that day.

 

[grippo]

I'm in an upper/lower split right now but basically I think of upper a: barbell day, lower a: squats, upper b: dumbbell day, lower a: deadlifts

I guess that is what I'm doing, MWF is lower body and TuThSa is upper body with a different focus each day. I normally start with barbell every day and my second lift is with DB's

 

[Rodja]

Exactly, you think that's another 'press' to add to my rotation? So I would rotate pin press, floor press, and overhead press for my main lift that day.

It's more of a specialty lift than a ME movement.

 

[grippo]

It's more of a specialty lift than a ME movement.

Would this be something I add AFTER my ME lift?

 

[Rodja]

Would this be something I add AFTER my ME lift?

Potentially, but it depends on where your sticking point is. If you have trouble shooting off of the lats from a pause, then they're great. If you have trouble locking out, then they're not the greatest.

 

[grippo]

Potentially, but it depends on where your sticking point is. If you have trouble shooting off of the lats from a pause, then they're great. If you have trouble locking out, then they're not the greatest.

Yeah, my weakest point is at the bottom, that's why I have been doing them. Just wasn't sure if I should do ME then pin presses or do pin presses first when I'm fresh?

 

[Rodja]

Yeah, my weakest point is at the bottom, that's why I have been doing them. Just wasn't sure if I should do ME then pin presses or do pin presses first when I'm fresh?

They're a good supplemental lift, but (and I'm also guilty of this) trouble off of the chest is usually a result of a lack of leg/lat drive, which is a technical error.