Functional Lifting Plan..critique please!

[BigKrabbe]

As of recently I am trying to work a lot more functional movements, however I still have the desire to lift as I have been in the past so I have devised the following workout plan:

Monday: Lift legs
Tuesday: Lift chest/back
Thursday and Saturday: Functional days consisting
50 tractor tire flips
50 push ups
50 burpees
30 Pullups
50 Bodyweight rows with rings
50 8lb sledgehammer swings each side
100 bodyweight squats
2x20 kettlebell swings
What do ya guys think?

 

[BigKrabbe]

Also, I will be doing a lot of face pulls, rotator cuff work, and posterior delt work.

 

[JudoJosh]

looks like you just randomly threw together some exercises..

WS4SB is what you want

 

[owlicks]

I know you say you want to concentrate on "functional" exercises, but what is your goal for this program?

 

[ZiR RED]

The 'functional' looks like a cross-fit routine - which, sadly (although great for ortho surgeons), is becoming increasingly popular.

Like owlicks stated, what type of function are you looking to improve? Function for a discuss throw and function for a second basement are going to be quite different.

Functional at its most simple level should work to improve basic functioning. That would be: improving active ROM, correcting muscular imbalances, enhancing core strength, and pre-hab work to reduce risk of injury.

To do so, we'd need to screen for ROM limitations, strength imbalances, and under/over active muscles. By doing so, a program that meets the most basic needs to perform functionally can be created. As improvements are made in these areas, then the program can become more specific and tailored to your individual/sport needs and goals.

Br

 

[OrganicShadow]

I dont know much on the cross-fit and functional training motives so I cant comment - but subbed to learn more. It sparks my interest.

 

[BigKrabbe]

looks like you just randomly threw together some exercises..WS4SB is what you want

Lol ws4sb? I weigh 230 at 10%, by no means skinny or a hardgainer. Randomly throw together? No, it is called a CIRCUIT lol.Zir red - do you even know what crossfit really is? I dont have high rep oly moves in there, just cause I have kettlebell swings in there does not make ot a crossfit routine lol. See I am the army, I run 2 miles in 13:00, I have to be able to ruck 25k with. 65lb sack, pass a pt test. Not all of us have the luxury of lifting solely to look like some bb'er (even though I have competed in bb'ing, powerlifting, as well as I did mma for 3 years.) There is more out there than doing your curls in the racks bros. I have already been working on correcting muscular imbalances for a few years, the only exercise which seems to give my body any trouble is chest flyes of ANY variety. I have been working on rotators, scapular stabilizers, hip mobility, really just overall mobility. Overactive muscles would definitely include pec minors, no matter how much stretching, foam rolling, deep tissue massage I do which is why I think flyes almost always cause me to have issues, not even with my rc but with pec minor attachement.

 

[BigKrabbe]

Not to hate there, also I do 30 minutes of prehab everyday via foam rolling and gpp. Lol I was doing prehab before most people even knew what it was. My goals are to be big and functional. Be able to have great muscular endurance, while at the same time being able to lift heavy ****..hence 2 lifting days and 2 functional days.

 

[Rodja]

That is a damn light tire if you can do 50 flips with it. You'll need a heavier tire and a heavier sledgehammer for this. While you're at it, toss out the pushups and replace them with dips on the rings and just completely toss out the BW squats. There's nothing functional about a set of 100.

Also, despite the name, WS4SB is the best athletic program I've seen.

 

[bdcc]

I echo the sentiments on what function you are looking to improve so to speak. Functional for one guy is not functional for another.

I like strongman stuff for 'real world' strength in terms of picking up objects which are not the perfect diameter to fit in the palm of your hand like barbells and dumbbells.

I love tyre flips, I agree with Rodja than it must be very light to do 50, depends on your goal. Also love the use of rings, I would use them for dips (as have already been mentioned) as well as your pull ups.

I don't know if they publish information but there are two extremely good Irish coaches who host 'functional strongman' classes with tyres, car pushes, farmers walks, log lifts etc. You can look for their details if you are interested. Eoin Lacey and John Connor who run the Irish Strength Institute. If you find them on Facebook you might get a glimpse at some of the stuff they do with clients.

 

[ZiR RED]

Lol ws4sb? I weigh 230 at 10%, by no means skinny or a hardgainer. Randomly throw together? No, it is called a CIRCUIT lol.Zir red - do you even know what crossfit really is? I dont have high rep oly moves in there, just cause I have kettlebell swings in there does not make ot a crossfit routine lol. See I am the army, I run 2 miles in 13:00, I have to be able to ruck 25k with. 65lb sack, pass a pt test. Not all of us have the luxury of lifting solely to look like some bb'er (even though I have competed in bb'ing, powerlifting, as well as I did mma for 3 years.) There is more out there than doing your curls in the racks bros. I have already been working on correcting muscular imbalances for a few years, the only exercise which seems to give my body any trouble is chest flyes of ANY variety. I have been working on rotators, scapular stabilizers, hip mobility, really just overall mobility. Overactive muscles would definitely include pec minors, no matter how much stretching, foam rolling, deep tissue massage I do which is why I think flyes almost always cause me to have issues, not even with my rc but with pec minor attachement.

I know exactly what cross-fit is. I also know the military is pretty anti-cross fit since it increases injury prevalence and over training syndrome in war fighters.

You didn't mention anything about prehab or addressing muscular imbalances, and that is why I brought it up.

If you are looking to increase combat performance, I suggest you look into tactical based strength and conditioning: Invalid Link Removed

Br

 

[BigKrabbe]

That is a damn light tire if you can do 50 flips with it. You'll need a heavier tire and a heavier sledgehammer for this. While you're at it, toss out the pushups and replace them with dips on the rings and just completely toss out the BW squats. There's nothing functional about a set of 100. Also, despite the name, WS4SB is the best athletic program I've seen.

Its a 220lb tire I believe, it would not be a straight set of 50. The bodyweight squats are a favorite of mine, do 100 straight and tell me that doesnt build muscular endurance. Ring dips are really good, might do a set of those as well as the pushups, but like I said I like to max my pt test so that is a min of 77 full rom pushups in 2 minutes. I usually do about 85-90. My sledgehammer is 8lbs, which is plenty for what I am doing I think. Thank you for the link zir red, actually the military is EXTREMELY pro crossfit. Most special forces, special operations, ranger units, as well as a lot of other units use crossfit as their training program. In almost every single military gym now there is a crossfit room.

 

[Rodja]

Its a 220lb tire I believe, it would not be a straight set of 50. The bodyweight squats are a favorite of mine, do 100 straight and tell me that doesnt build muscular endurance. Ring dips are really good, might do a set of those as well as the pushups, but like I said I like to max my pt test so that is a min of 77 full rom pushups in 2 minutes. I usually do about 85-90. My sledgehammer is 8lbs, which is plenty for what I am doing I think.

8 lbs is a gallon of milk. It's very tiny for a sledgehammer (14-18lbs would be better). Also, a 220lb tire is really, really small.

Explain to me how a set of 100 BW squats is functional.

 

[owlicks]

Lol ws4sb? I weigh 230 at 10%, by no means skinny or a hardgainer. Randomly throw together? No, it is called a CIRCUIT lol.Zir red - do you even know what crossfit really is? I dont have high rep oly moves in there, just cause I have kettlebell swings in there does not make ot a crossfit routine lol. See I am the army, I run 2 miles in 13:00, I have to be able to ruck 25k with. 65lb sack, pass a pt test. Not all of us have the luxury of lifting solely to look like some bb'er (even though I have competed in bb'ing, powerlifting, as well as I did mma for 3 years.) There is more out there than doing your curls in the racks bros. I have already been working on correcting muscular imbalances for a few years, the only exercise which seems to give my body any trouble is chest flyes of ANY variety. I have been working on rotators, scapular stabilizers, hip mobility, really just overall mobility. Overactive muscles would definitely include pec minors, no matter how much stretching, foam rolling, deep tissue massage I do which is why I think flyes almost always cause me to have issues, not even with my rc but with pec minor attachement.

The "Can I have some advice -- hold up there bro, I know exactly what I'm doing here!" posts are one of my all time favorite. Play on playa.

 

[ZiR RED]

Thank you for the link zir red, actually the military is EXTREMELY pro crossfit. Most special forces, special operations, ranger units, as well as a lot of other units use crossfit as their training program. In almost every single military gym now there is a crossfit room.

That's interesting, but why don't you email Dr. Nindl, head of military exercise physiology and performance what he thinks of cross-fit.

Invalid Link Removed

I have the full paper but not cannot scan it for reasons.

Basically, the risk and incidence of injuries to combat fighters is significantly increased with cross-fit and other extreme conditioning programs. You will be seeing less and less used for military conditioning purposes.

Br

 

[JudoJosh]

Lol ws4sb? I weigh 230 at 10%, by no means skinny or a hardgainer.

WS4SB isn't just for hard gainers or skinny guys. Give it a read sometime

Randomly throw together? No, it is called a CIRCUIT

A circuit has a purpose and structure. I maintain that what you proposed looks to be just randomly thrown together, unless you care to break down the reasoning for choosing each exercise and the reason for their order?

Not all of us have the luxury of lifting solely to look like some bb'er (even though I have competed in bb'ing, powerlifting, as well as I did mma for 3 years.) There is more out there than doing your curls in the racks bros.

And not all of us here are bodybuilders.

See I am the army, I run 2 miles in 13:00, I have to be able to ruck 25k with. 65lb sack, pass a pt test.

If your goal is to be able to run 2 miles within a set time will carrying weight.. Well I got an idea, why not work on running said distance with the weight within the set time? Actually running this will provide more "functionality" then your so called circuit, especially since this I the reason why you are training.

The "Can I have some advice -- hold up there bro, I know exactly what I'm doing here!" posts are one of my all time favorite. Play on playa.

My thoughts exactly

 

[BigKrabbe]

Owlicks- wonderful, intelligent contribution
Rodja- So you can deadlift 220x50? Doubtful, when I was pulling 585 I could barely do 405x15. Squatting of any sort can be argued as being functional, it is a rom done frequently in everyday life. It depends what YOU consider to be functional.
JudoJosh- I will give ws4sb a read, thanks. The structure to my circuit is having a exercises that hit pushing, pulling, squatting, posterior chain work, while improving my cardio using almost only bodyweight exercises. The order isnt necessarily how I would do the workout. I do run. Regularly. At 230 I can run consecutive 6:30 miles. The sole reason I am doing this is NOT to improve my pt test, I already max it. It is to try something different and veer away traditional lifting 4-6 days a week training programs. I want to have functional muscular endurance AND be strong..which is why I am doing 2 lifting days and 2 full body circuits.
ZirRed- interesting read, he might think crossfit is **** but units are adopting a crossfit training philosophy at a crazy rate. Every base in afghanistan, iraq, kuwait, here in the states are all full of crossfit lol its crazy. He might think crossfit is bs, but if a units commander thinks it is awesome then that is what will be done!


MAYBE I should rephrase my post to this: what do you guys think about my workout split involving 2 lifting days, and 2 full body circuits using SOME functional movements.

 

[Rodja]

Owlicks- wonderful, intelligent contribution
Rodja- So you can deadlift 220x50? Doubtful, when I was pulling 585 I could barely do 405x15. Squatting of any sort can be argued as being functional, it is a rom done frequently in everyday life. It depends what YOU consider to be functional.
JudoJosh- I will give ws4sb a read, thanks. The structure to my circuit is having a exercises that hit pushing, pulling, squatting, posterior chain work, while improving my cardio using almost only bodyweight exercises. The order isnt necessarily how I would do the workout. I do run. Regularly. At 230 I can run consecutive 6:30 miles. The sole reason I am doing this is NOT to improve my pt test, I already max it. It is to try something different and veer away traditional lifting 4-6 days a week training programs. I want to have functional muscular endurance AND be strong..which is why I am doing 2 lifting days and 2 full body circuits.
ZirRed- interesting read, he might think crossfit is **** but units are adopting a crossfit training philosophy at a crazy rate. Every base in afghanistan, iraq, kuwait, here in the states are all full of crossfit lol its crazy. He might think crossfit is bs, but if a units commander thinks it is awesome then that is what will be done!


MAYBE I should rephrase my post to this: what do you guys think about my workout split involving 2 lifting days, and 2 full body circuits using SOME functional movements.

Deadlifting 220x50 is nowhere near the same as BWx50 on squats. It is not the exercise that lacks functionality; it is the reps.

Zir also isn't the only one that thinks CF is crap; every strength coach worth his salt does because it has no emphasis on balance and technique. CF is a marketing scheme and nothing else.

 

[BigKrabbe]

Haha easy there killer, I never said once I endorsed crossfit. I dont do crossfit and my workout isnt ANYWHERE near a crossfit workout. The only even close to crossfit thing about it is that it includes kettlebell swings so the **** what lol.

 

[ZiR RED]

Crossfit debate aside (and kettle bell swings are a great exercise - i would not classify them as CF)...Here's what I would suggest.

The functional circuit you have set up looks to be a great conditioning workout. You'll generate a lot of lactic acid, improve lactic acid buffering and muscular endurance.

I would suggest another functional day that is more neural and strength/power orientated. I don't know if you are doing olympics in your lifting, though if not I would suggest incorporating an exercise into your lower body workout.

For the neural day, you can do plyometrics, medicine ball throws, short sprints (ground starts would be very functional to a war fighter), and agility work. This way you get a good lactate conditioning work with the first day, and then a neural and alactic day on the second day. I suggest separating the neural day from your lower body lifting day by 2-3 days.

Br

 

[OrganicShadow]

I gotta read up on what this WS4SB thing is.

 

[BigKrabbe]

Crossfit debate aside (and kettle bell swings are a great exercise - i would not classify them as CF)...Here's what I would suggest.The functional circuit you have set up looks to be a great conditioning workout. You'll generate a lot of lactic acid, improve lactic acid buffering and muscular endurance.I would suggest another functional day that is more neural and strength/power orientated. I don't know if you are doing olympics in your lifting, though if not I would suggest incorporating an exercise into your lower body workout.For the neural day, you can do plyometrics, medicine ball throws, short sprints (ground starts would be very functional to a war fighter), and agility work. This way you get a good lactate conditioning work with the first day, and then a neural and alactic day on the second day. I suggest separating the neural day from your lower body lifting day by 2-3 days.Br

Thanks for the advice! I will incorporate that into my routine. A big part of me wanting to try a different philosophy of training than solely lifting is after 10 years of wrestling, playing rugby, lifting, doing mma, and being in the military my joints have taken a few years to get to a point where they feel good again. I want to train for the long haul, working out is my passion in life!

 

[JudoJosh]

I gotta read up on what this WS4SB thing is.

Westside for skinny bastards

It utlilizes the Russian Conjugate periodization method which basically means you train several different training abilities all year round rather than your typicaly linear periodization where different training abilities are trained in blocks and seperated throughout the year.

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