Sand Blaster
08-20-2004, 08:57 PM
Working the Lift…by SB
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In what follows, many will probably disagree with me and more so, not try it. That’s fine, but those of you who are brave enough to do it, will see new growth and strength gains. For those of us who have lifted for a number of years, we have been bred by the magazines and gym lore that we should do a variety of exercises in every session for the same body part. For example, flat barbell bench press or dips isn’t enough for chest and shoulders, so we add side laterals, front, laterals, some incline press etc…I am not saying there is not a place for that kind of training but I think it should not form the bulk of your training, especially if you are seeking mass.
What I propose and I know to be effective is that you concentrate on one major lift per day and maybe add a few sets of accessory movements at the end. This is not to say you perform your major lift the same way for EVERY set; but you do use the same lift. For example, let me lay out how you might train like this.
For your chest, shoulders, and triceps choose one of the following for your major lift for that day: flat barbell bench press, dips, low incline or low decline barbell press, or even dumbells. I am going to show how to do it with flat barbell bench press. You will use three grips: close grip—less than shoulder width, medium grip—shoulder width, and wide grip—wider than shoulder width. One of these grips will be your weakest (wg) and one will be your strongest (sg). The other will be in between (ig). You need to know that and figure it out ahead of time. Bring the bar to nipple line, no further towards the head.
Let’s suppose that your close grip is your weakest grip. Since we want to improve the overall lift, we will begin with it as the weak point. Let’s say your best close grip bench press is 275lbs. On the way up to the PR rest three minutes between sets. On the way down, one minute between sets. Where I have a ‘?’ you want to go to failure which is just a break of proper form, no need to go to complete failure.
S1—135 x 8 (wg)
S2—185 x 5 (wg)
S3—225 x 3 (wg)
S4—255 x 1 (wg)
S5—280 x 1 (wg) shoot for a PR
S6—245 x ? (sg)
S7—205 x ? (sg)
S8—175 x ? (ig)
At that point, your chest, shoulders and triceps will be fried. To complete this session, rest one minute after S8 simply add:
Side Laterals—1 set x 20 reps
rest one minute
Lying Dumbell Extensions, palms facing each other—1 x 15
That’s it for day. Next time you train, you could follow the exact same format, except on the way down, use an in-between grip instead of a strong grip. The following time, max on your in-between grip and do the strong grip on the way down.
Note the overall plan, slow and steady on the way up, and on the way down, you kick ass with little rest.
As far as a split goes, you might do something like the following:
Day 1—Bench Press
Day 2—off
Day 3—Squat or Leg Press
Day 4—off
Day 5—Shoulder Press or Dips
Day 6—off
Day 7—Deadlift
Day 8—off
Day 9—Row or Chin
Day 10—off
Day 11—repeats
On your Squat day, vary your stances and if box squatting you can do different heights. On your Shoulder Press or Dips day, keep the weight lighter and work on acceleration. Keep your reps above 6. On your Deadlift day, you can vary your stances, the pin positions, and even the kind of bar like a trap bar. You might want to keep your overall number of deadlift sets below 8. On your Row/Chin day, utilize both under and overhand grips. Do Chins if your back is still fried from the DL day.
Do not add more that 2 or 3 total accessory sets to any one day, try not to exceed 12 total sets for the day. For example, on Day 3 you might want to add 2 sets of leg curls and a set of hammer curls. On Day 5, you might want to add some tricep extensions or a set or two of laterals. On Day 7, you might want to include, 3 or 4 sets of weighted ab work. On Day 9, throw in some dumbell curls at the end.
As you learn to work the major lift, your physique will greatly benefit due to the structural stress provided by multiple-joint movements. Learn to love these movements and your physique will show the change. I think it is no mistake that Ronnie Coleman who trains heavy and on basic movements, looks like he does. Never forget, his powerlifter background and his love of heavy, basic movements. Yates as well loved to train briefly and heavily. We have gotten away from this kind of training and some could really benefit from it.
SB
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In what follows, many will probably disagree with me and more so, not try it. That’s fine, but those of you who are brave enough to do it, will see new growth and strength gains. For those of us who have lifted for a number of years, we have been bred by the magazines and gym lore that we should do a variety of exercises in every session for the same body part. For example, flat barbell bench press or dips isn’t enough for chest and shoulders, so we add side laterals, front, laterals, some incline press etc…I am not saying there is not a place for that kind of training but I think it should not form the bulk of your training, especially if you are seeking mass.
What I propose and I know to be effective is that you concentrate on one major lift per day and maybe add a few sets of accessory movements at the end. This is not to say you perform your major lift the same way for EVERY set; but you do use the same lift. For example, let me lay out how you might train like this.
For your chest, shoulders, and triceps choose one of the following for your major lift for that day: flat barbell bench press, dips, low incline or low decline barbell press, or even dumbells. I am going to show how to do it with flat barbell bench press. You will use three grips: close grip—less than shoulder width, medium grip—shoulder width, and wide grip—wider than shoulder width. One of these grips will be your weakest (wg) and one will be your strongest (sg). The other will be in between (ig). You need to know that and figure it out ahead of time. Bring the bar to nipple line, no further towards the head.
Let’s suppose that your close grip is your weakest grip. Since we want to improve the overall lift, we will begin with it as the weak point. Let’s say your best close grip bench press is 275lbs. On the way up to the PR rest three minutes between sets. On the way down, one minute between sets. Where I have a ‘?’ you want to go to failure which is just a break of proper form, no need to go to complete failure.
S1—135 x 8 (wg)
S2—185 x 5 (wg)
S3—225 x 3 (wg)
S4—255 x 1 (wg)
S5—280 x 1 (wg) shoot for a PR
S6—245 x ? (sg)
S7—205 x ? (sg)
S8—175 x ? (ig)
At that point, your chest, shoulders and triceps will be fried. To complete this session, rest one minute after S8 simply add:
Side Laterals—1 set x 20 reps
rest one minute
Lying Dumbell Extensions, palms facing each other—1 x 15
That’s it for day. Next time you train, you could follow the exact same format, except on the way down, use an in-between grip instead of a strong grip. The following time, max on your in-between grip and do the strong grip on the way down.
Note the overall plan, slow and steady on the way up, and on the way down, you kick ass with little rest.
As far as a split goes, you might do something like the following:
Day 1—Bench Press
Day 2—off
Day 3—Squat or Leg Press
Day 4—off
Day 5—Shoulder Press or Dips
Day 6—off
Day 7—Deadlift
Day 8—off
Day 9—Row or Chin
Day 10—off
Day 11—repeats
On your Squat day, vary your stances and if box squatting you can do different heights. On your Shoulder Press or Dips day, keep the weight lighter and work on acceleration. Keep your reps above 6. On your Deadlift day, you can vary your stances, the pin positions, and even the kind of bar like a trap bar. You might want to keep your overall number of deadlift sets below 8. On your Row/Chin day, utilize both under and overhand grips. Do Chins if your back is still fried from the DL day.
Do not add more that 2 or 3 total accessory sets to any one day, try not to exceed 12 total sets for the day. For example, on Day 3 you might want to add 2 sets of leg curls and a set of hammer curls. On Day 5, you might want to add some tricep extensions or a set or two of laterals. On Day 7, you might want to include, 3 or 4 sets of weighted ab work. On Day 9, throw in some dumbell curls at the end.
As you learn to work the major lift, your physique will greatly benefit due to the structural stress provided by multiple-joint movements. Learn to love these movements and your physique will show the change. I think it is no mistake that Ronnie Coleman who trains heavy and on basic movements, looks like he does. Never forget, his powerlifter background and his love of heavy, basic movements. Yates as well loved to train briefly and heavily. We have gotten away from this kind of training and some could really benefit from it.
SB