General Training Recommendations - Page 3

Push Day:

1. Flat BB Bench 3x3-5. 
           Progress each workout.
           3-5 Minutes between sets.

2. Shoulder Assistance - Choose 1-2. 
           2-3 Minutes between sets.
Incline BB Bench 3x5-8
Incline DB Bench 3x8-12
(Weighted) Dips 3x5-8
Close Grip BB Bench Press 3x5-8

3. Tricep Isolation - Choose 1-2. 
           Do what you can. 
           1-2 Minutes between sets.
Rope Pressdown 3x10
(Weighted) Bench Dips 3x10
French Press 3x10
Reverse Grip Bench Press 3x10

4. Front Squat 3x3-5. 
           Aim for linear progression. 
           3-5 Minutes between sets.

5. Quads Assistance - Choose 1. 
Leg Press 3x8-12
Leg Extension 3x8-12
Lunges 3x5-8


Pull:

1. (Weighted) Chinups 3x5-8 
           progress each workout.
           3-5 Minutes between sets.

2. Upper Back Assistance - Choose 1-2. 
           2-3 Minutes between sets.
Pullups 3x5-8
V-bar pulldowns 3x8-12
Bench DB rows 3x8-12
Pendlay Row 3x5-8

3. Biceps Isolation - Choose 1.
           Do what you can
           1-2 minutes between sets.
Preacher Curl 3x10
Atn. Dumbbell Curl 3x10
Hammer Curl 3x10
BB Curl 3x10

4. Deadlift 3 sets ramping to top set of 5. 
           Increase no less than 10% of top weight per set. 
           Aim for linear progression. 
           3-5 minutes between set.

5. General Deadlift Assistance - Choose 1
Speed Deadlift 5x3
Power Clean 5x3
Deficit Deadlift 5x3
Snatch Grip Deadlift 5x3

5. Low Back Assistance - Choose 1
Reverse Hyperextension 3x10
(Weighted) Hyperextension w/ Pause 3x10
Bent Knee Good Morning 3x10

5. Glutes Assistance - Choose 1
BB Hip Thrust 3x10
Bulgarian Split Squat 3x10

5. Hamstring Assistance - Choose 1
Single leg Prone Hamstring Curl 3x10
RDL 3x10

This is the "template" for the routine I'm using with guys right now (4 of them). It's done as an AxBx repeat split, meaning 7 workouts every two weeks. Each one of them are skinny as hell, so this is a routine they're using to bulk. Their goals are all to look better (for now) - but I hope that one of them will change their mind on that. The progression is... difficult right now. Two of the guys still aren't flexible enough to get a straight back on the deadlift, and I've just recently changed them all from back squats to front squats because front squats seem MUCH easier to learn, and because none of them particularly care about being able to squat 140kg.

To find starting weights we usually go with the SS first workout - take the exercise, do it for 5. Add weight, do 5 more. Repeat until bar speed begins to slow down, this is the weight for workout 1. It's still very easy to overestimate this weight, because with someone who's truly new... they're not going to bench more than 60-65 pounds, if that. The second exercise, if it's similar enough (incline with flat bench for example) is done off a percentage of the first lift. If they aren't similar (squats and leg extensions) then it's partly the previous pattern, and partly a guessing game (which I turned out to be pretty good at.)

The listed exercises are just examples - anything that properly targets the given area as a priority can be done in their place, those are just some good exercises to do the job. We do a lot of talking about how the goal, every day is to increase our two compounds (bench and front squat for push, Weighted chins and Deadlifts for Pull) and that the rest is to help accomplish that goal and to help you look good naked. The deadlift assistance, only one exercise is performed, it's just that you pick whichever body part appears to be the "weak" point. If it seems like none of it is particularly bad, and it's just a strength problem, speed pulls/power cleans are used. Abs work and HIIT cardio (if desired/appropriate) are done on the off day, but I discourage doing so until at least 2 months in. We usually toss an extra exercise of arms work in on friday/saturday workouts, because I know they're going out that night and everybody likes to feel like they've got a pump lol. I also do a little bit of "active recovery" on the off days, encouraging 50 pushups (spread out in sets of ~10) and 50 air squats (same) on the day before push (day after pull) and 50 inverted rows/50 box jumps with a low (~21 inch) box before pull day. Just enough to get the blood moving.

There are often specifics that I change - if someone really really really hates Chins, which happens all the time especially with overweight guys, I might have them do an underhanded row to try to simulate the action. If someone wants to build traps, or is having problems with their shoulder posture I've found high rep shrugs invaluable. If someone is more interested in being strong than big, we'll change the rep ranges and number of sets, we'll select different exercises (rows instead of chins usually, OHP or dips over incline, etc.) and have them performed in a different order. Some more advanced things include adding a failure set (ala greyskull LP - weight should be heavy enough to fail before 8 reps) changing the rest times, occasionally throwing in another exercise on one body part (Tbar rows and shrugs are both awesome) and more.