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High Volume training

You've done it, Scott... I'm addicted to the gym.

jenix105
jenix105 g Nathaniel Hooey
4 Post(s)
4 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: May 5, 2019
Posted

Scott,


A while ago you helped me with some Iron Man Training, and I thank you for it. Since then I've decided to work much heavier on strength, and have been for the past few months. On Monday, I decided to make this program since I can't seem to stay out of the gym. This is a pretty ambitious program, built after 3 months of seeing how I react to different things. I'll describe it below then share my thinking on it.


Weekly Scheme: [A B A B A C Rest]


*A DAY AM

OHP 3x5, Bench Press 3x5


*A DAY PM

Squat 3x12, Lying Tricep Extension 3x10, Face Pulls 3x10, Ab Circuit


*B DAY AM

Barbell Row 3x5, Lateral Dumbbell Raise 3x8


*B DAY PM

Deadlift 3x5, Squat 3x12, Barbell Curl 3x8, Face Pull 3x10, Seated Calf Raise 3x10, Ab Circuit


*C(alesthenics) DAY

Handstand Progressions, Hanging L Sit Progressions, Dragon Flag Progressions, Human Flag Progressions


Monday and Thursday there is a Yoga class I go to for recovery, and Thursday morning I also attend combatives. I try to do some form of running Monday, Wednesday and Friday but for the past few weeks it has largely taken the wayside.


Ok, so maybe you can help me learn something here, since I am always trying to improve my understanding of, well, everything related to this. First, you probably noticed I am Squatting 5x a week. My thinking behind this was that by operating in the higher rep ranges, it would allow me to keep that higher volume over the week because each individual movement causes less muscular damage. Of course, RPE 8 is still RPE 8 regardless if you're using weights at high or low reps. I have just seen many people use this strategy to great affect, and I am a bit hopeful that it would work for me as well. I would like to hear your thoughts on that.


Secondly, this is the iffy one for me, Shoulders every day. This was my thinking here: OHP is an anterior head dominant exercise. From my research, it uses even more upper chest and traps than it does the other two heads, especially the posterior head. Because the Lateral head is left largely untouched, which you might have some disagreement with, my thinking is that if I was to alternate between focus on the anterior and the lateral by subbing in the Lateral Dumbbell Raise on 'B' days, it would allow for tension to be applied to the heads every day with varying degrees given the day, hopefully leading to stronger, more robust shoulders. Shoulders for everyone in my family have always been a problem spot, and I hoped by focusing a bit heavier on it, I would be able to overcome it. 


Lastly, The C Day I inserted because I believed working on more of a core based "Skill based" day would allow for me to be able to add some application for my daily strength training while also allowing for my lower body to largely recover after getting pounded heavily for 5 days. This part of the program I have a feeling you might agree with me on, but who knows!


Thank you again for looking over this~ Any knowledge you can pass on would be invaluable. 


-Nate

Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: jenix105

Scott,


A while ago you helped me with some Iron Man Training, and I thank you for it. Since then I've decided to work much heavier on strength, and have been for the past few months. On Monday, I decided to make this program since I can't seem to stay out of the gym. This is a pretty ambitious program, built after 3 months of seeing how I react to different things. I'll describe it below then share my thinking on it.


Weekly Scheme: [A B A B A C Rest]


*A DAY AM

OHP 3x5, Bench Press 3x5


*A DAY PM

Squat 3x12, Lying Tricep Extension 3x10, Face Pulls 3x10, Ab Circuit


*B DAY AM

Barbell Row 3x5, Lateral Dumbbell Raise 3x8


*B DAY PM

Deadlift 3x5, Squat 3x12, Barbell Curl 3x8, Face Pull 3x10, Seated Calf Raise 3x10, Ab Circuit


*C(alesthenics) DAY

Handstand Progressions, Hanging L Sit Progressions, Dragon Flag Progressions, Human Flag Progressions


Monday and Thursday there is a Yoga class I go to for recovery, and Thursday morning I also attend combatives. I try to do some form of running Monday, Wednesday and Friday but for the past few weeks it has largely taken the wayside.


Ok, so maybe you can help me learn something here, since I am always trying to improve my understanding of, well, everything related to this. First, you probably noticed I am Squatting 5x a week. My thinking behind this was that by operating in the higher rep ranges, it would allow me to keep that higher volume over the week because each individual movement causes less muscular damage. Of course, RPE 8 is still RPE 8 regardless if you're using weights at high or low reps. I have just seen many people use this strategy to great affect, and I am a bit hopeful that it would work for me as well. I would like to hear your thoughts on that.


Secondly, this is the iffy one for me, Shoulders every day. This was my thinking here: OHP is an anterior head dominant exercise. From my research, it uses even more upper chest and traps than it does the other two heads, especially the posterior head. Because the Lateral head is left largely untouched, which you might have some disagreement with, my thinking is that if I was to alternate between focus on the anterior and the lateral by subbing in the Lateral Dumbbell Raise on 'B' days, it would allow for tension to be applied to the heads every day with varying degrees given the day, hopefully leading to stronger, more robust shoulders. Shoulders for everyone in my family have always been a problem spot, and I hoped by focusing a bit heavier on it, I would be able to overcome it. 


Lastly, The C Day I inserted because I believed working on more of a core based "Skill based" day would allow for me to be able to add some application for my daily strength training while also allowing for my lower body to largely recover after getting pounded heavily for 5 days. This part of the program I have a feeling you might agree with me on, but who knows!


Thank you again for looking over this~ Any knowledge you can pass on would be invaluable. 


-Nate

Hey Nate!


This program looks pretty interesting but solid man! Definitely a different variation with doing just a couple of movements in the AM and then more of a full workout in the PM.


I don't think the squatting 5 days per week is a bad thing per say, I definitely noticed it when I read through the A, B and C routines. The only thing I would potentially change there is actually having a heavier squat day during your B workout. If you're squatting 5 days per week in the 12 rep range, you'll probably actually cause more muscle damage than if you were to have a heavier day where you worked with say 3 sets of 5 reps instead. Plus that will allow you to still have the frequency without quite as much volume every day (15 reps with 3 sets of 5 rather than 36 reps every day).


That's not to say 3 sets of 12 everyday won't work - you can always start there and see how the legs are feeling and how bad the DOMS are.


As for the shoulders, you will still be hitting every head with the overhead press. However, if growing your shoulders is a priority, you might want to go with a dumbbell OHP rather than barbell. More range of motion and if you are standing, you'll get even more rear delt activation in particular. Another option would be to alternate between a regular OHP and a behind the neck OHP as again, behind the neck will give you more rear delt activation. Then you can still have the lateral raises during your B workout to hit the lateral head.


What do you think?


I like the look of the C day to hit some calisthenics! Great idea!


- Scott

Need 1 on 1 coaching? Send me a direct message to learn more!
jenix105
jenix105 g Nathaniel Hooey
4 Post(s)
4 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: May 5, 2019
Posted

I actually really like you idea what the squat. It was sort of funny, today I inadvertently changed it to 5 reps, not feeling like going to 12 (ended up PR'ing which felt good). I think with your comment, it's solidified that I will be having high rep and low rep days. 


As for overhead press, I actually went through it today again as it is a Friday and I've been frustrated again that it's been stuck at 90. It's been this way since the 26th of last month. Form is as good as I could make it, and it's a work out that I've been doing since July. Similar to my bench, it simply refuses to go up. I'm thinking about dropping it down 10% to try to build back up just in the case of potential overexertion with it. I think part of it might be that I have a poor form for bench, or maybe even a poor mind muscle connection for my chest. Any ideas that you could have that would help me with my investigation? 


Regardless, thanks for your suggestions. You have no idea just how much I appreciate all the help you give to everyone on here. Shows just how much you care about people bettering themselves and building a better, healthier life.

Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: jenix105

I actually really like you idea what the squat. It was sort of funny, today I inadvertently changed it to 5 reps, not feeling like going to 12 (ended up PR'ing which felt good). I think with your comment, it's solidified that I will be having high rep and low rep days. 


As for overhead press, I actually went through it today again as it is a Friday and I've been frustrated again that it's been stuck at 90. It's been this way since the 26th of last month. Form is as good as I could make it, and it's a work out that I've been doing since July. Similar to my bench, it simply refuses to go up. I'm thinking about dropping it down 10% to try to build back up just in the case of potential overexertion with it. I think part of it might be that I have a poor form for bench, or maybe even a poor mind muscle connection for my chest. Any ideas that you could have that would help me with my investigation? 


Regardless, thanks for your suggestions. You have no idea just how much I appreciate all the help you give to everyone on here. Shows just how much you care about people bettering themselves and building a better, healthier life.

@Jenix105 How about adding in some push press to help overload your overhead press? That might help push past that plateau!


Happy to help my friend! That's what I'm here for!

Need 1 on 1 coaching? Send me a direct message to learn more!
muscular strength
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