New Program and Lift

PROGRAM

First thing first.  Ignore that split down below.  Lucky for me, the master of programming intervened over the weekend and gave me a great suggestion.  Power ladders.  The basic idea of ladders is minimizing fatigue while still lifting high volume and relatively high intensity (percentage wise).   In the original write-up found here, the author also lifted with high frequency.  Its almost like cheating.  You pick a rep range (I'm doing 1-2-3) and then go up the ladder.  Once you hit 3 reps, you start back over and work up to 3 again.

My workout below will pretty much explain it.  A couple of quick points.   I'm not going to move up in weight as quickly as Shaf does in the link above.  I really want to expand my volume at my current strength level.  I've never built and sustained a higher work capacity at my upper level of strength.  I think once I do this it will be a much easier transition into PR land, as opposed to psyching up Kroc Style every heavy set to grind out a PR.  Grinding PR's suck.  I want to hit easy PR's.  I want to smoke PR's and have some left in the tank.

Actual Split (The Real One)

Workout A

Squat

Bench

Bent Row supersetted w/ Dips

Workout B

MP

Deadlift

Incline supersetted w/ Pullups

Abs/Calves/Other stuff is thrown in at the end.

Assistance

I'll be sticking with my current weights until I hit 50 total reps over 5 sets.  Then I move up in weight and repeat.  Simple and easy to track.  Eventually I am going to start adding weight to the dips/chins.

Monday, July 11 - Lift

Squat

365x1x2x3x1x2x1x2 (12 reps)

Bench

275x1x2x3x1x2x1x2 (12 reps)

Bent Row supersetted w/ Dips

225x8; 225x8; 225x8 (24 reps)

15; 15; 15 (45 reps)

Ab Roll supersetted w/ Calves supersetted w/ Rotator Cuff Stuff
10; 10
135x20; 135x20
2xforget

Notes

-Enlightening day in the gym.  Why the hell didn't I try something like this earlier?  First, I have to note that I was still pretty banged up from deadlifts on Friday.  My lower back was still noticably sore today.  I also only got 3 hours of sleep last night due to cover letters/firms to 40 firms being due at 12 today.   So, from that standpoint, its not like I felt like superman.  BUT, I can already see why I'm going to like this approach.

-Unlike my usual heavy sets, I felt like I was getting better at the lift as I went on.   This is strength training. Again, it wasn't "easy," but I left the gym feeling like a normal human being.

-I'm going to try not to blast zeppelin 3x a workout for every heavy set from now on.  That is kind of a ridiculous way to train long term.  Tonight, I just did my sets in controlled manner.  Bar speed was good.  Tightness was good.

-Notice I didn't hit 3 on my second ladder.  I could have easily done it, but I didn't want to grind.  Next week I'll go to three and add a rep or two, or maybe three.