Input on new workout - JP Fitness Forums

Craig311 · 02-23-2007, 01:25 PM

Well, just finished up Waterbury's TBT(great program - ended up leaner and a few lbs heavier) and it's time for another round of Turbulence Training. I've come up with the routine below to follow for a few weeks. After that, I'll switch up the excercises and rep ranges and continue from there.

So, here it is. Please let me know if there are any glaring issues, etc. Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

Workout A (3X8)
A1 Lunge
A2 Flat BB Bench Press
B1 RDL
B2 Chin
C1 Dip
C2 Wide Grip Cable Row
D1 Hammer Curl
D2 Tri Pressdown

Workout B (3X12)
A1 Front Squat
A2 Standing DB Press
B1 Bulgarian Split Squat
B2 BB Row
C1 Close Grip Bench Press
C2 DB Side Raise
D1 Hanging Leg Raise
D2 Plank

Craig · 02-23-2007, 01:53 PM

This isn't going to work:

B1 RDL
B2 Chin

your grip will be shot.

Craig311 · 02-23-2007, 03:03 PM

Thanks for the reply Craig. As a matter of fact, I tried this once (a couple of years ago) and had that exact issue. I suppose I had forgot until you mentioned it.

My initial thought is to swap B2 and C2. It would look like...

B1 RDL
B2 WG Cable Row

C1 Dip
C2 Chin

Thanks again for taking the time to look this over.

Blackjack · 02-23-2007, 03:47 PM

Once again, you've got RDL's and Cable Rows - both tax your grip. Maybe this...

RDL/Flat Bench
Dips/Chins
Sw Ball Leg Curl/Cable Row
Curl/Tri work

???

Also, in the second workout, I'd change that up a bit too. You've got BB rows and split squats...once again that'll fry your grip. I would maybe so the second workout like this...

F Squat/DB Press
Spl Squat/Cl Grip Bench
BB Row/Planks
Leg Raise/Woodchoppers (I'd drop the side bends, woodchop is a better exercise IMO)

That's quite a workout. A bit much if you ask me, especially if you're working at the proper intensity. Craig usually keeps it to 2-3 supersets but heck...give it a try. Good luck!

Adam425 · 02-23-2007, 05:41 PM

In response to the concerns about grip, I'll chime in and say that the only way to improve your grip is to work it. Instead of being concerned about taxing your grip, I'd encourage you to tax the heck out of your grip until your hands are strong enough that it's no longer an issue. Then again, I'm an armwrestler, so I'm cuckoo for grip work.

I'd also consider ditching the curls, tricep extensions and lateral raises. Having no idea what your goals are or where you are in your training, this is a shot in the dark - maybe those exercises make sense for you in your routine. But in general, I'm learning that upper body compound exercises like rows, chins and presses not only do enough for the arms, they are actually better at building size and strength in the arms than single-joint curls etc.

Best,
Adam

Blackjack · 02-26-2007, 01:18 PM

Craig's point is generally not to tax one's grip enough that it interferes with the exercise itself. In other words, if your grip fails, you won't get the most out of the workout.

Adam425 · 02-26-2007, 03:23 PM

"In other words, if your grip fails, you won't get the most out of the workout."

Correction: if your grip fails on an exercise (say, on a set of chins immediately following a set of RDLs) your lats won't get the most out of that set. But your grip will. Your grip at that point has been taxed to failure and will thus get stronger. If that continues for a couple weeks, your hands will be strong enough to handle whatever exercises you'd like to throw at them.

My point is simply that instead of compensating for a weak grip by rearranging exercises, it's a simple enough problem to solve that my advice is to solve it (by strengthening the hands) and to never have to compromise due to a tired grip again.

I think your point and Craig's are totally valid. My POV is just a little different. But I'm admittedly a little cuckoo for grip work.

Best wishes!
-Adam

gobbla · 02-27-2007, 12:58 AM

you can work your grip on a different exercise that won't cause failure of an exercise "intended to work something else". If the point of the Chin ups is to work your lats and you don't work them...then why bother doing that at all? If the point of RDL is to work hams and glutes and you don't because you can't hold the bar...the exercise is worthless. Why not just do a plate pinch or something at the end of your workout? Why waist time setting up exercises you can't accomplish? Why justify doing an exercise that isn't working what you want it to work? That makes no sense.

Craig311 · 02-27-2007, 10:11 AM

Thanks to everyone for the comments so far. Taking them into consideration, I've come up with the following...

Workout A (3 X 8)
A1- Lunge
A2- Flat BB Bench Press
B1- RDL
B2- Standing DB Press
C1- BB Row
C2- Dip

Workout B (3 X 12)
A1- Front Squat
A2- Chin
B1- Bulgarian Split Squat
B2- Close Grip Bench Press
C1- Hanging Leg Raise
C2- Plank

Blackjack · 02-27-2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig311

Thanks to everyone for the comments so far. Taking them into consideration, I've come up with the following...

Workout A (3 X 8)
A1- Lunge
A2- Flat BB Bench Press
B1- RDL
B2- Standing DB Press
C1- BB Row
C2- Dip

Workout B (3 X 12)
A1- Front Squat
A2- Chin
B1- Bulgarian Split Squat
B2- Close Grip Bench Press
C1- Hanging Leg Raise
C2- Plank

This looks good. The only thing I would say is to maybe think about varying your reps throughout the workout. Most TT workouts start with 3X6 or 3X8, then progress to higher rep ranges with 10-12-15 reps depending on exercise. That 3X12 day looks very challenging.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes. Good luck!