I've done all of NROL4W and liked it a lot, then I did a program my bf made for me and I'm almost done with 6 weeks of Power Training. I like Power Training, but my ADD is kicking in and I want to make my own program that's tailored to my goals. My bf could help, but he's so busy with his doctorate that I hate to keep bothering him about making me programs, he's got more important things to do. (My words, not his). So if I post my goals and some exercises I'm thinking of including, can you guys help me a bit?
Goals:
-DL my bodyweight (130) Well, ok that's a lie, I want to do 135 so I can use the big 45s
-chin-up and pull-up, of which I can currently do neither.
-Get my endurance up, aka learn how to run and not pass out.
-25 good-form pushups in a row. I'm currently doing 3 sets of 10 with rest in between, the most I got in a row was 18 or so a month and a half ago.
-correct a quad/hammie imbalance I have. My knees give me problems sometimes and my bf thinks it's because my glutes and hamstrings don't engage correctly or aren't activating, so I'd like to strengthen them.
-lose a little bit of fat and gain some muscle. Not huge amounts of either, as I don't have a lot to lose, but my muscles currently have a little bit of covering, mostly in my lower body.
I think that's it for goals... so I was thinking of incorporating the following into my program, just not sure how to structure it:
Deadlifts
Squats
Assisted chin/pullups
Neg chin-ups
RDLs
Hip extension
pushups
shoulder pre-hab work because my shoulders have not been cooperating lately
Ab/core work
a running program of sorts... doing both some 20 minute runs and some HIIT, but not the same day. I don't know how to space it out though with the lifting.
I realize a lot of these are basic exercises and I'd also like to incorporate some different moves but since I'm still a tad new to this I'm not sure what other "fun" exercises I could add.
Have you followed the link in the EDT thread to the 21-day itch program on T-nation? It looks like fun for someone who's a bit bored with their programs (like me!) -- I suck at putting links in, but I know it was recently linked in this section, or you can probably find it on T-nation pretty easily...
What rest times are you using for Dos's Power Training?
Anyone have a video of a starting stregth low bar type back squat? That will fix the imbalance.
I'd do jump pullups sometimes instead of assisted pullups maybe combined with your negs.
How many days a week can you work out?
well, to be completely honest I do not "use" rest times. I just reset the weights and take a few sips of water then get back to it. I'm sure sometimes the rest periods are too short and other times they're too long... but I don't really watch the clock or anything.
I tend to work out 3 days a week. Sometimes it's only 2 depending on if something comes up, but usually it's 3 a week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LisaS
the Squat Rx videos show lowbar and highbar squats (different episodes)
Quote:
Originally Posted by foodfromafar
It sounds like we have similar goals and some of the same weaknesses. My glutes and hammies need some work.
Here are a couple of youtube videos I found really helpful.
Thanks for the vids! I'm going to check out more of them too...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bytsi
Have you followed the link in the EDT thread to the 21-day itch program on T-nation? It looks like fun for someone who's a bit bored with their programs (like me!) -- I suck at putting links in, but I know it was recently linked in this section, or you can probably find it on T-nation pretty easily...
I found teh thread that it's in and I skimmed the article, it looks interesting. I will look more into it tonight.
Question.... I have never done sumo deadlifts and am very interested in trying them. I'm quite short and have short arms, so I find the deadlift stance a tad awkward at times. Are deads and sumo deads basically interchangeable? Or do they work the muscles differently?
I think it is wise, like Cressey says, to rest as long as it takes to do the next set at the same level of intensity and not longer, and you are doing just that it sounds like. It sounds like you have a high kinesthetic awareness and are pretty confident, congrats. . For research purposes, there might be something to the cortisol levels elevating if you take too long to rest. For the sumo, I haven't done them, but I think it works the hip adductor and stabilizing abductors more. I don't know the safe technique but I would look up some technique/ videos to see where your femur needs to be in relation to your knee and ankles etc... Good luck.
So I tried the sumo deadlifts today and I think I'm in love! I really like them, they're so much easier, yet so much harder all at the same time. It's easier on my arms because they're in a much more natural position and it's harder on my legs (which is a good thing!) and I feel it working where it's supposed to be working, so I'm very happy with them.
However, I'm wondering how to structure my own program. I went today and did the sumo deads, followed by negative chin-ups, then hip extensions, then I was going to do face pulls but ended up doing lat pulldowns instead (with a pullup grip), then 2 sets of 10 pushups and 3 planks. I was going to do some running but was surprised to be as spent as I was already. So if I want to do an A day and a B day type thing... how should I set it up to work towards all of the goals in the first post? And how should I incorporate the running? (I'm terrible at running... think VERY beginner here!)
then
heavy deads, light squat, bench/pushups, rows/pullups, etc…
*shrug*
Worked pretty good all things considered. Basically I do variations of squats (goblet, front, back, pin), deads (sumo, cdl, rdl, rack pulls), various core things work for "planks" - rotational stuff, anterior stuff, posterior stuff, etc.
It makes for variety, using a rather loose structure and keeps me from getting bored. Shoulder prehab seriously helped my pushups (before I gained weight and lowered that number again) and the changing variations meant that I barely noticed when I not only got to 135 cdls, but easily passed it. Same for squat.
The glute bridging and similar variations, swiss ball leg curls/bridging, ghrs, and rdls seriously help that quad/ham imbalance (again, something I had).
I'm not a runner, so can't really help there, but try the running forum, you may get some better input there.
Shoulder prehab I do: YTWL, scap presses, reach roll & lift (both on ball and foam), wall slides, band internal and external rotations, band scaption (um, 30-45 degree arm raises, basically like lateral raises, my spelling may be off), and that's about all I can think of at the moment.
Help creating my own program
. For research purposes, there might be something to the cortisol levels elevating if you take too long to rest. For the sumo, I haven't done them, but I think it works the hip adductor and stabilizing abductors more. I don't know the safe technique but I would look up some technique/ videos to see where your femur needs to be in relation to your knee and ankles etc... Good luck.
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