comments on waterbury-based routine

[BillyB]

I'm pretty new here and want some feedback on a workout program. I just finished 4 weeks of the Waterbury Method and am trying to plot my next move. Below is a proposed routine roughly based on the principles of the Waterbury Method, but with some variation. My main concern and what I want feedback on is the potential for overtraining. I workout M-F with weekends off and I hate only lifting 3 days a week. I really wanted to add a 4th day.

I looked at the parameters in Chad's recent rep/set bible and tried to work on the hypertrophy model, with 2-4 sessions per bodypart per week.

For what it's worth - my stats: 29 yrs. old; 5'11"; 170 lbs. bodyfat approx. 12%. My goal is obviously bulking. I would like to add about 10 lbs. over the next 2-3 months.

Here is the plan:

Day 1
flat bench 10x3
dips 4x6
bentover barbell rows 4x6
military press 4x6
weighted bench step-ups 4x6
seated calf raises 4x10

Day 2
barbell back squats 10x3
incline dumbbell curls 4x6
close-grip bench 4x6
barbell curls 4x6
tricep pressdowns 4x6
abs 4x10

Day 3 OFF

Day 4
decline barbell bench 5x5
partial deadlifts 4x6
incline dumbbell press 4x6
upright rows 4x6
weighted dips (chest) 4x6
abs 4x10

Day 5
chin ups 10x3
barbell reverse curls 4x6
tricep (varies) 4x6
incline leg press (or front squat) 4x6
calf extensions (leg press) 4x10
leg extensions 4x6


Okay, that is roughly the routine. The four 4x6 sets that follow the first 10x3 (or 5x5) set are supersets.

Like I said, my main concern is overtraining. Should I be worried about that? Rather than go completely full-body on all 4 days, I concentrated on arms on day 2 (with squats) and chest on day 4.

Thanks, again. Look forward to your comments.

[gobbla]

You're hitting an aweful lot of the same muscle groups on the same days. The bi and tri work might be too much too, they're supporting the bigger muscles and you don't want to kill them ending up hurting your other lifts.

In my world, I'd steer a little more towards something like this, shooting for 70-75% of the 1rm

Day 1:
Barbell Bench: 6x6
Barbell Row: 6x6
Front Squat: 6x6
Ab: 6x6

Day 2:
Dip: 6x6
Chinup: 6x6
Deadlift: 6x6
Calf Raise: 6x6

Day 4:
Dumbell Bench press: 6x6
1-arm row: 6x6
Back Squat: 6x6
abs: 6x6

Day 5:
Overhead Press: 6x6
Pullup: 6x6
Good Morning: 6x6
Calf Raise: 6x6

[JaW]

Drop the curls... I have bigger (for my weight) and more cut bi's then anyone in my highschool weight room.. and I am probably the only one that doesnt curl.. Waste of energy

It will probably kind of taxing on your body to put yourself on 10x3 weekly if you notice the way waterbury does it is that there is an 8 day gap between 10x3 you have 7 probably not a big deal im just throwing it out there that he doesnt rotate everything on a weekly basis for a reason im guessing..

[BillyB]

Thanks for the input. My main concern, which both of you pointed out, is overkill on the arm work. It's hard to get out of the mentality that more sets always equals more muscle.

Obviously a lot of science and training knowledge goes into Chad's workout, so I know it is often probably ill-advised to go changing them up. My intention was not to try to outthink CW, but to simply add a 4th day of lifting.

Gobbla, is the above workout something you actually do or is it a revision of what I proposed? Just interested to know if that has worked for you. I like the basic program and, after reading the set/rep bible, had really considered adding 6x6 sets to what I'm doing.
Thanks again for the input.

[Blackjack]

Check out some of Waterbury's other programs, many of them have a four-day split. The one that I was doing was based on the 10X3 principle and was outline in a recent issue of Men's Fitness - Backwards Training I think it was called.

I modified it a bit to go along with some of his other programs. Basically, you start your workouts with the four main lifts: Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift and Military Press. Then you add superset exercises in 4X6 or 5X5 that hits all the muscle groups 2 times per week plus some core work on dead & squat days. It's good, I liked it and gained a lot of strength on it.

I didn't do the complete Backwards Training program as written due to time contraints. I only have about 45 min to 1 hr to work out and a 10X3 exercise with 60-90sec rests takes about 30 minutes. So in the second 1/2 hour, I supersetted two other exercises.

Just some thoughts.

Ted

[Blackjack]

I'd also like to echo some of the above comments - lose the isolation exercises. Curls and the like. Stick to the compounds: pull-ups for biceps and dips or close-grip bench for triceps. Much more productive and time saving.

[gobbla]

it's just a modification of yours. minimum volume per day @ minimum effective intensity @ HUUUUGE weekly volume.

[Bubba Booey]

billyb,

I'm w/ blackjack - why create one yourself, go w/ either backwards training (upper/lower split, 4 dys per week), or his quattro dynamo, which is 4 dys per week.

Also, the set/rep parameters you're using for inclines and close-grips on day 2 are too similar to those used w/ dips and flat bench on day 1. If you want to hit chest and triceps two days in a row, you need to use drastically different set/rep parameters:

I asked Chad specifically about a 4day program, differing from quattro dynamo in that I didn't want to do an explosive training day, and here is what he suggested:

8x3 day 1
3x12 day 2
off
4x6 day 3
2x18 day 4
off
off

[BillyB]

Thanks Booey. That is excellent. I looked hard at QD, but the explosive day didn't do it for me. I may work with what you suggested. Thanks.