Strength Training for Singles 2014: Eight-Week Workout Cycle I

Or you could be a real meat head and grow that yoke! http://www.t-nation.com/workouts/building-a-bigger-yoke

Yeah lifting heavy takes its toll. I think that's where prelipins theory comes in handy. Also de load weeks are necessary sometimes. It really doesn't impact me until I regularly get up to weights that are pushing previous PR's but the same thing has been happening to me too, hence the once every two weeks deadlifting idea.

Kidding about the yoke.
 
Or you could be a real meat head and grow that yoke! http://www.t-nation.com/workouts/building-a-bigger-yoke

Yeah lifting heavy takes its toll. I think that's where prelipins theory comes in handy. Also de load weeks are necessary sometimes. It really doesn't impact me until I regularly get up to weights that are pushing previous PR's but the same thing has been happening to me too, hence the once every two weeks deadlifting idea.

Kidding about the yoke.
Thanks for the feedback. It's been a learning experience, hopefully I'll be back in the game after a few days' rest, but probably no deadlifts for a week or two. I'll try to view it as an opportunity to work in more upper body assistance work. When I'm back at it, I'll gear down, go for a little more volume and assistance work perhaps. Trail and error . . .
 
Yep it's one big learning process especially as we get into uncharted territory. Hopefully tomorrow I can get a good session in, am taking the weekend off from running and lifting. I got the paddle boards the other day maybe I can take them for a spin. Monday I think I might try the leg split and if I get bored after the lower lifts I might try to do some curls and stuff.
 
Yep it's one big learning process especially as we get into uncharted territory. Hopefully tomorrow I can get a good session in, am taking the weekend off from running and lifting. I got the paddle boards the other day maybe I can take them for a spin. Monday I think I might try the leg split and if I get bored after the lower lifts I might try to do some curls and stuff.
Yah, it was kind of crazy jumping up 20 pounds on all the rep-counts. I knew better, but this whole last summer was one of discovering I could do more than I thought I could do. I guess this was the logical conclusion. It's a bit disappointing, I was really looking forward to perfecting my low bar squats tomorrow.
 
Or you could be a real meat head and grow that yoke! http://www.t-nation.com/workouts/building-a-bigger-yoke

Yeah lifting heavy takes its toll. I think that's where prelipins theory comes in handy. Also de load weeks are necessary sometimes. It really doesn't impact me until I regularly get up to weights that are pushing previous PR's but the same thing has been happening to me too, hence the once every two weeks deadlifting idea.

Kidding about the yoke.
Interesting article in T-Nation: http://www.t-nation.com/training/bench-squat-and-deadlift-how-often/comments

HFT or High Frequency Training, sounds sorta like the 40-Day program, or Dan John's adage that if it's important, do it every day. With this eight-week cycle coming to an end, and having found out more or less how a 1/3/5 program works, as well as the risks of going high intensity too often, I'm wondering if I should stick with it, or try something new, in keeping with Abide's cyclical, exploratory approach. I could do all six of my main lifts in the same workout, every time, maybe two sets of triples and one set of quintuples, but at somewhat lower intensities. That'd 18 sets total per workout, similar to what I'm doing now. Try it for at least two weeks, or maybe alternate this protocol with the two-week cycle of 1/3/5.

Deadlift: 2x3, 1x5
DB Row: 2x3, 1x5
OH Press: 2x3, 1x5
Squat: 2x3, 1x5
Bench Press: 2x3, 1x5
Pulldowns: 2x3, 1x5

Of course, I would adjust the sets/reps as I go along and get feedback. The HFT sessions would be a mild deloading fortnight mixed in with the more intense 1/3/5, where I'd add 10-20 pounds to each rep count on the three big lifts.

This sort of cycling back and forth is a bit more complicated than I normally like my routines to be, but the lifts and lift order would remain the same, so the equipment changes should be fairly quick.

Thoughts?
 
Are you meaning at 65-75% for the 3 and 5?
No, I would just knock off 10-20 pounds initially so Deadlift triples around 305, and quintuples around 265 (1RM = 355), Bench 205 and 185 (1RM = 245), and Squat 225 and 195 (1RM = 275). I think this would be a lot easier mentally and in theory, shouldn't require more recovery time than my 1/3/5 scheme, since I'm still working the whole body there too, with a lower body lift and then an upper body push and pull. Unless pushing and pulling in two directions rather than one requires more recovery, it should be about the same energy output for the same muscles.
 
I was thinking more about the time requiremen you would likely have to limit rest between sets to a minute and then switching weights would add another couple of minutes between exercises? Rep wise it's close to the power of ten so it could be a good de load week too if you ease the weights a bit more.

Really interesting idea you have me thinking now.
 
I was thinking more about the time requiremen you would likely have to limit rest between sets to a minute and then switching weights would add another couple of minutes between exercises? Rep wise it's close to the power of ten so it could be a good de load week too if you ease the weights a bit more.

Really interesting idea you have me thinking now.
Well, each exercise is three sets, so within an hour, that gives me about three minutes rest in between sets. Equipment changes should be manageable, since I'd be using the same bar and plates for all but the Rows and Pulldowns, the latter which are preset, since dumbbells are fixed at different weight increments and the pulldown plates just sit on the loading bar when not in use. In theory, I don't see how it would be any more intense than what I do now, and I could always do one lift heavier if I'm feeling it. Maybe do one of the big lifts with heavy singles each workout, like Monday=DL, Wednesday=Bench, Friday=Squat. And I have my list of assistance exercises too if I feel like working those in, but it seems to me that until I plateau, it might be better just to do the main lifts more often than do fewer main lifts with assistance. I dunno, just thinking outloud. Gotta fly, but I may try the four upper body lifts later, since my legs are still recovering from the overtraining on Wednesday.
 
i'm doing the "Des Plaines River Trail Races 50 Mile Ultra Marathon" ( http://www.desplainesrivertrailraces.com/ ). as the name implies, it is along the des plaines river trail (and in illinois, we pronounce names easy: des plaines = dez planes, san jose = san joe's, cairo = kay-rho, etc.). thus, the total elevation change is about 25 feet, 13 of which is going up and over the river and 12 of which is from going under a highway and back up.... they actually have little "steep hill ahead" signs on some of the bridge approaches which, i think, are intended for horse riders so they don't come around a corner and suddenly hit that short but steep grade and stumble. the cutoff time is 11 1/2 hours since that is the longest permit they can get from the lake county forest preserve district people.

Good luck on your race! That is a pretty fast course actually...I like running on that trail when I'm visiting family in Libertyville...I run it shod though as the gravel is a bit too tough for me to go much over 5 miles or so.
 
You want details? Try reading this - all 60 pages ;)
Foly huck!

How ya been?

Hey Chris! Yup. I think I remember perusing through their thread a while back. They certainly are dedicated. There's a few guys at my gym who are into powerlifting and they keep a log of EVERYTHING including sleep schedules and nutrition. I'm not that dedicated. The less info I have the better. I actually PR when I have no idea how much is on the bar. Proves how mental it all is. I run the same way. Don't wanna know how far I've been or how far I've got left to go I just wanna run and when I'm done I'm done. Ha!

Don't wanna hijack their thread (sorry guys :shy:) , but I'm good these days. How are you man? Been years! Too bad NYC doesn't have their BF run or I'd be back. Planning on running the Caballo Blanco UltraMarathon this next March (2015). Many of my Born To Run compadres will be there and it's about time I get my arse into those canyons for a good 50 miles. SO SO SO looking forward to it. Learning Spanish right now... Take care and talk to you soon!
 
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I have no idea how much is on the bar.
Do your servants put the plates on while you lift blindfolded? :woot:

I have to admit, I've screwed up the weight a couple times while adapting to the weird increments of Oly plates, but never more than a 10-pound difference. And I have become confused while overhead pressing with a bunch of 10-pound plates, in order to avoiding hitting the low ceiling in my garage. But generally speaking, how does one not know how much is lifting? I can see just heading out for a run and deciding to turn back when you start to feel tired, but with weight plates, after a month or two, it's pretty easy to keep track, right?

As for the 'just lift' approach, I think it's great and that's the way I used to lift, with no set or rep count in mind. But I have to say, I'm making better gains now that I've learned some of the science of lifting from Abide and various online articles. What I'm shooting for is a routine that has enough discipline to make steady gains, but enough flexibility to adjust for daily fluctuations in energy, mood, and motivation. Basically a simple, full-body workout that can be expanded out or reduced with minimal thinking or equipment adjustments.

Good luck next year on your ultra!

If you have a chance, and you can remember it ;) , it would be nice to hear what sort of st routine you're using these days for your ultra running.
 
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Do your servants put the plates on while you lift blindfolded? :woot:

I have to admit, I've screwed up the weight a couple times while adapting to the weird increments of Oly plates, but never more than a 10-pound difference. And I have become confused while overhead pressing with a bunch of 10-pound plates, in order to avoiding hitting the low ceiling in my garage. But generally speaking, how does one not know how much is lifting? I can see just heading out for a run and deciding to turn back when you start to feel tired, but with weight plates, after a month or two, it's pretty easy to keep track, right?

As for the 'just lift' approach, I think it's great and that's the way I used to lift, with no set or rep count in mind. But I have to say, I'm making better gains now that I've learned some of the science of lifting from Abide and various online articles. What I'm shooting for is a routine that has enough discipline to make steady gains, but enough flexibility to adjust for daily fluctuations in energy, mood, and motivation. Basically a simple, full-body workout that can be expanded out or reduced with minimal thinking or equipment adjustments.

Good luck next year on your ultra!

If you have a chance, and you can remember it ;) , it would be nice to hear what sort of st routine you're using these days for your ultra running.


Haha! Yeah. I guess it sounds funny that I have no idea how much weight is on the bar, but I guess I should say I have no idea how much EXACT weight is on the bar. I usually have a "general" idea if I'm say around 150 or so, but I usually stop counting after I get close to my general target for whatever percentage of my max I'm lifting that day - I'm not a math person so it's easy for me to lose track how much I've put on after that or even how many reps I've done. Ha!

My routine is pretty much the same as it's been over the last five years except I'm probably not running as much. I'm doing less track work (I hate track) I've transferred all that speedwork to the trails for the most part doing fast and hard hill repeats at least twice a week and then a tabata run or longish (haha! 5 miles at the most) fun trail run once a week. I'm in the gym doing all sorts of strength and conditioning (lots of glute ham raises still, along with lifting, squats, prowler and sled pushes, lots of upper body and ab work) 4 times a week. I still feel like I'm getting stronger amazingly enough and will be getting a tad more serious about my upcoming 50 miler in March in the Copper Canyons here soon.
 
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