3 I feel like a bag of ass grenades. I don’t know where I was contaminated with this microbial torture machine. I hardly leave my place, and wash my hands in an almost OCD style.
Onward, the hombre @themuffdaddy asked me for a workout plan. I get this a a lot so I thought I would post it here, note: I am not certified in any of this, I’ve never had a strength and conditioning coach, I’m self taught. Thus, you take this advice at your own risk, as you could hurt yourself, I’m serious.
Employing one approach almost never works, unless that is your one goal. For example, if you wanted to run a marathon you would mainly focus on running, if you wanted to do as many push ups as possible, you would do push ups. I will draw a parralel between today’s Mixed Martial Artists and training the human body. Just like the first fighters who stepped in the cage in UFC I, people would only train one thing, or only do the same exercises, over and over. Muay Thai fighters can knock people out at will, but god help them if they get taken down by a Jiu Jitsu player. Do you want to be choked with your own arm if you can’t keep the guy away with your strikes? Do you just wanna be the small bony guy who can run 20 milers, or the fat guy that can bench 500lbs? Wouldn’t you want to be train so that you could go out and play any sport, and be relevant, or be able to react to any situation that comes up? If you were ever in an accident and had to deadlift something off someone that running isn’t all that applicable, likewise, if you had to swim to shore from your boat, all that benching isn’t really going to help you, is it?
See, running and benching would both have some positive effect in both situations, but not at all by themselves.
Thus, just like your investing, you need to diversify your training. You can incorporate sports like crew, classes like yoga and spin, powerlifting, gymnastics, TRX, Cross Fit, etc, but in my honest opinion NO ONE discipline is the best. Here is how I workout plan I follow and think the boss @themuffdaddy should. I’m mainly working “max effort,” “speed,” “speed and agility,” and hypertrophy.
Monday: Bench day, usually “max effort” but sometimes speed. I generally switch off between flat and incline every three weeks, flat x 3, then incline x 1.
1. Flat Bench: I use a full explosive power lifter form with an exaggerated arch and lots of leg drive, generally doing 6-8 working sets. Pyramid sets up from your warm-up (I also like to do wrist curls to warm-up my forearms and wrists), then back down to your first or second working set. Example, I do two warm-up sets with 135lbs then go to 225lbs and lately have been working up to 365lbs for 5-8 reps, then I work back down to 225lbs and rep it out, usually around 20. This is with my “Sling Shot” from ww.howmuchyabench.com on, mind you. (Not spam, just hard to explain otherwise).
2. Incline: I usually do two sets, often with DB’s, one with like the 90s for 8-10 reps, then one with a lighter weight, like 70 or 60lbs, for as many reps as I can, or for a set amount of time, say 90 seconds. This is for strength, endurance, and hypertrophy.
3. Flys: Just a set or two to get a good stretch and loosen the chest back up. I’d take 40-50 lb DB’s then do some incline flys ending with my palms facing up, and facing away at the bottom of the movement.
4. Hammer Strength Bench Machine or Triceps Free Weight Work: My gym only has the incline hammer strength machine, I alternate using it every other bench day, and doing skull crushers or DB extensions on a flat or incline bench. If my gym had more Hammer Strength, I would use them more often, especially a decline machine.
5. Shrugs : Any kind, DB, BB, machine, cable, etc. Why? Because, with proper bench technique your contact point, and base, is your traps. They keep everything together as you lower the weight in a controlled manner, and then explosively push it up. Looking for endurance and hypertrophy here, 12-20 reps.
6. Face Pulls With a Rope : Look it up, another trap/rear-delt move to strengthen your benching base. Same rep range, 12-20.
Tuesday: Deadlift and “strength and agility” day, or deadlift and back day, or deadlift and HIIT Cardio day.
If “Strength and Agility” and Deadlift Day:
1.Sprints: Whether indoor or outdoor, do 8-10 sets of sprints, 40s, agility ladder, or something of that nature. I also like to set up a plyometric course with boxes and such.
2. Deadlifts: Orthodox or Sumo, I like to work up to sets of 3-5 reps with a weight I can do in that rep range.
3. Cleans or Snatches: With a BB, we’re trying to keep getting the heart rate up in a sprint type manner. You can go hang cleans, clean and press, etc. If you are going for higher weight, shoot for sets of 3-5, lower weight, with perfect form mind you, 8-10 reps.
4. Hammer Strength Or Other Machine Row: Working for a pump in the lats, teres, rhomboids, etc. Hypertrophy, 8-15 reps with a weight that you can handle without too much “body language.”
5. DB Snatches: I usually do 80lbs x 4 per side, 90 x3 per side, 100-110lb for 1 per side. Find weights where you can have a similar rep range, you are smoked by now.
6. Pulldowns or Pull-Ups Superset With Straight Arm Push Downs or Nautilus Pull-Over Machine: Pull-downs with Straight Pushes are the easy route here, as you use the same machine. You are very lucky if you have the Nautilus machine, Dorian Yates thought it was the single best exercise that helped him win him those Sandows.
If Deadlift and Back Day:
#2 becomes #1: You are going to either do a lot of volume with heavy weight, 8 sets where 4-5 of each are with a weight you can only handle for 2-5 reps, or heavy volume for speed, 8 sets where 5-7 are with a weight you can move 15-20 times as fast as possible, or varying styles; for example, 3 sets “sumo,” 2 sets “orthodox,” 2 sets “deficit” or “rack pulls,” 1 set of “rack pulls” or “deficit.”
2. BB rows: 3-4 sets, 8-15 reps with good form. Under or overhand.
3. T-Bar or DB rows: 3-4 sets, 6-12 reps, some body English is fine , as long you hold that contraction at the top.
4. Same
5. Straight Leg Deadlifts or Ham String Curls of Some Sort: 3 sets of 10-12
6. Same
If Deadlift and HIIT Cardio Day: Everything is the same as “Deadlift and Back Day” except, #6 becomes #5 and you do 15-30 minutes of HIIT Cardio.
Wednesday: Arm and Grip Day, With Some Olympics.
1. Olympics: If you don’t feel like you’ve been drug behind an oxcart, go ahead and do some Olympic style lifts, cleans, snatches, clean and jerk, etc. If not, go on to #2.
2. BB or DB Curls, Good Form: My biceps are definitely lacking to my triceps, it’s part genetics, and part my long term reliance on “straps” for back exercises. Now I use chalk. Grab a BB or some DBs and do some strict curls, really feeling your biceps curl the weight, not your front-delts or forearms. 4 sets of 8-15 reps.
3. 1 DB or 2 DB Overhead Press or Skull Crushers: 8-12 reps with good form.
4. Spider or Preacher, BB or DB, curls: If using a BB, I like to load three 10lb plates on per side, I do as many as I can then drop a 10lb plate per side, I keep going until I am repping the bar, and go until I can’t. I then lower the weight to say, 2 5lb plates, then a 10lb plate on the outside, and do the the same, dumping the 10lbers first. Do this for 3-4 sets. If using DBs, do one arm at a time and use the other to spot at the wrist.
5. DB Across Body Extensions or DB Kickbacks: These are my weakest triceps exercises, I like to do them midway through so they are that much harder, and require more concentration.
6. Standing DB Concentration Curls, Or Equivalent: Strict form, 12-15 reps, focus on the contraction.
7. Cable Triceps Push Downs Superset With Cable Overhead Extensions or Cable Kickbacks: We are looking to isolate the triceps here, and get as much blood flow in and stretch the muscle as much as possible.
8. Cable Curls Superset With Forearm Exercise: I like to do behind the back or standing side curls, then superset that with cable forearm curls, front and back. That means you will rotate the bar back as if grabbing the throttle on a motorcycle, and break your wrist in as if opening a jar.
Thursday: Squat and “Speed and Agility” Day, or Squat and Leg Day.
If Squat and “Speed and Agility” Day:
1. “Plyo Course” or “Jump Work”: Set up a “plyo course” involving box jumps, side to sides, an agility ladder, etc. Otherwise, do a box jump circuit, YouTube it, or ask me to give you one, the same goes for all other exercises and routines.
2. Squats: Get heavy here, I’d rather you go heavy with amazing form then work on speed right now. Eventually, the best squat, is a heavy “box squat,” my favorite. 6-8 sets, 5-12 reps with great form, I use a wide stance, use what stance works for you, to get a full range of motion.
3. One Leg Deficit Rear BB Lunges: Be explosive here, but use a BB heavy enough to explosively get 6-12 reps.
4. Banded “Bull Rushes,” Jumps, or Other Explosive Work: Besides the aforementioned, you can do jump squats, jumping hack squats, or toss the leg press.
5. DB Sumo Deadlifts: Switch hands, e.g. use an 80lb DB for 8 reps on your left side, then 8 reps on your right side. Stance as wide as possible, with toes pointed out to the side.
If Squat and Leg Day:
#2 becomes #1: Same 6-8 sets.
2. Good Mornings: 4 sets of 10-15.
3. Same.
4. Omit.
5. Same.
6. Wide Stance Leg Press: 4 sets 6-15 reps.
7. Leg Curls or Other Hamstring Exercise: 3 sets og 12-25 reps.
Friday: Shoulders.
1. Shoulder Press of Some Sort: DB, BB, Push Press, etc.
2. Side Laterals: Sometimes I use strict form, other times I do more of a swing with arm at a time. Example, a set of 10 reps with the 60lbers where I swing them from the bottom, but hold the contraction at the top.
3. Rear Laterals or Flys: Same idea as side laterals.
4. Front Laterals, DB or KB swings: Choose one of the three. 3 sets, 12-15 reps.
5. Shoulder Press Machine of Some Sort: 3 sets, 8-12 reps.
6. Upright Rows of Some Sort: 3 sets, 8-20 reps.
7. Cable Laterals of Some Sort: I’m partial to side laterals, and usually do 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps with strict form.
Saturday, Sunday: If you are feeling froggy, here are three suggestions:
1. Play a sport: flag football, tennis, basketball, etc.
2. Hit Some Body Parts That Aren’t Sore or Need Work: Is your back not sore? Not feeling it in the biceps? Back is weak? Go hit them again then.
3. Do some HIIT Cardio: Whether in the gym, running trails on a mountain, or running stairs.
Diet is another HUGE part of this, but let’s tackle that after we square away any questions here.
3 Responses to “Workout Plan”
UncleBuccs
Rhino – that’s a tremendous volume of gym work, and an enjoyable read. I know that took quite a while to write! If I were new to training, or a casual gym visitor – just reading your routine would overwhelm and intimidate me.
In regards to your illness – I had gone on a two year/ hemp-fueled/ illness free streak – that terminated on Dec, 10 (the week I met you) IBC tabbed blogger voting week. For two days, I hoped it was allergies, but it then became undeniable… Auntie Buccs, has only been ill twice in the 17 years we’ve been together, caught this as well…. from me…. I can only suspect that this strain of whatever that ravaged myself, and seemingly all of Tucson, has finally worked it’s way westward to you.
When it comes to workouts, they truly are a unique thing that an intelligent person tailors to their goals, and the needs of their body – over time. Therefore, I can’t add nor comment on anything that you do – only appreciate the transparency, and objectively consider your routine and it’s merits – and consider what I might glean for myself.
With all that being said, two things that weren’t mentioned, that I feel have benefited me are:
1) Good record keeping. I still document my workouts, and progress/ weight amounts – every time.
2) In regards to weight training – I avoid pre-workout stretching as part of my warm-up regiment. Stretching beforehand seems to cause injury – especially in regards to benching. Post workout is the time for a stretch, and a great way to cool down.
I’m looking forward to reading the nutrition post (and comments), when it comes one day…
What's a Short
POWER UP!!!
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Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about
this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can
do with some pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than
that, this is fantastic blog. A fantastic read.
I will definitely be back.