General Strength Training Template

[Swiftz]

Well, I am not sure where you're at either since I don't know you- either biblically or as a lifter, but certainly anything non westside based is > westside training. Rate of adaptation is what I use to determine training level. Have you read Practical Programming?



This has been my experience as well, though I admit there is a learning curve to doing the workout expediently.




I don't think there's any reason it wouldn't work, but I don't see the advantage to it either. I don't think the press responds well, strength wise, to TM style programming and if anything makes the press better for intermediate level lifters, it's probably getting their bench up (unless >1.5x BW and not underweight, in general). In that case, probably better for more frequency of press to get it to go up, but since we can't do everything at once- I'd just stick to prioritizing one (bench or press) per cycle.

I've been loosely following Brian Alsruhe's program on youtube which is 4 days a week, 2 lower body 2 upper body, one max effort for each and one dynamic effort. I've been alternating a heavier squat day one week with a heavier deadlift day the next week. If I do a heavy squat day, something like working up to set of 3 at a 9 RPE and then backing off with sets of 5 at 8-9 RPE, I'll do a deadlift variation lighter and for volume. Then the next week I'll do a heavy deadlift day with the same scheme and a lighter squat variation for volume. For bench I'm just alternating between close-grip bench, pause bench and floor press with a similar scheme and then hitting a shoulder movement for volume after. For the DE days I use the duffalo bar for both squats and bench and just normal deadlifts and usually go for 10 sets of 3 or 5-6 sets of 5, it's more of a volume day than dynamic effort I guess. I've been able to get my deadlift up from 585 to 625, squat from maybe 525 to 550 and I haven't maxed my bench in awhile but I know it's up there because every time I hit that variation again I always PR by 10 pounds or so. My last max was 355 paused and I just recently hit 325 x 3 close-grip paused so I know my bench is probably higher now. I'm just at that point where sometimes I feel like I'm "winging it" and I'm following principles more so than an actual program.

I haven't read Practical Programming but I Just looked it up and it looks interesting, I'll have to pick it up.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

How much rest between work sets? I find a pretty noticeable difference in RPE for a subsequent set between say 4 minutes rest vs 9 minutes.

4-5 min

I've been loosely following Brian Alsruhe's program on youtube which is 4 days a week, 2 lower body 2 upper body, one max effort for each and one dynamic effort. I've been alternating a heavier squat day one week with a heavier deadlift day the next week. If I do a heavy squat day, something like working up to set of 3 at a 9 RPE and then backing off with sets of 5 at 8-9 RPE, I'll do a deadlift variation lighter and for volume. Then the next week I'll do a heavy deadlift day with the same scheme and a lighter squat variation for volume.

that sounds really bad unless you were way overtrained before and/or on a ton of drugs, to be honest.

For bench I'm just alternating between close-grip bench, pause bench and floor press with a similar scheme and then hitting a shoulder movement for volume after. For the DE days I use the duffalo bar for both squats and bench and just normal deadlifts and usually go for 10 sets of 3 or 5-6 sets of 5, it's more of a volume day than dynamic effort I guess. I've been able to get my deadlift up from 585 to 625, squat from maybe 525 to 550 and I haven't maxed my bench in awhile but I know it's up there because every time I hit that variation again I always PR by 10 pounds or so.

Post a video.

[Swiftz]

I guess I have a lot of reading to do. Thanks for recommending Practical Programming I'm gonna take a look at it. Looking forward to any new content on training/programming you post on barbell medicine.