Advanced Novice/Intermediate Programming

[scottfo]

Hi,

I've finished a LP and then ran the texas method for a little over a month before switching to a HLM set up. This is because I needed to focus on school, so training couldn't be my priority.
Stats
16years old.
About 5'8" Tall
Bodyweight - 160lbs (I know, I'm trying to get to 200, gained 30lbs so far)
Squat - 370
Deadlift - 370
Bench - 205
Press - 130
Power Clean - 150 (Very hit and miss with this, typically I feel to exhausted by the time I get to these, so do some chin ups instead)


My exams will be over in a month or so, therefore I will have about 10 weeks of training being priority. I would like to switch up my program for refreshment and also I will have more time to train than an hour or so 3 times per week.
I read Jordan Feigenbaum's article on 5/3/1 and the Texas method, and I know he recommends an Upper/Lower split from PPST3 or a HLM implementation. But I also listened to the Art of Manliness podcast with Matt Reynolds recently, and the DUP concept they discussed sounds quite interesting to me.

The three choices I like so far are, 4 day texas method (Third implementation from PPST3), DUP (Hypertrophy, Power, Strength), Upper/Lower Mon/Tue/Thur/Fri

The DUP would look like:
Note % would likely change depending on feel
Hypertrophy @75%
Squat - 3x8
Bench - 3x8
Press - 3x8 (Likely be lighter than 75%)
Weighted Chin ups - 5x5

Power @ 80%
Deadlift - 3-5x2
Bench - 5x2
Squat - 5x2

Strength
Squat - 3x5
Bench - 3x5
Press - 3x5
Deadlift - 1x3-5

Bench emphasis is because I would really like to Bench 225

Upper/Lower
Monday
Bench - 5x5
Press - 5x3
Chin ups - 3x8
Curls - 3x8
Possibly LTE but triceps are likely to be fried from Bench and Press

Tuesday
Squat - 5x5
Power Clean - 5x3
Farmers Walk - 20m x 3

Thursday
Press - 5x5
Bench - 5x3
Chin ups - 5x5
Curls - 3x8

Friday
Deadlift -1x5
Squat - 3x5
Rows - 3x8

What do you think is likely to be the best one to go for. Will run the program for about 10-12 weeks
Thanks for any help, really appreciated
Scott

[Ben Patterson]

Need more I formation to properly advise. You have a list of exercises and the volume for each, which is a start. How will you determine the weight on the bar and how will you progress?

[scottfo]

Need more I formation to properly advise. You have a list of exercises and the volume for each, which is a start. How will you determine the weight on the bar and how will you progress?

In texas method will follow the percentages recommended.
DUP - Will be a percentage of 1RM for each day. Volume is 75% Power 80% Strength 85%

For the upper lower split I was just going to plug what I'm already doing at those rep ranges on HLM in and then adjust by feel..

Honestly not really sure about establishing initial loading, they are what I saw was recommended but if you have a better understanding would appreciate any ammendments.

Progress for everything i aim for 5lbs a week.
Press requires Microloading at this point so goes up by 2lbs

Thanks
Scott

[scottfo]

Done some more reading and thinking around this. And I think the DUP frequency will be beneficial.

Progress = Aim for additions 5lbs a week on the top set of each lift. Press is programmed as assistance as I want to get Bench up for a meet towards the end of the year. The 3RM at the end of the week is what Monday's 80% is based off of, and will increase by ~2lbs a week.
All over % are off of 1RM listed above.

Program looks like this:
setsxreps
Monday
Squat - 1x8 @ 80%
-5% drop, then do 3 sets across
Bench -1x8 @ 85% (Can typically rep a higher % of my bench press)
-5% Drop, then 3 sets across
Deadlift - 3x5 @ 80% - This is to practice form and get some additional pulling work in.
Press - 3x5 @ 80%

Wednesday
Squat - 1x2 @ 85%
-5% Drop - 3 sets of 2 across
Pause Bench press - 1x2 @ 85%
-5% Drop - 3 sets of 2 across
Farmers Walks - 3 Rounds of 20m (+5lbs/hand per week)
DB Curls - 3x10 (Make my elbows feel good after squats)

Friday
Squat - 1x5 @ 90%
-5% Drop - 2x5 across
Bench - 1x5 @ 90%
-5% drop - 2x5 across
Chin Ups - 5x5 (Increases by 5lbs initially then down to ~2lbs)

Saturday - I wanted to press more than once a week, but doing these lifts on the Friday made the workout look too much, therefore I think putting them on Saturday is the best solution.
Deadlift - 5x2@90%
Press - 1x3
-10% Drop - 2x5 across
DB Curls - 2x10

How does this look?
Appreciate all help. Not sure if this is too much in places

Thanks
Scott

[Fallen]

Man those percentages look high. 1x8@80% is about 100% relative intensity and 1x5@90% is about 101%. 1x8@85% would be around 105.5%. On the other hand, I suppose it doesn't really matter if you start with your 1RM scaled low enough. (The hypertrophy bench session you've planned will inevitably be harder than your strength session, which to me seems questionable - considering your goal is to increase your numbers).

You'll be pushing pretty fking hard on both Mondays and Fridays. If you feel you can recover from that workload, go ahead. Just keep in mind that in TM for example, there's a 10-15% difference in relative intensity between volume and intensity days (although the difference in volume is obviously substantial too).


I've been planning something similar myself. The numbers I had in mind for Squats & Bench were 4x6@75%, 5x1@80% and 3x3+@85% + minimal high rep assistance on Mon and Fri. Might have to increase volume and move to longer microcycles at some point, but I'll trial and error. I got a bit higher numbers (200/140/225) but I'm also quite a bit bigger (1.91m/110kg), so also consider myself intermediate.

[scottfo]

Thanks for the response!

I based those percentages off of my limited training experience. Obviously at this stage i have next to no knowledge with selecting percentages and corresponding rep ranges.

However I've found that I can manage reps at quite high percentages until just over 90%at which point my ability falls off a cliff.
For example last week i did 3x8 at ~80% on bench press (some volume after singles)
And on fridays i do 3x8 at 80% on squats.
Also Mondays are just under 90% for 3x5

Do you think the work capacity at higher intensity is likely due to my low numbers?

Though as I said before I don't have much experience, so could be overtraining.

What percentages would you use at the rep ranges I listed?
Also do you think Saturdays session is overkill?

Really appreciate the help
Thanks
Scott

[Fallen]

Well I'm not an expert by any means either, but it sounds like you're just not acclimated to lower reps / higher intensities. Before the previous cycle, I had squatted (=grinded) 10x150, but 2x170 felt like sht - obviously because I had never worked with lower reps.
If that is the case, peaking and testing 1RM's probably wouldn't be a bad idea.


If I were to hit 1x5@90% on Friday, I'd probably do my top set of 8's @ 70-75%, which would leave a 8-14 % difference in relative intensity between Mon-Fri. I'd have to try it out and see how it feels to be honest.
I know the 5% drop from 80% doesn't sound like much, but it's still 7 kg on my bench and 10 kg on my squat.

Splitting some of the work to Saturday doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. Deadlifting twice a week is certainly viable, as long as you keep the volume and intensity under control so that you recover. Doing the volume session with a lighter variation could also work.
I'd probably have to limit my pressing to once a week with low intensity on top of benching 3 times a week. Might just be my long AF arms or issues with technique, but my front delts get aggravated.

[scottfo]

I don't think that my problem is that, possibly with squat, but not with bench or deadlift.

Before you said that Monday's bench session would be harder than Friday's, if I drop Monday's percentage should I do sets across on Friday at 85%, or something similar.
Only issue with that being that then I would be working with same intensity on Wednesday and Friday, albeit at a higher volume

Thanks for your help
Scott

[Fallen]

Before you said that Monday's bench session would be harder than Friday's, if I drop Monday's percentage should I do sets across on Friday at 85%, or something similar.

No, not necessarily. My thought behind dropping Monday's intensity was to prevent fatigue from carrying over to Friday's workout. If you drop intensity on Friday as well, the gap in relative intensity between Monday and Friday closes. Every workout doesn't have to be maximum effort in order to accumulate volume, I wish I had understood this sooner myself.

[scottfo]

Thank you for your help, definitely got a lot more to learn.

Thanks
Scott