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Thread: 4 day TM with 1 upper and 1 lower body exercise each day?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    Default 4 day TM with 1 upper and 1 lower body exercise each day?

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    Hey guys, so this is the typical setup for a 4 day TM as we know it from PPST:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Press Volume
    Tuesday: Squat Intensity / Deadlift Volume
    Thursday: Press Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Deadlift Intensity / Squat Volume

    I'm wondering if you could set it up in a way so that you have 1 upper body and 1 lower body exercise each training session, for example like this:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Squat Volume
    Tuesday: Deadlift Intensity / Press Volume
    Thursday: Squat Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Press Intensity / Deadlift Volume

    Simply because I'm not a big fan of doing both Squats and Deadlifts within the same training session, plus it would give you a somewhat higher training frequency per body part since you technically do 1 upper and 1 lower body exercise 4 x week.

    Would that in any way be detrimental compared to the 'classic' upper/lower set-up ?

    Thank you everyone

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
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    120

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    It should be good for an early intermidiate lifter. Later you will find out yourself that you need more time to recover from lower body lifts. I would have you deadlift 5RM once a week and do power clean the other day.

    Run it and see for yourself.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
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    83

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    Quote Originally Posted by fabelweseN View Post
    Hey guys, so this is the typical setup for a 4 day TM as we know it from PPST:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Press Volume
    Tuesday: Squat Intensity / Deadlift Volume
    Thursday: Press Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Deadlift Intensity / Squat Volume

    I'm wondering if you could set it up in a way so that you have 1 upper body and 1 lower body exercise each training session, for example like this:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Squat Volume
    Tuesday: Deadlift Intensity / Press Volume
    Thursday: Squat Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Press Intensity / Deadlift Volume

    Simply because I'm not a big fan of doing both Squats and Deadlifts within the same training session, plus it would give you a somewhat higher training frequency per body part since you technically do 1 upper and 1 lower body exercise 4 x week.

    Would that in any way be detrimental compared to the 'classic' upper/lower set-up ?

    Thank you everyone
    The whole point of the 4-day split is to get a break from the lower body lifts, which are inherently much more stressful overall. Doing a lower body lift every day defeats the purpose.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    East Haddam, Connecticut
    Posts
    111

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    That probably won't work for very long. It defeats the purpose of running a 4-day split in the first place.

    If you want to continue running "full-body" training sessions, you would be better off sticking with something like Texas Method or the "Starr Model" HLM.

    Monday: Heavy: Squat / Bench / Pulls
    Wednesday: Light: Squat / Press / Pulls
    Friday: Medium Squat /Bench / Pulls

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    1,040

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    Quote Originally Posted by Treg View Post
    The whole point of the 4-day split is to get a break from the lower body lifts, which are inherently much more stressful overall. Doing a lower body lift every day defeats the purpose.
    The whole point of the 4 day split is to not have to deal with a 2.5 hr workout that cant possibly be recovered from. Whole body training days work very well, the issue starts being the amount of time needed in a training session. This set up isn't conventional but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Kind of makes sense actually. Someone should ask the question to Rip on the forum. See what he thinks.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    599

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    Quote Originally Posted by fabelweseN View Post
    Hey guys, so this is the typical setup for a 4 day TM as we know it from PPST:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Press Volume
    Tuesday: Squat Intensity / Deadlift Volume
    Thursday: Press Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Deadlift Intensity / Squat Volume

    I'm wondering if you could set it up in a way so that you have 1 upper body and 1 lower body exercise each training session, for example like this:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Squat Volume
    Tuesday: Deadlift Intensity / Press Volume
    Thursday: Squat Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Press Intensity / Deadlift Volume

    Simply because I'm not a big fan of doing both Squats and Deadlifts within the same training session, plus it would give you a somewhat higher training frequency per body part since you technically do 1 upper and 1 lower body exercise 4 x week.

    Would that in any way be detrimental compared to the 'classic' upper/lower set-up ?

    Thank you everyone
    I have run a similar program, from an Andy Baker template, but 3 days per week (so weeks look like ABA, BAB, etc.). Initially it felt possible to do 4d/week, but as the weights got heavier, 3d/week was definitely the way to go for me. I'm 49, been lifting for 2 years. If you are younger and/or can recover easier than I can, you might be able to do the 4/week for longer than I could.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Suwanee, GA
    Posts
    17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by fabelweseN View Post
    Hey guys, so this is the typical setup for a 4 day TM as we know it from PPST:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Press Volume
    Tuesday: Squat Intensity / Deadlift Volume
    Thursday: Press Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Deadlift Intensity / Squat Volume

    I'm wondering if you could set it up in a way so that you have 1 upper body and 1 lower body exercise each training session, for example like this:

    Monday: Bench Intensity / Squat Volume
    Tuesday: Deadlift Intensity / Press Volume
    Thursday: Squat Intensity / Bench Volume
    Friday: Press Intensity / Deadlift Volume

    Simply because I'm not a big fan of doing both Squats and Deadlifts within the same training session, plus it would give you a somewhat higher training frequency per body part since you technically do 1 upper and 1 lower body exercise 4 x week.

    Would that in any way be detrimental compared to the 'classic' upper/lower set-up ?

    Thank you everyone
    Could you elaborate as to why you’re not a fan? I’m running a similar program and I’ve been struggling getting through the volume, particularly the lower body lifts, without running out of gas by the time I get to the fourth and fifth set. I was thinking of splitting it the same you were in hopes of being more efficient on the volume rather than doing it gassed following a very intense set.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Cologne, Germany
    Posts
    105

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    Try it but I‘d say there’s not enough recovery between the leg workouts.

    The reason for a 4 day split was mentioned. The main reason is to reduce the lower body frequency in order to recover better and to get more upper body work in instead. And also to have time for a few assistance exercises.

    ABA/BAB with only benching and pressing 1.5 times per week is good for novices but eventually it’s not enough. While squatting 3 times per week at some point just is too much to recover from, even with a light day.

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