Long question on moving from 3 to 4 days a week

[Dave Van Skike]

Mark,

I apologize in advance for the lengthy intro to my question. In Practical Programming you covered moving 3 to 4 days a week in two different contexts for the intermediate. One way you discussed was how to gradually add full body workouts to the week, I think this was a description of how the Dr. Stone model has been adapted to Olympic lifters. (p. 192 and fig 7-1)

The other context this was discussed in that chapter was as an example of arranging workload for a track filed thrower, to allow more focus more energy on dynamic pulls. This model was to essentially split pushing and pulling exercises into two workouts instead of one. Another example you cited was the common power lifter split, to break the competitive lifts and accessory exercises into an A/B type of split A: squats and Deadlifts B: bench and bench and other presses.

My question concerns the later two examples. I responded really well to the Texas type model with a volume, recovery and intensity day each week. I was able to tweak this to make progress for most of 2007. Now I'm trying to add days to focus on those lifts that are not progressing as well, deadlift and presses. The part I'm a little unsure of is how I would arrange to workload.

For instance, keep the volume/recovery/intensity arrangement with greater distance between the volume and intensity workouts? Each week (at least for the first month) would look a little different that the last in terms of excise selection and where the brunt of the workload is being done. Or alternatively, simply drop the recovery day and leaving one volume session and one intensity session per week for both squats/press and pulls?
My instincts as an athlete in different discipline tell me that the recovery days are really necessary but in lifting disciplines, the recovery day adds a little to the recovery but it mostly seems to be there to keep the movement drilled in.

How would you do it?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think you're asking me whether it's okay to stretch the workout interval from a week to more than a week. Sure, do what you need to and try all kinds of things. But I can't be more specific without seeing your training log and answering a specific question.

[Dave Van Skike]

I wasn't terribbly clear.

My question was more specific to arranging volume and intensity workouts across the week for someone solidly in the intermediate range. I've got almost 1 year of actual strength training with..

360 back squat
430 Deadlift
a sad little power clean
155 press.

The texas method you set forth in PP was super effective for me on squats.
I have split my workouts from 3 to 4 days a week to allow more time to focus on the press and power clean. I assume you get a lot of noobs like myself who are ready to add days or add workouts to the week adn so my question was how to arrange the heavy light and medium days..

is it better to do..

Monday Squat and Press Heavy
Tuesday Pulls Light
Thursday Squats and Presses Medium
Friday Pulls Heavy
Monday Squat and Press light
Tuesday Pulls medium
Thursday Squats and Presses Heavy
Friday Pulls light

Or. just arrange it so that each movement get's worked at both high and low intesity within the week?

Monday Squat and Press Heavy
Tuesday Pulls Light
Thursday Squats and Presses Light
Friday Pulls Heavy

Seems like the later gives a more even split of intensity for the movements across the week but omits medium days and may be more physically draining as one gets more advanced.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The first version is really a two week cycle, and the second one is simpler. Which one works best?

[guni]

With an upper/Lower body split I suppose you could also spread it over six days.

Day 1 - Upper volume
Day 2 - Lower volume
Day 3 - Upper light
Day 4 - Lower light
Day 5 - Upper PR/Intensity
Day 6 - Lower PR/Intensity

I guess there are a lot of ways to lay it out, and as long as the main purpose of the program isn't bastardized, it's a question of finding out what works best for you.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Exactly, and that is always up to the individual lifter.