Question on 4-day splits

[Ben Shugart]

Coaches,

I've certainly not worked all the way through my NLP, so intermediate programming is likely not something I absolutely need, right now, in order to continue my strength gains. However, I do a lot of cycling during spring, summer and fall and the two programs (cycling and 3-day NLP) aren't playing well together. I've been reading a lot here about combining cycling training with strength training (thanks Steve Hill) and using a 4-day split to accommodate. With that in mind, I found and was considering implementing this 4-day split and had one question on it:

M: Squat, Power Cleans
Tu: Bench, Press (85%), Chins
W: Off
Th: Squat, Dead
Fr: Bench (85%), Press, Chins

In that plan, would the 85% workouts be 85% of the previous workout? So, Friday's Bench would be 85% of the previous Tuesday's Bench and Tuesday's Press would be 85% of the previous Thursday's Press?

Thanks,
Ben Shugart

[Brent Carter]

Yup. That would be the idea. This looks totally fine; pretty standard split. I would switch the order on Fri so that you are pressing first. I've done similar programs with folks that had reduced time that they could commit to per workout but were still novices so looking to put weight on the bar with each workout.

[Ben Shugart]

Thank you, Brent.

[adauria]

My NLP workouts are getting too long, and I started looking into a split routine. I wasn't sure if I could still do this at the novice stage and was going to ask a very similar question. Thank you for clarifying! I also suspect that squatting only twice a week will help with my missed lifts, which I've been experiencing a bit lately on squats. I'm 43 yo, so I'm thinking a little more time recovering would be a good thing. Thanks for the insightful answer, Brent! You get a twofer on helping for this one!

-Andrew

[LucaTurilli]

Personal preference but I found that putting the pressing exercises on the days *preceding* squats is better. A rough 5x5 squat affects performance heavily the next day. Basically, a rough day of benching will minimally affect tomorrow's squat. But a rough day of squatting will significantly affect tomorrow's overhead press.

[Brent Carter]

Look, I just want to clarify that this is not my endorsement of altering the Novice LP. If you CAN do the Novice LP as written then you SHOULD. That said I would rather modify a lifter's training to increase adherence than have them fall of the cliff stop training and stop taking my phone calls.

Personal preference but I found that putting the pressing exercises on the days *preceding* squats is better. A rough 5x5 squat affects performance heavily the next day. Basically, a rough day of benching will minimally affect tomorrow's squat. But a rough day of squatting will significantly affect tomorrow's overhead press.

A perfectly reasonable preference and one others should probably consider as well.

[Espen Lund]

So I watched in Baker's HLM videos on YouTube that the press could be considered a light day exercise due to the relative load you can lift compared to bench (heavy day) and QG bench (medium day). I was then wondering whether this could also apply to 4xweek intermediate program, or if you should decrease the intensity on the light day press like shown above (85%)? Example below:

Mon:
5x5 bench
3x5 press (same weight as heavy press day but less volume)

Thurs:
Squat & deadlift

Tues:
5x5 press
3x5 bench (90%)

Fri:
Squat and deadlift

[Brent Carter]

Depending on how much weight you are using I guess you could. I would wager though that after your 5x5 bench the ability to do reasonably heavy presses at 3x5 would be diminished. To your point though when doing back off percentages for the press vs the bench it is usually higher.