Rest days for 4 day split

[therorschach]

Was looking to do an intermediate style split based on TM and was looking to do a 4 day split instead of the standard 3-day Volume-Recovery-Intensity routine. I saw this post a while back and wanted to do something similiar:

Day 1 Volume Squat, Intensity Bench
Day 2 Volume Press, Deadlift
Day 3 Intensity Squat, Volume Bench
Day 4 Powercleans, Intensity Press

Where would you guys put the rest days? I was planning to do Day1/Day2/Rest/Day3/Day4/Rest/Rest but noticed Day 2 has DLs and was not sure if it would be wise to do them a day after volume squats.

[Mahendra]

Hello,

I found that Deadlifts after Volume Squat Day is quite difficult... instead, how about an upper/lower split?

Day 1 Intensity Press, Volume Bench
Day 2 Volume Squat, Power Cleans (Or other way around)
Day 3 Rest
Day 4 Intensity Bench, Volume Press
Day 5 Rest
Day 6 Intensity Squat, Deadlift
Day 7 Rest

You could also switch Day 5 & 6.

[therorschach]

Hello,

I found that Deadlifts after Volume Squat Day is quite difficult... instead, how about an upper/lower split?

Day 1 Intensity Press, Volume Bench
Day 2 Volume Squat, Power Cleans (Or other way around)
Day 3 Rest
Day 4 Intensity Bench, Volume Press
Day 5 Rest
Day 6 Intensity Squat, Deadlift
Day 7 Rest

You could also switch Day 5 & 6.

I actually considered an upper/lower split like above and tried it at one point but felt one of the presses impacted the other for the upper days and the same with squats and DLs on the lower days.However, I definitely don't mind squatting and bench/pressing in the same workout, which is why that "squat/bench and press/pull" split was attractive to me.

[Tom Lang]

Try this:

M: Intensity Press, Volume Bench
T: Deadlift, Volume Squat, Chins

Th: Intensity Bench, Volume Press
Fr: Intensity Squat, Chins

I found the above on Andy's forum: http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=48215. You can add PCs on Friday.

I do more of an advanced novice/older guy (49) 4-day split. Andy helped me set it up. Basically, he prefers pressing exercises the day before squat/pulling day.

Notice in the above layout, he DLs before volume squat. This is counter to the usual TM version of volume squat before the heavy set of 5 DLs, but I can see wanting to be fresh for the DL, since volume day is more about the work.

There are so many ways. Here's mine:

M: Heavy press singles 5x1; Bench 3x5, chins
Tuesday: Squat 3x5; PC 5x2 or 5x3 (I'm a crappy cleaner; and the 3x5 squat is getting heavy and gassing me pretty good)
W: rest
Thursday: Press 5x5, chins, dips
Friday Squat 80% of Tuesday 2x5; DL 1x5

Andy suggested doing my press workouts this way, since they move pretty slow for me. It's working.

Weekend: Rest

5/3/1 programming can work well with this template, too. Conditioning can be done on the off days. The hard part sometimes is to keep from tweaking it all the time!

The upper/lower, 4-day split builds in a lot of recovery time, and keeps your weekends free.