Critique my bare-bones S & C program?

[Robert Beckett]

Comrades:

I’ve had success with Starting Strength and will soon transition to something like the WFAC GPP program designed by Justin Lascek. My wife also wants “to get back into shape”, but the WFAC workouts are too long for her. For now, her goals are the typical “general fitness” goals of keep the muscle/lose the fat, “get fit”, “tone up”, etc. That is, she’s not training for any specific performance goals and isn’t particularly interested in working on any non-basic moves such as KB Swings, Power Cleans, or even Chin-ups. What she IS willing to do is bust her ass for 20 – 25 minutes grinding out a simple but legit S&C workout 5 days a week.

In my ill-informed and ham-handed way, I’ve postulated a program for her built around the basic barbell lifts (for strength) and high-intensity rowing & running intervals (for metcon). The barbell set/rep scheme will be like the Madcow 5X5 program: 5 sets of 5 “ramping up” in even increments from 50% (1st set) to 100% of final work-set weight. I know that this is suboptimal for strength training, but (importantly) it will keep warmup time to a minimum while still providing an effective adaptive stimulus (I think?).

The program:
MON: (Ramping) 5X5 Squat, Tabata Row on C2
TUES: (Ramping) 5X5 Press, Treadmill Run (5 intervals of 30:60 W:R at max incline)
WED: (Ramping) 5X5 Deadlift
THURS: (Ramping) 5X5 Bench, Treadmill Run (similar to above)
FRI: (Ramping) 5X5 Squat, Tabata Row on C2

If she makes all intervals successfully, she’ll up the rowing wattage or treadmill speed for the the next workout. Ditto with the weights for the barbell lifts.

So: Am I way off base here? Any suggestions for improving (or replacing) this program? The “basic-ness” of the exercises and the 5-on/2-off for 20-25 minutes (including warmup) are the main must-have aspects.

[Mr.City]

Justin actually posted a program a while ago. Check this out: http://70sbig.com/?p=999

[Robert Beckett]

Justine actually posted a program a while ago. Check this out: http://70sbig.com/?p=999

Thanks Mr City. I looked at that program (and will be doing something very similar starting next week). But the workouts are way too long for my wife's purposes (ie two or three exercises for 3 sets of 5 across, plus full warmups for each). I'm trying to keep the workouts shorter than 25 minutes.

[Mr.City]

Why so short?

[TrackJunkie]

5 sets of 5 “ramping up” in even increments from 50% (1st set) to 100% of final work-set weight. I know that this is suboptimal for strength training, but (importantly) it will keep warmup time to a minimum while still providing an effective adaptive stimulus (I think?).

Someone might need to explain to me the purpose of ramping sets, but I don't think they're of much use to a beginner(I'm assuming your wife is basically untrained). They keep the volume high and the intensity low, since the average lift is done at 75% intensity while doing this. I think you'd be better off just having her warm up sets followed by a 3x5 at full weight.
Maybe have her do 5 at 50%, 3 at 65%, 2 at 85%, and then 3x5 at 100%? You're only changing the weight on the bar one more time which shouldn't slow you down considerably, but there's still a fair amount of warmup. Your "warmup" strategy of ramping sets basically involves 4 sets of warmup level work, followed by one work set.
If there's an advantage to ramped sets that I'm not seeing, someone will have to explain it to me.

[matclone]

I agree with TrackJunkie's comments. Otherwise, the workout looks reasonable for the stated goals.

[StLRPh]

I'm trying to keep the workouts shorter than 25 minutes.

I don't think what you wrote will fit into 25 minutes.

3 x 5 for everything but the deadlift and then do 1 x 5 for deadlift should work just fine and make it shorter.

If you want something really quick look into 5/3/1 with the Jack Sh!t accessory work. Almost everyone here will tell you its not for beginners but its very quick and conditioning can be added to it easily.

Good luck,

[Robert Beckett]

If there's an advantage to ramped sets that I'm not seeing, someone will have to explain it to me.

Good question. I don't know the rationale behind it, but the Madcow 5X5 Intermediate program linked from the Starting Strength Wiki uses them. I have gained strength on the Madcow program before switching to SS, for what it's worth.

The reason I was proposing ramping sets for this program is because 1) they obviate the need for a lot of warmup sets and 2) they require less rest time between sets. It can be done pretty quickly.

Why so short?

Honestly, because that's what my wife will tolerate. I'm trying to find her a legitimate Strength & Conditioning program that is short enough to where she can just set her alarm clock 30 minutes earlier, grind it out, and be done. If not, she'll probably just default to cardio only, or nothing. She's not the least bit interested in athleticism or exercise geekiness, but she is very disciplined in general and knows that she should be exercising.

[statesboroga_keith]

I'm pretty much doing what you have listed, with the exception of 5x5's (I do 3x5). After the barbell work, I do a metcon. I used to go to the CF gym locally before it closed, and got a lot of good metcons there. The Wichita Falls CF program is good too, but time is a factor...FWIW, my wife is the same way

[matclone]

The reason I was proposing ramping sets for this program is because 1) they obviate the need for a lot of warmup sets and 2) they require less rest time between sets. It can be done pretty quickly.

Yes and yes. The point, however, is that too many reps in the warm-up sets (i.e., 5 reps in sets 1-4) can sap energy for the top set, which is where most of the strength is built. You acknowledged that one of the goals was to increase the weight across workouts, i.e., to progress.

Btw, I like how you have the weightlifting first (lifting after running doesn't work well), and the 5 day workout plan (aids continuity).