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Old 05-03-2008, 05:59 PM
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_Wolf_ _Wolf_ is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas
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Default Something I'd like to share

I usually train with 2 other close friends of mine. We aren't "training" partners because we each do our own little thing but we are usually there to spot each other, etc.

We're all three at very different levels: I'm more strongman oriented @ 5'7 175 lbs, my friend "L" is also 5'7 but he weighs 215 lbs and my friend "D" is 6'0 @ 155 lbs. As you can see, all three of us are at different stages in training.
L: goals are to get a bigger total on the Squat, Bench, Deadlift.
D: get bigger in general
me: get bigger, get a great OH Press and Deadlift total.

My friend L approached me around 7 weeks ago and asked me to help him progress. All he'd been focusing on for the last 3 years of training was his bench. Weighing in at 215 @ 5'7 he could bench 275. He didn't train his squats or deadlifts properly...he wasn't the typical chest+biceps guy at all though: he was just obsessed with his bench so all he did was a lot of back, shoulder and tricep work. Well, anyways: he came to me with his program at the time and asked me to change it up for him.

His program at the time was:
Monday
Bench and Back work
Wednesday
Biceps and Legs
Friday
Shoulders and Back work

Well, he explained to me that because of school, etc he used to miss 2 out of 3 Wednesday sessions...which is understandable because I am the same way...except I have been avoiding missing Wednesdays this semester thus far.

So, I changed his program up a bit. Here is what he has been doing for that last 7 weeks:

Monday
Bench Press 5x5
Squats 5x5
Incline Dumbbell Press 3x10
Squats 3x10

Wednesday - OPTIONAL
Arm work

Friday
Deadlifts 3x5
Power Cleans 3x3
Military Press 3x10
Rows 3x10

I will explain more indepth about how he was expected to progress.

Monday
1.) Bench Press 5x5 - L started off with 225 lbs and added 5 lbs every session
2.) Squats 5x5 - He started with 205 lbs and added 5 lbs every session.
3.) Incline Dumbbell Press 3x10 - he didnt add weight every week but kept this fairly difficult for him.
4.) Squats 3x10 - He was unwilling to do GHRs or Pull Throughs (some guys are damn difficult to argue with and these are his goals and his body so its his problem if he's too stubborn) so i made him do Squats with 50-60% of his 5x5 weight for that day.

Wednesday
This was an optional day for him to do his arm work. With 18" arms, this guy loves to curl and do skull crushers. Only isolation exercises were allowed in this session.

Friday
1.) Deadlifts 3x5, 1x8 - he started out with 205 lbs and added 5 lbs every week
2.) Power Cleans 3x3 - he did these with 135 lbs and kinda kept it at that.
3.) Military Press 3x3 - he started off with 135 lbs on these as well i believe..i am not sure how he progressed but there wasn't a specific emphasis on progressing.
4.) Rows 4x10 - used the hammer strength row machine (he loves this machine....)

----x----

So, L used this routine for 7 weeks. We don't always train together so I wasn't always there to see how he lifted, etc but I do know his form is pretty spot on. Prior to these 6 weeks I had spent 6-7 weeks teaching him how to squat ass to grass properly and the lucky bastard doesn't have the "butt wink" problem I do.

Well, this last week he decided it was time to max-out on the following four lifts:
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Military Press

L's previous totals are in () and his present new PRs are:
1.) Squat 285 lbs (225 lbs)
2.) Bench Press 315 lbs (295 lbs)
3.) Deadlift 335 lbs (never done it)
4.) Military Press 195 lbs (155 lbs)

It's pretty amazing to see how well he's progressed however I wish he'd be willing to try other exercises like GHRs, Pull Throughs, etc...I realize that his Deadlift and Squat gains arent outstanding although he's been deadlift and squatting atleast 4 times a month for the last 3 years or so...

But in any case, he's made some swell progress in these short 7 weeks.
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