I've done it. I've revised the spreadsheet I made in a few ways. For the 20% less squats, just input what you do on Monday and it'll automatically calculate Wednesday. So here it is. Just change what you need to for what you're doing:
http://www.savefile.com/files/3910010 |
As I mentioned in the other thread, I am leaning towards giving DFT a try for my next program. I will make the switch on Monday which will give me time to establish my 1 rep maxes over the weekend. Be on the lookout for my journal.
So heres a little background on what I have been doing and my experience with 5x5: The current program I have been using is Needsize's 5x5 program and I have been doing it for roughly a year. I know you made a reference to his program 0311, so I just wanted to share my opinion that this program is an easy to learn 5x5 program and I have had good results with it like many others have had at EliteFitness. However, with that being said, even with moving down to sets of 3 as he suggests when you hit a plateau, I still haven't really been able to overcome my plateaus in a reasonable amount of time since I have been on the program so long. That is why I am looking for a change in my routine without completely moving away from 5x5 training. Here are a few questions I have: 1) For the accessory exercises, are we basically limiting ourselves to one exercise or how ever many we want? With Needsize's I am use to doing multiple exercises for each muscle group in addition to the 5x5 focus. For example on tricep days would I just pick my favorite tricep exercise or a few different exercises? Same question for the ab workouts. 2) I know what my current 5x5 limits are because I am currently plateaud on most of my 5x5 exercises. When I am starting this program would you recommend cutting back on my 5x5 max weights to ease into the program or begin at my current 5x5 points? I think I am answering my own question here because I know have stayed on this regular program so long that most of my 5x5 exercises have reached plateaus so I should probally kick it back some. But how much would you recommend? I am sure I will have many more questions as I re-read through this thread a few times. :) |
BTW, there is so much info in this thread that I am going to make it a sticky for a while since it seems a couple of members have decided to give it a try (including me). Very nice compilation here 0311.
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With this program, nothing is unknown. Before you begin, you will have your whole spreadsheet filled in. That's what I like. However, if you didn't guess the weights right and have trouble doing them in a certain week because you went heavier than you were supposed to, then factor in the same weight for next week and bump back the rest of the weights for that exercise on that spreadsheet. You have got to get all sets and reps. Regarding breaking out of plateaus. This first run in the program will have you matching all your records for exercises regarding 1x5, 5x5. 3x3 will ramp up your strength nicely. So, after your intensity phase and deload, do whatever you want for a program for 2-3 weeks. I'm doing DFHT. Now, when you come back to doing this 5x5 volume phase again, you will increase every weight used in every week by a small percentage, biet 5 pounds, 10 pds, whatever. So your second run through will have you using heavier weights than you ever had before. Slow steady progress. Two or three cycles down the road and you'll be lifting weights heavier than you thought you could ever do. |
Dfst
There's also a strength training (dfht hybrid) called DFST: Dual Factor Strength Training. It's for people looking for more strength than mass. However, in doing this there will be a good amount of mass gain as well. Looking at it, I don't know which one looks more pleasing to the eye. This is also the brainstorm of Matt Reynolds.
OK, here is the program/split: Upper Body Workout One: 1./// Barbell Bench Press: (flat or incline, normal grip – pinkies on rings, 5x5, 5rm, 3rm, or 1rm) 2./// Board Press/ Floor Press (1-5rm usually start where you left off on bench press) 3./// Dumbell Press (flat, incline, or decline for 3x8-10 same weight) 4./// Horizontal Lat Work (Barbell JS Rows, 5x5) 5./// Shoulders/ Traps (emphasis on medial delts - Shrugs, High Pulls, Dumbell Cleans, Lateral Raises, Shoulder Horn, Face Pulls – pick 1-2 exercises for 4-6 sets total) 6./// Tricep Extension (skull crushers, French presses, JM Presses, rolling dumbbell extensions, Tate Presses, pushdowns – pick one exercise for 3x10-12) 7./// Biceps (1-2 exercises, 3-5 sets total) Lower Body Workout One: 1./// Snatches/Overhead Squats (snatches – 1rm or 3x3 @ 75%, then overhead squat to a heavy single) 2./// Max Effort Movement: Olympic Squats, Low Box Squats, Front Squats, Deadlifts, Deadlifts off a 2-3” box, mats, or 100lb plates) pick one exercise and work up to a 1 rep max. 3./// Goodmornings (3x5 same weight or work up to 5rm) 4./// Pullthroughs (3-5 sets of 10-12, some arched back, some rounded back) -or- 4./// Glute Ham Raises (3-5 sets of 10-12) 5./// Weighted Hyperextensions (2-3x10-12) 6./// Weighted Abs/ Obliques (5x10 total – weighted situps, ab pulldowns on high cable or with bands, dumbbell side bends, etc.) Upper Body Workout Two: 1./// Speed Bench: Flat Bench Press, 9 sets of 3 reps w/ approx 60% of raw max, (3 sets close grip, 3 sets regular grip, 3 sets wide grip) – eccentric and concentric should be as fast as possible – push bar as hard as you can all the way to lockout as if you were doing a max weight for every attempt. – addition of accommodating resistance can be used; i.e. chains or bands added to the bar. 2./// Close Grip Bench Press (pinkies 2” inside rings– heavy work 1rm, 3rm, or 5rm) 3./// Overhead Press (Standing military press or push press 1-5rm, or 3-5x5) 4./// Dips (2 sets) 5./// Vertical Lat Work (Lat Pulldowns or Pullups – 5+ sets – if on lat pulldown use different bars and work different planes) 6./// Tricep Extension (skull crushers, French presses, JM Presses, rolling dumbbell extensions, Tate Presses, pushdowns – pick one exercise for 3x10-12) 7./// Biceps (1-2 exercises, 3-5 sets total) Lower Body Workout Two: 1./// Cleans (1rm or 3x3 @ 75%) – drop low to catch the weight and front squat it up 2./// Olympic Back Squats (Ultra deep – ATF - 5x5 w/ same weight, or occasionally work up to a 5rm, also use accommodating resistance approximately every other week) 3./// Speed Deadlifts (conventional deadlifts for 6 singles with 60% of max deadlift. Do a single, wait about 45 seconds or a minute and then do another single for 6 singles. Concentrate on speed and form. 4./// Pullthroughs (3-5 sets of 10-12, some arched back, some rounded back) -or- 4./// Glute Ham Raises (3-5 sets of 10-12) 5./// Weighted Hyperextensions (2-3x10-12 ) 6./// Weighted Abs/ Obliques (5x10 total – weighted situps, ab pulldowns on high cable or with bands, dumbbell side bends, etc.) |
Okay so I am filling out your spreadsheet now for my first week of this program and am a little confused. Here are a few questions that I really need to get ironed out:
1) This program says you are supposed to set your targets for week 4, so say that my max 5x5 bench is 275lbs. If I understand you right I am only targeting doing my 5x5 max on week 4 and I use the weeks leading up to it do slowly taper up to my max 5x5 weight? 2) If it is right that I set my target weights into week 4, then do I just set a gradual upward taper to my weights in the loading phase? So for example if my target is 275 for bench in week 4, in the three weeks leading up to that week I set targets like: 245, 255, 265, and then hit 275 on week 4? 3) Again if all the above is right, then on the completion of my first 4 weeks has me MATCHING my 5x5 max. Then I move onto the deload week where I perform the same weights in a 3x3 scheme for a week. Then its onwards to the intensity phase where I perform the same 3x3 weights but bump them like 5lb or 10 lbs each week? Once again I am sure I will have more questions as I begin to fill this thing out more, so thanks in advance for helping me out. |
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Once you start your intensity phase, it's really up to you. Going from 5x5 (which is alot) to 3x3, you're weight increases should have a bigger jump from your week 4. For me, my max for 5x5 bench was 305 for all 5 sets of 5 without a spot. I'm starting my intensity phase with 320 for all 3x3. It's a judgement call. You're going from 25 reps to only 9 so the big jump won't kill you. If it does, keep the weight the same the following week and I guarantee you'll get them all. BUT, I'm only planning on 2 weeks of intensity. For what you're after, I recommend 3-4 weeks. So you're first intensity week weights used shouldn't have such an aggressive jump like I'm doing. Keep that in mind. The intensity phase is where you'll gain more strength to where you'll set new 5x5 records. During my next cycle (after DFHT for sure due to my success), I'll start over by increasing every weight used each week by 5-10 lbs. I know you said that you plateaud at 275x5. Next cycle you'll have gained at least 10 lbs on that lift if you did everything right....Maybe more. |
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-find 15, 10, and 5 RM's. (or 12, 8, 5) For the 5 RM, use only the 5x5 exercises. -SD -HST 15 or 10 RM's for 2 weeks -HST 10 or 8 RM's for 2 weeks -Jump straight into 5x5 volume phase -continue on as planned. I figure this way you'll est. your 5 RM on the relevant 5x5 exercises ahead of time. Use my spreadsheet to factor that into your LAST week of loading, then reverse plan backwards to week 1. I went against doing your 5 rep block of HST because it wouldn't make sense to hit your 5 RM, then deload, then start back with less weight than you're used to. With this plan, you will never go backwards in weight used or "zig-zag". |
Once you're done with the full cycle of 5x5, there are a few options to continue your progress. I'll use Madcow1's example as a visual aid:
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Option 2: After your deload from the intensity phase, you can jump into the DFHT training as per the spreadsheet downloaded. The main idea is the exact same as the 5x5: Progressive overload is key. Here's a quote from FI.com by Matt Reynolds regarding DFHT: Quote:
Specialty work is nothing more than addressing weak areas of your physique or reverting back to your favorite lifts after the full phase of dual factor training. I'm leaning towards doing an HST'esque 2 week block of 15's for the lactic acid and strength endurance before going heavy again. HST's reason behind the 15's is that lactic acid lubricates and repairs your joints for the heavier loads of the cycle. The 15's for me will be almost exclusively isolations for a change. This makes the most sense to me since all the previous weeks had me predominately in the 3-8 rep range with a few exercises in the 10's. |
MORE!!!
Here's another great article: "Whole body compound workouts vs. one bodypart a day training" by Kurt J. Wilkens, RKC. Quote:
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