What Training Program Do You Follow?

[Tom Mutaffis]

With all of the different training routines it can be a bit confusing when it comes time to change your workout program. Since having a good split/program can be vital to success in the gym I wanted to see what some of the people here are currently following?

Here is a list of some common options:

• Starting Strength
• Texas Method / Practical Programming
• Bodypart Split
• 5/3/1
• Westside (Powerlifting)
• DC Training
• FST-7
• German Volume Training
• WBB
• Baby Got Back
• P90X
• Crossfit
• Another Program (please explain)
• Custom Routine

[Auburn]

Bastardized version of Abadjiev's (old Bulgarian weightlifting coach) philosophy.

[Tom Mutaffis]

Bastardized version of Abadjiev's (old Bulgarian weightlifting coach) philosophy.

Could you post up a brief summary of this program for everyone? Thanks!

[NickAus]

Westside, but more work in gear than they typically do.

[RvNijnatten]

This will be my last day of SS, eventhough i have been following a slighlty different version since i wa cutting. As of Monday i will start 5/3/1.

[Auburn]

Could you post up a brief summary of this program for everyone? Thanks!

Basically trimming down the weightlifting movements to the competition lifts and the lifts that have the most similarity in movement:

At most 6:

Snatch
Power Snatch
Clean & Jerk
Power Clean & Jerk
Front Squat
Back Squat

And, if you really wanted to, you could drop it down further to just 3:

Snatch
Clean & Jerk
Front Squats (if you've got anything left)

This is assuming you have no injuries to impair the lifts. If you do, then pulls/presses and other things could be utilized.

Rep/sets, it's all singles for the competition and power lifts, singles or doubles for squats.

Total volume and tonnage is going to depend on individualized recovery ability. 2-3 sessions per day 6-7 days per week would be more in line with traditional Bulgarian approaches, but for people with less time and less circulating levels of anabolic hormones, you can use the same principles and cut back.

I do 3 days per week working up to a heavy single in the competition lifts, then do some back off reps at lighter weight. Total volume isn't that high, usually <12 total reps for snatch and <8 total reps for clean & jerk. Squats are more of an afterthought, just whatever feels good for the day, but usually less than 5 total reps.

2-3 light days per week, usually hanging around 80%, with a small reduction in the total amount of reps.


If this is helpful, I can't take credit for any of it. It's almost entirely based off of programs designed by Mike Burgener, Greg Everett, and some other influences.

[bass slayer]

Wanna be big Origional Routine. Im afraid its not enough volume, but im going to stick with it until I stop making gains and see were Im at

[jAy_Dub]

I used to do DC and absolutely loved it. Now I'm doing a 5 day/wk, high volume body part split.

[Tom Mutaffis]

I used to do DC and absolutely loved it. Now I'm doing a 5 day/wk, high volume body part split.

This seems to be the standard for most bodybuilders - 5 day routines with relatively high volume. I followed a similar program for years.

[radioheadhead]

just started WBB 1.1, and it is kicking my @$$. leg day is brutal, I'm glad I started it because it made me realize how complacent I had become with my lower body workouts.

previously I was doing a push/pull/ legs routine which seems to be my fallback when I'm not on a strict routine.

[Off Road]

I am currently using 5/3/1, but the bulk of my training has been with Hardgainer style routines ( not an option in the poll). If anybody would like an explanation of Hardgainer training, I'd be glad to post something about it.

[Tom Mutaffis]

I am currently using 5/3/1, but the bulk of my training has been with Hardgainer style routines ( not an option in the poll). If anybody would like an explanation of Hardgainer training, I'd be glad to post something about it.

If you could post up the Hardgainer routine that would be great!

[Off Road]

Hardgainer style training...

Hardgainer training is based on old style training that worked for the old timers before the invention of steroids and modern supplements. It is based on the premise that somebody with average genetics will have to train differently from those with superior genetics. In order for somebody with average genetics to make good gains they will have to focus their efforts on the big multi-joint movements like squats, deads, and bench press. They will also have to make recovery a key component in their training week. Because of this, the workouts are abreviated and the focus is on effort.

The most important part of Hardgainer training is the idea of cycles. In a cycle, a lifter will take several weeks (8-12) to work up to a PR in their lifts. After that they will back off the heavy weights to about 80%, and then they take 4-8 weeks to build back up to the previous PR, and finally spend a few weeks trying to excede those PRs.

A typical Hardgainer routine will consist of two full-body workouts done two days a week. For a beginner, these workouts will be identical to get good at them and make the fastest progress, something like:

Mon & Thur
Squats 1x20
SLDL 1x6
Bench 2x6
Rows 2x6
Press 2x6
Curls 2x6

As you advance in strength, your recovery ability [while increasing] will not keep up with the demands you are placing on it. The lifter will then have to split his workout into something like this:

Mon.
Squats 1x20
Bench 2x6
Rows 2x6

Thur.
Deadlift 1x6
Press 2x6
Curls 2x6

You can see that the lifter is still only working out twice a week but is only hitting the lifts once per week. The workouts are still full body workouts. This allows for greater recovery between lifts. This is just a brief look at Hardgainer training and it is more complex than I can put into a single post. But that's the main points anyways.

[44pirate]

Westside BB 6yrs now.

[thereturn]

SS 8 weeks in at 2 days a week. This week is my first week of 3 days.

[Pete22]

Modified Westside template.

[RvNijnatten]

Wanna be big Origional Routine. Im afraid its not enough volume, but im going to stick with it until I stop making gains and see were Im at

Lol, i thought you were doing SS? Didnt you post a topic about it.

[bass slayer]

Lol, i thought you were doing SS? Didnt you post a topic about it.

I was going to but I switched it last minute. Ive done it once already anyways when I first started.

[shutUpAndSquat]

texas method. With a lot of emphasis to the posteriour chain

[Nik00117]

My own program.

I squat, bench, deadlift.

Each day after I've done my squat, deadlift, or bench I incorporate other lifts to assist those lifts. Limting my excessive to 3.

[Clifford Gillmore]

I think I'm following a west-side template, I'm definately no expert on the matter! There is ALOT of mis-information about what conjugated periodization is all about, and even more people that claim to know everything about it.



I would like to see if anyone follows Mentzer's HIIT principles, and to what degree of success.

[brihead301]

I'm a 5/3/1 guy myself. I do kind of a bodybuilding version of it though. The "5/3/1" is for my main lift each day, which is basically meant to get that lift stronger over time. The assistance lifts I do are all the bodybuilding part of it - high volume, supersets, short rest times, an isolation or two at the end of each workout.....

[shutUpAndSquat]

what is a 5/3/1? i can't find info on google

[brihead301]

It's a program designed by Jim Wendler. You should be able to find a lot of info on it if you put his name into the search along with 5/3/1.

[noondie]

Baby Got Back 4 months