Big Boy Basics

[Andalite]

So I'm a visual learner, and I understand the 4 different blocs you want me doing and all the principles behind them but I dont know where to start. Is there anyway you could give me an example of the weights and percentages I would use for each of my compounds. I could just work my way from there, plus I know you want me doing different types of cycles for my big lifts.

My 1RMaxes:
Squat: 375
Bench: 300
Deadlift: 420
Military Press: 170

So like could you show me what day one would look like for each of these lifts? I just need a place to start.

Ok so lets break down each lift.

Firstly, we'll go with my favorite: Deadlifts.

For the first bloc you are supposed to run a Consolidation Cycle.

So take 90% of your max (or a little lower) so take 375 or 380 (it is OK to be conservative).
Week 1: 375 lbs x 1 rep x 10 sets
Week 2: 375 lbs x 2 reps x 8 sets
Week 3: 375 lbs x 3 reps x 7 sets
Week 4: 375 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets
So you took your 90% of 1RM and made it into something you could do 7 sets of 3 reps with. Think about that. So now, to really get your body conditioned to it, spend the entire next month working on SDT Progression. You've just done 375 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets. Keep in mind this was your DELOAD week. You maintained intensity but cut volume by like 60% or something.

So, Bloc 2: SDT Progression:
Week 1: 375 lbs x 4 reps x 2 sets, 375 lbs x 3 reps x 1 <<-- this is DOUBLE PROGRESSION; you added sets and reps
Week 2: 375 lbs x 4 reps x 3 sets <<-- SINGLE PROGRESSION; you added reps
Week 3: 380 lbs x 5 reps x 4 sets <<-- TRIPLE PROGRESSION; sets, reps, weight. you're done.
Week 4: 380 lbs x 5 reps <<-- DELOAD week. Same intensity and reduced volume

Next, Bloc 3 was about Poliquin's 5/1 Principle. So how does that work? You do your warm-ups and then you work up to a good easy single. Then you reduce the weight and you do 5 reps. Then add 5 lbs to the first set and do another single. Then reduce the weight by 10 lbs and do 5 reps again. Rinse and repeat. This is how it looks:
Workout 1:
390 lbs x 1 rep
380 lbs x 5 reps
395 lbs x 1 rep
385 lbs x 5 reps
400 lbs x 1 rep
390 lbs x 5 reps
405 lbs x 1 rep <<-- YOU ARE DONE because you are exhausted!

Now, Workout 2 could be:
395 lbs x 1 rep
385 lbs x 5 reps
400 lbs x 1 rep
390 lbs x 5 reps
405 lbs x 1 rep
395 lbs x 3 reps <<-- this was super difficult.

Workout 3:
395 lbs x 1 rep
385 lbs x 5 reps
400 lbs x 1 rep
390 lbs x 5 reps
405 lbs x 1 rep
395 lbs x 5 reps <<-- bingo!

Now, you have basically done some serious lifting here so the 4th week is gonna be relative easy:

Workout 4:
400 lbs x 5 reps

This was Bloc 3.

Bloc 4 = Singles Scene. You know the rules for this and you should look at the article on GUStrength. You are not working off an imaginary max. You are setting up a new relative max and working from there.

So - and keep this in mind: this is all hypothetical;

Workout 1 = 6-8 singles @ >90%
Warm-up and Mobility Drills (naturally)
415 lbs
425 lbs
430 lbs << you decide that this is enough. So, 90% = 387 lbs
400 lbs
390 lbs
410 lbs
405 lbs
420 lbs
8 singles done. Next week: improve. Try to work in the higher ranges.

Bloc 5 is Quality Volume. Rules are basic and easy..you focus on singles, doubles and triples. You can repeat sets. Start around 85-90% and work upwards. So, lets say you hit 455 on Week 4 of the Singles Scene, ok? 85% of that is 387 lbs.
Workout 1:
405 lbs x 2 reps <<-- felt good. Remember: the focus here is on FORM!!!
415 lbs x 2 reps
425 lbs x 2 reps
435 lbs x 1 rep
435 lbs x 2 reps <<-- decided to do these again
445 lbs x 1 rep <<-- called it quits. This was hard and form was not QUALITY

Does this make sense to you.

REMEMBER: All the numbers used here are more or less over the top of my head. DO NOT build expectations off these numbers. You actually got to do this and understand it properly. It may seem very very complicated but once you actually finish 5 months you'll be thinking "this wasn't that hard at all".

YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW that I don't plan out my cycles this far into the future. It is usually ONE 4 week bloc at a time and you move forwards DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS FROM THAT BLOC.

 

[ExtraMile]

andalite did you design that by yourself or get some people's help?

 

[Andalite]

andalite did you design that by yourself or get some people's help?

This is basically what Eric had me doing. Except the weights were a bit different....but the principles remain the same. That is why I prefer looking at things one month at a time...not like this...it's too far into the future to be sure about, you know?

Like, for example, I think most people should focus on SDT Progression for as long as possible. Only after that do you need this advanced shit. Infact, when I did this, I took my 385x4 to 435x5x2 with simple SDT.

 

[Andalite]

Lower Body Training

Sorted out my diet finally...

Front Squats
225 lbs x 5 reps
235 lbs x 5 reps
255 lbs x 3 reps
275 lbs x 2 reps
Very difficult.

Unilateral RDLs
12 kgs x 8 reps
14 kgs x 8 reps
14 kgs x 8 reps

Reverse Lunges off a Platform = 12 kgs x 7 reps x 3 sets

Jackknife Pikes on a Swiss Ball = BW x 10 reps x 3 sets

Time to rest....Hammies are sore as shit already!

 

[JDid23]

good job on front squats man! For unilateral RDLs, do you do them with a DB or BB? I have been doing them with DBs and i find them to be one of the most taxing exercises in my routine.

 

[Andalite]

good job on front squats man! For unilateral RDLs, do you do them with a DB or BB? I have been doing them with DBs and i find them to be one of the most taxing exercises in my routine.

Dumbbells here too.

They are more of a "faith" exercise than anything else. What I mean by this is that you can never say that Unilateral RDLs added "X" amount of pounds or kilos to my Deadlift or Squat or whatever. BUT, you can be rest assured that they manage to avoid any imbalances that could possibly occur.

 

[Andalite]

yeah.... do you use your hand to keep balance on the way down sometimes?

No. I am holding dumbbells in both hands. Thats 12 kgs and 14 kgs per hand in my last entry.

What you can do for balance is bend your knees. That helps, IME.

 

[Andalite]

yeah.... do you use your hand to keep balance on the way down sometimes?

No. I am holding dumbbells in both hands. Thats 12 kgs and 14 kgs per hand in my last entry.

What you can do for balance is bend your knees. That helps, IME.

 

[JDid23]

Dumbbells here too.

They are more of a "faith" exercise than anything else. What I mean by this is that you can never say that Unilateral RDLs added "X" amount of pounds or kilos to my Deadlift or Squat or whatever. BUT, you can be rest assured that they manage to avoid any imbalances that could possibly occur.

yeah.... do you use your hand to keep balance on the way down sometimes?

 

[miked8c]

I'm not going to lie this is the most comprehensive routine I have ever checked out. I can not begin to thank you for explaining all this shit to me. The main thing I have picked up out of this is that alot of the numbers I should be doing are based on how I feel about the weight and how I think I can perform.

I understand the Consolidation Cycle and how it conditions me to do consistent work with a very heavy weight. It will allow me to turn the weight I max with into a weight I can work with for reps, consolidating or securing my strength with that weight. However for the SDT how do I know how much to progress or whether I should be adding sets, reps or weight to each week. Is this also something I will base on how I felt about the lifts? However I am only supposed to add weight to the bar so I am assuming that I will add weight and then adjust my sets and reps so that I can handle this new weight..

So you said for my bench press I should start of with Quality Volume for my first Bloc, would this look someting like this?
Current 1RM: 300 85%= 255

255 lbs. x 3 reps
260 lbs. x 2 reps
265 lbs. x 2 reps ( move to singles so i can continue progressing without getting fatigued?)
270 lbs. x 1 rep
275 lbs. x1 rep...

How far would I go? How do I decide how many reps to do per set, is this where I basically try to leave one rep in the tank at the end of each set?

Sorry for all the questions, by the way is there an article for the quality volume bloc i could not find it.