posterior chain specialization

[monsoon]

I am about to switch from 5x5 to a 4 day program and I've been thinking that I want to specialize on my PC for a bit because I think it's where I'm lacking in my squats a nd deads. Suggestions.?

[Freddy]

This is what I do for lower body. I'll break it up into loading and deloading phases. You can't copy what I do without a good deload:

Loading: (3-5 weeks)
Wednesday:

1.) Max Effort movement: Work up to a 1 rep max on some kind of squat, goodmorning, or deadlift. I use a different movement every week.
2.) Olympic Squats: 2 sets of 5 reps. The first week is fairly conservative, but I add 5-10 pounds every week. The 3rd or 4th week I'll be using heavier weights than I've ever used (a personal record).
3.) Good mornings: 5x5 (weights go up like in #2)
4.) Reverse Hypers (Or pullthroughs): 5x8
5.) Abs: 5x8
6.) Calves: 4x10
7.) Side bends: 5x8
8.) Curls: 2x whatever

Sunday:

1.) Dynamic Effort Box Squat with bands: 8x2
2.) Speed deadlifts: 6x1
3.) Seated Goodmornings: 5x8
4.) Barbell shrugs: 4x10 clean grip, 1x10 competition grip
5.) Abs: 5x8
6.) Calves: 4x10
7.) Side bends: 5x8

For all movements except max effort or dynamic effort movements, start conservatively the 1st week, and add 5-10# until you reach new personal bests by week 3 or 4.

Deloading: 3-4 Weeks

Weds:
1.) Max Effort movement: Work up to a 1 rep max on some kind of squat, goodmorning, or deadlift. I use a different movement every week.
2.) Good mornings: 3x3 (weights go up like in loading phase)
3.) Reverse Hypers (Or pullthroughs): 3x5
4.) Abs: 2x5
5.) Calves: 2x5
6.) Side bends: 2x5
7.) DB shrugs: 2x5
8.) Curls: 2x whatever

Sunday:

1.) Dynamic Effort Box Squat with bands: 8x2
2.) Speed deadlifts: 6x1
3.) Seated Goodmornings: 3x5
4.) Barbell shrugs: 2x5 clean grip, 1x5 competition grip
5.) Abs: 2x5
6.) Calves: 2x5
7.) Side bends: 2x5
8.) DB shrugs: 2x5

Keep pushing the weights up throughout the deloading phase. By the end of the deloading phase, you should be hitting new personal bests on all lifts for the given rep/set ranges.

Kinda involved, does that all make sense?

[monsoon]

yes, it makes sense.
I have never really done any single rep work before though, so I have no idea what I should be using. I don't have acess to a reverse hyper, but I can turn around on my GH raise and use a db. Also, I will have a box in a couple weeks, but no bands. When you say curls on Wenesday, are you talking about arm curls? I haven't done any bicep work in 6 mos.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by monsoon

yes, it makes sense.
I have never really done any single rep work before though, so I have no idea what I should be using. I don't have acess to a reverse hyper, but I can turn around on my GH raise and use a db. Also, I will have a box in a couple weeks, but no bands. When you say curls on Wenesday, are you talking about arm curls? I haven't done any bicep work in 6 mos.

This is a good way to max on a movement you can do 350 pounds on:
(setsXrepsXweight)

2x5x45
1x3x135
1x3x205
1x3x225
1x3x275
1x1x295
1x1x315
1x1x335
1x1x345
1x1x355 PR (personal record)

Bands are pretty cheap to buy, but if you don't want to, thats fine. You can find them at www.elitefts.com if you choose to buy them.

Yes, I meant arm curls. You don't have to do them, I just like to be complete when I post my routine.

[monsoon]

thanks freddy, I'm looking forward to it a little, maybe I'm stronger than I think. As far as bands, I have no problem picking up a set, it's just that I'm spending over a K on gym equipment this week already, I think my wife would shoot me if I said I needed something else right away. If you want to be really complete, go ahead and post the rest of your routine, I'm curious.

[AnimalMass]

Fred,

He's got a glute ham. He shoudl be using it a minimum of twice per week.

I do like the general layout though - although it's alot of volume.

I would make a couple minor changes, but it's really personal preference....

(MY TYPING IS IN ALL CAPS BELOW)...

Originally Posted by Freddy

This is what I do for lower body. I'll break it up into loading and deloading phases. You can't copy what I do without a good deload:

Loading: (3-5 weeks) - I CAN'T LOAD FOR 5 WEEKS. I THINK DEPENDS ON THE PERSON AND HOW ADVANCED YOU ARE. LESS ADVANCED GUYS CAN ACTUALLY LOAD LONGER, MORE ADVANCED CAN ONLY LOAD 2-3 WEEKS TOPS ( IF IT IS A HARD LOAD).

Wednesday:

1.) Max Effort movement: Work up to a 1 rep max on some kind of squat, goodmorning, or deadlift. I use a different movement every week. (I WOULD ONLY DO EITHER A SQUAT OR PULL HERE, AND DO GOODMORNINGS AS ACCESSSORY WORK WHICH I WILL NOTE LATER) - BASICALLY ANY TYPE OF FREE SQUAT OR BOX SQUAT, UTILIZING DIFFERENT BARS OR DIFFERENT HEIGHTS OF BOXES OR WITH AND WITHOUTH BANDS AND/OR CHIANS WILL WORK. FOR PULLING, DO EITHER FULL RANGE PULLING CONVENTIONAL OR SUMO, REVERSE BAND PULLING, AND PULLS STANDING ON A 2-3" BOX, MAT, OR PLATE - (WHICH IS MY PERSONAL FAVORITE)

2.) Olympic Squats: 2 sets of 5 reps. The first week is fairly conservative, but I add 5-10 pounds every week. The 3rd or 4th week I'll be using heavier weights than I've ever used (a personal record). I LOVE THIS.

3.) Good mornings: 5x5 (weights go up like in #2) ( I WOULD SAVE THIS FOR THE OTHER WORKOUT OF THE WEEK - I WOULD NOT DO GOODMORNINGS THIS DAY)

3) GLUTE HAM RAISES
4.) PULLTHROUGHS
5.) BACK EXTENSIONS
6.) ABS/OBS
7.) Calves: 4x10

Sunday:

1.) Dynamic Effort Box Squat with bands: 8x2 (SUSAN HAS BANDS CHEAP AT MIDWEST BARBELL, BUT IF YOU CAN'T DO THEM NO, YOU CAN SQUAT WITHOUT THEM. IF YOU ARE A POWERLIFTER DO THESE ON A PARALLEL BOX. IF YOU ARE NOT COMPETITIVE, THEN DO THEM ON A LOWER BOX (IN THE 12" RANGE - UNLESS YOU ARE LIKE 4'11" LIKE FREDDY, AND THEN 12' IS PARELLEL - LOL)

2.) Speed deadlifts: 6x1 - VERY SHORT REST HERE - 30-45 SEC BETWEEN PULLS - YOU SHOULD USE ABOUT 60% OF YOUR BEST PULL AND IT SHOULD BE HARD WORK.

3.) GOODMORNINGS (DO A DIFFERENT MOVE EACH WEEK): I WOULD DO SETS OF 5 AND WORK UP TO A 5 REP MAX. i THINK THAT BUILDS THE BEST COMBO OF STRENGTH AND SIZE ON THIS MOVEMENT. IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN WORK UP TO A 3 REP MAX, BUT I DON'T REALLY LIKE 1 REP MAXES ON GOODMORNINGS ANYMORE.

4.) Barbell shrugs: 4x10 clean grip, 1x10 competition grip (I LIKE THESE ON UPPER BODY DAY)
4.) GLUTE HAM RAISES
5.) PULLTHROUGHS
6.) BACK EXTENSIONS
7.) ABS/OBS
8.) Calves: 4x10

For all movements except max effort or dynamic effort movements, start conservatively the 1st week, and add 5-10# until you reach new personal bests by week 3 or 4.

Deloading: 3-4 Weeks - I LIKE A SHORTER DELOAD TOO, DELOADING FOR ONLY 1-2 WEEKS.

FOR WORKOUT NUMBER 1, FOR DELOADING, I WOULD DO THE MEX EFFORT MOVEMENT, AND THEN SKIP THE OLY SQUATS, THEN DO LESS VOLUME ON THE ACCESSORY. (LIKE 2 SETS EACH, RATHER THAN 4 OR 5 SETS EACH).

FOR WORKOUT NUMBER 2, FOR DELOADING, I WOULD DO EXERCISES 1 AND 3 AND THEN DO LESS VOLUME ON ACCESSORY.

Kinda involved, does that all make sense?

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by AnimalMass

Fred,

He's got a glute ham. He shoudl be using it a minimum of twice per week.

I do like the general layout though - although it's alot of volume.

I would make a couple minor changes, but it's really personal preference....

(MY TYPING IS IN ALL CAPS BELOW)...

Ah, then yes, use the glute ham.

1.) Its his first time using a program like this, with this much volume, so he'll need a 4-5 week buildup. The first week or two should be really conservative.

2.) The rest is, as you said, personal preference mostly. Decide which sounds better to you.

3.) I should note, that I do DE box squats and speed pulls exactly like AM explained. I neglected to describe them when I posted them, I forget that people don't know what I'm talking about in regards to them.

4.) One thing that does stand out to me, however, is doing the GMs for a 5 rep max as an assistant move. AM and I really disagree here. I think you're better served to do 5 straight sets of 5. I've done both and this is just what I've seen.

[AnimalMass]

The reason I advocate the 5 rep max (and doing sets of 5 until you reach your 5 rep max) is because it's less taxing overall. Again, this comes back to your level of performance. If I hit a max effort pull, and then do 2 sets of 5 OLY squatting, and then move to 5 sets of 5 with the same weight (maybe 365 or so) for goodmornings, I would be so done that accessory work wouldn't even begin to be a thought. - I'd be on the floor laying in a pool of my own vomit.

Working up each set allows your to get good strain in, build strength, and add good post chain size, while not totally depleting you of all energy for the essential posterior chain accessory moves. - Since posterior chain work is his main goal here, I think the accessories are very, very, important.

Matt

[AnimalMass]

Also, that's why I don't advocate GMs in the first workout. If you do them for the DE work, that's one tough workout as well.

Matt

[Freddy]

Its not so bad, you're just a pussy.

[Freddy]

PM or IM me, AM, you bastard, we have shit to discuss, bitch!

[AnimalMass]

LOL - It's 9:50pm and I'm heading to bed - lol

I'll catch you in the morning.

PS - Talked to JS today (which I'm sure is what you want to talk about) - Gonna be doing Monday: 5x5 squats, Wed: front squats 1-3rm, and Friday: DE Squats to a low box with bands.

Also, he's hooking me up with some cool Oly shoes made for the Polish National Team from the best cobbler in the country.

Matt

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by AnimalMass

LOL - It's 9:50pm and I'm heading to bed - lol

I'll catch you in the morning.

PS - Talked to JS today (which I'm sure is what you want to talk about) - Gonna be doing Monday: 5x5 squats, Wed: front squats 1-3rm, and Friday: DE Squats to a low box with bands.

Also, he's hooking me up with some cool Oly shoes made for the Polish National Team from the best cobbler in the country.

Matt

Thats an interesting combination. I knew he had been trying something close to that himself, but I didn't know if he was having much luck with it. Maybe I'll just call him myself too.

[monsoon]

you two quit chatting as if I'm not here. I'll have to experiment with the good mornings. Pc is a weak point for me so I think the most I've ever done is 165 or 75 for 5x5 this was while doing Hst.
Also is there an alternative to pullthroughs when I'm training at home? I have no problem going to the gym 1 or 2 a week, but the cables are the busiest place in the gym.

[AnimalMass]

You can do dumbell swings in place of pull throughs at home. I blieve Susan has a video of them on her site, although she does them a bit different than I do.

Matt