No Quarter's Powerlifting Routine POWERLIFTING I've been talking about it for many months now, so finally here it is, my powerlifting routine, including every aspect of my training. This entry represents my step into the world of strength. For records sake, here are my 3 max lifts at the time of starting this program (note that these are according to a one rep maximum lift chart not real life numbers):
At a bodyweight of 187lbs, August 28 2005
Squat: 310 (1.65x bodyweight)
Deadlift: 290 (1.55x bodyweight)
Bench Press: 195 (1.05x bodyweight)
Decent numbers considering my age and weight, but not where I want to be, which brings me to the first part of the routine: The goals.
Goals Instead of using numbers, I'll set goals by according to my bodyweight
Squat: 2.25x bodyweight (420lbs)
Deadlift: 2x bodyweight (380lbs)
Bench Press: 1.5x bodyweight (285lbs)
These number's seem quite intimidating at the moment, but that's okay because I like to set big goals for myself. Will I reach them? Hell if I know, quite frankly I don't know what to expect from this new aspect of weightlifting. I guess we'll try damned hard anyways and see what happens by the end of it all.
Training Training will happen 4 days a week: squat day, deadlift day, bench day and arm day. The three primary lift days will focus on the main lifts along with assistance exercises. Exact days will have to be changed around to take work and school into account, but the jist of it is:
Monday- Squat (Primary Lift) Squats 5x5
(Assistance Quads) Leg Press 3x8
(Assistance Hams) Lying Leg Curls 3x8
(Assistance Calves) Standing Calf Raises 3x8
Tuesday- Bench (Primary Lift) Bench Press 5x5
(Assistance Chest) Dumbell Chest Flys 3x8
(Assistance Delts) Dumbell Shoulder Press 3x8
(Assistance Abs) Weighted Hanging Leg Raises 3x8
Wednesday- Deadlift (Primary Lift) Deadlifts 5x5
(Assistance Upper Back) Lateral Pulldowns 3x8
(Assistance Traps) Upright Rows 3x8
Thursday- Arms (Assistance Biceps 1) EZ Bar Curls 3x8
(Assistance Biceps 2) Weighted Chin Ups 3x8
(Assistance Triceps 1) Close Grip Bench Press 3x8
(Assistance Triceps 2) Overhead Extensions 3x8
Friday- Rest
Saturday- Rest Sunday- Rest Primary Lift Progression This is taken directly from Barry Merriman's guide to powerlifting and will be followed exactly.
"Start the cycle for each lift with a weight you can handle for 5 sets of 5 reps. Every week for the lift, you increase the weight (by 20 lbs in the squat and deadlift, 10 lbs in the bench; cut those in half if they seem like big jumps for the weight you are using). Whenever you can't get 5 reps on a set, you throw that set out in the future. Continue this way, until you are left doing just one set of 5. At that point, if 8 or more weeks have gone by, stop the cycle (for that lift). If not, and you want to keep going longer, continue increasing the weight, and drop at least 1 rep each workout: i.e do no more than 4 reps the next time (its ok if you can't get that many though), and continue, planning to drop one rep each time. You will reach a single in at most 4 weeks (proabbly less) and stop the cycle after that (you can stop any time before the single as well).
Apply this procedure to each of the powerlifts. You can stop them at different times as they peter out. When you stop for one lift, just go into a holding pattern for it by doing one set of 5 with a fairly light weight, until you terminate all the others. Make the cycle run at least 8 weeks, but no more than 12. 8--10 is best. Starting with 5 sets of five, and assuming you drop one set per workout and then one rep per workout at the end would result in a 9 week cycle.
Progression on the assistance: *unlike* the power lifts, there is no projected steady increase in the weights used for assistance. These sets are done more instinctively, and you should just look at them as little contests: your goal is to pick a weight for your hard set that you can barely get 8 with. If you get 8 easy, you were a wimp. Use more weight next time. If you miss 8, you lose, it was too heavy. Be more conservative next time. Never do more than 8; if you have something left, save it for next time. There is no need to take these sets to failure all the time. Also, if you feel a little weak, there is no harm in dropping down, and vice versa. Just use instinct to select the weights, and have fun with it. The rigid progression is for the power lifts.
Also, towards the end of the cycle (the last couple weeks), start to go easy on the assistance, and you can even cut back on the number of sets some. The power lists will be pretty draining by then."
Supplements Whey Protein and Multivitamin. Nothing else is necessary.
Equipment A powerbelt will be used for squats along with decent crosstraining shoes. Knee wraps, chalk, and bench shirts have been considered, but I figure those are for the more serious powerlifters, not high school level athletes. The other equipment isn't really necessary until weights beyond what my goals are.
Diet Nutritional values will be calculated later, the goals include 2 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight, 3400-3800 calories a day (Which is my calculated caloric needs to gain mass at a moderate activity level) and 12 cups of water a day.
7:30-8:00 AM Cup Vector cereal + cup milk, Protein powder + 3 cups milk + 2 raw eggs
11:00-11:30 AM Cold cuts sub, 2 cups milk OR 3 cups oatmeal
1:00-1:15 PM Can of tuna, cup of yogurt, 15 pretzels
3:30-4:00 PM Protein powder + 3 cups milk
4:30-5:00 PM Chicken breast OR Canned chicken breast
9:30-10:00 PM Energy bar, cup of yogurt
11:00-12:00 PM Protein powder + 3 cups milk, 15 pretzels
So far the totals for an average day look like this:
Calories: 4021
Protein: 348 (37% of my intake)
Carbs: 531 (56% of my intake)
Fat: 57 (6% of my intake)
This is what I'll aim to eat everyday. I went a little bit over what I actually need, because to be honest I doubt I'll get a chance to eat every single item, every single day, and this way I'll have a bit of room to make up parts that I've missed at different times.
Duration
September 2005-April 2006.....7 months.
Resources considered for this program http://home.datacomm.ch/ssimmen/barry.htm http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/ http://www.criticalbench.com/chart.htm http://ast-ss.com/max-ot/max-ot_intro.asp http://www.calorieking.com/
<message edited by No Quarter on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 4:39 PM>