Warm-up
-Rumble roller
-Banded hip flexor stretch with glutes flexed (pull backwards, sideways with internal and external rotation, stand and pull forwards)
-Leg swings (forward and sideways)
-Fire hydrants (rotating both ways)
-Squat (pushing knees out with elbows) to standing hamstring stretch
Squat: (Mon/Weds/Fri): Squat to DM (1 rep); 3-5 back-off sets of 5 reps; Pull-ups 5x10 (Optional Accessory: Ab Roller 3x10)
Bench: (Tues/Thurs/Sun): Paused bench press to DM (1 rep); 3-5 back-off sets of 5 reps; Shoulder Press 3x5 (Optional Accessory: One Arm Dumbbell Row 3x5)
Deadlift: (Sat): Deadlift 3x5; Pull-ups 5x10
-Back-off sets = DM-30 lbs for squats, DM-25 lbs for bench press (calculated from 1RM, ~10% drop in effort, which should allow for 5 reps)
-Increase DM by 5 lbs each workout (after this stalls, can increase 5 lbs each week instead)
-Increase DM by 5 lbs each workout (after this stalls, can increase 5 lbs each week instead)
Adapted my training program to this new daily max style program. There's a few reasons for this, and I think there's some advantages to this, at least for me.
1) Doing the daily max helps build confidence because you know you can hit a good clean rep at a significantly higher weight than what the working sets will be. This is particularly confidence-inducing too because when progressing on a program like Starting Strength, Stronglifts or the like, linear progression is occurring with each workout, but that progression also involves a new PR with 5 reps. If say, the previous workout was a real grind to get that 5th rep for each set, then it's very natural to be nervous entering the following workout, trying for a heavy weight that has never been attempted before, and doing 3-5 sets of 5 with it. Doing a daily max builds confidence that a heavier weight CAN be done without technique breakdown or grinding a good many workouts prior to the working sets of 5 reps actually reaching that weight. By the time the working sets of 5 reps come around, your new daily max is already 30 lbs heavier, so again, confidence will be significantly boosted. Note: the choice of dropping 30 lbs (at least within this weight range of ~300 lbs) was actually chosen because based on a 1RM calculator, that's ~ a 10% drop in effort. For example, if 300 lbs is the 1RM, 270 is 90% and can be done for 5 reps.
2) Along the same lines, doing a daily max with higher weight helps you get more accustomed to having a heavy weight on the back, and also keeping the technique solid with a heavier weight. This will help with preventing you linearly progressing up to a new weight that you are unaccustomed to and possibly grinding the reps and burning out your CNS or worse, getting injured because of technique breakdown.
3) There's a lot more confidence for hitting a daily max because everything can be poured into that 1 rep and performing it perfectly, as you would in an actual powerlifting competition. When you get under the bar, you don't need to worry about doing an additional 4 reps afterwards. You can just focus 100% on hitting that rep perfectly.
4) By hitting daily maxes and then doing back off sets, not only will those sets feel easier, but volume can be built up with those sets and it is well known that strength building occurs in those lower intensity higher volume sets, NOT the actual testing or demonstration of strength through the 1 rep maxes.
In contrast to my previous linear program though, I am only doing 1 main lift per day, the main reason being time constraints. In doing this, I can focus on squatting 100% that day without worrying that I still have to do my full bench and deadlift workout still. This also allows me to push beyond just 3 sets and can boost my volume that way. However, in doing it this way, I have relegated the deadlift to it's own day, once a week, but on that day, I'm doing 3x5 instead of 1x5. Although the frequency is decreased so much, I think the performance and training effect should actually be better because I can actually focus on hitting the deadlifts as opposed to doing it after I'm all burned out from the volume of squats and bench presses done beforehand.
1) Doing the daily max helps build confidence because you know you can hit a good clean rep at a significantly higher weight than what the working sets will be. This is particularly confidence-inducing too because when progressing on a program like Starting Strength, Stronglifts or the like, linear progression is occurring with each workout, but that progression also involves a new PR with 5 reps. If say, the previous workout was a real grind to get that 5th rep for each set, then it's very natural to be nervous entering the following workout, trying for a heavy weight that has never been attempted before, and doing 3-5 sets of 5 with it. Doing a daily max builds confidence that a heavier weight CAN be done without technique breakdown or grinding a good many workouts prior to the working sets of 5 reps actually reaching that weight. By the time the working sets of 5 reps come around, your new daily max is already 30 lbs heavier, so again, confidence will be significantly boosted. Note: the choice of dropping 30 lbs (at least within this weight range of ~300 lbs) was actually chosen because based on a 1RM calculator, that's ~ a 10% drop in effort. For example, if 300 lbs is the 1RM, 270 is 90% and can be done for 5 reps.
2) Along the same lines, doing a daily max with higher weight helps you get more accustomed to having a heavy weight on the back, and also keeping the technique solid with a heavier weight. This will help with preventing you linearly progressing up to a new weight that you are unaccustomed to and possibly grinding the reps and burning out your CNS or worse, getting injured because of technique breakdown.
3) There's a lot more confidence for hitting a daily max because everything can be poured into that 1 rep and performing it perfectly, as you would in an actual powerlifting competition. When you get under the bar, you don't need to worry about doing an additional 4 reps afterwards. You can just focus 100% on hitting that rep perfectly.
4) By hitting daily maxes and then doing back off sets, not only will those sets feel easier, but volume can be built up with those sets and it is well known that strength building occurs in those lower intensity higher volume sets, NOT the actual testing or demonstration of strength through the 1 rep maxes.
In contrast to my previous linear program though, I am only doing 1 main lift per day, the main reason being time constraints. In doing this, I can focus on squatting 100% that day without worrying that I still have to do my full bench and deadlift workout still. This also allows me to push beyond just 3 sets and can boost my volume that way. However, in doing it this way, I have relegated the deadlift to it's own day, once a week, but on that day, I'm doing 3x5 instead of 1x5. Although the frequency is decreased so much, I think the performance and training effect should actually be better because I can actually focus on hitting the deadlifts as opposed to doing it after I'm all burned out from the volume of squats and bench presses done beforehand.
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