Swans05's Training Log

[swanso5]

Ok, I knew I wouldn’t keep this up but I’m making amends now.

I’ve just co me off Eric Cressey’s Max Strength Manual which is a 4 block, 16 week program.

Here is a quick rundown of it w/ each phase being 4 weeks long following this intensity/volume progression:

Week 1 – high
Week 2 – medium
Week 3 – very high
Week 4 – easy/deload

I’ve put in a top wt after each exercise which will have been used in week 3 obviously

Phase 1: Foundation – this was as surprisingly tough phase.

Day 1
Box Squat 5 x 4 / 4 x / 8 x 3 / 3 x easy…103.5kgs
Speed Deadlifts 8 x 2 @ 50% / 55% / 10 x 2 @ 60% / 3 x 2 @ 65%
Walking Lunge 4 x 8 / 3 x / 4 x / 2 x easy
Reverse Crunch s/s Prone Ab Brace 3 x 12 / 30secs

Day 3
Bench same as BS above…93.5kgs
Low Incline DB Press paired with Medium Grip Seated Row 3 x 10 / x 9 / x 10 / 2 x 10 easy…31.5kgs / 150pds
Trap Raise / Side Lying External Rotation / Side Ab Brace 3 x 12 / 12 / 30secs

Day 5
Front Squat 4 x 6 / 4 x / 6 x / 3 x easy…72.5kgs
Knee Height Rack Pull 4 x 6 / 3 x / 5 x / 2 x easy…125kgs
Bulgarian Split Squat 3 x 6 / 3 x 5 / 4 x 6 / 2 x easy…41kgs
Pull Through paired w/ Hip Ups 3 x 10 / 12 (2 x 10 deload week for PT)

Day 6
Single Arm Shoulder Press paired w/ Chin Ups 4 x 6 / 4 x , 3 x / 6 x / 4 x / 3 x…32.5kgs / 27.5kgs (chins done on the clothes line at home!!!)
Gymnastic Ring Push Up paired w/ Single Arm Row (w/ BB and wt on 1 end) 3 x 10, 8 / x 12, 7 / 4 x 10, 4 x 8 / 3 x 8, 7…27.5kgs / 47.5kgs
* there was also Kneeling Cable External Rotations paired with Side Ab Braces but I only did them 1 week

Phase 2: Build – uses cluster sets which is rest/pause for the old school out there to allow for maxi mail wts to be used for mass gains so where it says (4 x 2) x 5 you do 4 sets of 2 reps with 10secs btw sets then rest 1 – 2mins for 5 cycles using a wt that allows all reps to be reached where I used a 5 rep wt or thereabouts.

Day 1
Front S quat (4 x 2) x 5 / (5 x 1) x 5 / (4 x 1) x 6 / omit…80kgs
Step Up 3 x 8 / x 6 / 4 x 8 / 2 x 6 easy…45kgs
Gymnastic Ring Roll Out paired w/ Glute Ham Raise 3 x 10, 8 / 2 x / 3 x / 2 x easy…5kgs for GHR
Pistol 2 x 10…5kgs

Day 3
Incline Press paired w/ Chin Ups same as FS above…72kgs / 30kgs
DB Bench Press paired w/ Head Supported DB Row 3 x 8 / x 6 / x 8 / 2 x 6 easy…35kgs / 27kgs
* there was also Cable Backhands paired w/ Zottman Curls but I didn’t do them

Day 5
Stand Long Jump 5 x 5 / 5 x / 6 x / omit…should have measured them but I didn’t
Elevated Deadlifts (off 1 – 2â€

[SarahPT]

Looks like a good program. Nice work. I think rest pasue is a really solid training method.