Programs

[ashley]

Programs

Ashley Jones

When you take a moment to reflect on the really great programs that have stood the test of time, probably starting with the original Delorme & Watkins 3 x 10 progressive resistance programs that more or less commenced all the research into resistance training, through the following:

Vince Gironda’s 6x 6 and 8x 8

Bill Starr’s Big 3, Strongest Shall Survive 5 x 5

Charles Poliquin’s German Volume Training 10 x 10

Stephan Korte’s 3 x 3

One aspect jumps off the page at you straight away without going into details of each program is the simplicity of the overall set and rep pattern and also the use of basic compound movements to elicit gains is size and strength, featuring a Pull, a Push and a Squat movement.

Recently my colleague, Luke Thornley, sent me a very simply worked 3 x 3 matrix along similar lines to the above programs, utilizing the following set and rep plans over a week program:

Monday
4 x 4
8 x 8
6 x 6

Wednesday
8 x 8
6 x 6
4 x 4

Friday
6 x 6
4 x 4
8 x 8

Now you could any combination of pull, push and squat in each of these three days, you very well follow Stephan Korte’s plan and Dead Lift, Bench and Squat on each of the three days, or do a different movement within each category on each day.

I have been given a challenge, we have a new player who just by walking through the door of our training complex was given the nickname of, “The Pencil”, 195 centimetres (almost 77 inches) tall and weighing 77 (almost 170 pounds) kilograms. This may well be the plan of attack for this man for the next 6 weeks or so.

Variations on the above are endless, just to list a few for you below, using the simple and basic compound movements first would be;

Monday
4 x 4 – Bench Press
8 x 8 – Deadlift
6 x 6 – Squat

Wednesday
8 x 8 – Bench Press
6 x 6 – Deadlift
4 x 4 – Squat

Friday
6 x 6 – Bench Press
4 x 4 – Deadlift
8 x 8 – Squat

Or;

Monday
4 x 4 – Bench
6 x 6 – Squat
8 x 8 – Deadlift

Wednesday
4 x 4 – Deadlift
6 x 6 – Bench
8 x 8 – Squat

Friday
4 x 4 – Squat
6 x 6 – Deadlift
8 x 8 – Bench

Or, incorporating some of my favoured modified Olympic moves and the use of dumbbells and unilateral movements as well;

Monday
4 x 4 – Power Snatch
6 x 6 – Back Squat
8 x 8 – Incline DB Press

Wednesday
6 x 6 – Power Clean
4 x 4 – Flat DB Bench Press
8 x 8 – Sprinters Squat

Friday
4 x 4 – Front Squat
6 x 6 – Seated D.B Shoulder Press
8 x 8 – Deadlift

If you prefer to work with a body part split program you can work it in a similar vein, irrespective of the split you choose, an example for Chest is included below,

Incline Bench Press 4 x 4

DB Flat Bench Press 6 x 6

Dips 8 x 8

The permutations are endless, enjoy your programming options, Ashley Jones

[ashley]

We will potentially be using this with our players that need a little more upper body mass and stick to exercise rotations using 4 x 4, 6 x 6 and 8 x 8, whilst sticking to 3 x 3, 4 x 4 and 5 x 5 with the lower body, adjusting where we need to as we get feedback from the player and the progam, cheers, ash

[simon15]

What rest will you be applying between sets within these sessions Ash?
ie. true Gironda 8×8 with very short (15-30sec) rest and overloading with that reduced rest time?

How will you be adjusting the rest periods for the 3’s 4’s 5’s etc?

Keep us posted on how ‘The Pencil’ goes with the intensity and volume, does he have much training history behind that 77kg frame?

[ashley]

Cheers for that simon15, will probably keep the 8 x 8 around 1 minute to begin with as my pencil has no training age at all, if for someone else I would go down over time and probably stay at 30 seconds and keep a 60 – 90 second rest for the heavier 3, 4,and 5 rep sets, will keep you all updated, cheers, ash

[spida hunter]

I’m enjoying your “simplicity” Ash thanks for keeping it real! I’m currently doing what you wrote in an aritcile for Get strength some time ago.

5wks x5exercises x5sets x5reps (just finishing up my 5th week now 🙂

Bro, this is the first week that I haven’t felt like my a.s.s has been handed too. Okay sure, I haven’t been “under the bar” in a while with league season but come on!

How have other people responsed to this programme?
Did they “smash it” or felt like they were “being smashed”?

The squat day is the “killer”!

In saying all of that I have done most of the programme;
On Monday (Olympic lifts) just gone I only did 3 exercises my back was killing me and I was feeling a little “mentally weak” so I didn’t do the last 2 exercises.

But prior to that the last 3wks I’ve missed a couple of reps here and there with fatigue and have extended my rest a little (so I don’t have to go that dark place to get them out 🙂 but the big picture is 625reps per week and a bit grumpy with body been sore!

Sorry for long post but I’m hanging out for some insight on HOW others have responed to this training programme both in terms of results and “how” they have handled it mentally and physically?

Thanks Ash,

[ashley]

Cheers Spida, well I must congratulate you for hanging in there it is a bit of a killer, but a short term program , so you can always see the light at the end of the tunnell, days off the weights are massive calorie intake and rest and recovery days, and you can be forgiven for being a bit grumpy, no wonder I still live alone, haha, as always these programs can be used in there entirity or cut up and modified, for me it is always great to feel what a program is doing to you personally so you have better empathy with your athletes, go well, Ash

[spida hunter]

Thanks for the insight, funny after that post I missed the next 3days of training!

No regrets with missing them, I was stuffed and I really enjoyed the recovery because this week of 4×4 I killed it! Loving the decrease in volume almost feeling a little deprived.

Anyway, loving being back under the bar.

thanks again,

[garethshepherd110@msn.com]

Gents,

Simple programme Staple Big Olympic/ Power Movements Progressive Loading Desire for Hardwork= Results!!

I’ve done pretty much each of the Programme’s Ash described at some point over the last 14 years and they all work. The common denominator is that you have to stick at it through the good days and the bad days.

The biggest gains I got were through a 5×8 for 5 weeks/ 5×5 for 5 weeks/ 5×3 for 5 weeks. Put on over a lean stone, hit PB’s in the DL/ Bench etc.

[ashley]

@spida hunter 783 wrote:

Thanks for the insight, funny after that post I missed the next 3days of training!

No regrets with missing them, I was stuffed and I really enjoyed the recovery because this week of 4×4 I killed it! Loving the decrease in volume almost feeling a little deprived.

Anyway, loving being back under the bar.

thanks again,

Hey Spida, in words from the good book, you will reap what you sow, so go well, ash

[si987]

hey ash, is it okay to bench 3 times per week?

[ashley]

I would say that you could bench 3 times a week if you change the
movement 3 times a week as well or you change the sets and reps
structure for each of the 3 workouts, personally I would prefer the
first option, cheers,a sh

[sthompson@getstrength.com]

Here is a example of a Russian Powerlifting Bench Program

WEEK 1
Day 1: Close grip bench (legs up) -3 sets of 8 @ 60% of Raw
Close grip 2 Board Press – 1×5 @ 80%, 2×3 @ 85%
Lying Tricep Extensions- 3 sets of 8-10 @ 30% (use curl bar)
Dips with weight 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Forearms and Biceps 6-10 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Wide grip bench (legs up) – 3 sets of 5 @ 72.5% of Raw
Incline Bench – 3 sets of 8-10 reps @ 55%
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Dumbell or Barbell)
Front Raises with Dumbells – 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Regular bench(60 sec.) – 9 sets of 3 (3 wide, 3 med. 3 close grip) 60% bands 75% no bands
2 Board press – 3 sets of 3 reps work as heavy as possible, approx. 100%
Rotater cuffs 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps
Body weight dips 3 sets of as many as possible
WEEK 2
Day 1: Close grip bench (legs up) -3 sets of 8 @ 62.5% of Raw
Close grip 2 Board Press – 1×5 @ 85%, 2×3 @ 90%
Lying Tricep Extensions- 3 sets of 8-10 @ 32.5% (use curl bar)
Dips with weight 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Forearms and Biceps 6-10 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Wide grip bench (legs up) – 3 sets of 5 @ 75% of Raw
Incline Bench – 3 sets of 8-10 reps @ 57.5%
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Dumbell or Barbell)
Front Raises with Dumbells – 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Regular bench (60 sec.)– 9 sets of 3 (3 wide, 3 med. 3 close grip) 60% bands 75% no bands
2 Board press – 3 sets of 3 reps work as heavy as possible, approx. 105%
Rotater cuffs 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps
Body weight dips 3 sets of as many as possible

WEEK 3

Day 1: Close grip bench (legs up) -3 sets of 8 @ 65% of Raw
Close grip 2 Board Press – 1×5 @ 90%, 2×3 @ 95%
Lying Tricep Extensions- 3 sets of 8-10 @ 35% (use curl bar)
Dips with weight 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Forearms and Biceps 6-10 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Wide grip bench (legs up) – 3 sets of 5 @ 77.5% of Raw
Incline Bench – 3 sets of 8-10 reps @ 60%
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Dumbell or Barbell)
Front Raises with Dumbells – 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Regular bench (55 sec.) – 9 sets of 3 (3 wide, 3 med. 3 close grip) 60% bands 75% no bands
2 Board press – 3 sets of 3 reps work as heavy as possible, approx. 110%
Rotater cuffs 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps
Body weight dips 3 sets of as many as possible
WEEK 4

Day 1: Close grip bench (legs down) -3 sets of 5 @ 77.5% of Raw
Med. grip 3 Board Press – 1×5 @ 95%, 2×3 @ 100%
Tricep Ext. (lying on floor, weight touches floor)- 3 sets of 8-10 @ 30% (use curl bar)
Dips with weight 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Forearms and Biceps 6-10 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Wide grip bench (legs up) – 3 sets of 8 @ 67.5% of Raw
Incline Bench – 3 sets of 8-10 reps @ 62.5%
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Dumbell or Barbell)
Front Raises with Dumbells – 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Regular bench (50 sec.) – 9 sets of 3 (3 wide, 3 med. 3 close grip) 60% bands 75% no bands
Lock outs – 3 sets of 3 reps work as heavy as possible, approx. 110%
Rotater cuffs 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps
Body weight dips 3 sets of as many as possible

WEEK 5

Day 1: Close grip bench (legs down) -3 sets of 5 @ 80% of Raw
Med. grip 3 Board Press – 1×5 @ 100%, 2×3 @ 105%
Tricep Ext. (lying on floor, weight touches floor)- 3 sets of 8-10 @ 32.5% (use curl bar)
Dips with weight 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Forearms and Biceps 6-10 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Wide grip bench (legs up) – 3 sets of 8 @ 70% of Raw
Incline Bench – 3 sets of 5 reps @ 65%
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Dumbell or Barbell)
Front Raises with Dumbells – 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Regular bench (45 sec.)– 9 sets of 3 (3 wide, 3 med. 3 close grip) 60% bands 75% no bands
Lock outs – 3 sets of 3 reps work as heavy as possible, approx. 115%
Rotater cuffs 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps
Body weight dips 3 sets of as many as possible

WEEK 6

Day 1: Close grip bench (legs down) -3 sets of 5 @ 82.5% of Raw
Med. grip 3 Board Press – 1×5 @ 105%, 2×3 @ 110%
Tricep Ext. (lying on floor, weight touches floor)- 3 sets of 8-10 @ 35% (use curl bar)
Dips with weight 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Forearms and Biceps 6-10 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 2: Wide grip bench (legs up) – 3 sets of 8 @ 72.5% of Raw
Incline Bench – 3 sets of 5 reps @ 70%
Shoulder Press – 3 sets of 10-12 reps (Dumbell or Barbell)
Front Raises with Dumbells – 4 sets of 10-15 reps

Day 3: Regular bench (45 sec.) – 9 sets of 3 (3 wide, 3 med. 3 close grip) 60% bands 75% no bands
Lock outs – 3 sets of 3 reps work as heavy as possible, approx. 120%
Rotater cuffs 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps
Body weight dips 3 sets of as many as possible

[damian]

Depends on many variables – age, training age, nutrition status, revovery status, goals etc. You could but that does not make it optimal.

Cheers

Damian

[Author]

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