Workout Routine Critique

[barneycottontop]

Help Programming Workout

I wanted to see if anyone would give some feedback on a workout routine I am considering. I do have several years lifting experience and some knowledge of workout routines and principles. I am 37, run a business full time, and have a 1 year old kid, so there are time and recovery constraints I just can’t avoid.

The end goal would be the following;
500lbs barbell squat, 25 consecutive pistol squats, 100 consecutive pushups, 285lbs bench press for 15 reps, 55lbs kettlebell clean and jerk 150 reps consecutive, 400 meter run 70 seconds, 500lbs deadlift, overhead press 190lbs, barbell clean 300lbs, front lever, 140lbs sandbag carry 400m, 500 meter row machine in 1:25 min, 30" vertical jump, ring dips 50 consecutive, weighted ring dip 190lbs, 30 strict pullups, 190lbs weighted pullup, 6000 meter row in 20:00 min

The following was a rough outline. Trying to decide if I should utilize Wendler 531 or Tactical Barbell for progressive overload percentages on the main lifts.

• Day 1: Lower Body Strength
  1. Barbell Squats: 3 sets of 5 reps (progressively increase weight each week)
  2. Pistol Squats: 3 sets of 5 reps per leg (progressively increase difficulty each week)
  3. Glute and Hamstring Exercise (e.g., Romanian Deadlifts): 3 sets of 8 reps
  4. 400-meter Run: Aim for improved time each week
• Day 2: Upper Body Strength
  1. Bench Press: 3 sets of 10 reps (progressively increase weight each week)
  2. Push-Ups: 3 sets of maximum repetitions (progressively increase reps each week)
  3. Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 8 reps
  4. Ring Dips: 3 sets of maximum repetitions (progressively increase reps each week)
• Day 3: Conditioning and Power
  1. Kettlebell Clean and Jerk: 10 sets of 15 reps (progressively increase weight each week)
  2. 500-meter Row: Aim for improved time each week
  3. Vertical Jump: 3 sets of 5 reps
  4. Sandbag Carry: 400m (progressively increase weight each week)
• Day 4: Lower Body Strength
  1. Deadlifts: 3 sets of 5 reps (progressively increase weight each week)
  2. Front Squats: 3 sets of 8 reps
  3. Glute and Hamstring Exercise (e.g., Hip Thrusts): 3 sets of 10 reps
  4. 400-meter Run: Aim for improved time each week
• Day 5: Upper Body Strength
  1. Overhead Press: 3 sets of 5 reps (progressively increase weight each week)
  2. Pull-Ups: 3 sets of maximum repetitions (progressively increase reps each week)
  3. Barbell Clean: 3 sets of 5 reps (progressively increase weight each week)
  4. Ring Dips with Weight: 3 sets of 8 reps

Week 4 (Deload Week):
- Reduce the intensity by approximately 50% for all exercises.
- Focus on maintaining proper form, mobility work, and active recovery.
- Perform 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps for each exercise.
- Decrease the distance and intensity for running and rowing.

 

[unikue]

@barneycottontop I guess my biggest question is how does this plan get you to your goals? You have so many random goals to hit I feel like you're stretching yourself thin. Intense running goals and lifting goals at the same time on a busy schedule doesn't really seem achievable unless you have perfect methods. Perfect eating and perfect sleeping.

Let's take one of your many many goals for example.
Squatting 500 lbs. You're training deadlift and squat and you have a hip hinge movement as well. This is good except for the fact that your lower back is going to be in a lot of stress doing this every week. You don't have any focus movements probably due to your lack of time. No leg press or leg extension, no hip adduction. These aren't one hundred percent necessary but they build the squat.
I think the most confusing thing for me is you're using regular dynamic progression trying to hit a 500 lb squat. When you're getting into heavier weights, adding 5lbs to the bar every single week isn't even attainable. So I'm just confused how you're going to test all of these goals, (not just the squat goal) while only using dynamic progression to move forward. Where did these goals come from? Are you very close to most of these goals? That would be the only way you could manage achieving these with the plan you are doing.

 

[barneycottontop]

@unikue It is a lot of goals at once. Many exercises just being done to seek an end goal for that same movement but not enough prioritizing each by doing assistance movements. This is my main concern as well and why I am asking for you to criticize it so I can have the sanity check I may need.

My intent with using straight forward progressive overload would be the simplicity by taking most of the thought process out of the equation. I am short on time and want my days in the gym to be focusing on putting in a lot of effort.

The goals are mostly items I decided on from past history and partially from Seattle CrossFit’s Athletic Skill Levels sheet, this is from a long while back.

In some areas the goals are not far off and others I’d probably have to re-evaluate. DL and Squat I am within 50lbs and have already been there in the past, but the Overhead Press has always been a really hard lift for me to put weight on. In the running department I used to be at these numbers, but I have completely neglected running the past couple years. Most of the other items are strength endurance/ conditioning items that I think would progress quickly just by doing the movements, the kettlebell swings for example.

I really appreciate your feedback, it is why I posted to begin with. Do you have suggestions on a different overload method or even a different program? I’m here to seek knowledge.

 

[unikue]

@barneycottontop So it really depends. I think it's just too many goals. If you're close to your squat and deadlift goals already and you've achieved them previously then maybe you can prioritize something else.

I guess most importantly is to take two of those goals you listed and make them a priority. The rest can sit on the back burner. Doesn't mean you're not training them just they aren't the focus.

I've got no background for cardio and running goals. I think reaching those goals makes lifting goals more difficult. So if you choose more cardio based goals then you can take a more bodybuilding approach to your lifting. So just regular full body days where the cardio is the focus for you and you hit one compound plus a few accessories.

I'm all about strength building and body building. So usually hitting strength goals you focus on hitting two major compound goals. A lower and an upper. For example I prioritize bench and squat. You talked about overhead press. So you could prioritize overhead for your upper goal and squat or deadlift for your lower. In my opinion squat has better carry over. If you can squat 500, deadlifting 500 should come much easier. But that's just my opinion.

If you want to focus on getting your compounds stronger then I would pick overhead or bench and squat or deadlift and program yourself around that. Bald Omni Man just released his 2023 berserk program. There's a strength building template you can program yourself for prioritizing major compound lifts and building them. I would absolutely utilize that if I were you.

Otherwise if you want your cardio activities to hit pr's I wouldn't even focus compound weight goals. Just train your compounds regularly and keep your cardio the main focus. This might be easier for you with limited time as the plan you are doing works just fine for this. I would switch lifts to more upper and lower focused and lean into training the cardio stuff better.

For example something like bench, supplementary bench movement and back movement. Then your main cardio training.

For lower, squat, hip hinge movement and some leg accessory work plus your main cardio training.

It's basically like bodybuilding while leaning into what you want to pr in and still trying to keep decent weight on your compounds. If that makes sense.

I think the biggest thing is to figure out what your most important goals are first. Pick two... Three tops of all the things you listed and program yourself accordingly.

Feel free to get back to me and we can keep figuring it out if this helps.

 

[barneycottontop]

@unikue Looks like your background is similar to mine. I did powerlifting exclusively for some years and love it, but I really need to be more well rounded for overall health and well being. I want to be able to keep a lot of my strength but not stiff and run around with my son as he grows.

This comment you definitely confirmed my thoughts on everything. I’ve been training exactly like you suggested and was considering changing to this new template above.

I’ve given up trying to powerlift so bench really isn’t that important to me and I just want to keep strength on the other lifts. If it takes me 2 years to get back to the heavy compound lift numbers I’d be fine with that.

 

[unikue]

@barneycottontop For sure. I think powerlifting is a hard way of training to sustain. I respect it and have powerlifting elements in my training but man it takes its toll.

I was doing regular dynamic progression on paused squats for 3 sets of 6. I'm not strong by any means but doing two seconds pause at the bottom of each rep high bar at 250lbs is what did it for me. Like the weight feels very manageable. Like easy and I feel like I could progress to 300 a rep this way. Except my head just feels like it's going to burst. It's probably because I don't have a proper cardio routine implemented that I'm not getting enough oxygen to my brain at the bottom of the lift. But knowing my muscles are capable of it scares me to continue progressing this way. Finding better rep range training in programs to work up safely to pr's where you're hitting triples to singles is key once you get strong enough.

I guess that rant is trying to explain my point. I don't powerlift and I'm no where near elite levels of lifting. As an intermediate I can already see the effect chasing pr's without proper programming can lead too. So if you're hitting 300 to 400 lb weight ranges for reps you definitely have to program accordingly for those kind of loads. Unless your competing I don't think powerlifting is necessary. You've built up a base of strength and can keep attacking those areas and still go for pr's. It just had to be done the right way. One thing at a time too.

 

[barneycottontop]

@unikue Yeah I love utilizing pause reps and on back squat specifically the safety bar to really work the sticking points. I appreciate all the feedback man, I just needed someone to bounce ideas off of.

 

[unikue]

@barneycottontop Safety bar squat is fantastic. Front loaded variation works better for me better than front squats since my wrists have no mobility for front squats. For sure. It was good to talk. I wish you all the best in your journey dude. : )