advice on setting up intermediate program

[rocko]

Hey Charles:
I have been training using Mark Rippetoe's routines for novice trainees for the last 5months concentrating on the main lifts plus chinups, squating 3 times a week, etc. I should soon be approaching the intermediate level and I'm gathering ideas for what my intermediate level program should look like. My goals would be to keep my strenght going up plus adding hypertrophy into the mix. What would be an approach you would suggest using a 3 times a week model? Thanks in advance.

[Charles Staley]

A few things right off the bat...

As a novice, you did yourself a favor by using Rip's SS program? I'm sure you made some great gains

Also, I'm a fan of 3 days a week. Back in the 60's when the US dominated Olympic weightlifting, many of our top lifters trained 3 days a week. One outstanding feature of 3 days/week is that you'll always have 4 days a week to recover. Plus you get your life back.

OK so with all of that said, I'll just offer my approach, which is called the A-B Split. You train 3 days a week (although you can modify the frequency "on the fly" alternating between an A Session and a B Session. We designate specific movement patterns for each session:

A Session

1) Speed Strength (generally some form of snatch)
2) Lower Body Bilateral (generally some form of squat or deadlift)
3) Vertical Push (some form of press, push press, or jerk)
4) Horizontal Pull (some form of row)
5) Trunk Flexion (some form of crunch, situp, or pike)

B Session

1) Strength Speed (generally some form of clean)
2) Lower Body Unilateral (generally some form of lunge, step-up, or pistol)
3) Horizontal Push (some form of bench press)
4) Vertical Pull (some form of chin or pullup)
5) Trunk Rotation (some form of twisting crunch, russian twist, etc)

Loading parameters can vary according to your objective, and this template purposefully allows for a lot of flexibility in how you apply it.

So if there's interest, I'd be happy to flush this out further...


Hey Charles:
I have been training using Mark Rippetoe's routines for novice trainees for the last 5months concentrating on the main lifts plus chinups, squating 3 times a week, etc. I should soon be approaching the intermediate level and I'm gathering ideas for what my intermediate level program should look like. My goals would be to keep my strenght going up plus adding hypertrophy into the mix. What would be an approach you would suggest using a 3 times a week model? Thanks in advance.

[Keenan]

A few things right off the bat...

As a novice, you did yourself a favor by using Rip's SS program? I'm sure you made some great gains

Also, I'm a fan of 3 days a week. Back in the 60's when the US dominated Olympic weightlifting, many of our top lifters trained 3 days a week. One outstanding feature of 3 days/week is that you'll always have 4 days a week to recover. Plus you get your life back.

OK so with all of that said, I'll just offer my approach, which is called the A-B Split. You train 3 days a week (although you can modify the frequency "on the fly" alternating between an A Session and a B Session. We designate specific movement patterns for each session:

A Session

1) Speed Strength (generally some form of snatch)
2) Lower Body Bilateral (generally some form of squat or deadlift)
3) Vertical Push (some form of press, push press, or jerk)
4) Horizontal Pull (some form of row)
5) Trunk Flexion (some form of crunch, situp, or pike)

B Session

1) Strength Speed (generally some form of clean)
2) Lower Body Unilateral (generally some form of lunge, step-up, or pistol)
3) Horizontal Push (some form of bench press)
4) Vertical Pull (some form of chin or pullup)
5) Trunk Rotation (some form of twisting crunch, russian twist, etc)

Loading parameters can vary according to your objective, and this template purposefully allows for a lot of flexibility in how you apply it.

So if there's interest, I'd be happy to flush this out further...

Charles,
I would be very interested in hearing about more of the loading parameters and rep schemes. Please feel free to tell me to buy your book as Rip has often told many people. I am also interested in your wording of Strength Speed and Speed Strength. Could you give a brief summary of the difference? I know that followers of Dr. Mel Siff have mentioned that he has written very thorough definitions of both in his writings.

Thanks,
Keenan

[Charles Staley]

OK, buy my book (http://store.staleytraining.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=18) ;-)

The nice thing about the A-B Split is you can apply any loading parameters you like to it, including Rip's stuff. I probably don't need to elaborate on that too much, other than to say that if you're looking for maximal strength, use maximal strength parameters...if you want hypertrophy, hypertrophy parameters. If you like one set to failure, you can do that. Westside- yup, that works too.

Speed-strength and strength-speed are two ends of a spectrum, both involving speed and load. When speed predominates, it's speed-strength. When load predominates, it's strength-speed.


Charles,
I would be very interested in hearing about more of the loading parameters and rep schemes. Please feel free to tell me to buy your book as Rip has often told many people. I am also interested in your wording of Strength Speed and Speed Strength. Could you give a brief summary of the difference? I know that followers of Dr. Mel Siff have mentioned that he has written very thorough definitions of both in his writings.

Thanks,
Keenan

[coldfire]

A few things right off the bat...

As a novice, you did yourself a favor by using Rip's SS program? I'm sure you made some great gains

Also, I'm a fan of 3 days a week. Back in the 60's when the US dominated Olympic weightlifting, many of our top lifters trained 3 days a week. One outstanding feature of 3 days/week is that you'll always have 4 days a week to recover. Plus you get your life back.

OK so with all of that said, I'll just offer my approach, which is called the A-B Split. You train 3 days a week (although you can modify the frequency "on the fly" alternating between an A Session and a B Session. We designate specific movement patterns for each session:

A Session

1) Speed Strength (generally some form of snatch)
2) Lower Body Bilateral (generally some form of squat or deadlift)
3) Vertical Push (some form of press, push press, or jerk)
4) Horizontal Pull (some form of row)
5) Trunk Flexion (some form of crunch, situp, or pike)

B Session

1) Strength Speed (generally some form of clean)
2) Lower Body Unilateral (generally some form of lunge, step-up, or pistol)
3) Horizontal Push (some form of bench press)
4) Vertical Pull (some form of chin or pullup)
5) Trunk Rotation (some form of twisting crunch, russian twist, etc)

Loading parameters can vary according to your objective, and this template purposefully allows for a lot of flexibility in how you apply it.

So if there's interest, I'd be happy to flush this out further...

Just a quick question: What sense does it make to split a workout to vertical and horizontal stuff related to body positioning? Doesn't it leave some things out? For example, where does it put deadlifts, or incline presses?

[Charles Staley]

Deads would be lower body biletaral

Incline press would either be horizontal or vertical pressing, depending on the angle


Just a quick question: What sense does it make to split a workout to vertical and horizontal stuff related to body positioning? Doesn't it leave some things out? For example, where does it put deadlifts, or incline presses?