Full Body Workout Design and H L M Cycling

[BendtheBar]

I will add this...it's amazing the progress you make in 3 to 5 years time with a focus on progression, regardless of the method. As John Christy has stated...how many guys avtually go balls to the wall for 52 weeks a year?

[Skyler]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I will add this...it's amazing the progress you make in 3 to 5 years time with a focus on progression, regardless of the method. As John Christy has stated...how many guys avtually go balls to the wall for 52 weeks a year?

52 weeks is a great goal, though falling short of it often has less to do with balls and more to do with "vacation," "illness," and other words for "shit that gets in the way of training."

[Skyler]

One could also adopt some for of HST-style cyclic full body training.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Skyler

One could also adopt some for of HST-style cyclic full body training.

Yes, you could definitely do that.

[Casey Butt]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Casey Butt recommends an HLM approach on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Rep schemes are generally around 5, 10 and 15...and different movement types for the same muscle group are generally used. For example...on chest, (H) might be bench press, (L) might be flyes, and (M) might be dips.

Bill Starr's 5x5 uses HLM, but his approach is different. a Starr HLM for squat would be:

(H) 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 315x5
(L) 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 225x5
(M) 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 275x5, 325x3, 225x8

Medium day actually has more volume.

Actually, at the advanced levels, Starr recommends different exercises on the different days as well. He primarily uses total tonnage as the determinants of H, L or M, but varies from that as he sees fit. Much of what I've written about H/L/M can be gleaned from Starr's, Rippetoe's, etc, writings, though they tend to concern themselves more exclusively with strength development rather than from a bodybuilding perspective. Starr deserves a lot of credit here.

[thumpinos]

Where can I learn more about Starr's complete approach?

[Casey Butt]

Originally Posted by thumpinos

Where can I learn more about Starr's complete approach?

"The Strongest Shall Survive" contained a basic overview of his philosophy - that's the best single resource. He doesn't really get into the specifics of advanced strength training for bodybuilders in that book though - it's aimed at football players and strength athletes. On the other hand, Starr never really did write much exclusively with bodybuilding in mind. The only source of the more advanced training advice of Starr, not specifically for football, is from back issues of the bodybuilding magazines. Even then he did usually stick within the general framework outlined in "The Strongest Shall Survive" though.

[BendtheBar]

I don't want this thread to die. Each day my mind is pulled to the topic of...how can I make the transition to a fullbody routine as an advanced lifter?

This last week as I hit a 500 squat and (probably) a 550+ deadlift. My bench is over 350, and I also set a BTN press PR last week. The need for a cyclical approach to training is on my mind a lot. I simply, at the age of 42, can't be killing my body with the heaviest of weight on every workout.

I have thought long and hard about doing an HLM, but I often equate a light day to "leg extensions" instead of squats. And I hate exercises like that, so my mind if not engaged. when I look at advanced fullbody design, I have to revolve it around the big 3. The way that makes the most sense to me is have HLM exercises on every day.

[kitarpyar]

My comeback routine after the break is sort of a H/L/M routine.

Day 1 - Light (barbell complexes, giant sets with low weights and high reps)
Day 2 - rest
Day 3 - Heavy - I (bench and squats - singles, doubles and triples + BW pull-ups to failure)
Day 4 - rest
Day 5 - Moderate - I (cleans - 8 x 3, press, rows, front squats - 5 x 5)
Day 6 - rest
Day 7 - Moderate - II (bench, squats, one arm snatch - 5 x 5)
Day 8 - rest
Day 9 - Heavy - II (cleans, press and deadlifts - singles, doubles and triples)
Day 10 - rest

Repeat.

No idea how this will pan out.

[kitarpyar]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

The way that makes the most sense to me is have HLM exercises on every day.

This is a good option. Come to think about it, I would rather not go heavy on Press and Bench on the same day, but see to it that when one is heavy, the other stays light.

Same for deads and squats.

Also, taking a leaf out of CnP, I think one could design a 'light" day around high rep barbell complexes that still revolve round big lifts (eg: the bear complex).