The way I do it.

       Since some programs I've used to train for competition were well received upon my recent posting of them on some facebook groups, I've been in several conversations that set off huge waves of requests for my current training methodology. I've discussed alot of training programs and methods I use with clients in detail in various outlets, but it's been pointed out that I haven't really explained the way I train myself. The following is the basic template I set my training up on, and is the result of my experiences as a lifter and my education/study. It took me a long time to work up to this so don't expect it to treat you nicely if you decide to jump in without prior experience with this type of training.

Off-season



 

       I train relatively infrequently in the off-season, which for me is typically 3 months. It's very simple during this time, with low volume. The focus is on full recovery, abbreviated training, and hypertrophy. This template is pretty standard in the HIT crowd, and was heavily influenced by the work of Ellington Darden.

 

       Every 3rd day: 6-8 exercises encompassing the major muscle groups. One set to failure of 6-15 reps after adequate warm-up. Sometimes I break these up into A and B sessions, with squats or DLs in the beginning of session A for a heavy set of 1-5 and bench presses in the beginning of session B. The two are then alternated, so that each main lift is hit roughly every 9 days for a single heavy set.

 

 

In-season

 

       During the season, I swing all the way in the other direction. Training is high volume, high intensity, and high frequency. Training load and volume are purely autoregulated. Targets for average load, total volume, and fatigue level are decided on weekly but are subject to change. The goal is to increase average weekly workload, average weekly volume, and total tonnage throughout the season, with minimal accumulated fatigue and absolutely no over-reaching. I only ever take weights I know I can hit and I err on the side of too light or too few lifts instead of letting fatigue and injury limit me. The daily and even the weekly performance doesn't matter. Daily capacities change. What matters is the trend should always be toward heavier loads and more work. After all, the strongest man is the one who lifts the most weight the most often. This one is less a template and more a set of guidelines.

 

1. Every lift every day.

2. 4-6 times a week.

3. Do singles with a load exceeding 70% in every session.

4. 80/20: 80 percent of my work is squatting, benching, and pulling; the remainder is essential support work.

 

       At present, this takes the shape of:

 

Monday: 

     SQ and BP: heavy triple, then repeated down-sets until fatigue reaches goal

     Sumo DL:single, then a single down-set for 3+ reps

     Row: one top set to failure and a second set either at less weight or using rest-pause reps

 

Tuesday:

     SQ and BP variation (pause squat, close grip, etc): heavy single

     Hip hinge movement (RDL, GM, etc; occasionally GHR, despite it not being a hinge): 6RM

     Upper arm accessories: one set for bis, one for tris, both to failure

 

Wednesday:

     SQ and BP: 80% of Monday's top weight, either for 3 triples or a single set of reps

     Olympic lift variation: work up to a daily max and follow with down-sets of 3

     Upper back/ rear delt: varied depending on the movement chosen

 

Thursday:

     SQ and BP variation: heavy single

     DL from varying positions: heavy single

          *mid shin, knee, and 1-2 inch deficit are the ones that carry over for me

     Upper arm accessories

Friday:
    SQ and BP volume work: see Monday
    Conventional DL: heavy single, then a down-set
    Chins: 2 working sets, typically with negatives on the second, or a reduction in load

Saturday:
     Active recovery: during the warm parts of the year, I hike at least an hour on this day; other times I do LISS cardio, a circuit, yoga, or whatever I want that isn't powerlifting.

     There you have it. I think I'll call it "Boring and Hard."