Phase 4 Notes We ll be either maintaining or tapering the volume over the remaining few weeks; NOT increasing it. This is to get you ready to peak for a new max. PLEASE hold back on your 5 s and 3 s. Save it for your 1RM the final week. The 5 should be pretty heavy. The triple should be fairly easy. Then it s balls out, no holds barred the final week. For the push presses, just take it easy each of the remaining weeks. Then determine how far and hard you want to push it on the last week, based on your shoulder health and how you re feeling that day. If you want to go for a 3RM that s your call. For the incline press and the squat the periodization scheme will look like this: Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Week 1- Easy 10 Easy 8 Easy 5 Easy 5 Week 2-10RM 6RM 4RM 5RM Week 3-8RM 5RM 4RM 3RM Week 4-8RM 5RM 3RM 1RM I m not a fan of going too heavy on military presses due to safety issues. So they are placed after the incline press and also done for slightly higher reps. The periodization scheme for the military press will look like this: *For Phase 4 you are going to switch to a push press Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Week 1- Easy 10 Easy 8 Easy 6 Easy 5 Week 2-10RM 8RM 6RM 5RM Week 3-10RM 8RM 6RM 5RM Week 4-10RM 8RM 6RM 5RM If you want to do handstand pushups instead of military presses that is completely fine.
The periodization scheme for the deadlifts will look like this: Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Week 1- Easy 8 Easy 5 Easy 5 Easy 5 Week 2-8RM 5RM 3RM 5RM Week 3-8RM 5RM 3RM 3RM Week 4-8RM 5RM 3RM 1RM If you re over 35 and beat up do this on the presses and squats: Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Week 1- Easy 10 Easy 8 Easy 6 Easy 5 Week 2-10RM 8RM 6RM 5RM Week 3-10RM 8RM 6RM 5RM Week 4-10RM 8RM 6RM 5RM If you re over 35 and beat up do this on the deadlifts: Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Week 1- Easy 8 Easy 6 Easy 4 Easy 5 Week 2-8RM 6RM 4RM 3RM Week 3-8RM 6RM 4RM 3RM Week 4-8RM 6RM 4RM 3RM The four days are split into: Day 1- Heavy Upper (Low Incline Press, Overhead Press) Day 2- Heavy Lower (Squat, Dead, Trap Bar Dead) Day 3- Rep Upper Day 4- Rep Lower/ Sprints/ Sled Work The stressful exercises are done on the two heavy days. The two lighter days are very joint and CNS friendly. This will keep you fresh and able to do whatever you want.
Miscellaneous Notes If you want the weekends completely off or can only train during the weeks it s okay to train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday instead of the way I have it laid out. Even though the big exercises are listed as an RM we should all know by now that you are doing a hard, clean set and not a true rep max. Keep in mind that you want to start light and give yourself room to progress for 12 weeks. The great lifters never miss a weight and work up slowly. If you kill yourself early on you won t have a lot of room for progress over the remaining weeks. Train hard but smart. Push the assistance work but always hold back on the four big lifts.
Heavy Upper Body Day Sets Reps Rest 1) Low Incline Press 1, 1 5RM, BO 90 2) Push Press 1, 1 5RM, BO 90 3) Neutral Grip Incline DB Row 3 6 60 4) EZ Bar Curl 2 8-10 60 Optional Finisher- Jump rope for 10 minutes or KB Snatch Soft Tissue Work 1) 30 Minute Walk 2) Rumble Roller on IT Band, Quads, Hip Flexors, Hamstrings, Adductors, Calves, Upper Back, Lats, Pecs, Triceps- 1 minute each 3) LAX Ball on Glutes- 1 minute per side 4) LAX Ball on Forearm Flexors & Extensors- 1 minute per side 5) Internal/ External Rotation w/ LAX ball in between spine and shoulder blade- 10 per side 6) LAX Ball on Pecs- 1 minute per side Heavy Lower Body Day Sets Reps Rest 1) Box Jump* 3 3 60 2) Squat 1,1 5RM, BO 120 3) Deadlift 1 5RM 120 4) Hang Clean** 3 6 60 5) Barbell Russian Twist*** 3 5 60 *Jump onto the box then STEP off. Do not jump off. **With any type of implement you want. I d recommend a log, neutral grip log bar, heavy sandbag or med ball. ***Set a bar in a corner like you re gonna do a landmine exercise. Grab the end of the barbell and rotate at the hips (NOT THE SPINE) while you lower the bar to your left hip. Repeat to the other side for the prescribed number of reps. Optional Finisher- Jump rope for 10 minutes or KB Swing Sprints can be done as a second workout on this day 4-6 hours before or after training
Trap Bar Deadlift Option Sets Reps Rest 1) Box Jump* 3 3 60 2) Trap Bar Deadlift 1,1 5RM, BO 120 3) KB or Barbell Front Squat 1,1 5RM, BO 120 4) Hang Clean** 3 6 60 5) Barbell Russian Twist*** 3 5 60 *Jump onto the box then STEP off. Do not jump off. ** With any type of implement you want. I d recommend a log, neutral grip log bar, heavy sandbag or med ball. ***Set a bar in a corner like you re gonna do a landmine exercise. Grab the end of the barbell and rotate at the hips (NOT THE SPINE) while you lower the bar to your left hip. Repeat to the other side for the prescribed number of reps. Optional Finisher- Jump rope for 10 minutes or KB Swing Sprints can be done as a second workout on this day 4-6 hours before or after training Mobility & Flexibility 1) Neck Flexion and Extension- 20 2) Neck Rotation- 20 3) Forward Shoulder Roll- 15 4) Backward Shoulder Roll- 15 5) Egyptian- 10 in each direction 6) Shoulder Dislocation- 20 7) Hip Circles- 15 in each direction 8) Invisible Hurdle Drill- 10 in each direction 9) Close Stance Squat- 10 (pause at bottom for 3 sec) 10) Dynamic Hip Flexion- 20 11) Alphabet w/ Ankles- Write each letter w/ both sides 12) Hip Flexor Stretch- 4 x 20 seconds per side 13) 90/90 Glute Stretch- 30 seconds per side
Full Body Day Sets Reps Rest 1a) Ring Pull Up 3 8 60 1b) Barbell Glute Bridge 3 10 60 1c) Flat DB Press 3 8 60 1d) L- Sit on Rings 3 30 sec. 60 2) Rope Pushdown 2 12-15 60 Strongman Day Sets Reps Rest 1a) Pronated Sled Ring Row* 3 12-15 60 1b) Forward Sled Drag** 3 ALAP 60 1c) Overhead/ Farmers Walk Combo*** 3 40 sec. 60 1d) KB Swing 3 20 60 2) Sled Ring Curl 3 10-12 60 *Pull to your lower chest. **Do neutral grip inverted rows or seated rope cable rows if you don t have a long rope and sled. If you have a sled but no rope, row the sled w/ rings or JGXT. **Switch hands/positions at 20 seconds. Use a light KB for overhead and a heavy one for farmers. ***Use same weight as row and just go as far as you can. Stop short of death.
Sprints Optional session done 4-6 hours before, after or in place of strongman training 1) Jumping Jack- 30 seconds 2) Flings- 30 seconds 3) Overhead Squat- 20 4) Ground on Fire Rapid Hopping in Place- 20 seconds 5) High Ankle Hopping- 20 seconds 6) Walking Lunge w/ Twist- 5 per side 7) Walking Leg Kick/Toe Touch- 10 per side 8) Walking Knee to Chest- 10 per side 9) Butt Kick- 10 per side 10) Side Shuffle- 20 yards both directions 11) Arm Circles Forward- 20 12) Arm Circles Backward- 20 13) 5-7 Progressively Faster Warm Up Sprints of 30 Yards 14) 6-10 x 30-50 yard hill, beach or sled sprints - 60-120 seconds rest Mobility & Flexibility or Take Off 1) Neck Flexion and Extension- 20 2) Neck Rotation- 20 3) Forward Shoulder Roll- 15 4) Backward Shoulder Roll- 15 5) Egyptian- 10 in each direction 6) Shoulder Dislocation- 20 7) Hip Circles- 15 in each direction 8) Invisible Hurdle Drill- 10 in each direction 9) Close Stance Squat- 10 (pause at bottom for 3 sec) 10) Dynamic Hip Flexion- 20 11) Alphabet w/ Ankles- Write each letter w/ both sides 12) Hip Flexor Stretch- 4 x 20 seconds per side 13) 90/90 Glute Stretch- 30 seconds per side
1) Jump Rope- 2 minutes (optional) 2) Shoulder Dislocations w/ Band or Broomstick- 25 3) Pronated Band Pull Apart at Chest Height- 12 4) Behind the Back Band Fly- 10 5) Supinated Band Pull Apart at Navel Height- 12 6) Kneeling Pushup- 10 7) Scapular Wall Slide- 12 8) Pushup Plus- 20 9) Band Face Pull- 12 10) Cat/ Camel- 10 11) Slow Curl Up- 3 x 5 sec. holds on each side 12) Bird/ Dog- 5 13) YTWL- 5 each 14) Handstand Hold- 2 x 20-30 sec 15a) Front Lever Iso Hold- 4 x 10 sec. x 30 15b) Planche Iso Hold- 4 x 10 sec. x 30 1) Jump Rope- 2 minutes (optional) 2) Lateral Walks w/ Band Around Knees and Slight Forward Lean- 10 in each direction 3) Overhead Squat- 10 4) Iso Hold Kneeling Side Plank/ Clam Combo- 60 sec per side 5) Squat w/ Band Around Knees- 10 6) Iso Hold Fire Hydrant- 60 sec per side 7) Cat/ Camel- 5 8) Cossack Squat- 10 per side (hold onto something if necessary and sink lower on each rep) 9) Ankle Mobility Wall Drill- 30 seconds per side 10) 3 Point Front Lunge Stretch- 30 seconds per side 11) Hip Flexor Wall Mobility Drill- 30 seconds per side 12) 90/90 Glute Stretch- 30-60 seconds per side 13) Bridge & Reach- 10 (glute bridge and reach across body with one arm to opposite side) 14) Shoulder Dislocations w/ Band or Broomstick 15) Supinated (Palms Up) Band Pull Apart at Chest Height- 20 16) Downward Dog Pumping Calf Stretch- 10 per side
Heavy Upper- Monday Sets Reps Rest 1) Low Incline Press 1,1 5RM, BO 90 2) Push Press 1,1 5RM, BO 60 3) Neutral Grip Incline DB Row 3 6 60 4) EZ Bar Curl 2 8-10 60 Heavy Lower- Wednesday Sets Reps Rest 1) Box Jump* 3 3 60 2) Squat 1,1 5RM, BO 120 3) Deadlift 1 5RM 120 4) Hang Clean** 3 6 60 5) Barbell Russian Twist*** 3 5 60 Trap Bar Deadlift Option Sets Reps Rest 1) Box Jump* 3 3 60 2) Trap Bar Deadlift 1,1 5RM, BO 120 3) KB or Barbell Front Squat 1,1 5RM, BO 120 4) Hang Clean** 3 6 60 5) Barbell Russian Twist*** 3 5 60 Full Body Day Sets Reps Rest 1a) Ring Pull Up 3 8 60 1b) Barbell Glute Bridge 3 10 60 1c) Flat DB Press 3 8 60 1d) L- Sit on Rings 3 30 sec. 60 2) Rope Pushdown 2 12-15 60 Strongman Day Sets Reps Rest 1a) Pronated Sled Ring Row* 3 12-15 60 1b) Forward Sled Drag** 3 ALAP 60 1c) Overhead/ Farmers Walk Combo*** 3 40 sec. 60 1d) KB Swing 3 20 60 2) Sled Ring Curl 3 10-12 60