I have read the article on program design and am setting up my NLP split, I understand how the power days go thats pretty simple, the lighter days do have a sugested exercise setup but was wondering a bit more about the intensity techniques. some suggestions are made but I was wondering how some of you have done it?
looking to put together a solid routine would love some input.
setting up a NLP split
Thu, 2011-08-04 17:40
setting up a NLP split
Fri, 2011-08-05 15:33
#1
You can look at my stuff which I have broken down into a three week split! you will see the three cycles at the top of active forums
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:21
#2
Here's the new style of workouts I am doing now combining it all together: I know I wrote this somewhere else but here the changes going into my workouts:
Another way to vary this and make more nonlinear
Let’s take a 4 day split to set this all up and the 4 day split will go like this:
Day 1- Legs/Calves
Day 2- Chest/tris
Day 3- Back/bis
Day 4- Shoulders/traps
I really like the 4 day split as one of the best when not getting the overlap of the muscles for enough rest and recovery.
Now let’s take the Heavy-Light-Medium styles of training and use it here to set this scenario all up:
Heavy weeks-(POWER)- 4 sets of 5 reps along with a set of 2 and some back off lighter sets for the main 4 body parts, no accessory body parts done with this workout.
Light Weeks-(TIME UNDER TENSION)- The weight used here are very light to allow joint and CNS recovery. The styles used here are Negatives sets, supersets, slow positives and drop sets. Extra time where the muscles will be under tension for more than a minute straight.
Medium weeks-(HYPERTROPHY/VOLUME)- 1st exercise will be done as the main one that will be considered the hypertrophy exercise for 4 sets of 6-10 reps. The workout will be then done in a fashion that entails higher reps and volume with little to no rest. I alternate these workouts to finish them off with either trisets/giant sets for 3-4 cycles of 15 reps with FST=7’s to finish the workout one week or I do the 4X method which will entail using a weight that you can do for 15 reps and now try and do that weight for 10 reps with only 30 second breathers in between each set and all out on the last set if more than 10 reps the weight should be increased. With the big three I do 5 exercises, shoulders are 4 exercises and the arms are done for 3 exercises.
Now the layout/scheme for our NON-LINEAR PERIODIZATION
Day 1- Legs(
Day 2- Chest/Tris(L)
Day 3- OFF
Day 4- Back only(M)
Day 5- Shoulders only(
Day 6- OFF
Day 7- Biceps only(M)
Day 8- Legs(L)
Day 9- Chest only(M)
Day 10- OFF
Day 11- Back(
Day 12- Shoulders/Traps(L)
Day 13- OFF
Day 14- Tris only(M)
Day 15- Legs Hammies only(M)
Day 16- OFF
Day 17- Chest only(
Day 18- Back/Bis(L)
Day 19- Legs Quads only(M)
Day 20- OFF
Day 21- Shoulders only(M)
Day 22- OFF
Day 23- Starts the cycle over again
Now if you look when I do the medium days I like to give the body parts their own specialization day.
Week 1- Back and bis specialization
Week 2- Chest and tris specialization
Week 3- Legs on two days hams and quads specialization
I think this might actually be the best set up I have not used yet for adequate recovery and let the heavy days have their day without being taxed the rest of the week, but in a different style getting their own stresses!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:22
#3
This will be a starting range for the legs and giving them a little wiggle room this week with this to get started and check out where I am with my squats and how they are feeling this week.
The heavy days will look like this
3 warm ups of about 15,10,6
working sets for 4 sets of 5 and a set of 2
then some sort of back off sets for reps (ie. 20 reps, DC rest pauses, couple of lighter sets)
real simple with the tough compound exercises and low reps and volume!
Legs-Squats and SLDL's
squats
warm ups
135x15
205x10
285x6
working sets-reps went a bit higher today but they will come down on the other days just a starting point
315x5,6,7,8
355x2 reps and real good 3 reps deep and smooth!
Back off set with rest to change the pins
405x1 down 2 pins from start
315x2 down 3 pins from start
225x3 down 4 pins from start
135x6 down 5 pins form start
SLDL's
2 warm ups
135x12
225x10
working sets
265x6
275x5
285x5
295x5
315x2
back off sets for the hammies some higher reps SLDL's for a set of 15 reps
and finish off with some calves!
real good start point and will do light chest and tris tomorrow!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:22
#4
Heavy workouts-POWER
3 warm ups of about 15,10,6
working sets for 4 sets of 5 and a set of 2
then some sort of back off sets for reps (ie. 20 reps, DC rest pauses, couple of lighter sets)
real simple with the tough compound exercises and low reps and volume!
Light workouts-TIME UNDER TENSION
Main muscle group (Chest, Legs, Back & Shoulders)
-1 warm up set of the main exercise
-Then 3 sets of 8 reps for 4-6 sec negatives and these are supersetted with an isolation exercise for 3 sets of 15-20 reps (on legs this is for the hamstrings and quads so 2 exercises)
-The 4 sets of another exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives and at the end of each set do X reps
-Finally finish off the big body part with a double drop for 2 exercises done back to back with 4 drops 5 sets total for each exercise for 8 reps on each set for 40 reps on each movement(sometimes for legs I do a triple drop-leg presses to leg curls to eg extensions)
Accessory or smaller groups (Tris, bis, traps)
-no warm ups now as the bigger group should have done that
-2 sets of 8 for 4-6 sec negatives and superset that with 2 sets of 15 with another exercise
-finally 2 more sets for the same exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives for 2 sets and after the 2nd set do a drop set for 4 drops 5 sets total for 8 reps each set for 40 reps to finish off the smaller groups and done with the light workout.
Medium workouts-HYPERTROPHY/VOLUME
-2 warm up for the muscle group and then
-Main exercise for this day for that muscle group and each group has their own day, if it’s the bigger groups make sure to use a compound one.
-1st exercise-Hypertrophy move for 4 sets of 6-10 reps
-Now after that comes the density and volume training and it goes like this:
-1st time around will be either trisets or giant sets for either 3-4 times through the circuit for 15 reps on each exercise
-Last exercise will be an FST-7 for that body part-7 sets of 10 with 30 sec breathers in between each set.
2nd time around I change the trisets to what I call 4X stuff for all the exercises and this is doing an exercise for that body part that you can get 15 reps and doing it for 10 reps, but only 30 sec breathers in between each set and on the last one all out and if more than 10 reps up the weight next time. Now for the body parts, this 4X stuff is done like this (leg days(hamstring day and quads day), chest days, back days all get 5 exercises for this style, the shoulders gets 4 exercises and the bis and tris get only 3 exercises for this style at the end.
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:23
#5
The layout looks like this:
Light workouts-TIME UNDER TENSION
Main muscle group (Chest, Legs, Back & Shoulders)
-1 warm up set of the main exercise
-Then 3 sets of 8 reps for 4-6 sec negatives and these are supersetted with an isolation exercise for 3 sets of 15-20 reps (on legs this is for the hamstrings and quads so 2 exercises)
-The 4 sets of another exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives and at the end of each set do X reps
-Finally finish off the big body part with a double drop for 2 exercises done back to back with 4 drops 5 sets total for each exercise for 8 reps on each set for 40 reps on each movement(sometimes for legs I do a triple drop-leg presses to leg curls to eg extensions)
Accessory or smaller groups (Tris, bis, traps)
-no warm ups now as the bigger group should have done that
-2 sets of 8 for 4-6 sec negatives and superset that with 2 sets of 15 with another exercise
-finally 2 more sets for the same exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives for 2 sets and after the 2nd set do a drop set for 4 drops 5 sets total for 8 reps each set for 40 reps to finish off the smaller groups and done with the light workout.
Now the actual workout:
1st exercise-Incline Band incline smith machine for the 4-6 sec negatives for 3 sets of 8
SS w/
Low incline flye/presses for 3 sets of 15
next was the BB bench presses with the "critical bench" bands for 4 sets of 8 for 5-7 sec slow positives and at the end of each set drop the band and do Xreps
Last came the double drops for chest 4 drops 5 sets of 8 for 40 reps each exercise
1st was the Low incline DB's for 4 drops 5 sets then right to the low cable crossovers for 4 drops 5 sets as well
Now tris
1st exercise for 4-6 sec negatives is the smith machine banded close grip bench
for 2 sets of 8
SS w/
pushdowns for 2 sets of 15
now switch up the negatives for 5-7 sec slow positives for 2 sets of 8 and after the 2nd set right to drop sets for pushdowns for 4 drops 5 sets of 8
Thats it for today! Back on wed!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:23
#6
Today was the 3rd workout and this was the medium workout for the back and now it was time for the back to get its isolation work for the back and really hit it. So today was a good one for the back.
The set up goes like this for the medium day:
Medium workouts-HYPERTROPHY/VOLUME
-2 warm up for the muscle group and then
-Main exercise for this day for that muscle group and each group has their own day, if it’s the bigger groups make sure to use a compound one.
-1st exercise-Hypertrophy move for 4 sets of 6-10 reps
-Now after that comes the density and volume training and it goes like this:
-1st time around will be either trisets or giant sets for either 3-4 times through the circuit for 15 reps on each exercise
-Last exercise will be an FST-7 for that body part-7 sets of 10 with 30 sec breathers in between each set.
2nd time around I change the trisets to what I call 4X stuff for all the exercises and this is doing an exercise for that body part that you can get 15 reps and doing it for 10 reps, but only 30 sec breathers in between each set and on the last one all out and if more than 10 reps up the weight next time. Now for the body parts, this 4X stuff is done like this (leg days(hamstring day and quads day), chest days, back days all get 5 exercises for this style, the shoulders gets 4 exercises and the bis and tris get only 3 exercises for this style at the end.
hypertrophy exercise was for 4 sets of 6-10 reps and i did these for the weighted pull ups
2 warm ups
bwtx15
+10 for 12
working sets
+15 for 10
+20 for 9
+25 for 8
+30 for 7
now onto the trisets for 15 reps each exercise 4 times through and this one busted my butt with little rest and constant tension!
1. Pulldowns
2. seated rows
3. DB pullovers
FST-7's for 7 sets of 10 with 30 sec breathers and I did Low dual cable lying straight arm pullovers!
Tomorrow will be just shoulders for the heavy workout!!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:24
#7
Today was the quick shoulder workout and did my heavy one.
Heavy workouts-POWER
3 warm ups of about 15,10,6
working sets for 4 sets of 5 and a set of 2
then some sort of back off sets for reps (ie. 20 reps, DC rest pauses, couple of lighter sets)
real simple with the tough compound exercises and low reps and volume!
BB seated presses-
3 warm ups
85x15
115x12
135x6
working sets
155x5
165x5
175x4,4
180x2
Now the back off sets of standing laterals for 2 sets of 15
SS w/
standing power presses for 3 sets of 15 reps
done until sat and biceps only for the hypertrophy/volume workout!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:24
#8
Today was the lighter day for my legs and hit them real good with time under tension techniques and feelin it already and happy with the workout one knee was kind of acting up not sure why but at the top of the knee cap, hard to bend but when in position it was good to go. Had to switch this up with biceps due to the storm and now the garage is full of the kids toys and the back yard stuff so now entry to do a leg workout, so now it's done!
The layout looks like this:
Light workouts-TIME UNDER TENSION
Main muscle group (Chest, Legs, Back & Shoulders)
-1 warm up set of the main exercise
-Then 3 sets of 8 reps for 4-6 sec negatives and these are supersetted with an isolation exercise for 3 sets of 15-20 reps (on legs this is for the hamstrings and quads so 2 exercises)
-The 4 sets of another exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives and at the end of each set do X reps
-Finally finish off the big body part with a double drop for 2 exercises done back to back with 4 drops 5 sets total for each exercise for 8 reps on each set for 40 reps on each movement(sometimes for legs I do a triple drop-leg presses to leg curls to eg extensions)
Accessory or smaller groups (Tris, bis, traps)
-no warm ups now as the bigger group should have done that
-2 sets of 8 for 4-6 sec negatives and superset that with 2 sets of 15 with another exercise
-finally 2 more sets for the same exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives for 2 sets and after the 2nd set do a drop set for 4 drops 5 sets total for 8 reps each set for 40 reps to finish off the smaller groups and done with the light workout.
1st exercise was the SLDL's for 4-6 sec negatives for 3 sets of 8 with one warm up
SS w/
Leg curls for 3 sets of 15
2nd exercise was the smith machine squats for more quads for 4-6 sec negatives for 3 sets of 8 and one warm up
SS w/
Leg ext for 3 set sof 15
3rd exercise was the leg presses for 5-7 slow positives for 4 sets of 8-10 reps with X reps done at the end of each set
last to finish off the legs really fried them with a double drop all on the leg press 1st for double legs for 4 drops 5 set of 8 for 40 reps
started with 7 plates a side, then to 13 plates total, then 12, then 11, then 10
them went right to single leg presses for 4 more drops 5 sets of 8 for 40 reps doing 4 plates a side, then 7, then 6, then 5, then 4 total and done will do calves later when i get back from doing work!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:25
#9
Today was the chest workout for a medium one to go! The volume and hypertrophy were working on this day! Not sure but felt a bit off today from bailing buckets of water out of sump pump due to the storm, the only issue we had was the power went out but we got ours back in about 15 hours, some still don't have theirs on yet, thats the worst about this was the power outages! so I think my biceps got enough work with those bucket of water so yes biceps hypertrophy was skipped, but that's alright!
The set up goes like this for the medium day:
Medium workouts-HYPERTROPHY/VOLUME
-2 warm up for the muscle group and then
-Main exercise for this day for that muscle group and each group has their own day, if it’s the bigger groups make sure to use a compound one.
-1st exercise-Hypertrophy move for 4 sets of 6-10 reps
-Now after that comes the density and volume training and it goes like this:
-1st time around will be either trisets or giant sets for either 3-4 times through the circuit for 15 reps on each exercise
-Last exercise will be an FST-7 for that body part-7 sets of 10 with 30 sec breathers in between each set.
2nd time around I change the trisets to what I call 4X stuff for all the exercises and this is doing an exercise for that body part that you can get 15 reps and doing it for 10 reps, but only 30 sec breathers in between each set and on the last one all out and if more than 10 reps up the weight next time. Now for the body parts, this 4X stuff is done like this (leg days(hamstring day and quads day), chest days, back days all get 5 exercises for this style, the shoulders gets 4 exercises and the bis and tris get only 3 exercises for this style at the end.
Hypertrophy chest-4 sets of 6-10 reps
2 warm ups
135x15
185x12
working sets
205x10
225x7,6,6
now for the trisets of 15 for 4 cycles through
1. Incline DB's
2. Incline Smith
3. Cable crossovers
FST-7's was for 7 sets of 10 with 30 sec breathers in between each set and I did low incline flye/presses for 5 each for 10 each set, hit the flye then hit the db press!
Until wednesday and heavy back!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:25
#10
Today was the power workout and doing only back today and doing the deads with the trap bar, but kind of resetting after not doing heavy back for about 5 weeks since resetting the workouts last week, the only thing that stayed on schedule was the heavy legs and heavy chest will almost have 6 weeks from the last go around. It will adjust and come back up so kind of like wave reload or dropping back down before going back up.
Heavy workouts-POWER
3 warm ups of about 15,10,6
working sets for 4 sets of 5 and a set of 2
then some sort of back off sets for reps (ie. 20 reps, DC rest pauses, couple of lighter sets)
real simple with the tough compound exercises and low reps and volume!
and just to be a bit easier on the back this time around as well didnb't quite stick to the heaviest weight I could do and supersetted deads with BWT pull ups
Deadlifts
3 warm ups
145x15 +12 bwt pull up
235x12 +10 BWT pull ups
325x10 +8 BWT pull ups
working sets
375x8 +6 BWT pull ups
395x8 +6 BWT pull ups
405x5 +6 BWT pull ups
405x5 +6 BWT pull ups
425x3 +6 BWT pull ups
no back off done were built into the sets listed above!
Tomorrow is shoulders and traps light day!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:26
#11
Today is the shoulders and traps workout and the light workout today is the schedule for this one and man for the way people describe the trap bar deads as more for the quads my lower back and glutes and hammies are feeling it today.
The layout looks like this:
Light workouts-TIME UNDER TENSION
Main muscle group (Chest, Legs, Back & Shoulders)
-1 warm up set of the main exercise
-Then 3 sets of 8 reps for 4-6 sec negatives and these are supersetted with an isolation exercise for 3 sets of 15-20 reps (on legs this is for the hamstrings and quads so 2 exercises)
-The 4 sets of another exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives and at the end of each set do X reps
-Finally finish off the big body part with a double drop for 2 exercises done back to back with 4 drops 5 sets total for each exercise for 8 reps on each set for 40 reps on each movement(sometimes for legs I do a triple drop-leg presses to leg curls to eg extensions)
Accessory or smaller groups (Tris, bis, traps)
-no warm ups now as the bigger group should have done that
-2 sets of 8 for 4-6 sec negatives and superset that with 2 sets of 15 with another exercise
-finally 2 more sets for the same exercise for 5-7 sec slow positives for 2 sets and after the 2nd set do a drop set for 4 drops 5 sets total for 8 reps each set for 40 reps to finish off the smaller groups and done with the light workout.
1st exercise was the standing low dual cable shoulder presses for 4-6 sec negatives for 3 sets of 8 and one warm up
SS w/
lying incline DB rear laterals for 3 sets of 15 reps
2nd exercise was the high dual cable crossover rear laterals for 5-7 sec slow positives for 3 sets of 8-10 with X reps at the end of each set
3rd exercise is the double drops for 4 drops for 5 sets of 8 reps for 40 reps
1st up is the upright rows
2nd is the standing DB laterals
Now on to the traps
Seated incline on chest shrugs for 4-6 sec negatives for 4 sets of 8
SS w/
lying low cable shrugs for 4 sets of 15 -20 reps
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:26
#12
Today was all tris and hit them real good with lots of weight and volume!
1st exercise-hypertrophy-4 sets of 6-10 reps
close grip bench
2 warm ups
135x15
195x10
working sets
205x10
215x10
225x7,7
now onto the trisets of 3 cycles for 15 reps a piece
1. lying extensions
2. reverse grip pushdowns
3. pushdowns
now for the FST-7's for 7 sets of 10 w 30 sec breathers in between each set
doing rope ext! BURN!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow starts up the legs and they are a medium day and hammies only as this is Legs specialization!
Sun, 2011-09-04 08:27
#13
Today starts the leg specialization week and the quads and hammies get split up, this schedule has been going pretty good and the heavy workouts seem to be doing pretty well as a starting point as i get to each new one as i enter the 3rd week to finish this cycle up. I get to see where my bench is at tomorrow should be tuesday but too much work on tues to do!
The week:
Day 15- Legs Hammies only(M)-Sun
Day 16- OFF
Day 17- Chest only(H)-mon
Day 18- Back/Bis(L)wed
Day 19- Legs Quads only(M)-thurs
Day 20- OFF
Day 21- Shoulders only(M)-sat
Day 22- OFF
Day 23- Starts the cycle over again
The set up goes like this for the medium day:
Medium workouts-HYPERTROPHY/VOLUME
-2 warm up for the muscle group and then
-Main exercise for this day for that muscle group and each group has their own day, if it’s the bigger groups make sure to use a compound one.
-1st exercise-Hypertrophy move for 4 sets of 6-10 reps
-Now after that comes the density and volume training and it goes like this:
-1st time around will be either trisets or giant sets for either 3-4 times through the circuit for 15 reps on each exercise
-Last exercise will be an FST-7 for that body part-7 sets of 10 with 30 sec breathers in between each set.
2nd time around I change the trisets to what I call 4X stuff for all the exercises and this is doing an exercise for that body part that you can get 15 reps and doing it for 10 reps, but only 30 sec breathers in between each set and on the last one all out and if more than 10 reps up the weight next time. Now for the body parts, this 4X stuff is done like this (leg days(hamstring day and quads day), chest days, back days all get 5 exercises for this style, the shoulders gets 4 exercises and the bis and tris get only 3 exercises for this style at the end.
now to the tough workout that was hamstrings:
1st exercise for the hypertrophy exercise for 4 sets of 6-10
warm ups
135x12
195x10
working sets
225x10
255x10
275x10
285x8
Now on to the trisets for 4 cycles of 15 reps and this one will zap you WOW!
1. Bulgarian split squats-135 lbs
2. High single leg press-3 plates a side
3. Seated Leg curls
Now finish this craziness off with an FST-7's and did walking lunges with 75 lbs and EZ curls bar on my back!
finish this off with some calves!
