Questions @ 2 Day Split

luckyshot · 10-31-2009, 11:51 AM

I am just coming back off two months out with a broken hand. Taking the fresh start to reorganize my program. Still 4 weeks away from returning to BJJ and 8 weeks away from returning to MT.

I'm 165 pounds and compete at 159, so I'm on a calorie restricted diet; therefore, I know I'm never going to get huge and am not looking to. I am looking to maximize strength/weight ration while still placing my emphasis on cardio.

I'm going to start a modified 2 day split described in the FAQ's. Here the weekly routine I'm looking at.

Monday:
Deadlift 3x5
Overhead press 3x5
Weighted pullup/chinup 3x5
1932 calories

Tuesday:
Interval training.
2318 calories

Wednesday:
Off.
1546 calories.

Thursday:
Squat 3x5
Benchpress 3x5
Kettle bell snatch 3x10
1932 calories

Friday:
Interval training
2125 calories

Saturday:
Interval training
1932 calories

Sunday:
Off
1739 calories.

My questions:
1) Should overhead press be strict or shoud I use my legs.
2) Does it matter that I'm replacing bent over rows with kettlebells? I have found my body likes the explosive movements and responds well to the kettlebells, so I want to work them in.
3) Is my calorie staggering arranged correctly, with maximum calories days coming on directly after weight-lifting?

Insight and advice appreciated.

Ethelfrith · 10-31-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckyshot

My questions:
1) Should overhead press be strict or shoud I use my legs.
2) Does it matter that I'm replacing bent over rows with kettlebells? I have found my body likes the explosive movements and responds well to the kettlebells, so I want to work them in.
3) Is my calorie staggering arranged correctly, with maximum calories days coming on directly after weight-lifting?

Insight and advice appreciated.

1) You could try alternating weeks of strict and push presses. If I had to pick one, I'd go with push presses though.

2) Are you just looking for something to do with kettlebells, or are you specifically partial to the unilateral snatch (kettlebell or dumbell)? BORs can still be quite an explosive exercise if done well with lots of leg drive.

3) I dunno. Not the way I personally would do things.

4) Any particular reason you have three Interval training days, and no LSD days?

PowerHungry · 10-31-2009, 12:47 PM

That's very calorie restricted. I think you could comfortably add more calories (ballpark 500) into your diet everyday and still not affect your weight even a little.

Also, I think you should do pullups 3x10 rather than 3x5. After doing heavys DL and some OH work, you should be looking at your pullups as an assistance and not as a primary lift. You will be fried if you do all of those in the 4-6 rep range. You could probably even do DB rows instead in the 20 rep range.

1. Making your OH a PP or PJ makes it a better strength exercise by incorporating more joints and muscle groups to make it more of a full body lift, especially if your body responds better to explosive movements.

2. IDK.

3. The wording of your third question is strange. Do you mean that because your maximum calorie days are also lifting days is that the best arrangement? Yes.

But you also say that your maximum calories comes comes "directly after weightlifting." Do you mean that on your maximum calorie days that most of your calories come PWO? Because based on your split and calorie listing, you don't say that. It's just not included. However, if that's what you meant, then yes a good amount of your calories (on your maximum calorie days) should come PWO. Also, even though you didn't ask, you should get a good amount at breakfast as well.

OR do you mean that your maximum calorie days are the days after lifting? I don't think that's what you mean because, if by interval training you mean stuff like HIIT or Tabatas, your workup doesn't indicate that. If by interval training, you mean stuff like hill sprints or just interval running, then your layout does indicate that and forget what I said. But whether it's running intervals or HIIT with weights, both are still very taxing on your CNS and you'd need plenty of calories on those days and after those days for recovery.

SteveQ · 10-31-2009, 01:03 PM

in my personal opinion, no routine can be complete without some kind of row - i love bent over rows. add stuff if you want, but i can't see taking those out

luckyshot · 10-31-2009, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethelfrith

1) You could try alternating weeks of strict and push presses. If I had to pick one, I'd go with push presses though.

2) Are you just looking for something to do with kettlebells, or are you specifically partial to the unilateral snatch (kettlebell or dumbell)? BORs can still be quite an explosive exercise if done well with lots of leg drive.

3) I dunno. Not the way I personally would do things.

4) Any particular reason you have three Interval training days, and no LSD days?

I don't know what an LSD day is. Long sprints? I tweak my interval days so that sometimes they emphasize the speed element while sometimes endurance.

PowerHungry · 10-31-2009, 01:59 PM

LSD = Long slow distance/duration. Basically, it's more about endurance but it's less stressful than HIIT and I think you burn more calories doing it. Three miles at a comfortable but not leisurely pace (depending on your conditioning level that could be 8 min/mile or 10 min/mile or 12 min/mile or more) is a good start.

luckyshot · 10-31-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerHungry

That's very calorie restricted. I think you could comfortably add more calories (ballpark 500) into your diet everyday and still not affect your weight even a little.

Also, I think you should do pullups 3x10 rather than 3x5. After doing heavys DL and some OH work, you should be looking at your pullups as an assistance and not as a primary lift. You will be fried if you do all of those in the 4-6 rep range. You could probably even do DB rows instead in the 20 rep range.

1. Making your OH a PP or PJ makes it a better strength exercise by incorporating more joints and muscle groups to make it more of a full body lift, especially if your body responds better to explosive movements.

2. IDK.

3. The wording of your third question is strange. Do you mean that because your maximum calorie days are also lifting days is that the best arrangement? Yes.

But you also say that your maximum calories comes comes "directly after weightlifting." Do you mean that on your maximum calorie days that most of your calories come PWO? Because based on your split and calorie listing, you don't say that. It's just not included. However, if that's what you meant, then yes a good amount of your calories (on your maximum calorie days) should come PWO. Also, even though you didn't ask, you should get a good amount at breakfast as well.

OR do you mean that your maximum calorie days are the days after lifting? I don't think that's what you mean because, if by interval training you mean stuff like HIIT or Tabatas, your workup doesn't indicate that. If by interval training, you mean stuff like hill sprints or just interval running, then your layout does indicate that and forget what I said. But whether it's running intervals or HIIT with weights, both are still very taxing on your CNS and you'd need plenty of calories on those days and after those days for recovery.

Intervals = roadwork. Sometimes emphasizing distance, sometime emphasizing speed, always a combination of the two.

In a month when I can head back to BJJ I will cut out some roadwork and add more calories in, but calorie restriction is a fact of life for me if I want to make 159. I'm not from a wrestling background, and I don't cut a lot of weight.

So if it best to take in the most calories on the day of a weight lifting workout or the day after to maximize recovery?

P.S. Thanks for the advice on the pullups and rows. I will consider making them higher rep.

luckyshot · 10-31-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerHungry

LSD = Long slow distance/duration. Basically, it's more about endurance but it's less stressful than HIIT and I think you burn more calories doing it. Three miles at a comfortable but not leisurely pace (depending on your conditioning level that could be 8 min/mile or 10 min/mile or 12 min/mile or more) is a good start.

A run emphasizing endurance for me might be 3.5 miles running for 2 minutes at 65% mhr and then 45 seconds at 80% mhr.

A run emphasizing speed might be 2 miles with 1:30 at 70% mhr and 30 sec 90% mhr.

PowerHungry · 10-31-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckyshot

So if it best to take in the most calories on the day of a weight lifting workout or the day after to maximize recovery?

If I had to pick between the two, I'd make my maximum calorie days the same as on my lifting days. You need more calories before and heavy a heavy lifting session than you do for roadwork the next day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckyshot

P.S. Thanks for the advice on the pullups and rows. I will consider making them higher rep.

No problem.

PowerHungry · 10-31-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luckyshot

A run emphasizing endurance for me might be 3.5 miles running for 2 minutes at 65% mhr and then 45 seconds at 80% mhr.

A run emphasizing speed might be 2 miles with 1:30 at 70% mhr and 30 sec 90% mhr.

This is probably more a question for EZA or the conditioning forum in general. I don't have or use a heart rate monitor. It's my understanding that LSD is all about pacing and consistency and what you're describing (even for endurance) still sounds like intervals even if its hybrid intervals. For my LSD running, I try to keep the same steady pace for 2-5 miles depending upon the day. It's a different type of cardio than intervals and there is no speeding up/slowing down and no sprinting involved.