New Routine, need some input

[XTrainer]

First of all, this post could easily fit into any of three forums but I'm posting it here because I think the posters here have the most experience with the kinds of questions I have.

Tournament time is coming up and I'm winding down my current training cycle I've been training for power and size for the past couple months, and am definately feeling ready for the tourney.

Here's the funny part: I want to cut some weight AFTER the tournament, lol. I decided to compete in a higher weight class than last time becuase I lost so much strength cutting weight for my last tournament. So I needed to bulk up some. I did that, but put on a little more fat than I would like. As soon as the tournament is over, I'd like to cut that fat.

Here's my game plan thus far:
-I'll follow an adaptation of John Berardi's "Get Shredded Diet." Only differences are: 1. I will get some non-veggie carbs around my workouts. 2. I'll be getting some more calories than he reccomends for someone my size. 3. My meals will be more frequent. Also, I won't be taking some of the supplements he reccomends (my body doesn't respond well to caffeine).
-The supplements I will be taking: Ultra Mega Green multi, Green Tea/CLA stack (poor man's "abs+"), glutamine, whey protein, fish oil, some type of casein, and BCAAs.
-I'll be doing HIIT cardio, whether in the form of sprints or runs of up to 10 minutes.
-I'll be some high-rep complexes, with dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls, and my bodyweight. I'll porbably lift 4 times per week.
-I'll be doing lots of "weird" stuff: farmer walks, sandbag, throwing things, etc.

Here are my questions:
1. I want to maintain my maximal strength as much as possible. Should I perform maximal strength lifting on the same day as complexes/endurance-type training or separate them?
2. How should I split this? Push, Pull, Legs? Full body? A lot of this answer is connected to the previous question.
3. How should cardio fit in with whatever split I do choose?

Thanks guys. I at least have a vague idea when it comes to S&P routines, but I could use some help here.

[David Bolton]

I suppose you could do something like this

DAY 1 MAXIMAL STRENGTH (Full Body. Deadlifts,Squats,OHP etc)
DAY 2 CONDITIONING
DAY 3 STRENGTH ENDURANCE STUFF WITH WHAT YOU LISTED
DAY 4 CONDITIOING
DAY 5 STRONGMAN STUFF (sandbags,rocks,farmers walks etc)
DAY 6 CONDITIONING
DAY 7 REST

I think you could maintain and even improve your maximal strength using that routine. If you feel run down then make Day 4 a rest day and rest again on Day 7. You could also make one of the conditioning days a lsd run as you will get plenty of conditioning from Strongman/High rep stuff.

Just an example. I am by no means an expert.

[XTrainer]

I considered something like this, but of course, their have to be some disadvantages to doing all my MS training on one day right?

And I think I would drop one conditioning day for a rest day.

Thanks for the reply though, gives me some ideas.

[XTrainer]

What about:
Day 1: Maximal Effort Squat/Light jog
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Maximal Effort Pull/Full Body Complexes/endurance
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Maximal Effot Bench/Full Body Complexes/endurance
Day 6: Some type of running
Day 7: Maximal Effort OHP/Full Body Complexes/endurance

[David Bolton]

I think emailing Ross would be a good idea. He would know more about this then both of us combined. He does sandbag stuff along with max strength etc from what i have read.

You could do fine on the plan you listed though.

[Brandon MacRea]

Your exercise selection looks great. As far as maintaining/improving your max strength while trying to up your conditioning, you may want to consider adding a "finisher" to your strength training sessions. Since conditioning work is less about skill and more about getting yourself tired, you save your arduous anaerobic stuff until after you've done your lifting.

You've got the right idea with ending your lifting sessions with complexes, and I'd say thats a great looking program you have there. I'd consider finishing every strength training sessions with some sort of conditioning drill, a "finisher" to eek out any energy you have left - 3-minute drills work well for this (very spartan, no equipment, can be done anywhere), but if you have a sandbag try and do a set of 100 sandbag fence jumps (personal favorite of mine), some sled dragging, your HIIT, etc. Basically just don't limit yourself to barbell complexes as your finisher.

Also I'd get rid of the LSD running after your strength work. I'm a proponent of distance work in moderation along with sprint training and conditioning drills, but I would reserve them for active recovery between lifting days in your case. It just seems like a waste activating all of those type II fast twitch muscle fibers with your heavy strength training and squandering the after-effect with low-intensity type I training (LSD). If you're doing explosive conditioning after your strength training, you'll be activating those fast twitch muscle fibers with your lifting and then targeting them with your explosive work and, along with a superior level of conditioning, you may find a lot of gains in your explosive power.

[XTrainer]

Thanks for the input. Your suggestions of finishers after maximal strength training was kind of the idea behind the routine idea you replied too. Except, finishers (as I remember from reading Never Gymless and as I have used them) typically work the muscles you used with your maximal training, right (hindu squats after barbell squats)?

As far as the LSD, it really wouldn't be that at all. More of a little cool-down than anything, not more than a few minutes. Not sure why I even bothered to mention it.

I think I'm going to have to be careful about overtraining, too.

More input still very much appreciated guys, thanks.

[XTrainer]

I just shot an E-mail to Ross, hopefully he'll reply. I love his material.

[XTrainer]

He replied! I'm not sure if he would want me to post his entire reply online, but basically suggested less Max-effort work, and full body splits. He did like the idea of starting with max effort then moving to endurance-type stuff though.

[XTrainer]

Okay, I think I have a plan just about ready. My only concern is the frequency of some movements. For example, between clean and jerks, snatches, OH Squats and OHP/Push Press, I'll be putting stuff over my head three times per week (though only once with maximal effort). Think this will be a problem?

Here's the preliminary plan:

Sunday:
ME Squat (5x5 or 1x20)
ME Lunges
SLDLs
Finish with farmer walks, BW squats, etc.

Tuesday
ME Flat Bench (5x5)
A bit of assistance exercise.
Complex/Endurance: Clean and jerk, OH squat, add some more

Wednesday
HIIT Running

Thursday
ME Deadlifts/ME Power Cleans (Alternate weeks)
ME Pull Ups (5x5)
Complex/Endurance: BORs, Deads, Snatches, High Pulls in some combination

Friday
Tabata Burpees

Saturday
ME OHP (Or push press or similar)
Complex/Endurance: Push up variations, medicine ball throws,

I dunno, something like that.