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Training Routine Format

Part Four: Outline

By Gary F. Zeolla

Below is an outline of my yearly powerlifting training program. For details on this program, see Training Routine Format - Part Three: Changes.

General Background

Rotations:
Program based on rotations.
Lift every other day alternating through four different workouts, so each training week lasts eight days.
Each rotation lasts four to six training weeks, so each rotation lasts 32 to 48 days.
Rotate assistance exercises each rotation.

Workouts:
Day One: Bench Assistance, Arms, Abs.
Day Two: Squat, Upper Back.
Day Three: Bench, Arms, Abs.
Day Four: Deadlift.

Rest periods between work sets:
Squats and deadlifts and major assistance: 4-6 minutes.
Benches and major bench assistance: 3-5 minutes.
Remaining exercises: 1-3 minutes.
Warm-up sets: about half of above times.

Basic Plan:
Train the powerlifts with gear or with chains and bands.
Do low reps.
Do exercises that specifically benefit the powerlifts done with gear.

Chains/ bands/ reverse bands for three weeks.
Powerlifts with full gear for one week.
Total of four weeks for each rotation.
OR
Chains/ bands/ reverse bands for one week.
Powerlifts with full gear for one week.
Total of six weeks for each rotation..

Sets and Reps:
Powerlift band/ chain equivalents: 5 x 5-1 (ideally, 5,4,3,2,1 reps).
Powerlifts: 4 x 3 -1 (ideally, 3,2,1,1 reps). 
Benches: Increase by 5-15 pounds each set.
Squats & DLs: Increase by 10-20 pounds each set.

First exercise on Day One:
3 x 5-3 (ideally, 5,4,3 reps)
Increase by 5-10 pounds each set.
If using six week rotation, change exercise after week 3.

Abs and calves: 2x8-12.
All other exercises: 2x4-8.

Day One:
1st Bench assistance
Rotate: BB Declines, Board Bench, Rack Bench.
2nd Bench assistance
Rotate: DB Inclines, DB Bench, Alternating Arms DB Bench.
Reverse Curls
Rotate: Barbell, Curl Bar, DBs.
2 Abs

Day Two:
Squat or Chain/ Band/ Reverse Band Squat
2 Upper Back
1st: Rotate: BB Rows (close grip [DL grip], medium grip [bench grip], wide grip [squat grip]).
2nd: Rotate: DB Rows (elbows in, elbows out, underhand grip).

Day Three:
Bench or Chain/ Band/ Reverse Band Bench
1 Biceps
Rotate: Barbell Curls, Curl Bar Curls, Rotating DB Curls, Hammer Curls, DB Rotations.
2 Abs

Day Four:
DL or Chain/ Band/ Reverse Band DL (all done sumo, my competitive stance).
Calves:
Rotate: Standing Barbell, Standing DBs, Sitting BB.

Off Season Training
(6-12 weeks post-contest)

Basic Plan:
Take a week or so off after a contest, then start off-season training.
Train raw.
Do higher reps.
Do different exercises as much as possible from in-season training.
1 or 2, four to six week rotations post-contest; 2-3 times/year; total of 3-4 rotations/year.
Based on entering 2-3 contests/year. If only one contest is entered, still do off-season training a second time for 1 or 2 months.

Sets and Reps:
2 work sets all exercises.
Powerlifts (done raw; no chains or bands).
One rotation: 2x6-8.
Two rotations: 1st: 2x8-10; 2nd: 2x6-8.

Major assistance: 2x6-8.
All other exercises: 2x6-12.

Day One:
1st Bench assistance
Rotate: BB Inclines, Wide Grip Bench (squat grip).
2nd Bench  assistance
Rotate: Dips, Close Grip Bench.
Reverse Curls
Rotate: Barbell, Curl Bar, DBs.
2 Abs

Day Two:
Squats
Squat Assistance:
Rotate: Olympic Squats, Pause Squats.
2 Upper Back
1st: Rotate: Curl Bar Rows, BB Rows (close grip [DL grip], medium grip [bench grip], wide grip [squat grip]).
2nd: Rotate: Pull-ups (wide or close grip), Parallel Grip Pull-ups, Chin-ups.

Day Three:
Bench
Bench Assistance: Pause Bench, DB Declines.
Overhead Press:
Rotate: Barbell, DBs, Alternating DBs.
1 Biceps
Rotate: Barbell Curls, Curl Bar Curls, Rotating DB Curls, Hammer Curls, DB Rotations.
2 Abs

Day Four:
DLs (sumo)
DL Assistance:
Rotate: GMs (legs straight), SLDLs (legs bent), Platform Conventional Stance DLs.
Shrugs:
Rotate: Barbell, DBs.
Calves:
Rotate: Standing Barbell, Standing DBs, Sitting Barbell.

Full Workout Logs

The above describes my training format. So there's be no reason to post any new My Training Routines and Training Logs pages. Instead, I'll be posting my Full Workout Logs. The first of these that utilized this new training format was Full Workout Log: Starting 11/15/05: Rotation 1 of 4.

Update: In January 2006, I decided to compete raw. See Training Routine Format for Raw Lifting for my new format.

Training Routine Format. Copyright © 2005 By Gary F. Zeolla.

The above article was posted on this site December 1, 2005.
It was last updated January 19, 2006.

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