Glongpre said:
Saulkar said:
I am doing powerlifting with some bodybuilding elements for each muscle group because I just like the way those exercises feel. Furthermore they often require more reps than the powerlifting exercises and thus build endurance which cuts my recovery times.
What do you mean? Like doing leg extensions to improve your squat recovery?
I have only heard about using assistance work to improve a weakness, or strengthen a prime mover. Have you felt a difference in your recovery?
I think that assistance work wouldn't be specific enough to give any meaningful recovery benefits. To the example, your quads might recover quick, but everything else would lag behind.
I am going to be honest, I am completely derp when it comes to official terminology, I am almost entirely self-taught and do what feels right and try to ensure that there are no gaps in my muscle development.
To give you a basic breakdown of what a workout might look like for me:
I cycle through all of my muscle groups twice at high weight low reps and then twice low weight high reps.
For my high-weight low-rep leg day I would do squats first at 455lb for 5 reps 3 sets, then 485lb for 4 reps 3 sets, then lastly 505lb for 3 reps 2 sets. I then do zerker squats for 4 sets, 15-12-10-8 reps each sets, starting at 185lb and adding 20lb each set. I then do front squats with the same set pattern but lower weight due to bad knees. I then do 4 sets of leg extensions and leg curls with three plates for leg extensions and 2 for leg curls doing 15-12-10-8 reps each set and alternate without pausing for a break. To top it all off I then do leg presses on the machine, starting at 6 plates a side doing 15-12-10-8 reps a set and adding another plate each set.
For low-weight high-reps I only change my squats which are done starting at 335lb for 15 reps on the first set then doing 12-10-8-6 reps, adding 20 pounds each set.
To compare it to my chest the first cycle of high-weight low-reps I use barbells flat, decline, and incline before turning to dumbbell flys for low-weight high-reps on flat and incline. The second cycle of high-weight low-reps I do all of the aforementioned but with dumbbells for my flat, decline, and incline benches before doing flys for low-weight high-reps. I do 5 sets and 3-5 reps for each bench instead of 8 like for my squats as I do more overall exercises for my chest. Pretty much the same for low-weight high-reps but with 4 sets each bench and 15-12-10-8 reps. Sometimes I mix it up by using less weight but adding chains as those just kill anything you had. Lastly, I should mention that I also do back on the same day as chest, alternating muscle groups every single set without pause so chest, back, chest, back, chest, back, push, pull, etc.
I hope you could read through that mess of text. Overall it takes be about a week and a half to cycle through all of my muscle groups as I only go 4 times a week. The basic breakdown looks like this:
Day 1: Chest and Back.
Day 2: Lower back (deadlifts and tire-flips, etc)
Day 3: Shoulders.
Day 4: Legs.
Day 5: Arms (seldom do power-lifters have a dedicated arm day but I love the exercises)
In between any one of the days I will have a day dedicated to either abs (I hate using a belt so I make sure that they are really fricking powerful) and another day dedicated to Traps, Wrists, Thighs/Hips, and Calves. Many argue that I am too grab-bag with my workouts but they work, I am constantly getting stronger, have really good endurance (I also run 3 times a week, 3 miles each run) and have yet to experience a plateau, ever (but I was getting close until I created my eclectic mix of high and low rep exercises and cycles). So I am satisfied.
P.S. I turned 24 years old, 173cm/5-7, and 100KG/220lb.
