Gavin Laird
New Member
Here is a simple program for gaining leg strength for an athlete accustomed to moderate rep ranges looking to improve both hypertrophy and leg strength (BBer of offseason strength athlete.)
Assistance work for the hams / posterior chain is NOT listed but would consist of gHGR's, bench pushes, pullthroughs, occasional RDL's etc.
There are between 2 and 4 workouts a week but only 2 working movements listed in weeks 1 - 4. For example back squat and front squat would be 2 possible movements.
From week 4 onwards you can continue with just 2 movements trained on every training day if you find that you perform better with lots of technique work etc or you happen to have Bulgarian blood.
If you have excellent technique in many lifts and want / need more training variety you could perform 2 different movements per training day, for example squat and snatch grip deadlift then front squat and hacks or deads or similar.
The overall scheme moves toward more frequent training with lower reps then alternates weeks of differing stresses whilst maintaining other abilities.
Week 1.
Workouts 1 and 2.
Movements 1 and 2.
5 x 15, 45s rests. 45% or less 1RM (18RM). Fail on latter sets due to lactate.
2 accessory movements per day, 1-3 sets 15 - 20 reps no fail just push the lactate.
Week 2.
1.
Both movements - Add load. 4 x 12. 90 seconds rest. No failure.
2.
Both movements - Same load / rest 5 x 15. Fail on last set possible.
Week 3.
1.
Both movements - Add load. (10RM). 4 x 10. Fail.
2.
Both movements - Same load / rest 5 x 15. No failure.
Week 4.
1.
Both movements - Same load. (10RM) 4 x 8, no failure, 2 minutes rest.
2.
Both Movements - Add load (new 15 RM) 4 x 12. No failure. 1 x 20 at end with 45-50% 1RM.
Week 5.
1.
First Movement - Add load (8RM) 4 x 8. Fail, 3 minutes rest. 1 x 20 55% 1RM. Fail.
2nd movement - 2 x 8, 10RM. No fail.
2.
First Movement - Add load. (estimated 12RM) 4 x 12. 2 minutes rest. Fail.
2nd movement - 1 x 10, 12 RM. No fail.
Week 6.
1.
First Movement - Same load (8RM) 4 x 5. No fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 1 x 20. No fail.
2.
First Movement - Add load (10RM) 4 x 8. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 1 x 10 with 12 RM or less. No fail.
3.
First Movement - 7RM 4 x 5. No Fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM 3 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
---------------------
Week 7 Onwards.
Normal week is like week 6 - even distribution of work between rep ranges, no failure anywhere adding load in small chunks when it is possible.
1.
First Movement - Same load (8RM) 4 x 5. No fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 1 x 20. No fail.
2.
First Movement - Add load (10RM) 4 x 8. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 1 x 10 with 12 RM. No fail.
3.
First Movement - 7RM 4 x 5. No Fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM 3 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
Stress Load / Myofibril week is like this
1.
First Movement - 5RM 5 x 5. Attempt all reps, will miss latter reps. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 5RM 5 x 3. No fail but tough due to fatigue from earlier sets.
2.
First Movement - 8RM) 4 x 7. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM + 5KG 5 x 3 - might miss latter reps.
3.
First Movement - 5RM 5 x 5. Might miss latter reps. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM + 10Kg 5 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
4.
First Movement - 8RM + 5Kg 4 x 7. May fail latter reps. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM + 15Kg as many triples and doubles as you can do in good style. No fail. 3 minute rests.
Stress Sacroplasmic week.
1.
First Movement - 12RM 3 x 12. Attempt all reps, will miss latter reps. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 15RM 2 x 20 rest pause. Re-rack the bar if need be on the rest pause work.
2.
First Movement - 20RM 1 x 20, 1 x 15. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 15RM 1 x 12 KG No fail.
3.
First Movement - 8RM 2 x 6-8. No fail.
2nd movement - 15RM + 2.5 Kg - 2 x 20 rest pause. Re-rack the bar if need be on the rest pause work.
Back off week.
1.
First Movement - 8RM 2 x 5. No fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 1 x 20. No fail.
2.
First Movement - 10RM 2 x 8 - 10. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 1 x 10 with 12 RM. No fail.
3.
First Movement - 7RM 2 x 5. No Fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM 3 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
Follow this pattern for loading / unloading weeks....
Week 7 - Normal.
Week 8 - Stress Sacro
Week 9 - Stress load / myofibril
Week 10 - Normal
Week 11 - Back off.
Week 12 - Stress Sacro
Week 13 - Stress load.
Week 14 - Back off.
Cheers,
Gav.
Assistance work for the hams / posterior chain is NOT listed but would consist of gHGR's, bench pushes, pullthroughs, occasional RDL's etc.
There are between 2 and 4 workouts a week but only 2 working movements listed in weeks 1 - 4. For example back squat and front squat would be 2 possible movements.
From week 4 onwards you can continue with just 2 movements trained on every training day if you find that you perform better with lots of technique work etc or you happen to have Bulgarian blood.
If you have excellent technique in many lifts and want / need more training variety you could perform 2 different movements per training day, for example squat and snatch grip deadlift then front squat and hacks or deads or similar.
The overall scheme moves toward more frequent training with lower reps then alternates weeks of differing stresses whilst maintaining other abilities.
Week 1.
Workouts 1 and 2.
Movements 1 and 2.
5 x 15, 45s rests. 45% or less 1RM (18RM). Fail on latter sets due to lactate.
2 accessory movements per day, 1-3 sets 15 - 20 reps no fail just push the lactate.
Week 2.
1.
Both movements - Add load. 4 x 12. 90 seconds rest. No failure.
2.
Both movements - Same load / rest 5 x 15. Fail on last set possible.
Week 3.
1.
Both movements - Add load. (10RM). 4 x 10. Fail.
2.
Both movements - Same load / rest 5 x 15. No failure.
Week 4.
1.
Both movements - Same load. (10RM) 4 x 8, no failure, 2 minutes rest.
2.
Both Movements - Add load (new 15 RM) 4 x 12. No failure. 1 x 20 at end with 45-50% 1RM.
Week 5.
1.
First Movement - Add load (8RM) 4 x 8. Fail, 3 minutes rest. 1 x 20 55% 1RM. Fail.
2nd movement - 2 x 8, 10RM. No fail.
2.
First Movement - Add load. (estimated 12RM) 4 x 12. 2 minutes rest. Fail.
2nd movement - 1 x 10, 12 RM. No fail.
Week 6.
1.
First Movement - Same load (8RM) 4 x 5. No fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 1 x 20. No fail.
2.
First Movement - Add load (10RM) 4 x 8. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 1 x 10 with 12 RM or less. No fail.
3.
First Movement - 7RM 4 x 5. No Fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM 3 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
---------------------
Week 7 Onwards.
Normal week is like week 6 - even distribution of work between rep ranges, no failure anywhere adding load in small chunks when it is possible.
1.
First Movement - Same load (8RM) 4 x 5. No fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 1 x 20. No fail.
2.
First Movement - Add load (10RM) 4 x 8. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 1 x 10 with 12 RM. No fail.
3.
First Movement - 7RM 4 x 5. No Fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM 3 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
Stress Load / Myofibril week is like this
1.
First Movement - 5RM 5 x 5. Attempt all reps, will miss latter reps. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 5RM 5 x 3. No fail but tough due to fatigue from earlier sets.
2.
First Movement - 8RM) 4 x 7. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM + 5KG 5 x 3 - might miss latter reps.
3.
First Movement - 5RM 5 x 5. Might miss latter reps. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM + 10Kg 5 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
4.
First Movement - 8RM + 5Kg 4 x 7. May fail latter reps. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM + 15Kg as many triples and doubles as you can do in good style. No fail. 3 minute rests.
Stress Sacroplasmic week.
1.
First Movement - 12RM 3 x 12. Attempt all reps, will miss latter reps. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 15RM 2 x 20 rest pause. Re-rack the bar if need be on the rest pause work.
2.
First Movement - 20RM 1 x 20, 1 x 15. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 15RM 1 x 12 KG No fail.
3.
First Movement - 8RM 2 x 6-8. No fail.
2nd movement - 15RM + 2.5 Kg - 2 x 20 rest pause. Re-rack the bar if need be on the rest pause work.
Back off week.
1.
First Movement - 8RM 2 x 5. No fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd Movement - 1 x 20. No fail.
2.
First Movement - 10RM 2 x 8 - 10. No Fail. 3 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 1 x 10 with 12 RM. No fail.
3.
First Movement - 7RM 2 x 5. No Fail. 4 minutes rest.
2nd movement - 5RM 3 x 3, no fail. 4 minutes rest.
Follow this pattern for loading / unloading weeks....
Week 7 - Normal.
Week 8 - Stress Sacro
Week 9 - Stress load / myofibril
Week 10 - Normal
Week 11 - Back off.
Week 12 - Stress Sacro
Week 13 - Stress load.
Week 14 - Back off.
Cheers,
Gav.
