Perrin Aybara's Journey to an Elite Powerlifting Total

[Eman]

I've definitely noticed a difference.

The program I'm doing has four sets of five for fronts that you end with... Back pumps are making me want to go find a corner to die in.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Speaking of front squats.. I've been adding them last for core build up.. should I keep doing it same day as back squats??

What's your whole week of training look like?

 

[taco33150]

12 weeks ( I'm gonna try to keep this short)focus here was on these lifts(push press , squat , bench, deadlifts) is to get 3rd workset and 4 set 5 reps .. if you can get 5 reps on the 4 th set go up in weight following week.. 5 set drop 30-50% of that last set and amrap.. track those numbers to.
Warm up with reverse pec deck for rear delts.. next Push press ( warm up 2 sets 3 working sets 1 amrap). seated dumble 3 sets8-12 reps
Side raises 3 sets 8-12 reps
Front raise same as above
Tricep workout-heavy dips 6-8 reps 3 sets.. heavy skull crushers same as above for dips.. cable kick backs 3 sets of 12-15..
biceps-light work.. 3 sets of 21s
Single arm dumbbell preacher curl 3 sets 12-15.. machine preacher curl 3 sets 12-15 with pausing on top..
legs - back squats. Warm up with God mornings and single leg lunges just bar 3 sets... 2 warmup sets.4 worksets and 1 amrap..5 sets of leg press same as squat routine.. leg extensions 4 sets of 8-10.. added front squats here.. 4 sets of light weight 30 second break in between.. lying leg curl 4 sets 10-12 pausing on top pad touching butt.. 3 sets of glute bridges 8-10 reps.. 3 sets of straight leg deadlifts light weight here for good stretch.. calves i do two three times a week .. any machine either I do 3 sec hold on bottom 2 sec hold on top 15 reps putting more pressure on inside of foot instead of letting feet spread outward.. or I'll do 5reps 5 sec rest 10 rep 10 sec rest 15 reps 15 sec rest till I get to 25( another member had that posted up)
Chest.. warm up shoulders and warmup on bench using bar only.. 2 warmup sets 4 work and 1 amrap..
incline dumbbell 3 sets 8-12
Decline hammer 3 sets 8-12 with last set being failure..
machine flyes 3 sets with a pause on contraction..
Triceps .light work . v bar push downs 3 sets 12-15.. rope push down 12-15 both with pauses at the bottom.. cable kick backs 12-15
Biceps.. heavy. Wide grip on easy curl( forearm hurts doing close grip) 3 sets 6-8 reps..3 sets of heavy hammer curl dumbbell 6-8 reps each arm alternating..
reverse grip cur12-15 3 sets
Deadlifts same warm up as legs..workset same as the others.. 3 sets of wide grip rows 8-12.. chest supported rows 3 sets 8-12.. pull downs 3 sets 8-12.. 3 sets of 8-12 machine pull overs..
my fingers are numb!!!

 

[Perrin Aybara]

12 weeks ( I'm gonna try to keep this short)focus here was on these lifts(push press , squat , bench, deadlifts) is to get 3rd workset and 4 set 5 reps .. if you can get 5 reps on the 4 th set go up in weight following week.. 5 set drop 30-50% of that last set and amrap.. track those numbers to.
Warm up with reverse pec deck for rear delts.. next Push press ( warm up 2 sets 3 working sets 1 amrap). seated dumble 3 sets8-12 reps
Side raises 3 sets 8-12 reps
Front raise same as above
Tricep workout-heavy dips 6-8 reps 3 sets.. heavy skull crushers same as above for dips.. cable kick backs 3 sets of 12-15..
biceps-light work.. 3 sets of 21s
Single arm dumbbell preacher curl 3 sets 12-15.. machine preacher curl 3 sets 12-15 with pausing on top..
legs - back squats. Warm up with God mornings and single leg lunges just bar 3 sets... 2 warmup sets.4 worksets and 1 amrap..5 sets of leg press same as squat routine.. leg extensions 4 sets of 8-10.. added front squats here.. 4 sets of light weight 30 second break in between.. lying leg curl 4 sets 10-12 pausing on top pad touching butt.. 3 sets of glute bridges 8-10 reps.. 3 sets of straight leg deadlifts light weight here for good stretch.. calves i do two three times a week .. any machine either I do 3 sec hold on bottom 2 sec hold on top 15 reps putting more pressure on inside of foot instead of letting feet spread outward.. or I'll do 5reps 5 sec rest 10 rep 10 sec rest 15 reps 15 sec rest till I get to 25( another member had that posted up)
Chest.. warm up shoulders and warmup on bench using bar only.. 2 warmup sets 4 work and 1 amrap..
incline dumbbell 3 sets 8-12
Decline hammer 3 sets 8-12 with last set being failure..
machine flyes 3 sets with a pause on contraction..
Triceps .light work . v bar push downs 3 sets 12-15.. rope push down 12-15 both with pauses at the bottom.. cable kick backs 12-15
Biceps.. heavy. Wide grip on easy curl( forearm hurts doing close grip) 3 sets 6-8 reps..3 sets of heavy hammer curl dumbbell 6-8 reps each arm alternating..
reverse grip cur12-15 3 sets
Deadlifts same warm up as legs..workset same as the others.. 3 sets of wide grip rows 8-12.. chest supported rows 3 sets 8-12.. pull downs 3 sets 8-12.. 3 sets of 8-12 machine pull overs..
my fingers are numb!!!

I'm a little confused. The focus is improving squat, bench, deadlift and push press, but this seems like a bodybuilding routine?

I'm also familiar with the system you're describing where if you get all five reps you go up in weight the next week. This is okay for beginners, but my concern is burning out from all the RPE 10's like you were saying was happening on deadlift. Easy to happen on squat, too. Less so on upper body lifts like bench and push press, but still a concern.

I'd recommend three slots per week for each of those lifts. Kinda tricky to program push press and bench together. Generally one slot will always be the main lift, one will be the bottom portion of the lift and one will be the top or overload. One can be swapped for a hypertrophy lift as well, just depends on your needs and goals.

Okay, here's my recommendation. Just came up with this on the spot going by what I would do in your situation. If you like any part of it feel free to use it or all of it or none of it or save it for later.

Week one

Monday
Deadlift 1x3 @RPE 9, reduce weight 5-10% and do 2x3
Strict press 3x8 @RPE 8-9
Deficit deadlift or Romanian deadlift (beltless) 3x8 @RPE 7-8

Wednesday
Bench 1x3 @RPE 9, reduce weight 5-10% and do 2x3
Long paused squat (beltless) 5x3 @RPE 8-9
Incline bench 3x8 @RPE 8-9

Friday
Squat 5x5 @RPE 8-9
Long paused bench 5x5 @RPE 8-9
Front squat (beltless) 3x8 @RPE 8-9

Saturday
Push press 5x5 @RPE 8-9
Block pull or reverse band deadlift 3x3 @RPE 8-9
Dumbbell overhead press 3x8 @RPE 8-9

Week two

Monday
Deadlift 5x5 @RPE 8-9
Strict press 3x8 @RPE 8-9
Deficit deadlift or Romanian deadlift (beltless) 3x8 @RPE 7-8

Wednesday
Bench 5x5 @RPE 8-9
Long paused squat (beltless) 5x3 @RPE 8-9
Incline bench 3x8 @RPE 8-9

Friday
Squat 1x3 @RPE 9, reduce weight 5-10% and do 2x3
Long paused bench 5x5 @RPE 8-9
Front squat (beltless) 3x8 @RPE 8-9

Saturday
Push press 1x3 @RPE 9, reduce weight 5-10% and do 2x3
Block pull or reverse band deadlift 3x3 @RPE 8-9
Dumbbell overhead press 3x8 @RPE 8-9

At the end of each day you can add two isolation exercises of your choice. After each two week cycle you'd try to add weight to the main 1x5's and 5x5's. Repeat as long as it keeps working.

 

[taco33150]

I would have to flip squats and deads..I'm a water delivery driver and my lower back gets pumped really quick with all the bending over.. I got that program from a friend.. it worked well then the rest of the program was working each body part twice a week 3 on 1 off.. well turns out he is a Bradley martyn nut hugger.. I really couldn't say much cause he did play some college ball and he's a lot stronger than me and he's clean to .. he did have good ideas..I like how you setup the program where you can add other excercises to.. o also didn't mention I would do john meadows style training with dropsets supersets adding weight instead of dropping weight you would add weight .. force reps . Anything to just force blood in the muscle

 

[taco33150]

@Perrin Aybara i appreciate you taking the time .. i really hate asking sometimes cause I don't like handouts.. but if I don't ask I'll never know

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I would have to flip squats and deads..I'm a water delivery driver and my lower back gets pumped really quick with all the bending over.. I got that program from a friend.. it worked well then the rest of the program was working each body part twice a week 3 on 1 off.. well turns out he is a Bradley martyn nut hugger.. I really couldn't say much cause he did play some college ball and he's a lot stronger than me and he's clean to .. he did have good ideas..I like how you setup the program where you can add other excercises to.. o also didn't mention I would do john meadows style training with dropsets supersets adding weight instead of dropping weight you would add weight .. force reps . Anything to just force blood in the muscle

Yeah, I wasn't sure of your goals. You could add the Meadows style stuff at the end and even with the stuff like incline, front squat and Romanian. If you didn't get too carried away it shouldn't hurt the main lifts and if it does just scale back the extras a little. You could swap those days, I'd just try to keep the days off pattern the same. The two days that are in a row are like that because they have a minimum impact on the lift selection, if that makes sense.

@Perrin Aybara i appreciate you taking the time .. i really hate asking sometimes cause I don't like handouts.. but if I don't ask I'll never know

It's no problem at all. I love strength training and helping others get better at it. Feel free to ask in here, if I don't know it someone that follows along probably does.

 

[taco33150]

I'm gonna have to check my ego. I'm always in competition with myself.. I like strength also but I like build also. I favor strength more

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Yeah, learning to check your ego is part of the difference between being strong and being very strong. Gotta let go of the "go all out" mentality. You're not going to set PRs or rep PRs every week when you're more advanced. A lot of your training isn't going to be exciting. It's going to be a lot of sets and reps leaving some in the tank over and over for weeks and months on end. Progress takes place over a longer term. Very satisfying when it comes together though.

 

[taco33150]

I'm gonna have to get used to it.. something gotta change

 

[Perrin Aybara]

212lbs

Competition squat 425x3, 380x3, 380x3, 380x3

Sumo box squat (below parallel with sleeves) 420x1, 420x1, 420x1

Bulgarian split squats 175x7, 175x7, 175x7, 175x7

 

[RodgerThat]

212lbs

Competition squat 425x3, 380x3, 380x3, 380x3

Sumo box squat (below parallel with sleeves) 420x1, 420x1, 420x1

Bulgarian split squats 175x7, 175x7, 175x7, 175x7

Is it just me or does sets of 7 feel unnatural? For me sets of 4 of 7 and of 9 are weird as hell I'd rather do one more rep and make it a set of 8 or one less and do 6 OCD issues

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Is it just me or does sets of 7 feel unnatural? For me sets of 4 of 7 and of 9 are weird as hell I'd rather do one more rep and make it a set of 8 or one less and do 6 OCD issues

It was for a long time, but awhile back I started doing some odd number sets and kinda forced myself to be comfortable with it. For me the hardest numbers to do are 4, 6 and 9. I find the rest 1-10 symmetrical in their own way. I guess it really doesn't make sense, but we all have our quirks.

What the program calls for actually is sets of 7 starting at RPE 7 and going to RPE 9, the guideline is roughly 5 sets.

 

[taco33150]

Hey @Perrin Aybara .. what should my rest time in between sets should be .. ?? I see the rpe you listed is high. Wondering if rest time is longer cause of it..

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Hey @Perrin Aybara .. what should my rest time in between sets should be .. ?? I see the rpe you listed is high. Wondering if rest time is longer cause of it..

I rest until I feel ready, however long that is. Might be three minutes, might be five, might be longer. Just depends how I'm feeling, how heavy I'm going and how soon I need to get out of the gym.

 

[taco33150]

Ok good that's exactly how I do it.. I really don't rush throughout workouts since I'm done by 11am everyday and have the rest of the day to myself..

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I usually start out not rushing and then have to rush at the end because during the week I lift after work. You wouldn't think these workouts take that long just reading them, but they do.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Here's the vid from that peak set of 425x3 squats. Keep in mind 60lb buffalo bar here.



My squat is still improving all the time. I think by how fast that first rep went up I've got 475x1 easy in sleeves. That would be 525+ with wraps. I'm really pleased with how that's going.

 

[taco33150]

Son a bitch your a beast!!!

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Son a bitch your a beast!!!

Thanks, I'm getting there. I still consider squat my worst lift, but it's quickly catching up.