Tire of your current training regimen? Having a hard time sticking to your program? Here's a systematic way of implmenting spontaneity in your workouts to keep you going. It's a dice rolling system to be used once every few months to keep things interesting. This approach to training is for those in the iron game for years that need to spice up their program with some randomness. To ensure that you make gains consistently and training in a measurable and productive manner, I recommend trainees to follow a structured program specifically designed for them so don't use this method for your entire training career. Basically all you need is a die (plural - dice) and you roll 4x to find out: 1) What program you will do that day. 2) Leg + core movement 3) Upper body push movement, and 4) Upper body pull movement. If you're a performance athlete, you may eliminate the upper body push and pull and add a... 3) a power/olympic movement (because you need the speed) 4) and a finisher (because you need the conditioning) Each roll will give you 6 options of how to train according the design for each movement/lift and you will never run into the same program ever (with one exception which I'll explain later). 1st Roll: The Program 1) 5 x 5 2) RPT (reverse pyramid training) 3) The Bro Method 4) 1 Lift for 50 rep singles or doubles. 5) Tabata everything! 50% 1RM - 4mins each movement. 6) Hang Clean & Front Squat Combo for 100reps (the exception). 1. 5 x 5 is basically performing 5 sets of 5 reps (near max), read this post for further instruction. 190 x 5, rest 190 x 5, rest 190 x 5, rest 190 x 5, rest 190 x 5, eat. 2. RPT - After warm up, you should perform your best set first (2-5reps max depending on the safety of the lift), then drop 10-15% of load then get up to 8-10 reps for the 2nd set, then drop down to 50% of 1RM and perform to failure with each movements. 3 sets per mnovement and 9 sets total. This is a low volume program great for those on a diet or in season athletes. 3. Bro-Training - random rep, set, rest intervals as you like it. As long as you're feeling 'da pump' and gets the gals (or guys) next to you awing over your awesome superset/drop-set, kipping and tempo routine, it's all good! 4. 50 total reps - This will take a whlie but basically you perform the movement 1-2 rep max for 50 total reps. so basically you're doing 25 - 50 sets of near max reps. You will need to master the movements to pull this off. Make sure you have spotters if you're attempting a lot of singles with weights above you. 5. Tabata: 20 second on (work) and 10 second off (rest). 4 mins = 8 rounds. You do this for each lifts (upper body push/pull and leg) but I don't recommend it for the power movements. Bad form with high reps and high speed is not good unless you're an elite crossfitter with health insurance. Use 50% 1RM load and adjust it accordingly. 6. Find a weight you can hang clean and front squat for a total of 100 reps. Take as many sets as you need to hit that number. You start with hang clean up to as many rep as possible in a set (hopefully heavy enough you can only catch it with good form under 10rep per set) then without rest, while bar still on shoulder, front squat until you fall over. repeat. If you roll on this one, you don't need to roll again. 2nd Roll: Leg + Core 1) Conventional Deadlift 2) RDL 3) Sumo 4) Back Squat (Deep!) 5) Front Squat 6) Overhead Squat 3rd Roll: Upper Body Push 1) Bench Press 2) Incline 3) Dip 4) Military (no knee pleas) 5) Close Grip Push Up - if land on RPT, perform 3 sets of to-failures. 6) Hand Stand Push Up - if you can't do this one, use this progression. if land on RPT, 3 sets to failure. 4th Roll: Upper Body Pull 1) Pull Up (use weight belt to adjust intensity) 2) Chin (use weight belt to adjust intensity) 3) Shrugs 4) Lats Pull Down 5) DB or BB Pull Over 6) Bent-Over Rows For Performance Athletes: skip the upper body push and pull and... 3rd Roll: Speed/Power 1) Power Cleans 2) Hang Cleans 3) KB or DB Swings 4) Power Snatch 5) KB or DB Single Arm Snatches 6) Power Snatch Squat or Split Stance 4th Roll: Finisher (depending on equipments) 1) Sled Pull/Push tabata 4mins or farmer walk to your forearm cramp up. 2) Prisoner Squat Jump tabata 3) 20, 20, 40, 100, 40, 20, 20 yard sprints w/ 20sec rest. 4) Battle Rope, Rower tabata, Ab roller, or Push Ups. 5) Med Ball Wall Throws 6 sets of 20 reps with 10 sec rests or crunches til your belly fat falls off. 6) Burpees 3 reps-to-failure sets with 30sec rest.
