Here is the second part to my “Kicking It Old School” post. If you haven’t read the first part then check it out (down below).
So now that you know what nutritional approach I took I will show you what my training looked like. I know my nutritional approach then had some major flaws, as so did my training. However just like with my nutrition I was doing some things right. This following page out of my journal was from the exact same week as the “Kicking It Old School – The Diet”. I began my journey with some shitty exercise selection and workouts no doubt. It continually improved from reading books on training, trail and error, etc.
This is the type of training I used to take my body weight from 135-185 during high school. Given I did vary my workouts my basic philosophy stayed the same and I learned more each year about training. This was from my junior year and this page was taken when I weighed 155 pounds. I began my junior year at 155 and began my senior year at 171. So this was roughly 4 months into my junior year right after football season ended.
12-01
Monday- (Upper - Push)
Bench Press 3x6-8
Incline 3x10
Pec Dec 3x10
Dips 3x12
Close Grip Bench 3x12
Cable Press Down 3x15
Shrugs 3x20
Tuesday- (Lower)
Deadlift 3x6-8
Leg Curls 3x10
Leg Ext. 3x15
Calf Raises 3x20
Run 400’s
Wednesday- (Biceps and Abs)
Standing Curl 3x10
Preacher Curl 3x10
Alternating Dumbbell Curl 3x10
Hammer Curl 3x10
Sit ups 3x25
Crunches 3x25
Leg Raises 3x12
Thursday- (Lower)
Squats 3x6-8
Leg Curls 3x10
Leg Ext. 3x15
Calf Raises 3x20
Run 40 yard sprints
Friday- (Back, Shoulders)
Push Press 3x6-8
Pull Ups 3x8
Shoulder Raise Lateral 3x15
Rear Delt Fly 3x15
One Arm Row 3x10
Upright Row 3x12
Bent Over Row 3x12
Behind Back Shrug 3x20
Seated Row 3x20
As you can see there are some good things here (bench, deadlift, squat, push press, pull ups) as well as some crappy stuff (leg ext/curls, too many exercises/volume, no single leg work, a day for biceps and abs, too much isolation, set/rep parameters). Same as with the nutrition I wouldn’t do it the same today. But all in all it shows sticking to the heavy basics and lots of food is where it’s at for size, strength and performance.
What did your training approach look like when you began training? Has it changed much since then? Let me know in the comments!
6 comments:
My high school had the best weight training program in the State. Coming into my freshman year, we had won both the JV and varsity team competition 15 out of 15 years. We won it all 4 years I was there. That being said, the program made me much stronger but did not do much for my size. I was super small and remained that way throughout high school. I believe that my inability to move beyond "twig" status was due to my diet. Anyways, here was the program:
Monday: Squat and Bench
Tues: Sprints, agilities, etc for out of season athletes. In season went to study room
Wed: Power Cleans
Thurday: Game - Phili-football, "slaughter ball", casketball, etc
Friday: Front Squats and Bench
Once our major lifts were done, we could do "auxiliaries" until time ran out. We were to do pull-ups (our coach was crazy about pull-ups; his 8 year old daughter had to do them every morning before school. She could do something like 15 reps...), straight-legged deads and shrugs first.
We altered sets and reps each week as follows: 5X5, 10/8/6, 5/4/3/2/1/ and 3X3. We maxed Bench, Squat and Cleans twice a semester and you were expected to increase total weight by at least 30 lbs. Your total was divided by your weight to give you exponent; a great measure of relative strength.
I think it gave me a great foundation. I learned good form in the major lifts, got a solid strength base and it is what propelled me into lifting. Nothing like 75 athletes screaming for you to beat your max.... Good shit.
Back in 88' or 89' I was being bullied by some kids down the street. So my dad gave me his Charles Atlas routine, I still have today! I love that program, it has some great exercises, into in it. I got ALOT stronger, filled out and finally won some arm wrestling comps during lunch in Jr. High! What a great feeling that was.
@ Daniel Man, I am jealous. Sounds like you had one hell of a high school program! And that atmosphere sounds intense!
@ Dean It's funny how everyone is looking for the next big thing. The best things have already been found and people have been doing them for ages. Old school training is where its at!
I've been blessed with good strength coaches in HS and college. It was always very strength/explosion focused though. I didn't start gaining mass until after my football career was over, and I started doing my own research on hypertrophy.
Anyways, my routines have always been focused on "the big 3" and Oly-lifts. At my athletic peak, I could run a 4.5-40 and 39" vert (still do). Not bad for a 5'9 white dude. lol
- Dave
AthleteCreator
@ sandeld
Man, I am always jealous of those who had great strength coaches in high school. Ours was a male cheerleader before, no shit. And not one of those jacked ones either.
Sweet ass vertical man!
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