PROGRAMMING IDEA

Am presently deloading for my upcoming comp, but have come up with an idea for how I want to program my assistance work.

Problem: Despite going into it kicking and screaming, I really like how I am starting to gain a handle on how to push press, and I want to keep this skillset drilled for future competitions.  That said, strict pressing is what helped me build a solid foundation to push press with, and I want to be able to continue to grind out reps as necessary.


Solution: I will train pressing twice a week.  One day will be a push press with a variety of bars, and the other day will be a strict press with a variety of bars.  As of yet, I am undecided on if I will do my push pressing on my heavy press day or my heavy bench day.


Problem:  With this approach, I will be neglecting benching/horizontal pressing, and as of this moment I am not comfortable with giving up on powerlifting, especially since, after many years, I am finally making progress on bench.


Solution:  I will also bench twice a week for assistance work.  Following a similar approach to the above, armed with my new reactive slingshot (and my old metal catapult/reverse bands if needed), I will have one day where I overload the bench with a reversing mechanism and one day where the emphasis is on strict pressing.  I may even consider making the other day a pause bench day to really emphasize the point, but in general, not making use of external equipment is the intent there.


Problem:  Volume/time considerations.


Solution:  I will abandon my presently effective 5x10 approach for a 3x6-10 approach for each movement, meaning a total of 6 sets of assistance pressing each workout, similar to what I was performing before.  This will possibly result in slightly more time in the gym, but I think the end net positive will be worthwhile.  Remembering lessons's learned from Dogg Crapp, I think my bench will actually do better with so much variety, and this fits in with the Cube Method for Strongman's assistance approach as well.


Considerations: Programming the rest of the assistance work that day.  Primarily, lats, rear delts, triceps and biceps, with POSSIBLY lateral delt work as well.

-To make up for more time spent changing around implements/plates for pressing, I should pick movements that require minimal set-up for everything else.  Chins are easy, as are band pull aparts.  A pin selected machine would honestly be a boon here, may be something work looking into.

-May simply move assistance work to a grease the groove style approach to save time where possible.

-Can always save time by making my assistance work simply be a lighter version of the heavier work for the day, ala BBB.  Will save time in set up.

-Consider leaving some stations pre-set in the garage ready to go and never changing them.  Instead of setting weight PRs, keep the weight the same and go for time based or rep PRs.