Updated
25.01.01
Duration
Jan - March
Objective
Complete a 12-week strength training block comprised of a 4-day upper/lower body split.
Hypothesis
I love strength training. To kick the year off right, I’ll put my emphasis on the exercise modality I like the most. Four strength workouts a week is all I need to see growth, and keeping the workouts at under an hour makes them practical to complete. After completing this cycle, I may add either additional workouts or shift some emphasis towards conditioning, but this is the baseline habit I want to keep established.
Experiment Design
Four workouts a week following a modified GZCL protocol. I’m still in a place where I can find consistent gains through progressive overload, so I’m going to do just that.
For this block, I’ll be emphasizing bench press, overhead Press, low bar back squats, and bulgarian split squats as primary lifts. For the first time in years, I’m removing traditional and trap bar deadlifts for the moment, and using my second lower body day to focus on muscle imbalances with Bulgarian Split Squats, while still working on my posterior chain with Nordic Curls, Romanian Deadlifts, and reverse hypers.
For this program, every workout includes 1x back exercise, which may not be ideal, but at least exposes the lats and traps to 12 sets a week.
Risk
I injure myself or get sick. I’m planning to push myself, but have removed the idea of ego lifting from my programs for quite some time, and will continue to focus on form and slow progression.