Workout Routines: Home Grown Muscle Phase III

The nice thing about HGM is that if you’re intelligent enough, you can pull things from both the beginner and the intermediate templates to create something in-between. For the most part, I consider myself a beginner. But I can tell when I can handle a little more. For one, there’s the set/rep specification. 3×4-6 or 5×5? Given that each movement is given around a week to cover, I think I’ll want the intensity of 5×5. If I run into a time issue, I’ll cut it back to 4.

I’ve debated switching the high pull out for a hang clean or hang clean and press. I want to improve my overhead press, no? But then I remember that a good high pull will overload my deltoids and traps quite nicely. I have cleaned before, but I won’t pretend I have my form down. If I do cleans, there’s a chance I’ll let form decline in the effort to improve numbers. I’ll stay with high pulls. Besides, hang clean and presses zap a ton of energy, I do want to be energetic for those deadlifts.

I do believe I’ll switch out the weighted swiss-ball crunch in favor of a high-low woodchopper. I’ve never done anything like that before, and it’s not THAT hard to execute.

For the second day, instead of doing a barbell rollout, I’ll simply use an ab roller device that I know is around my gym. Same movement, less space!

For the third day, I’ll stay with it as specified. Leg curls make me balk, but I’ll do them anyway. I doubt I’ve done leg curls with any purpose or intensity. Can’t substitute Romanians for everything.

Anyway.

HGM: Phase III: “Strong Medicine”

Day A

High Pull
Snatch-Grip Deadlift
Close-grip Chin-up
Low-to-High Woodchopper

Day B

Close-grip Incline Bench Press
Single-Arm DB Row
Wide-grip Bench Press
Ab Rollout

Day C

DB Front Squat
BB Hack Squat
Leg Curl
Single-Leg Calf Raise

Sets: 5
Rep Range: 5 (or 4-6)
Rest Period: Two and a half minutes between exercises and sets – all straight sets

Schedule:
Sunday: Rest
Monday: Day B
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Day C
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: Day A

At first glance, this workout didn’t make much sense to me. No legwork on Day B? No upper body on Day C? What’s going on here? Then it hit me: This looks like a variation of a Deadlift/Bench/Squat theme. As such, I’ll just trust it.

The drop in rep range will be good for me. As high pulls are explosive, I’m expecting some poundage to be added as my form shapes up. I’m personally betting all those good mornings will help my deadlift, even if it is snatch-grip. I’ll probably start at a conservative 185 and take it from there. If the low position messes with me, I’m sure I’ll start complaining – but I’ll stick with it. Can I do five sets of five chin-ups? Let’s hope so. I really want to add weight – it’s a low enough rep range that maybe I can!

I have no expectations for my bench. I hope I can get my single-arm DB row form down. I recall I ditched that move in favor of a BB because I couldn’t keep my torso stable enough. I should be better now.

I have a feeling front squats will be interesting simply because I’ll have to clean some heavy dumbbells up to my shoulders. I know, don’t get cocky. I’ve never done hack squats before, either. We’ll see what happens. Hamstrings are supposedly mostly fast-twitch, so I may surprise myself, but again no expectations.

I intend to just walk in the first week and feel out what weight I need. Deloading or not, I have five sets to get it right. *smiles*

Phase III officially starts Saturday, October 7th.