Questions. Answers. Partying with BOSS... Dan Green

[BOSS]

First off thanks for the lengthy response I really appreciate that. I basically took the "5th Set" idea from Swedes book and applied it to my main lifts. 80% is the starting point and I'd increase by 2-3kg per week depending on the lift. I'm trying to build strength and size with a little more emphasis on hypertrophy, Im not planning on competing until November.
I'm 26 and i've been lifting seriously for 6 years, I'm 5'7 and weigh about 200lbs so I want to really maximize my size at the 198lb weight class. My most recent maxes are 545 squat 425 bench and 645 pull. I really just started the program last week to see if I liked the set/rep scheme... to be honest i've been dying to follow your training method if and when you publish it lol..

As for the last part I should rephrase that I cut back from my 5th day which was always Saturday DL day to spend more time at home on the weekends, and rather than cut back to 4 days and cram in all the lifting I'd really want to stick with 5 day Mon-Friday without making it too much to recover from. I'd likely take accessory lifts from the other days to add into the 5th day so that more time and energy can be spent on the main lifts alone on my main 4 days.

Thanks again, to be able to gain some knowledge from you really is a blessing!

Thanks man, and this definitely clears up a lot. With those numbers I can see you're doing a lot of things really well and likely have gained a lot of insight into what works well for you and what you might be able to expect as well. I guess I'm not really a fan of doing light days, but I do like to train for hypertrophy on certain body parts, and to optimize this effect I like the Arnold priority principle of taking something that's important to prioritize and putting it first in the workout. For example if front squats are critical to hypertrophy for the quads, instead of doing them after back squats, when you can't ensure your energy levels or stamina, I prefer to put them first in a workout, on their own day. It could be the same for delts, say, or chest or tris--you can pick one exercise to do first on an additional day so that you can really benefit from it. You definitely need to account for it's effect on your recovery, but a hypertrophy phase or strength phase doesn't require that you feel fully recovered every time you train. It's basically just a matter of how much total workload you subject yourself too and how much food, rest and recovery you throw at it. The weights might be slightly decreased, but the quality of motion can still be a priority so that you're becoming a better lifter with more of a ceiling for peak strength when you do decide to peak for it.

Conversely, if the accessory lifts aren't critical then don't worry about how much you dedicate time to them at the end of the workout. That makes sense. But it also makes sense that if they are important for hypertrophy and that's your bigger focus now... then maybe they should come first. Just for you to figure out if you say you're focusing on both strength and size but put size as more important, but does your training actually say otherwise?

[Buckfever]

Jesus your incline is closing in on where your flat bench was.

[pfabrizi1]

Thanks man, and this definitely clears up a lot. With those numbers I can see you're doing a lot of things really well and likely have gained a lot of insight into what works well for you and what you might be able to expect as well. I guess I'm not really a fan of doing light days, but I do like to train for hypertrophy on certain body parts, and to optimize this effect I like the Arnold priority principle of taking something that's important to prioritize and putting it first in the workout. For example if front squats are critical to hypertrophy for the quads, instead of doing them after back squats, when you can't ensure your energy levels or stamina, I prefer to put them first in a workout, on their own day. It could be the same for delts, say, or chest or tris--you can pick one exercise to do first on an additional day so that you can really benefit from it. You definitely need to account for it's effect on your recovery, but a hypertrophy phase or strength phase doesn't require that you feel fully recovered every time you train. It's basically just a matter of how much total workload you subject yourself too and how much food, rest and recovery you throw at it. The weights might be slightly decreased, but the quality of motion can still be a priority so that you're becoming a better lifter with more of a ceiling for peak strength when you do decide to peak for it.

Conversely, if the accessory lifts aren't critical then don't worry about how much you dedicate time to them at the end of the workout. That makes sense. But it also makes sense that if they are important for hypertrophy and that's your bigger focus now... then maybe they should come first. Just for you to figure out if you say you're focusing on both strength and size but put size as more important, but does your training actually say otherwise?

I see. Putting a little less emphasis on the intensity of the main lifts in favor of more work towards the accessory lifts which work better for hypertrophy purposes. I guess I've always been a little hesitant to switch off Bench Squat and DL as my first and main lift for any given day for heavy doubles/triples, but it makes total sense. So in a nutshell, building up the accessories will really be building the bulk of strength/potential for strength, and then translate into bigger numbers come peaking time for the comp. lifts... I'm gonna go and re work the priority of the lifts in my routine and add on weds as a front squat/sldl day.

I can't thank you enough! I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future lol but I'll let you know how these changes work out!

[Pt_carlzon]

Hi Dan! You are a true inspiration for me and was the reason why I started powerlifting.
I have read alot on this forum what you have wrote and that has given me alot of knowledge

I have a some questions

1. My split right now is

Squat 1-4RM
Squat 5x3-5 for volume with good speed
Leg Press

Bench 1-4RM
Close Grip 5-8RM
Incline Db Press 5 x 3 (paused)
Pull-ups
Triceps press 10-20 x 2

Front Squat 5-8 x 3, and 1 top set

Bench for volume
Close grip 3 sets
Wide Grip w/ feet up 2 sets
Triceps

Sumo Deadlift 2-5 x 1-3 sets
Deficit
RDL
Pull-ups
1 arm row

How does this sounds?
I feel like in jumping on different methods all the time
What would you change and how would you progress?


2. Whats your streching routine?
3. Pre workout? Intra workout? Food or Supps?
4. Best tip for optimal t-spine exension during bench?

Thank you for bringing new life in my training
I miss your training logs

[BOSS]

Jesus your incline is closing in on where your flat bench was.

Not quite lol but definitely getting a 500 incline is a goal for this year

[BOSS]

I see. Putting a little less emphasis on the intensity of the main lifts in favor of more work towards the accessory lifts which work better for hypertrophy purposes. I guess I've always been a little hesitant to switch off Bench Squat and DL as my first and main lift for any given day for heavy doubles/triples, but it makes total sense. So in a nutshell, building up the accessories will really be building the bulk of strength/potential for strength, and then translate into bigger numbers come peaking time for the comp. lifts... I'm gonna go and re work the priority of the lifts in my routine and add on weds as a front squat/sldl day.

I can't thank you enough! I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future lol but I'll let you know how these changes work out!

Hopefully this helps you for a while. Nothing works for ever so it's through experience that you'll map out subsequent training phases after the current strategy runs it's course

[BOSS]

Hi Dan! You are a true inspiration for me and was the reason why I started powerlifting.
I have read alot on this forum what you have wrote and that has given me alot of knowledge

I have a some questions

1. My split right now is

Squat 1-4RM
Squat 5x3-5 for volume with good speed
Leg Press

Bench 1-4RM
Close Grip 5-8RM
Incline Db Press 5 x 3 (paused)
Pull-ups
Triceps press 10-20 x 2

Front Squat 5-8 x 3, and 1 top set

Bench for volume
Close grip 3 sets
Wide Grip w/ feet up 2 sets
Triceps

Sumo Deadlift 2-5 x 1-3 sets
Deficit
RDL
Pull-ups
1 arm row

How does this sounds?
I feel like in jumping on different methods all the time
What would you change and how would you progress?


2. Whats your streching routine?
3. Pre workout? Intra workout? Food or Supps?
4. Best tip for optimal t-spine exension during bench?

Thank you for bringing new life in my training
I miss your training logs

Your program seems solid. At some point you'll need to switch some of the exercises or some of the rep ranges, but not right away. You can also add 1-2 high rep sets to some of the lifts as burnout sets following the main sets.
That's good for growth

Stretching I stretch the chest, lats biceps and thoracic spine for upper body,
Calves soleus and gastroc, groin, glutes and IT band for lower body

Usually fury for preworkout then 2 scoops animal whey, 1 scoop Gatorade as an intra or post
Food is critical after as you need steady nutrients where whey can process too quickly by itself

T-spine stretch by kneeling in front of a bench, palms on bench and dipping the chest down toward the floor. Like a downward dog but kneeling, hips up and hands on the bench not the floor

[JacknCoke]

Hi Dan,

I want to incorporate a deadlift variation that hits the lower back hard. The lower back pumps i've had from high rep sets on low bar are nothing like what i feel from after a hard set of 12 on the deadlift.
On normal deadlifts for me it's grip, quads and hamstrings in that order.
Deficit deadlifts it's quads, grip, hamstrings.
Deficit stiff legged, hamstrings mostly.
I've read that deadlifts hit the traps and lats but never felt anything is that a myth or am i doing something wrong?
I've also read an article where you stated that round back vs arched back deficit stiff legged deads for lower back vs hamstrings.
Could you describe how the round back deadlift is performed?
Do you end up with a straight posture at the end of the movement ("unrounding" your back on the concentric) or do you keep a round upper back the whole time?

Best Regards
JacknCoke

[BOSS]

Hi Dan,

I want to incorporate a deadlift variation that hits the lower back hard. The lower back pumps i've had from high rep sets on low bar are nothing like what i feel from after a hard set of 12 on the deadlift.
On normal deadlifts for me it's grip, quads and hamstrings in that order.
Deficit deadlifts it's quads, grip, hamstrings.
Deficit stiff legged, hamstrings mostly.
I've read that deadlifts hit the traps and lats but never felt anything is that a myth or am i doing something wrong?
I've also read an article where you stated that round back vs arched back deficit stiff legged deads for lower back vs hamstrings.
Could you describe how the round back deadlift is performed?
Do you end up with a straight posture at the end of the movement ("unrounding" your back on the concentric) or do you keep a round upper back the whole time?

Best Regards
JacknCoke

Yeah that's really all it is is just having some rounding in the back. There's nothing more too it. Try taking a narrower grip and using straps. Grip with your index fingers on the smooth part of the bar. This narrow grip will help you to stretch more through the upper back. It sounds like you tightly arch your back and therefore only feel lower body unless the reps are high. Use a deficit, look at the floor right in front of you (3-5 ft), brace the abs and lift deliberately. Keep pressure on your toes and you will feel the lower back. Do sets of 10 initially with a 3-4" deficit starting around 40% of your 1RM Deadlift and build from there. Lower each rep under control, over the toes and don't bounce the weight.

[Pt_carlzon]

Hi Boss!
Congrats to the your new meet PR in bench It looked very smooth

I have some bench questions

1. find it hard to keep my shoulders down/depressed and hit below the chest, i feel like i have to take a max width grip to even touch the upper abs and you wrote somewhere that this overload front delt in stead of chest

If i touch higher it feel like my wrist have to bend backwards and my shoulders arent totally down

2. Why dont you grip max width? Is it because armlength?

3. I have problem keeping my t-spine erected and feel my back in the bench
Any good excercises for that?

4. How do you devides your blocks from 2 bench/1 shoulder day and 2 bench days. should you aim for prs on your volume day?

[BOSS]

Hi Boss!
Congrats to the your new meet PR in bench It looked very smooth

I have some bench questions

1. find it hard to keep my shoulders down/depressed and hit below the chest, i feel like i have to take a max width grip to even touch the upper abs and you wrote somewhere that this overload front delt in stead of chest

If i touch higher it feel like my wrist have to bend backwards and my shoulders arent totally down

2. Why dont you grip max width? Is it because armlength?

3. I have problem keeping my t-spine erected and feel my back in the bench
Any good excercises for that?

4. How do you devides your blocks from 2 bench/1 shoulder day and 2 bench days. should you aim for prs on your volume day?

Ok there are a lot of questions here.
1. Just aim for the sternum or just at the nipples. Don't lower to the abs... again this is too much delts. It's ok for the wrists to bend back. This is a normal form for a lot of people. It allows you to engage the shoulders a little more easily.
2. I feel a better balance with a moderate grip. I feel very weak at the bottom with a wide grip because my chest is not as strong as my tris/delts
3. Kneel in front of a bench, far enough away so that you can put your palms on the bench, stick your butt back and then lower the chest toward the floor. This is like a "downward dog" stretch but kneeling. It's very good for upper back mobility
4. One exercise first each day then one for the second. I just try to cover all the exercises I feel are needed that way: Bench with various overloads, incline bench, DB flat bench, Seated Presses. I use various rep ranges according to the exercises. Generally bench is heavier, DB bench is lighter and incline in between. Shoulders more volume is key over the heaviest sets

[Sc0rpi0n]

There's a good chance you've strained or slightly torn the tricep muscle, but without an MRI you can't know for sure. It'd be worth your while to get some kind of treatment for it, but I don't know what's best. If it's the tendon, it won't heal until it gets enough rest. Elbow sleeves can definitely help if you continue to train, but if you can't compete with them then I'm not sure if that's really that helpful.

As for the sleepy arm and leg while squatting, I think I'd have to see your squat to have a guess what's going on. Maybe your putting too much pressure on the arm or maybe you're pinching a nerve... Too hard to guess from your description

I read your reply when you answered, but forgot to message back about it lol

Competition went relatively good, I placed 4th, which is ok, since it was my first time, plus some other things didn't add up, but never mind that. Anyway, for the elbow, I took a pause from heavy presses for like 2-3 weeks after the meet and now it's great, I no longer have that pain while benching. As for the sleepy arm and leg, I tweaked my squat a little bit, wider stance, wider grip on the bar and I haven't had that problem since I messaged you previously. It turned out that I was pinching some nerve where the bar would be placed on my rear shoulder...
So yea, everything's good now, I'm back on track, now it's just the matter of getting stronger.

Thanks for the reply, as always.