As I wrote about in the previous installment, most of the training programs I write for clients are function-based, as opposed to bodypart/muscle group based. I outlined the reasons in my previous post, but for your reference, they are:
1. Form follows function, so train the function to improve form.
2. Peformance is easier to track than aesthetics (which are primarily decided by eating habits).
3. There’s no downside to training functions vs. muscle groups.
The 8 major joint functions I include in a program are:
- Lower body Push
- Lower body Pull
- Upper body Push (vertical)
- Upper body Pull (vertical)
- Upper body Push (horizontal)
- Upper body Pull (horizontal)
- Trunk flexion
- Trunk extension
Sounds nice – if you’re an anatomist, that is. The rest of us need actual exercises. From the above template, I draw upon the following lists of exercises that correspond to the muscle/joint function:
Lower Body Pushes:
- Squat
- Front Squat
- Leg Press
- Supported Step-Up
- Split Squat
- Leg Extension
Lower Body Pull:
- Deadlift
- Stiff-legged deadlift
- Leg Curl
- Glute-Hamstring Raise
Upper Body Horizontal Push:
- Bench Press
- Chest Press
- Incline Press
Upper Body Horizontal Pull:
- Seated Row
- One Armed Row
- Hise Shrug
- Reverse Flye
Upper Body Vertical Push:
- Overhead Press
- Military Press
- Lateral Raise
Upper Body Vertical Pull:
- Chinup/Pullup
- Lat Pulldown
- Pullover
Trunk Flexion:
- Crunch
- Reverse Crunch
Trunk Extension:
- Back hyperextension
- Lumbar extension
Note that these lists aren’t all-inclusive or comprehensive (I could have included cable flyes or dips in the horizontal pushes, for example), but represent my primary choices. Note that in general, I choose multi-joint exercises over single-joint exercises. Multi-joint exercises give you more bang for the buck because they involve more overall muscle in a single exercise than do single joint movements.
Example: Chinups (multi-joint) vs. Biceps Curls (single-joint). Which would you say works more muscle and is more results-producing? Hint: It’s not the biceps curls.
So, what would a sample workout look like? Well, if you did all 8 movements in a single workout, then it could look like this:
- Squat
- Glute-Ham Raise
- Chinups
- Bench Press
- Lateral Raise
- Hise Shrug
- Crunch
- Lumbar Extension
You could also opt to break it up into a two day routine, like this:
Day 1
- Squat
- Bench Press
- Hise Shrug
- Lumbar Extension
Day 2
- Glute-Ham Raise
- Chinups
- Lateral Raise
- Crunch
How do you know what combinations to use? And what about sets and reps? Easy, easy; coming up next…
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
what do you think about maybe doing just two exercises a day? I’ve toyed with idea of just strolling by the gym, say, on my way to work every day, pop off two intense exercises, and then move on with the rest of my day. I’m thinking it’s less intimidating than a whole session of eight or so, so I might put more into each exercise.
Hey Eugene:
What is a Hise Shrug and a Glute ham raise?
Be Well
Dave
Fritz -
Depends on the goal. For health purposes and lean gain, it’ll work just dandy, but I doubt it’d be optimal for say, a bodybuilder or an NFL lineman.
Something like:
Day 1
Bench Press
Deadlift
Day 2
Pullover
Squat
worked really well for building muscle for old-timers like Peary Rader and John McCollum. But it was in how they worked the routines: progression was key. Precious few exercises, but worked to ponderously heavy weights. And enough calories to build muscle with.
In the modern day, I think Pavel Tsatsouline advocates 2 different two exercise routines, Military Press and Deadlift being one, one-armed pushups and one-legged squats being the other.
Bottom line: If you follow the proper progression principles, two exercise routines are just fine. But don’t expect to win the Mr. Olympia.
er, Fritz? cough cough, you mean Mrfreddy, cough cough…
anywho, the Mr. Olympia folks are under no threat from me, no matter what routine I follow, methinks!
I’m thinking of something like:
day 1
leg press
lat pull down
day 2
knee extension
chest press
day 3
knee curl
shoulder press
day 4
pec fly
bicep curls
day 5
hip abb
hip add
day 6, 7
skip it!
week 2
same idea, but mix in exercises not included last week, eg. seated row, abs, lower back…
(*grins) Mrfreddy -
Interesting idea, but you undercut recovery for some muscle groups while allowing for other groups to detrain. In other words, it’ll probably allow you to maintain your current state, but make it difficult to make progress.
In the above routine, the single day(s) of isolation exercises really won’t do much to further your lean gains in and of themselves. All you’re really doing is eating into your recovery (albeit not to a huge extent). I’ll post soon about the concept of recovery from exercise and I hope it will provide a deeper understanding as to why doing daily strength training (particularly to failure) is counteractive to progress.
The other problem is that you’d end up performing a single exercise (say, Leg Press) only once every 13 days or so, which would likely impede your progress on that exercise (and, by extension, your overall progress).
The “big exercises” (lower body push/pull and upper body push/pull) are the ones that will really help in terms of providing the benefits of strength training, which are why they are the centerpieces in an abbreviated routine. The above routine is a novel way to exercise everyday, but I’m afraid it falls a little short in the progression department.
Kudos for being creative, however.
Dave –
A Hise Shrug is performed by getting into squat position (bar across your traps) and shrugging your shoulders up.
As for a Glute-Ham Raise, here’s a reasonably good demonstration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0oqLDZ8JcI
Thanks for recommendation, I think, it is very important to do exercises every day, so I am going to try your program.
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