Upper/Lower Split Opinions

marathonic

I posted a similar question recently - but asking for advice between an upper/lower split and a push/pull split. I've decided to go for an upper/lower split and would be interested in your thoughts on the below.

I'm currently doing a starting strength type routine and will introduce some of the new lifts at low weights to my current routine. Then, when I'm lifting a reasonable weight in the new lifts, I'll be switching completely.

I also plan to get a PT to supervise me for the first couple of weeks after I switch the routine completely (I'll use youtube videos to check form for the initial, light weights).

Monday - Upper 1
Bench Press
Pendlay Rows
Dips
Chin Ups

Tuesday - Lower 1
Squat
Cleans - would Power Cleans be better
SLDL
Lunges

Thursday - Upper 2
Overhead Press
One-arm Dumbell Rows - would Low Pulley Rows be better
Incline Bench
Pullups

Friday - Lower 2
Deadlift
Front Squat
Good Mornings
Alternate weighted crunches, weighted oblique twists and hanging leg raises

The excercise that worries me most is the Clean/Power Clean as I can sprain my wrist pretty easily so need to get the form perfect on that.

Molly

Looking at your numbers I reckon you could milk starting strength a bit more.

marathonic

Molly wrote: »

Looking at your numbers I reckon you could milk starting strength a bit more.

Yeah, that's probably true. I AM finding everything a bit tough at the moment but I haven't really ventured into the mid-high teens of bodyfat % whilst doing it so maybe I should just up the calories more and continue on. Maybe a high-calorie March/April followed by a cut in May.

Scuba Ste

marathonic wrote:

Cleans - would Power Cleans be better


The excercise that worries me most is the Clean/Power Clean as I can sprain my wrist pretty easily so need to get the form perfect on that.

I don't know about better but full cleans would be harder to learn initially. It's easier to catch a power clean out of position too and still make it, full cleans are less forgiving. If you get easily sprained wrists then the obvious omission is some wrist exercises no? Stretches can help too. Depending on why you get wrist sprains I'm not sure that better technique will improve that aspect anyway. My wrists only ever hurt from snatches though. What exactly do you want to get from the cleans?

On your overall program I just think that's a lot of compound lifts to be doing each session. I prefer to do one big lift with an isolation exercise as accessory. And I think your better off starting with a pull on the second upper day so one day is "bench" day the other "pull up" day if you get me. Order is important and your leaving one of the best upper body exercises until last each day.

marathonic

Well, it's not really that they get sprained easily in general. It's that they got sprained a couple of times when I attempted Power Cleans. Maybe replacing the cleans with some form of wrist excercises would be a good idea - any suggestions? I could possibly incorporate cleans at some later stage.

I'll take your comments about the order of the "pull up" v' "bench" into account.

Hanley

marathonic wrote: »

Well, it's not really that they get sprained easily in general. It's that they got sprained a couple of times when I attempted Power Cleans. Maybe replacing the cleans with some form of wrist excercises would be a good idea - any suggestions? I could possibly incorporate cleans at some later stage.

I'll take your comments about the order of the "pull up" v' "bench" into account.

I don't wanna be a dick here but WTF Are you doing?! Substituting cleans for a wrist movement?! Like why are you doing cleans - there's specific reasons to do them, what is a wrist exercise going to do that'll be similar?

Like just have a think about what you're trying to achieve, possibly do something to help your wrist (which really sounds like a flexibility thing) AND a power based exercise as well. Don't just lash one in for the other!

Hanley

But I do think the general idea of what you're doing is good, but like Ste said I'd probably have pull ups/chins higher up.

Scuba Ste

marathonic wrote: »

Well, it's not really that they get sprained easily in general. It's that they got sprained a couple of times when I attempted Power Cleans. Maybe replacing the cleans with some form of wrist excercises would be a good idea - any suggestions? I could possibly incorporate cleans at some later stage.

I'll take your comments about the order of the "pull up" v' "bench" into account.

Wrist curls, wrist extensions, wrist rolls.

How do you catch the bar. You should catch it on your shoulders with the fingers just holding it against them, elbows high. You really only need a couple of fingers in contact with the bar to do this. Are you catching it in your hands instead with your elbows down? If you are maybe that's causing a problem, hard to know without seeing it though.

I presume you don't clean using straps?

marathonic

No, I don't use any straps.

I think maybe I'll work the weight up on all the other new excercises and introduce the cleans when I get the PT sessions after a month or two. At least then, I'll know whether my form's correct for sure. Either that or possibly attempt them and video myself for some online feedback.

Hanley, to answer your question, there's no particular goal to doing the cleans - I just want to change up the routine and thought having cleans or power cleans in there would be a good idea. They are part of the Starting Strength routine but I've been replacing them with Pendlay Rows up until now.

I would probably be interested in starting some sort of sport later in the year - possibly rugby or boxing - but, for now, that's not on the radar. I'd say Power Cleans would be a beneficial excercise to have high numbers in when starting to train for either of these sports. Basically, I want to build strength now and add in some sort of sport-specific training after the Summer.

Brian?

My 2c, there's nothing too wrong with what you've come up with. Milk SS for everything you can get from it and then progress to either Bill Starr's Intermediate 5x5 or Westside.

I seriously enjoy Westside, a kevpants inspired venture.