Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

0

Hi

I'm looking for some ideas/ advice on adding additional training to my regime, I presently train for strength using Jim Wendlers 5/3/1 protocol, which is a 4 day split with one day each dedicated to: Squat, Bench Press, Military Press and Deadlift with 3-4 assistance exercises each day. I am enjoying this and have been for a while, am making strength gains etc. My question is, if I am still feeling energised and not too sore (mainly in the upper body, my legs get worked into the ground due to heavy squatting and deadlifting) if it would be overkill to add in 2-3 additional short workouts at home, in a circuit fashion, using combinations of upper body exercises and kettlebell swings, im thinking swiss ball crunches and hyper-extensions for added core work, band pull aparts for back volume, pressups etc, interspersed with swings for additional calorie burn and more posterior chain work. Has anyone any experience of adding additional training to heavy strength training?

For info i'm 6' 2'', about 315lbs at about 28% - 30% body fat and looking to lose body fat and at the very least maintain strength, if not increase it. Thoughts?

EDIT: I should point out:

I mean 2-3 additional workouts over the week...
I train in a morning but after a night shift, find this works best for me motivation and energy wise, so the added work would be on an evening at home

Thanks!

flag	asked Jul 31 at 17:48 boss_keloid 23●1●7

miked · Answer 1 · 2012-08-14 22:46:00Z UTC

What are your goals? Wendler 5/3/1 is great for getting strong. Strength requires significant rest time for not only your muscles to heal but for growth hormones to "echo" through your body. A metcon, crossfit-style workout like you describe can easily reduce the amount of growth hormone in your body. Metcons are antagonistic to strength.

Now, that's not to say you shouldn't do them together (I do!) but if your goal is to get strong then stick with a single program (Wendler 5/3/1, Starting Strength, etc), if you goal is to be well rounded (but not as strong), then go ahead and mix and match.

Msot of the year I'm doing a mix-and-match crossfit style training schedule, but there are times when I focus on one thing over the others (e.g., dedicated strength program every summer). I like the block periodization, it really works for me. But when I go back to adding in metcons, my strength does go down. It's just the way biology works.

So you really need to look at your goals and decide from there where you want to go. Just remember that while you may not be tired or sore from a strength workout, that doesn't mean it's not working.

CoachCanadan · Answer 2 · 2012-07-31 19:18:35Z UTC

I don't see any harm in the extra exercises, assuming you're sleeping enough and already have your eating straight. It would start to resemble the CrossFit Football template, at least somewhat, with a focus on strength and power, with short, high-intensity conditioning workouts built in. Focus on KB swings, KB snatches, sprints, pushups, pullups, dips, stuff like that.

If nothing else, give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. Re-assess at that point, and let us know how it's working for you!

Mark · Answer 3 · 2012-07-31 19:43:52Z UTC

Add 2 days of Prowler work or Sprint work after 10 minutes of rest on lift days. That will get you in the best condition of your life. It is also eccentric work and will not impact your recovery from lifting heavy weights.

Add 2-3 days of long walks/hikes at moderate pace on non lifting days. Shoot for 45 minutes but build up to 90 minutes. This is low impact and will not effect your recovery from lifting heavy weights.

Kettle bell work is good as well but I prefer sprinting/prowler work. Sprint work directly translates to your ability to run moderate distance (5k's and 10k's will not be a problem). Plus sprinting trains you to...sprint! Think of all the useful real world applications sprinting has versus other type work outs.

akman · Answer 4 · 2012-07-31 22:03:46Z UTC

Additional exercises should be in a 'grease the groove' fashion. Overtraining leads to high cortisol, poor sleep, weight loss stall, etc...

Going to failure is great, but only once or twice a week. If you want to add something more, just do like 10-15 pushups, squats or whatever--but not anything to failure. Good luck!

Additional workouts

4 Answers