If your goal is to build muscle, our expert on the topic has been putting theories to the test in his training log here on conFITdent. You can check out his experiences and follow his journey to build muscle with this series.
Week 4 | Workout 10 | 5×5 Across
Foam Roll:
Calf, Quad, Hamstring, IT Band, Glutes, Pec, Lat (See Mike Boyle’s FSC 4.0 DVD and Defranco’s Core DVD)
Movement Prep:
Inchworm complex, KB Halo, KB Goblet Squat, KB Windmill, Overhead Band Wall Squat, Band Shoulder Dislocations, Lying Handcuffs, Lateral Band Walks, Single Leg Glute Iso Holds, T-Spine Bench Extensions, T-Spine Kneeling Rotations, Band Pull Aparts
Strength:
A1. Hip Thrusts 3×5 – work up to a 5 rep max – 365×5 repetitions
A2. Band W’s 3×12-15 – blue x 15 reps
B1. Bench 5×5 – 225 lbs for 5 reps x 5 sets
B2. Ab Wheel Rollouts 5x max – body weight x 10 reps for 5 sets
C1. Squat 3×5 – 185 for 5 reps for 3 sets
C2. Cable Kneeling Crunch 3×12-15 – 8 level x10 reps for 3 sets
Cool Down:
Band Hamstring Stretch, Box Hip Flexor Stretch, Box Glute Stretch, Wall Quad Stretch, Band Lat Stretch, Pec Wall Stretch
Why This Will Help Build Muscle
This is the metabolic disturbance workout of the week. It’s specifically designed to create a stress response that will eventually culminate with a PR at the end of the week.
The Results
I felt good. I still weighed in at a little over 180lbs after my week long pharmacy training, so I’m slowly trying to build up my volume again. 185lbs on the squat felt great. I could have easily done 20+ more pounds, but I didn’t want to push it. However, it’s still embarrassingly pathetic, and I still wonder why I’m posting that total on the internet.
225lbs on the bench was pretty easy too. The best I’ve ever done on the 225lb bench press test was 18 repetitions. I weighed a little over 210lbs at the time. Right now, I’m pretty sure I can hit 10-12 reps. I expect to hit 250lbs for 5 sets of 5 by Halloween.
If you haven’t done hip thrusts, I highly suggest you do them. Before you do though, google Bret Contreras, the creator of the hip thrust. He goes into great detail on the technique, the variations, and the do’s/don’ts. He’s an awesome strength coach with a lot of great ideas. His blog is one of the best on the internet.
For more information on the Texas Method and strength coach Mark Rippetoe, please visit his site Starting Strength.