Two day split - what should I include?

[lschmidt]

Hey all,

I'm looking for a two day split that would be a good, general lifting program - not necessarily specific to MMA. Something that any athlete would benefit from.

I've read about the 5x5 and used to do it for awhile, but that's usually done as a 3-day split and I need something condensed a little more, that can be done in 2 days / week. So basically, what are the *most important* lifts you would include?

I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks

 

[PowerHungry]

Day one:
Deadlift
Overhead press
Weighted pullup/chinup

Day two:
Squat
Benchpress
Bent over row

 

[Tosa]

Some kind of squat, some kind of pull off the ground, some kind of press and some kind of upper body pull. Anything after that would depend on individual goals, weakpoints and preferences.

 

[oyaji poi]

You should definitely include the FAQ, and follow that up with a search of this forum. This topic comes up weekly.

In fact, when you made this thread, on the first page of this forum your question was already answered in another thread with a title that might have caught your eye:

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f13/2-days-per-week-enough-1369275/

 

[pliftkl]

Day one:
Deadlift
Overhead press
Weighted pullup/chinup

Day two:
Squat
Benchpress
Bent over row

You could get enormously strong by doing this workout and eating a lot of food.

 

[lschmidt]

Whoops sorry for not searching first, I admit my mistake.

For overhead press, should it be a power movement with a barbell, or more like standing military press with dumbells?

What about doing powercleans instead of DL?

 

[grrthetree]

Power cleans don't replace dead lifts.

Standing overhead press with a barbell is easier to change the weights by 5, 2.5, lbs, etc. so its better for progression. If you want to use dumbbells go for it though.

 

[oyaji poi]

Whoops sorry for not searching first, I admit my mistake.

For overhead press, should it be a power movement with a barbell, or more like standing military press with dumbells?

What about doing powercleans instead of DL?

There is no difference between doing an OHP with a barbell or dumbbells, in terms of one being a "power movement" or not. Weight is weight. The difference is getting the weights up there and remaining steady. Check out the first few minutes of this video: YouTube - Budget Training - RossTraining.com


Powercleans and deadifts are not substitutes for each other, but they can be replacements if you alternate them. If you're just starting out lifting you can deadlift every week - go for a new 3-5 rep max every week. After awhile, maybe 6-8 weeks, you won't be able to do that anymore. So then you can alternate - one week do DL, the next week powercleans.

 

[Tosa]

Whoops sorry for not searching first, I admit my mistake.

For overhead press, should it be a power movement with a barbell, or more like standing military press with dumbells?

What about doing powercleans instead of DL?

I'm going to say something that may cause some people to gasp or furiously type on their keyboards. It's not necessary to deadlift. Bill Starr developed his deadlift without regular deadlifting, and I believe Glenn Pendlay wrote here that he set a PR in the deadlift after not deadlifting for quite some time, and focusing on the olympic lifts. And both stated their personal view of the "big 3" for developing strength as including power cleans and not deadlifts. Don't confuse this with me saying deadlifts aren't an awesome lift, because they are (If I didn't think so, I certainly wouldn't have just done 60+ sets of DL and DL variants that Sheiko #29 has). And personally I prefer deadlifts over cleans or any clean variants, maybe because I'm the least explosive person ever...but I've gone off on a tangent...

It is however necessary to pull heavy weight off the floor...this can be a deadlift, but it can also be olympic lifts and their variants. It is correct to say that deadlifts can't replace or substitute cleans...they're trained differently, so the programming, progressions, variantions, and assistance for one are different from the other. Additionally, as a faster, more technical exercise, cleans and their variants require more work to get proficient at them...and you have no buisness emphasizing cleans instead of deadlifts if you're not going to put in that work.

 

[lschmidt]

There is no difference between doing an OHP with a barbell or dumbbells, in terms of one being a "power movement" or not. Weight is weight. The difference is getting the weights up there and remaining steady. Check out the first few minutes of this video: YouTube - Budget Training - RossTraining.com


Powercleans and deadifts are not substitutes for each other, but they can be replacements if you alternate them. If you're just starting out lifting you can deadlift every week - go for a new 3-5 rep max every week. After awhile, maybe 6-8 weeks, you won't be able to do that anymore. So then you can alternate - one week do DL, the next week powercleans.

Ok but my question is, should I be using my whole body to get the weight above my head? In the video you posted a link to, the guy is using his legs in addition to his arms to push up.

Should I be doing that, or try and isolate the press to my arms only and keep the rest of my body firm?

 

[grrthetree]

Either one. When doing OHP with leg drive, its called a push press, and its benefits include heavier weight, and it's a more explosive movement. You could do either one, but most starter routines have the overhead press instead of push press.

 

[animalistik]

Day one:
Deadlift
Overhead press
Weighted pullup/chinup

Day two:
Squat
Benchpress
Bent over row

This x1000.

An upper body pull, upper body push, and squats or deadlifts every workout.

Do the workouts like you were on the 3-day split: 5x5.