Transitioning from Baker's Powerbuilding to Custom Program

Other Discussions Programming Discussion
1

So I’d like any general thoughts on this program I’ve designed for myself just to filter any glaring issues that I might’ve missed. The main purpose of the program is to transition from a program that emphasizes hypertrophy to a more strength focused program without leaving all of the smaller accessory/hypertrophy movements behind. I developed some strength on Baker’s program but the main point of me doing the program was to gain some size with the overall purpose of getting back to “pure strength training.” The general structure (the volume/intensity cycles) is inspired by The Bridge, the main differences being the 4-day split, accessory work, and exercise choices. I guess you could say it’s somewhat of a hybrid between The Bridge and Baker’s PowerBuilding, which are the main programs I’ve run as an intermediate. The justification for the 4-day split is that the 3-day split, on the second run through the program, started to beat me up and be too much overall on a session-by-session basis. The justification for the “accessory/hypertrophy” work is simply that it doesn’t strike me as nearly enough to affect strength improvement on the main lifts but enough to provide a slightly greater hypertrophic stimulus than the program would without them. It should go without saying that if recovery becomes an issue (especially during high stress weeks) then the accessory stuff is the first stuff to become modified or be eliminated entirely. The main problem I see is with squat programming (not enough frequency, exercise variety has low specificity to comp lift, intensity/volume potentially too low). One fix I’ve thought about is switching Bench Day with Deadlift Day and then adding in, say, a pin squat or pause squat after Incline BP. That runs into the problem of being too much for me in one session, however. Instead, I could just throw out the front squats altogether and replace with pin squats or pause squats. Suggestions here would be helpful. Whether the program actually works for me or not, I understand I’ll just have to run it and see. I’m really just trying to see if I’ve made any egregious errors in programming, as I’m fairly new to custom programming.

WEEK1 (Moderate Stress):
Monday (Bench Day):
a) Bench 5@8x4
b) Front Squat 8@8x2
Accessory (Hypertrophy) Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back (Details: Superset, Rep Range:8-12, 10min AMSAP; Ex. Flys w/ Machine Row)

Tuesday (Deadlift Day):
a) Deadlift 5@8x3
b) Incline BP 8@8x2
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps (Details: Superset, Rep Range:8-12, 10min AMSAP; Ex. Ham Curls w/ Bi Curls)

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday (Press Day):
a) Press 5@8x4
b) Deficit DL 4@8x2
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back (Details: Superset, Rep Range:8-12, 10min AMSAP; Ex. Lateral Raises w/ Pull Ups)

Friday (Squat Day):
a) Squat 5@8x4
b) Close-Grip BP 4@9x2
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps (Details: Superset, Rep Range:8-12, 10min AMSAP; Ex. Leg Extensions w/ Triceps Extension)

WEEK2 (Mod Stress):
Monday:
a) Bench 5@8x4
b) Front Squat 8@9x2
Accessory Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back

Tuesday:
a) Deadlift 5@8x3
b) Incline BP 8@9x2
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday:
a) Press 5@8x4
b) Deficit DL 4@9x2
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back

Friday:
a) Squat 5@8x4
b) CG-BP 4@9x2
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps

WEEK3 (High Stress/Volume):
Monday:
a) Bench 5@8x5
b) Front Squat 8@9x2
Accessory Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back

Tuesday:
a) Deadlift 5@8x4
b) Incline BP 8@9x2
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday:
a) Press 5@8x5
b) Deficit DL 4@9x2
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back

Friday:
a) Squat 5@8x5
b) CG-BP 4@9x2
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps

WEEK4 (Moderate Stress):

Monday:
a) Bench 4@8x4
b) Front Squat 6@8x2
Accessory Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back

Tuesday:
a) Deadlift 4@8x3
b) Incline BP 6@8x2
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday:
a) Press 4@8x4
b) Deficit DL 3@8x2
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back

Friday:
a) Squat 4@8x4
b) CG-BP 3@8x2
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps

WEEK5 (Mod Stress):
Monday:
a) Bench 1@8, 4@8x4
b) Front Squat 6@9x2
Accessory Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back

Tuesday:
a) Deadlift 1@8, 4@8x3
b) Incline BP 6@9x2
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday:
a) Press 1@8, 4@8x3
b) Deficit DL 3@9x2
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back

Friday:
a) Squat 1@8, 4@8x4
b) CG-BP 3@9x2
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps

Saturday: off/HIIT cardio

WEEK6 (High Stress/Intensity):
Monday:
a) Bench 1@8, 3@8x4
b) Front Squat 6@9x2
Accessory Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back

Tuesday:
a) Deadlift 1@8, 3@8x3
b) Incline BP 4@9x2
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday:
a) Press 1@8, 3@8x3
b) Deficit DL 3@9x2
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back

Friday:
a) Squat 1@8, 3@8x4
b) CG-BP 3@9x2
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps

Saturday: off/HIIT cardio

WEEK7 (Low Stress):
Monday:
a) Bench 1@8, 3@9x1-2
b) Front Squat: 6@9
Accessory Work: Upper Chest/Upper Back

Tuesday:
a) Deadlift 1@8, 3@9
b) Incline BP 4@9
Accessory Work: Hamstrings/Biceps

Wednesday: off/SS cardio

Thursday:
a) Press 1@8, 3@9x1-2
b) Deficit DL 3@9
Accessory Work: Shoulders/Upper Back

Friday:
a) Squat 1@8, 3@9x1-2
b) CG-BP 3@9
Accessory Work: Quads/Triceps

Saturday: off/HIIT cardio

2

This looks decent to me. Couple of thoughts:

  • With all these sets on the big lifts are you also doing an “ramp up” work (I.e. before you do sets @RPE8 are you doing one or two at 6/7?) if not I’d say it’s a good way to build some additional volume in without beating yourself up.
  • with some of the extra work at the end (hypertrophic stuff) you may want to focus on more compound movements. So instead of bicep curls do chins, which works back as well as biceps.
    -I’d swap out front squats for sone thing with a bit more comp squat carry over like a belt less or paused squat. Not a deal breaker at all especially if your squat form is on point but I find it helps to keep things in check.

Overal though I’d say give it a go and see what happens. Good luck!

3

Hey thanks for the reply man.
-Yes, they include “ramp up” work. I was just too lazy to type all of it in.
-I didn’t want to include too many compound movements in because of the fatigue factor inherent therein. That being said, I would say that at least 1/3 to 1/2 of them come out to being compound anyway (back is always compound for instance).
-In the end, I had your same worries about the front squats, so I ended up replacing them with pause squats.