Training while Injured

[Zach Reed]

Due to a hip injury, I need to take about a month off from all squatting & pulling movements. Rather than be lazy and sit around bored for a month, I decided it'd be a great time to work on upper body strength. Here's what I currently have in mind:

A.
Bench Press 2x5, 1x5+
Bent-over Row 2x5, 1x5+

B.
Press 2x5, 1x5+
Weighted Pullup 2x5, 1x5+


3 days / week, alternating between A & B. Attack it linear progression style by adding ~5 lbs to each lift, each workout. Will also add in some assistance work in the form of dips, bodyweight pullups, and core work.

Goal is to get stronger and add some mass as well since I'd like to move up from 77 to 85kg.

Thoughts, critiques, opinions?

[Greg Everett]

If that's all you're doing, I think you can up the volume considerably, especially if you're wanting to gain weight.

[Zach Reed]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

If that's all you're doing, I think you can up the volume considerably, especially if you're wanting to gain weight.

Other than the aforementioned additional dips, pullups, pushpus, and core work, that is all I would be doing.

I was afraid that it might be too much concentrated stress because I'm only able to train the upper body, that's why I didn't push the volume too high. What would you recommend for adding size and strength?

Ps. About halfway through your book, wish I had bought it sooner!

[Greg Everett]

you need concentrated stress - and because you're so limited in terms of full-body, systemically-taxing exercises, you have more room to play. volume and variation will drive size pretty well. i would suggest something like this:

core work daily - alternate heavier/higher volume w lighter/lower volume

split upper body into pushing and pulling.

day 1 - pushing focus
day 2 - pulling focus

on the focus day, most of your work will be for that type of work. you will still do the other, but w less volume/intensity.

for each "cycle", choose 1 primary exercise for each - this will be your big, compound lift that you will use as the real strength builder. for pushing, this is bench, incline bench, press; for pulling, this is row and pull-up.

on the focus day, do your big exercise first. several sets of relatively low reps, i.e. 5-8 sets of 3-6 reps. strength primarily but also some hypertrophy. this exercise you stick with for a few to several weeks pushing the weights up.

then throw in some accessory work at higher reps/total volume. this is dumbbell/KB stuff, calisthenics, etc - 3-6 sets of 10-15 reps/exercise, maybe 2-4 exercises. These exercises you change each workout for variety.

finally finish w some accessory work for the non-focus movement, but only 1-2 exercises, 2-3 sets each, and push it less than you would on its focus day.

i would ramp up the total volume of the accessory work gradually so you continue getting a push from the volume as well as everything else.

[Zach Reed]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

you need concentrated stress - and because you're so limited in terms of full-body, systemically-taxing exercises, you have more room to play. volume and variation will drive size pretty well. i would suggest something like this:

core work daily - alternate heavier/higher volume w lighter/lower volume

split upper body into pushing and pulling.

day 1 - pushing focus
day 2 - pulling focus

on the focus day, most of your work will be for that type of work. you will still do the other, but w less volume/intensity.

for each "cycle", choose 1 primary exercise for each - this will be your big, compound lift that you will use as the real strength builder. for pushing, this is bench, incline bench, press; for pulling, this is row and pull-up.

on the focus day, do your big exercise first. several sets of relatively low reps, i.e. 5-8 sets of 3-6 reps. strength primarily but also some hypertrophy. this exercise you stick with for a few to several weeks pushing the weights up.

then throw in some accessory work at higher reps/total volume. this is dumbbell/KB stuff, calisthenics, etc - 3-6 sets of 10-15 reps/exercise, maybe 2-4 exercises. These exercises you change each workout for variety.

finally finish w some accessory work for the non-focus movement, but only 1-2 exercises, 2-3 sets each, and push it less than you would on its focus day.

i would ramp up the total volume of the accessory work gradually so you continue getting a push from the volume as well as everything else.

That makes a lot of sense.

Would this go to just 2 lifting days a week, or it still ok to go with 3 as long as I'm alternating the focus?

[Greg Everett]

I would do 3 days/wk and alternate like your original plan.