Nemesis Program 1 Week 2
Be Prepared
Lay The Foundation
Last week I sent everyone Week 1 of Nemesis Program 1 and not only did I have a lot of positive feedback I also had a lot of questions. I'll try to answer as much of it as I can.
Going into Week 2 you should have sent me your video and email review of your Week 1 so that I can make changes to the STOCK Week 2 for you. For instance, if you need technical work then we need more sets. If you kick tail with 70% then we need to have you pushing at 80-85% to see where you break down. If you are kicking tail with 80-85% then we can see if you have technical issues at 90%. If all is good at 90% then we can take something heavy and/or push your accessory lifts harder. Any way that you look at it, I will find some way to jump down your throat and find 27 different things that you have done wrong...I mean 27 things that you can improve on for next week which will make you a better lifter FOREVER!
As we step into Week 2 I will want to know how your recovery has been. I'm guessing that this is more specific work than you are used to, so you are probably still sore from the first two days of training and you are not used to doing squats and deadlifts in the same day which has left you mentally fried. YOU NEED TO RECOVER BETTER! Sleep, food, water, movement, therapy, etc... It all comes into play so track everything! I probably won't want to see your food log YET but in the next few weeks I will want to see exactly what you are putting in your body food wise for a solid 5-7 days straight. We need to establish and then look in-depth at your patterns.
Week 2 will continue to be a lot of work, so let us dive right in.
The Program
Day 1:
Bench Press:
3/3/3 with 70/80/90%
4 Board Press: 2 sets of 5 with 90% of your 1RM full press
Add Sling Shot: 3 x 3 with 92.5% of your 1RM full press
3 sets of 5 with 50%, no sling shot
Accessories:
Flat Dbell Press: 3 sets of 20 reps, little rest, no missing
Triceps (rolling dbell tric ext / tricep push downs / skull krushers): 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps
Vertical Lats: 1-3 all out sets of 12+ reps, short rest periods
Horizontal Lats: 1-3 all out sets of 12+ reps, short rest periods
Day 2:
Box Squats: 6 sets of 2 with 1 minute rest between
57.5% + bands (15-25%)
Pause Free Squats: 3 sets of 2 with 70%
Accessories
Lunges: 3 sets of 10 each leg
Back Extensions/Good Mornings: 3 sets of 8
ABS: 3 hard sets
Day 3:
Bench Press: 65% x 6 x 5 sets
Chins/Pull Downs: Get 60+ reps in a session
Triceps: any exercise, hard work
Face Pulls: 2 sets of 20
Upper Back Dbell Rows (elbow high, rear delts): 2 sets of 15
Dbell Laterals: 8-10 reps front, side, rear x 2 sets (light, easy, 20 lbs or so)
Day 4:
Squats: 5/3/1 with 75/85/95%
Deadlift: 3/1/1 with 65/75/85%
Alternate Stance, plates on boxes: 75% x 2 x 3 sets
ABS: 2 hard sets
*** Option on Day 3: Start with OHP: 5 sets of 5 with 65%
The Daily Breakdown
Day 1:
Bench Press:
3/3/3 with 70/80/90%
4 Board Press: 2 sets of 5 with 90% of your 1RM full press
Add Sling Shot: 3 x 3 with 92.5% of your 1RM full press
3 sets of 5 with 50%, no sling shot
For Bench Press we increase the weight by 5% after we have established that you are not training at too high of a training max. We also work on some verbal cues to get your technique more in line. If you are "ready to rock" then I can let you swing away and hit some extra reps with your 90% but if you have any major errors with last week's bench then we keep it at 90% and get our 3 reps and move on...OR hit multiple sets at 90%. This takes intelligence to program so don't just knock out extra sets or reps unless they are fully justified!
We use the board press and slingshot work to continue to increase your work capacity. My goal is for you to be able to take 90% paused off of a 1 board every single training session WITH EASE! This is your opener and this is you increasing your Training Max slowly, surely, and SAFELY!
Accessories:
Flat Dbell Press: 3 sets of 20 reps, little rest, no missing
Triceps (rolling dbell tric ext / tricep push downs / skull krushers): 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps
Vertical Lats: 1-3 all out sets of 12+ reps, short rest periods
Horizontal Lats: 1-3 all out sets of 12+ reps, short rest periods
This is where we have to pay some special attention. I need to see if you are casually just going through the motion on these, training to blood curdling failure, or if you are somewhere in the middle. All that I ask is that you make some kind of progress on most of these. An extra rep or set or couple of pounds somewhere means BIG PROGRESS over the next year of training! Don't forget that. Next year where will you be? Using the same weights after you got burned out or continuing to make tiny PRs that lead towards big progress?
Day 2:
Box Squats: 6 sets of 2 with 1 minute rest between
57.5% + bands (15-25%)
Pause Free Squats: 3 sets of 2 with 70%
I still want to see speed and technique here and if you can't easily complete the 6 sets of 2 with 1 minute breaks then you are really REALLY out of shape! A big complaint with be about the pause squats! They are probably too heavy for you and you will tell me that paused squats don't work for you. In this case remember that paused squats are not about pausing a super heavy weight but they are a technique training tool! Forget 70%, put something on the bar where you can hit PERFECT TECHNICAL DEPTH for 3 sets of 2 without dying! Everything can work if you give it a purpose! Ohh...and base these on your Free Squat 1RM Guesstimate!
Accessories
Lunges: 3 sets of 10 each leg
Back Extensions/Good Mornings: 3 sets of 8
ABS: 3 hard sets
I know, you hate me! Don't kill yourself on the lunges but remember that these are designed to create strengths where you have weaknesses. Weight is not a key AT ALL! Use an empty bar, use a dbell, use that kettle bell that you never should have bought...just go through the motions for your knees, hips, back, etc...
Day 3:
Bench Press: 65% x 6 x 5 sets
Chins/Pull Downs: Get 60+ reps in a session
Triceps: any exercise, hard work
Face Pulls: 2 sets of 20
Upper Back Dbell Rows (elbow high, rear delts): 2 sets of 15
Dbell Laterals: 8-10 reps front, side, rear x 2 sets (light, easy, 20 lbs or so)
This training session can be done in well under 1 hour so try to keep it that way. Warm up and keep your rest periods short! This day is a work in progress so do the sets and reps and consider it technique and muscle building work!
Day 4:
Squats: 5/3/1 with 75/85/95%
Deadlift: 3/1/1 with 65/75/85%
Alternate Stance, plates on boxes: 75% x 2 x 3 sets
ABS: 2 hard sets
This is going to continue to be a tough week if you let your squat %'s get carried away! What I am looking for in your video review is a solid squat with a weight that requires you to get serious and to make the right technical decisions when it counts. It will also allow me to see where you are strong and where you are weak and this will determine your programming for Week 3! Your strengths and weaknesses will always be evolving so they have to be recognized and every training week has to be adjusted to meet YOUR NEEDS! Don't fall for a cookie-cutter program!
Deadlifts, yes I know that you can pull 85% for 5 awesome reps but don't! Take a technically perfect single and move on to some technical Alternate Stance Deadlifts, finish with abs, and get to the nearest MSG filled buffet line!
*** Option on Day 3: Start with OHP: 5 sets of 5 with 65%
If shoulders are your weakness then what can it hurt?
Your Questions Answered
As one of my clients you will have questions for me every single week during your weekly review...or even daily if they pop up! Heck, you are paying me, right? If you are paying someone shouldn't they be answering your questions as a consultant?
Taz had looked through Week 1 and had some questions specific to him. He is nearly 60 years young and has both some shoulder injuries and a few other bumps and bruises along the way that need to be thought about. He wants to know how I would program him differently, and here is my answer.
Ready For Next Week?
If you have questions feel free to email me in return here. I'll do my best to get back to you as quickly as possible via email or via video! I love interesting questions do don't hesitate!
Talk to you soon guys!
Clint Darden
Bicep Prime