You love to pull and squat, you adore these exercises, but you can’t find a good way to fit these lifts into your training plans? I have a solution for you… I call this training program “the Crusher”.
“The Crusher” is a split that lets you put extra emphasis on the squat and deadlift without having to turn the rest of your training program into a full powerlifting program (approach).
Squat and deadlift. In this split you train the squat and deadlift 1 x per week, on the same day. On that training day you focus almost exclusively on these two lifts. Each week you prioritize one of them. If, for example, in the first week you do a heavy squat and a light deadlift, then in the next week you do a heavy deadlift and a light squat.
Workout A: heavy squat and light deadlift.
Workout B: heavy deadlift and light squat.
Translator’s note: I should say that here I am “tampering with” the official version of the article and taking the liberty of writing both the squat and deadlift progressions myself, because the progressions in the original article were a little unclear to me.
Both the heavy squat and the heavy deadlift can follow the 6 x 4/5 x 5/4 x 6 scheme, or you can use a standard 5 x 5 calculator for both lifts, where the weights progress with every set and every workout. Calculate your weights as your max minus 10 – 15 kg; that way you can be fairly sure the program won’t stall.
This 6 x 4/5 x 5/4 x 6 means that if you choose, say, 100 kg as your starting weight, you use that 100 kg for three workouts: the first time 6 sets of four, then 5 sets of five, then 4 sets of six. Only then do you increase the weight and start over from 6 x 4. Why not go for 3 x 8? Because one of the purposes of the program is still to maintain and/or improve your big squat and deadlift numbers, 3 x 8 and an eight-rep set in general may turn out to be too long a set (if the goal is to hold or improve your max).
Light squat day… I’d recommend box squats; use chains as well, and do sets of two with 60 – 80% of your record (8 – 10 sets). Rest 1 minute between sets.
Light deadlift day… I recommend rest-pause deadlifts. Use 60 – 80% of your record and do single-rep lifts, with 30 seconds’ rest between lifts. Do 8 – 10 lifts, making one set in total.
Additional exercises. I (the article’s author) recommend using the following exercises as additional exercises on squat/deadlift day. Choose two additional exercises for both the workout A day and the workout B day.
As you can see, each additional exercise is done for 3 sets. Don’t go to failure in these sets. Be sure to use some progression method for these exercises too, and keep track of your weights and how they progress.
Since squat/deadlift day is still meant for the whole leg, be sure not to forget the back of the leg: every A and B squat/deadlift day should also include an exercise (or exercises) for the hamstrings. You’ll also notice that it’s hard to find room for calves on leg day. With this program it would actually be easier to train calves on a separate day.
Translator’s note: I actually don’t think so. I find that the number of sets and exercises isn’t so large that you couldn’t fit in calves at the end of leg day – you can manage just fine!
Additional exercises for squat/deadlift day, pick from these:
Good mornings – 3 x 6 – 10
Romanian deadlift – 3 x 6 – 10
Leg curls – 3 x 6 – 10
Leg extensions – 3 x 6 – 10
Front squat – 3 x 6 – 10
Zercher squat – 3 x 6 – 10
Split. There are actually many different ways to follow this approach. Here are a couple of alternatives.
3 days a week. With three days a week, we do squat/deadlift day on the first day, presses on the third and pulls on the fifth:
Day 1: Squat/deadlift (workouts A and B alternate)
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Chest, shoulders, triceps
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Lats, biceps, calves (your choice)
Day 6: Rest (or abs, calves or cardio)
Day 7: Rest
4 days a week. The difference from the three-day split is that we separate the shoulders from chest day.
Day 1: Squat/deadlift (workouts A and B alternate)
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Chest, triceps
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Lats, biceps
Day 6: Shoulders, abs, calves
Day 7: Rest
Example chest/shoulder/triceps workout. To train all three muscle groups thoroughly, you don’t need to do dozens of exercises and sets.
Bench press 5 x 5
Incline barbell press or dumbbell press 3 x 6 – 10
Seated barbell or dumbbell press 3 x 6 – 10
Arnold press or barbell upright row 3 x 6 – 10
Close-grip bench press or “skull crusher” 3 x 6 – 10
Example lats/biceps workout:
Bent-over barbell or dumbbell rows (single dumbbell) 3 x 6 – 10
Pull-ups or seated row 3 x 6 – 10
T-bar rows or behind-the-neck lat pulldowns 3 x 6 – 10
Seated dumbbell biceps curls or standing barbell biceps curls 3 x 6 – 10
Calves 3 x 12 – 20
Translated by: Janar Rückenberg
Come and train! ArtGym
