Question re: adding accessory exercises to my routine

katy_trail

i'm in my first cycle of the all pro beginner's routine. The weights I'm using are my 8-10 rep max for that exercise, while still maintaining good form. I'm new to heavy lifting and doing consistent training, but not new to lifting medium and light weights.
I'm loving this routine, and know i can/will continue it for several cycles.
The basic routine is below. I'm doing barbell split squats, because i don't have a squat rack. I'm also doing seated calf raises after
standing weighted calf raises, with the same weight.

My question is when would you add weighted barbel bridges?
My first priority is fat loss while maintaining muscle. Second is epic quads/glutes/hams.
Or would you suggest a different exercise?

The author's answer to adding accessory exercises to the routine is here:

Q7: I like doing pull-ups, push-ups, and standing on my head. Can I add in those exercises into the routine?
A: do not add any extra exercises until you have completed a minimum of 3 cycles. Once you're going into the fourth, and you feel like you need to do some extra work on certain muscles, you can add an isolated assistance exercise for them - do only one set and at the very end of your routine (after calf raises). The assistance exercise follows the same rep scheme as all the other exercises. And do not ever add more than one assistance exercise per cycle - if you do so, and some of your other lifts stall, you won't know which of your new additions might have caused that stall. Stick to only adding one extra assistance exercise per cycle, up to a maximum of two (though I believe that is already pushing it). Only do this if you know and have solid reason to believe that you really do require that extra assistance work - if uncertain, ask in this thread, someone will surely help you out.



Originally Posted by all pro~~~~~~~~~~
A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and

repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.
Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

katy_trail

bumping

tomcornhole

I don't know the answer to your question. I was going to add accessory lifts this coming week, but with the shoulder issue, I may only be able to do some accessory work. I think I'll stick to simple stuff like pull ups, chin ups and tricep dips. My calves are gynormous, so no work for them.

I think you could stick with just the core lifts and never have to add anything, ever. That's what Mark Rippetoe says in Starting Strength. But that would get boring. So I was just going to add them to the end of my routine for fun.

katy_trail

I guess i wouldn't be trying to add these if I felt my hamstrings were being challenged.
i'm only doing 48lbs SLDL on heavy days, which is challenging but i used to do 2 25 DB for several sets
on a regular basis, but it's low/light for a reason right now, to make sure my form is right.
likely when i get to 70lbs i won't be complaining.

Requiembell

go to bodybuilding.com and ask this.

You are beyond my skills! lol

katy_trail

go to bodybuilding.com and ask this.

You are beyond my skills! lol

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

katy_trail

i don't have an account over there, surely someone over here has some knowledge.
could i just increase my SLDL by more than 10%, do 15 this next cycle if that feels comfortable? (10 then other cycles)
it will be another 13 weeks before i can add accessory exercises, if at all, following the author's advice.
4th cycle i'll be doing about 70lbs.

jasonheyd

Not sure if you ever found your answer, but my guess is that AP would say to try adding it in after 3 or more cycles & see how it goes.

In general, you don't want to mess with the routine, and you definitely don't want to mess with it early on. I'd think that the bridge could mess with your SLDL and Squat if you push too hard... Those muscles are already getting worked by the core routine.

You might also want to check out the SBR group that's started up here on MFP:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12707-all-pro-s-beginner-weight-lifting-routine

ETA: I see you've already found the group... thought I recognized you from somewhere around here.

As far as increasing by more than 10% or adding reps, I wouldn't recommend it, unless you've really underestimated your 10 RM when starting.

The routine *will* get harder, but if you breeze through your 5th week on more than 3 cycles, then you probably started too light. It'll still catch up to you, but not quite as quickly.

jasonheyd

One other thought...

AP's said the routine's fine for weight loss, as is, but it'll get even harder than it would if you're eating at maintenance since it's intended to increase both strength and size.

The formula I've seen him provide for finding your daily calorie target is: body weight * 10 = weight loss, body weight * 15 = maintenance, body weight * 20 = bulking/gain.

To continue focusing on weight loss, he's also recommended adding 20m of HIIT style cardio, on off days, as something that shouldn't interfere with strength training gains / progression.