Bodyweight Dips and Weighted Chin Ups between Barbell sets

[Stefano]

Hello everyone

I have a question, hope to find an answer! If I use a minimal template of Front Squat and Overhead Press in a high volume option (such as Gladiator or Operator I/A), can i do some reps of bodyweight dips and weighted Chins between my barbell lifts? of course i will stay well away from failure and shooting for a total goal of reps (for example 50 a workout)...when the reps become extremely easy i’ll Add some weight

My main goal is strength and size

I thought of this as a way to gain some mass and hypertrophy (ohp don’t work chest) and because I find difficult to program correctly bodyweight movement in this period, where i’m experiencing bodyweight fluctuations

Thanks a lot and sorry for my bad English!

Stefano

[grouchyjarhead]

I wouldn't use it in between, but you can certainly add them at the end. Try setting a timer for 10 minutes and seeing how many quality bodyweight chin-ups and dips you can get in during that time period. Be advised, this is deceptively awful.

[BlackPyjamas]

Hello everyone

I have a question, hope to find an answer! If I use a minimal template of Front Squat and Overhead Press in a high volume option (such as Gladiator or Operator I/A), can i do some reps of bodyweight dips and weighted Chins between my barbell lifts? of course i will stay well away from failure and shooting for a total goal of reps (for example 50 a workout)...when the reps become extremely easy i’ll Add some weight

My main goal is strength and size

I thought of this as a way to gain some mass and hypertrophy (ohp don’t work chest) and because I find difficult to program correctly bodyweight movement in this period, where i’m experiencing bodyweight fluctuations

Thanks a lot and sorry for my bad English!

Stefano

If you want more hypertrophy then follow the process outlined by K.B. Add a 4th set to every exercise. Cut the conditioning down (use Black Standard). Increase the calories to match your target weight. Certainly you can include weighted chins and dips in your cluster, but if size is your goal then you'd be better off replacing FSQ and OHP with conventional back squats and bench press. Squats and bench press allow you to handle more weight overall, more weight every workout = conducive to mass gaining.

How long have you been running TB? Why I ask is because people tend to underestimate just how much hypertrophy it gives you (even the standard 3 sets Operator approach) as long as the calories are there.

[Barkadion]

people tend to underestimate just how much hypertrophy it gives you (even the standard 3 sets Operator approach) as long as the calories are there.

Nicely said. True!

[Stefano]

Thanks a lot for all the information and tips!!

It’s an year i’ve been following Tactical Barbell, when I discovered and purchased the book i’ve never abandoned TB templates.

Now...I know Bench will be my best bang for buck exercise and probably Op a better template...but OHP is my absolute favorite lift and i think training should be something enjoyable with all the exercise we love (for me strength is a priority)...

Now, i think the best template to reach my goal could be Zulu, with this cluster:

A: BSQ, BP
B: DL, OHP

I’m not afraid of deadlifting 2x week as i’ll use a Training Max for Deads...

If it’s possible I want to ask a last question:

In all the 4 workouts I want only to add WCU as an assistance exercise, I decided not to program Chin Ups as a main exercise because i’m living some bodyweight fluctuations in this period and the programming of this bw exercise will be much more difficult than Barbell lifts...

So, can I add to my workouts some easy Weighted Chins and shooting to total reps instead of programming them? When the total reps will become extremely easy i’ll Add some weight...my definitive plan:

A: BSQ, BP + 25 total reps of WCU
B: DL, OHP + 25 total reps of WCU

What do you think about it? Thanks again for all your help!

[WallBilly]

I don't know about your WCU's, they're probably fine.

I will say that your decision to use that Zulu cluster is consistent with exactly where I have ended up after 3 o4 4 years (can never remember) of TB. Sometimes I switch out the 2nd deadlift day for a barbell row.

It has worked extremely well for me. I'm 56 now, and all those old aches and pains in the hips and knees and back are completely gone. I do no assistance work for the abs/core/back, but the BSQs and deads have made my core stronger and less injury-prone than at any other time in my life. I can still enjoy rigorous sports, and kick all my friends' asses when it is time to help someone move heavy furniture to a new house.

[Stefano]

I don't know about your WCU's, they're probably fine.

I will say that your decision to use that Zulu cluster is consistent with exactly where I have ended up after 3 o4 4 years (can never remember) of TB. Sometimes I switch out the 2nd deadlift day for a barbell row.

It has worked extremely well for me. I'm 56 now, and all those old aches and pains in the hips and knees and back are completely gone. I do no assistance work for the abs/core/back, but the BSQs and deads have made my core stronger and less injury-prone than at any other time in my life. I can still enjoy rigorous sports, and kick all my friends' asses when it is time to help someone move heavy furniture to a new house.

Thanks a lot for your reply, I think the exact thing about BSQ and DL as two of the most important lifts to preserve health!

I want to use WCU not only as assistance and hypertrophy exercise (25 reps a workout) but also as a tool to balance BP and OHP pushing

[Walrus Freud]

Thanks a lot for all the information and tips!!

It’s an year i’ve been following Tactical Barbell, when I discovered and purchased the book i’ve never abandoned TB templates.

Now...I know Bench will be my best bang for buck exercise and probably Op a better template...but OHP is my absolute favorite lift and i think training should be something enjoyable with all the exercise we love (for me strength is a priority)...

Now, i think the best template to reach my goal could be Zulu, with this cluster:

A: BSQ, BP
B: DL, OHP

I’m not afraid of deadlifting 2x week as i’ll use a Training Max for Deads...

If it’s possible I want to ask a last question:

In all the 4 workouts I want only to add WCU as an assistance exercise, I decided not to program Chin Ups as a main exercise because i’m living some bodyweight fluctuations in this period and the programming of this bw exercise will be much more difficult than Barbell lifts...

So, can I add to my workouts some easy Weighted Chins and shooting to total reps instead of programming them? When the total reps will become extremely easy i’ll Add some weight...my definitive plan:

A: BSQ, BP + 25 total reps of WCU
B: DL, OHP + 25 total reps of WCU

What do you think about it? Thanks again for all your help!

That's almost exactly my cluster and setup, except that I'm using FSQ instead of BSQ and have my WCU programmed as the fifth lift in the cluster. If you're gaining weight, you're probably right to not program the WCU more in detail right now. I gained about ten pounds in the last couple of months and my progression on the WCU have "stalled" (not really, since I've added weight to myself while keeping the extra weights the same, but it feels like stalling and is kind of frustrating ) Other than that, it's working well. Give it a shot and see what happens!

[Stefano]

Thanks a lot for all the information and tips!!

It’s an year i’ve been following Tactical Barbell, when I discovered and purchased the book i’ve never abandoned TB templates.

Now...I know Bench will be my best bang for buck exercise and probably Op a better template...but OHP is my absolute favorite lift and i think training should be something enjoyable with all the exercise we love (for me strength is a priority)...

Now, i think the best template to reach my goal could be Zulu, with this cluster:

A: BSQ, BP
B: DL, OHP

I’m not afraid of deadlifting 2x week as i’ll use a Training Max for Deads...

If it’s possible I want to ask a last question:

In all the 4 workouts I want only to add WCU as an assistance exercise, I decided not to program Chin Ups as a main exercise because i’m living some bodyweight fluctuations in this period and the programming of this bw exercise will be much more difficult than Barbell lifts...

So, can I add to my workouts some easy Weighted Chins and shooting to total reps instead of programming them? When the total reps will become extremely easy i’ll Add some weight...my definitive plan:

A: BSQ, BP + 25 total reps of WCU
B: DL, OHP + 25 total reps of WCU

What do you think about it? Thanks again for all your help!

That's almost exactly my cluster and setup, except that I'm using FSQ instead of BSQ and have my WCU programmed as the fifth lift in the cluster. If you're gaining weight, you're probably right to not program the WCU more in detail right now. I gained about ten pounds in the last couple of months and my progression on the WCU have "stalled" (not really, since I've added weight to myself while keeping the extra weights the same, but it feels like stalling and is kind of frustrating ) Other than that, it's working well. Give it a shot and see what happens!

Thanks a lot, that was exactly my thought...I thought about using WCU as a tool for hypertrophy and assistance instead of a main lift in a period where i’m Bulking! But I really love them and I’ll keep at least 25 reps of them in my workouts with an easy weight...when the weight will become too easy i’ll Add some weight again(but always keeping easy and smooth reps) that’s my progression for them !

[CD51]

Your back is getting a ton of work with your setup IMO. I do the following pretty regularly -

Sqt, OHP, chins
DL, BP, curls