Combining Mod1 and Weight Lifting?

Scrapper and anyone else with good advice,

I'm trying to revamp my fitness routine so I just ordered Scrapper's Mod1 program. I'm looking forward to it, but I don't want to completely put weight training aside. What would be an effective way to use Mod1 in conjunction with a weight training program with the constraints being that I don't want to do both on the same day and that I'd like to keep my use of either restricted to Monday through Friday?

Perhaps 3 days of weights and 2 days of Mod1? 3 days of Mod1 and 2 days of weights? Alternating that same 3/2 scheme every other week? Swicthing between a week of Mod1 followed by a week of weight training? What do you think?

Also, what weight exercises might benefit me most? I've noticed that a bodybuilding routine is just too time consuming and detailed as there is so much to target and so many different exercises to perform. I've grown bored with it and it's really hard to condense it to anything less than 5 days. What exercises would you suggest for me to use that would target the majority of my muscles in a routine where I only lift two to three times a week?

I have just about everything you could hope for in terms of free weight equipment including a squat rack/power cage with a pull up fixture. I have a full set of dumbbells ranging from 5lbs to 120lbs and plenty of weight to mount to my barbell and curlbar.
I do not have access to any machines such as a leg press machine, a lat pulldown machine, etc.

Thanks

Xen,

Thanks for the quick reply. It's guys like you that make coming to these boards worth while.

The reason I'd like to have the Mod1 stuff and the lifting on different days is because I have even more going on than that. I'm planning on getting back to my BJJ training, starting a running program, and beginning a Rugby season on the week of December 1st.

Secondly, I'd also like to put maximum intensity into whatever activity I am doing at the time. I'm just not in the type of shape to get through both a Scrapper routine and a weight routine back to back without half assing one or both.

And again, I'm limited to what I listed in terms of equipment. I don't have a dipping station or any kind of rope climbing obstacle to use, unfortunately.

My major goals would be to lose a good 30 to 40 lbs (I'm about 240lbs right now at 6'2"), to increase my cardio to the point where I can comfortably complete a 3 to 5 mile run at a reasonable pace, and to drastically improve my upper body strength (ex. My bench press and pull up numbers are weak).

Another option -- I know you said you want to do them on different days.. but heres something to think about.

I modified some of the workouts a little bit and do them before I lift..

For example, I do creeping death w/o the abdominal exercises before I do my dynamic effort squat workout.

I drag a light sled for 5 minutes, hit creeping death, then a lactic acid circuit (like a power clean off boxes -- 1 rep every 15 seconds until you hit 20 total),.. then I go right into my speed squats. Training to be strong when your ass is already kicked and lactic acid levels are elevated.

It will take some time to adapt so your poundages may drop off when you first start, but I think this is a great way to modify the conjugate system to work w/ MMA/wrestling/whatever.

Both BJJ and rugby along w/ 5 days of strength training is going to kick your ass.. I'd think about working in some days where you're not doing any strength/conditioning work.

Great thread. I too am currently using both Scrapper's stuff and a free weight routine & was contemplating a similar set of issues. My trouble is I have to do both on the same day (have work & muay thai on off days) so I typically lift in the mornings before work & then do Scrapper's workouts in the evenings after work with my son. It kicks my #ss, but so far so good.

Rugby practice on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Officially practice goes from 6:30 to 8:30 both nights, but I plan on cutting one of those practices short in order to make a BJJ class on either Tuesday or Thursday night from 8:15 to about 10:00. The Rugby team has a "beer meeting" after each practice and it's mandatory to make one a week. Drinking alcohol isn't required, but hanging out for a while is. I'll likely run on Wednesday evening, Friday afternoon, and Sunday morning.

This would probably be a clearer example...

Monday:
Morning-Either Mod1 or lifting routine.
Afternoon-Stretching and calistenics/plyometrics with high school baseball team.

Tuesday:
Morning-Either Mod1 or lifting routine.
Evening-Rugby Practice for 2 hours.

Wednesday:
Morning-Either Mod1 or lifting routine.
Afternoon-Stretching and calistenics/plyometrics with high school baseball team.
Evening-Run.

Thursday:
Morning-Either Mod1 or lifting routine.
Evening-Rugby Practice for 1.5 hours and BJJ for approx. 2 hours.

Friday:
Morning-Either Mod1 or lifting routine.
Afternoon-Stretching and calistenics/plyometrics with high school baseball team and Run.

Saturday:
Afternoon-Rugby Game.

Sunday:
Morning-Run and BJJ for 1.5 hours.

Xen,

I'd say that my mile time would probably be somewhere around 8 to 9 minutes right now. Sad, I know. I'd also venture to say that my max on pullups would be 4 to 5 at one time and my guess is is that my bench max is somewhere around 230 to 240lbs. As you can probably tell, cardio and upper body strength are weaknesses of mine.

Also, let's just assume that I won't be able to make that tire sled and dip apparatus for now (very good ideas, though). What can we do with what I currently have? How inferior is doing dips at the end of a bench with weight in your lap and your feet hanging on to something as compared to more traditional dips? I know for a fact that I can do them that way for the time being.

And no, I do not have a spotter for any of this, Xen. I bought the powercage to counteract that problem a bit as it has safety bars that make it impossible for me to collapse to the floor when I squat and to drop the bar on my face or chest when I bench.

Damn Ryno, you got some good workout ideals could you post what your doing now. I know its westside (by the way how do you like the WS protocol?).

Also do you feel overtrained at all, do you do any MA training as well?

Yeah, I don't want to fill up dudes thread though.. I'll make a new one later if you're interested.. I got some things I have to do now.

It's based on Westside, but I've switched a few things around so its kind of moving away from PL and towards grappling.. I still do enjoy some of the PL training so I left some things in there. I've taken some ideas from Wiggy, Scrapper, Louie and the Westside boys, and a few other strength coaches I talk to on other boards.. and just mixed 'em all up.

Oh, I love Westside.. by far, the best training style I've ever done. I've made more progress strength and size wise in the last 7 months than I had in probably 2 or 3 years before it. I was going in circles before.. now I keep on keepin' on. My favorite part of it is that its so adaptable. I've never done the same workout twice, but still make gains. I make new exercises and workouts up all the time.. fun shit.

OK, Ryno - you've piqued my interest as well. Let's see that thread.

-Savage

TTT

Anybody want to chime in?

*Crickets*

Yo! What the hell guys?! Somebody hit me up with some knowledge!

I think 5 days is too much.. but I guess that really depends on what your lifting program looks like. I don't know what else you want to know.. the only way you'll find out what works for you is to try and find out.

Bro, I don't want to lift 5 days a week. That was the whole point of this post. I want to do a combination of lifting and bodyweight work not to exceed 5 days, but with me not lifting or doing the body weight routine more than 3 days a week.

Alright.

I've decided that I'll probably pick a few really good compound exercises. I'm going to alternate my 3/2 scheme in a such a way that I work with weights 3 days one week and 2 the next. The exercises I have chosen are as follows:

Upper Body:
Bench Press,
Military Press,
Dips,
Bent-over Row, and
Pull-ups

Lower Body:
Squats,
Dead Lifts, and
Lunges

Any opinions on sets and reps?

Those are good, solid compound exercises that should provide returns in the form of increased strength and muscle mass. I personally like you 3-2 routine - would this suggest that you will be doing Scrapper workouts 2-3 to compliment the free weights, so you will be working out 5 days a week?

NbleSavage,

Yeah, I'll be doing a 3/2 alternating split where I'll lift three times one week and do scrapper's routine 2 times and the next week I'll do scrapper's stuff 3 times and lift twice. So yes, I'll have some kind of morning strength training session Monday through Friday.

Shootfighter, sounds like a solid program, just listen to your body & make sure you're giving yourself ample time to rest & recouperate. Maybe take a week off from the weights every 6-8 weeks or so. Keep us posted on your progress. Good luck, brah.

Any advice on how I should coordinate the sets and reps?

And I guess since upperbody strength is my weakness I'll do 2 upper days and 1 lower day on the weeks I have 3 lift days. And on the weeks I have 2 lift days, 1 lower day and 1 upper day. In your opinion, how does that sound?

You might try an overall body workout on your weight days, maybe something like this:

Weight Workout 1: Bench/Military Press/Squats/Lunges
Weight Workout 2: Dips/Rows/Deads/Pull-Ups

I personally like to cycle my rep ranges (eg. 15 for 2 weeks; 10 for 2 weeks; 5 for 2 weeks).