The Genesis Program: {Part 3} The Conclusion

The final piece of the puzzle to building a strength program is here

Again I must reiterate that this program I have outlined is for intermediate lifters in terms of individuals that have been lifting weights but have stalled due to the beginner gains running dry and need direction in order to keep progressing. Ideally the main concern is technique and form which have to be as close as possible to satisfactory in order to reap the benefits of the program outlined below.

The Program Outline

The program basics:

• 12 weeks long
• Built on 3 days of resistance training and 2 days of cardiovascular training
• Broken down into 3 x 4 week cycles (blocks)
• Squat. bench and deadlift every training session

The premise of the program is to hit a squat, bench and deadlift variation in each resistance training session working from general to more specific lifts as the cycles get closer to the end of 12 weeks. This builds the body up from correcting weaknesses by building muscle in weak areas to increase leverage and strength in the main lifts later down the line.

Program Template:

The program lifting days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday with conditioning being left to the lifter to do twice a week on any other day that works best for them.

Genesis Movement Rotation
Monday: Squat. Bench. Deadlift
Wednesday: Bench. Deadlift. Squat
Friday: Deadlift. Squat. Bench

Main movement:
Week 1: 5 sets x 5 reps (70% - 80% of 1RM)
Week 2: 4 sets x 3 reps (75% - 85% of 1RM)
Week 3: 3 sets x 3 reps + 1 - 2 singles (80% - 90%+ of 1RM)

Secondary movement:
Week 1: 4 sets x 6 reps
Week 2: 4 sets x 8 reps
Week 3: 4 sets x 10 reps

Third movement:
Week 1: 3 sets x 10 reps
Week 2: 3 sets x 12 reps
Week 3: 3 sets x 15 reps

Assistance work:
2 - 3 exercises addressing weaknesses
2 - 4 sets x 10 - 25 reps

Periodization for 12 weeks:

Block 1: 4 weeks

Monday/Wednesday/Friday:
Squat: Box squat

Box squat is used for the first 4 weeks to teach you to sit back, open your knees, keep your back tight and learn to drive up with the whole body.












Bench: Floor press

The floor press teaches you to control the weight, keep your back tight and pause the weight at the bottom then explode up in a straight line. It's a strong exercise that builds the full range bench.












Deadlift: Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is efficient in terms of teaching the hip hinge where the glutes are pressed backwards, lower back to upper back arched and the bar kept close to the thighs with lats flexed. The bar only comes past the knees then the posterior chain drives through the bar and arms pulling the bar back to the top of the hips.















Assistance work examples: Basics
Squat: Lunges, step ups, leg extensions, leg curls, leg press, goblet squats
Bench: Push ups, rope triceps extensions, cable face pulls, lateral raises, dumbbell chest press, single arm dumbbell rows, lat pulldowns, TRX rows
Deadlift: Glute bridge, Swiss ball leg curl, cable/band pull through's, back extensions, glute ham raise, body weight reverse hyper, band good mornings

 Block 2: 4 weeks

Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Squat: Front squat
The front squat will be used for the second block where the first taught you to sit back and use the proper squat muscles, the front squat will teach you to hit depth while keeping proper form. The front squat will be done Olympic style where the bar is placed across the front of the shoulders, two fingers underneath the bar and elbows driving up to keep the bar from rolling off the shoulders. Below parallel depth, chest up, mid-back arched and elbows up.
Bench: 2 - board
The reason for the two board is that it simulates the use of a full bench except the range of motion is restricted. This gives you the chance to use the bench rack in terms of setting up properly and getting use to keeping tight through pressing the bar. Shoulder blades pulled together, feet pressed into the ground, mid-back arched, even hand spacing and elbows tucked slightly. Pause on the 2-board then explode up.



Deadlift: Block pull
Restricts the range of motion but the aim is to teach good form and get the lockout strong. The setup for the block pull is the same as the Romanian deadlift in terms of hips back, upper-mid back arched, lats tight, even hand spacing and driving through the legs and posterior chain to move the bar up to lockout. The block pull can be used with a stack of weights for the bar to rest on or actual blocks if you have. Make sure the bar is below the knees when pulling.


Assistance work: Same as above but with more compound lift emphasis such as
Squat: Safety squat bar squats, Bulgarian split squats, goblet squats, box squats, barbell step ups, Olympic back squat
Bench: Band resisted push ups, close grip press, 3-board press, reverse band press, military press, push press, barbell rows, chin ups, pull ups, single arm-overhead press
Deadlift: Snatch grip deadlift with straps off blocks, dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, barbell shrugs, weighted back extensions, good mornings, suitcase deadlifts

Block 3: 4 weeks

Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Squat: Back squat
Hitting the pure forms of the powerlifts. Competition back squat where the bar is placed on the lower traps and back of the shoulders. Head packed back into the bar and neutral positioning looking forward. Hips move back slightly and down with knees pushing out exactly the same as the front squat. Once in the hole drive up with the shoulders first, hips pushing through with the help of the quads into an upright position.



Bench: Full range bench
Same as the 2-board bench except now the bar is brought all the way to the sternum with a slight pause and pressed back up to lockout. The setup is the same but one must learn to pull the bar into your body and press yourself away from the bar almost as if doing a barbell row. This teaches you to control the bar and dictate how it moves as apposed to waiting for it to hit your chest.




Deadlift: Conventional deadlift
Bar is on the floor and you setup like you would do a block pull except now you are a little lower to the ground. Feet shoulder width apart, even hand spacing, hips slightly higher than parallel, driving through your feet you push the bar as well as pull it with your upper back into a strong lockout. Do not hyper-extend the back at the top, your glutes are doing the work so once you squeeze and contract at the top with shoulder blades back and in line, you will be upright in good posture with the bar across the top of your thighs.



Assistance work: Same as Block 2


Conditioning
Conditioning elements were described part 2 of the Genesis Program which will be followed on any two days that fit the lifter best. It would be advisable to add in some static stretching, band work for weak areas and direct abdominal work before proceeding to do conditioning. The aim of these conditioning days are to recover from the resistance training workouts, keep the body limber and healthy and increase the body's work capacity to be able to do more work over time and utilize energy systems better. Keep it anaerobic and the actual cardio workout brief but get that heart rate up!

Wrap up

After these 12  weeks you should have an understanding of basic programming on how to create a training program. This model can be stretched out longer but after the 3rd Block one would be advised to hop onto a more long-term strength and conditioning program such as the Cube Method, 5/31, Sheiko or Smolov ect...

This program is designed to get you stronger, increase the amount of volume and work capacity your body can handle, fix mobility issues and more importantly make you train like an athlete. Even if weightlifting, powerlifting, crossfit, strongman or any other strength and conditioning sport is not for you, training like a lifter that does compete in these sports will make you have the body, abilities and skills of one of them and be able to kick ass at any time and at any moment as you will be educated, strong and good enough to be part of the iron game.

Thank you,

If you are interested in this program and want to run it, please do contact me on Facebook and let me know how it goes. Also if you want to come into the gym where I work we can also organize for you to come in and run it under my guidance.

Jarrod Firmani