I'm progressing very well at the moment alternating between a total body high intensity workout and a total body power rack workout.   Before I give an insight into how it looks I'd like to discuss the reasons why I chose to train like this.   High intensity training is a proven training style that works; it requires total dedication and hard work to bring about changes with just one set per exercise.   Because of the need to use no momentum and lighter weights due to the strict technique required and little rest between sets it is obvious that previous maximum strength levels can temporarily come to a halt and even reverse.   That is why alternating from workout to workout between high intensity training and power rack workouts gives you the best of both worlds.   Not to mention giving the body more recovery between each type of workout but also I have found it easier to put every ounce of effort into each workout, as it feels refreshing not to be doing the same graft twice a week.   Extra rest days may be required for the advanced trainer.    

Power Rack Workout

Monday's session is a power rack workout beginning with rack squats; the pins are set at a height that makes me squat deep enough to stimulate more muscle, hamstrings should be at least parallel to the floor.   I do 2 working sets on all my exercises after a set or two of warm ups are performed.   I aim for 8 reps on all the working sets; when I'm training on a different programme I have found that doing different reps ranges for different exercises works best for me.   For example when I train my chest on a 3 way split programme I will normally do 5 reps for the flat bench press, 8 reps for incline dumbbell press and 12-15 reps for flat fly, but on this cycle I have settled for 8 reps in the rack workout because I am keeping the sets low so I don't over train from the high intensity workout.   If I do low reps and low sets I have found that it doesn't benefit me in the same way and stimulate my muscles as much as doing low sets with more reps using a little less weight.   So basically I am going for the bodybuilding response with this.   If I choose to increase my strength in future I will go for less exercises and more sets with low reps and more weight.   Meanwhile on this workout I follow squats with the flat bench press; the pins are set so the bar touches my chest when I raise my ribcage when in the bottom position of the press.   Every rep is controlled on the way down with a little tap on the pins before I press for the next rep.   The next exercise is chin-ups; I've included these because I'm aiming to increase my strength in this movement and to give me the opportunity to progress by keeping them in my weekly sessions.   I read a while ago in an article by strength coach Charles Poliquin that a weak body part needs to be stimulated with more volume to create a response.   After the chins I do a dead lift out of the rack half way down my shins followed by rack shoulder press.   My last exercise is a single leg calve raise standing on a low step; again this is another weak area of mine so I have decided to hit it twice in a week.   I choose these over a machine calve raise because I feel the calve working through its full range and it feels like a more natural movement for me.   Besides I remember reading years ago that the pioneer of resistance training machines Arthur Jones praised this exercise over the machine version because of its biomechanical advantages.                                    

That's my power rack workout done, I have personalised it to my needs to include chin-ups and calve raises.   I add rest pause reps or negatives when I start to stagnate.   I also drop an exercise or two from the workout as the weeks go on so I don't over-train.   I alternate this workout with a total body high intensity workout done on Thursdays or Fridays.   This cycle works best for me for around 4-6 weeks then I go back to training on a 3 times a week split programme for the same length of 4-6 weeks.    

High Intensity Workout

I've followed a pre exhaust style high intensity routine over the past month with great success; it's brutally hard but highly effective.   I aim for 12 reps on all the exercises, my rep window is 8 to 12 and when 12 reps are reached I increase the weight for the exercise to bring me back to 8 reps or so.   I begin the workout with a thorough warm up then I start on incline chest fly's then straight onto the flat bench press and followed by press-ups, all the reps are performed slowly with no momentum and so the tension is kept on the muscle which means there isn't any lockouts involved allowing the muscle to rest at the top of the rep.   After a quick stretch of the chest I'm straight over to perform stiff arm pull-downs, these are done in the same position throughout the set by leaning forward from the hips with a slight bend in the knees, the start position for the rep is bar above the head with arms at the side of the head allowing for a bigger range of motion for the exercise.  
Close grip pull-downs with palms facing the body is done immediately afterwards followed by seated single arm cable rows.   A quick stretch of the lats and I'm ready for the seated lat raises, these are done with a slight upper body forward lean to eliminate the traps from the exercise, every rep is continuous keeping with the tradition of constant muscle tension during the set.   Next up is standing bar curls, chest high, elbows back, working every rep in the full range and not allowing the bar to rest on the chest at the top of the movement.   These are followed without rest with triceps push downs and then dips.   Again I stretch the muscles I've just worked before I do the last portion of the workout, legs!   Leg extensions are squeezed out without any momentum for every single rep I've got inside me, then I make my way over to the leg press and continue the workout with leg presses until I can't move the weight and my legs are fatigued.   To finish the workout I carry out single standing calf raises, these are done on a low step with the leg locked out and the body straight, I hold a dumbbell in the hand of the same side I am working.   I pause the rep at the top of the movement to contract the muscle for increased intensity and lower slowly for a full stretch before completing another rep until failure is reached.

A post workout drink always follows my workouts almost immediately after the last set.   This makes a massive difference in how quick the body recovers from the workout and how speedy changes develop in the direction of the way you want to look.