Came up with a new routine (draft - based on stronglifts / SS)

[repoman0]

I've been noticing that my squats suffer if I do them every other day like on stronglifts and SS and are much stronger if I wait 3-4 days in between. They aren't particularly heavy compared to some here, but I weigh around 160 and squat 210 and my legs seem to take more than the two days rest to recover enough to do them again well. I also want to start incorporating power cleans into my workouts which I haven't really been able to do yet. Having said this, I don't think I'm ready for an intermediate program yet either. I came up with the following two week routine that I'm thinking about trying for a while:

Week 1:

M:

Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Dips

W:

Overhead Press
Power Clean
Bent over row
Pushups

F:

Squat
Dumbbell Bench
Deadlift
Chinups

Week 2:

M:

Squat
Overhead Press
Power Clean
Dips

W:

Bench Press
Deadlift
Bent over row
Chinups

F:

Squat
Dumbbell Overhead Press
Power Clean
Pushups

All exercises are 3 sets of 5 except 1 set of 5 deadlifts, 5 sets of 3 power cleans, and 3 sets until failure of the pushups, dips and chinups if I feel like doing them that day. This cuts squats to twice a week with either 3 or 4 days in between, and I think still hits the upper body exercises often enough with added dumbbell bench and OHP days since I've been stuck on the barbell versions for a while.

Suggestions on this? I think it could work, all the same exercises are there, I just need more rest between squat days, want to incorporate power cleans, and think that doing dumbbell bench and OHP sometimes will help increase the weight I can do on the barbell versions.

 

[SilverThief]

Ive been doing the Stronglifts 5x5 for 4 weeks now, and I'm experiencing the same thing as you are concerning squats. Thats a great idea you came up with, I think I'm going to give it a shot as well.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Have you read the Starting Strength and Stonglifts instructions?

When you start stalling you are supposed to go from 5x5 to 3x5. The reason is that it gives you more recovery. When 3x5 starts stalling, go on to 1x5. When 1x5 is stuck, go onto an intermediate program like madcow. It can take up to 2 years to get to the point where you need to move onto madcow.

 

[repoman0]

Have you read the Starting Strength and Stonglifts instructions?

Yeah, plenty of times in detail

When you start stalling you are supposed to go from 5x5 to 3x5. The reason is that it gives you more recovery. When 3x5 starts stalling, go on to 1x5. When 1x5 is stuck, go onto an intermediate program like madcow. It can take up to 2 years to get to the point where you need to move onto madcow.

Yep I'm already doing 3x5. I didn't want to move to 1x5 at such low weights and I consistently noticed that when I missed a day or two, my squats were way stronger and it was relatively easy to do 3 sets of 5 even at +5lbs.

Plus this way I finally get to really incorporate power cleans which I find really fun and have wanted to start doing for a while, but had nowhere to put them in stronglifts, and I'm curious to see if the dumbbell lifts help my barbell OHP and bench which have been basically stuck for months.

I'll update this in a while with how this routine helps me progress. If I find it works worse than regular stronglifts, I'll move back! I started on Monday with Monday of week 2 - 195lb squats (quickly working back up from 185 to 210+), 105lb OHP, 95lb power clean, 3 sets of 4-5 dips. And I'm actually sore from a workout for the first time in a while, power cleans really hit the upper traps hard.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I changed workouts recently. My upper body days kill my upper body. But I think it is too advanced of a routine that is 1 heavy day a week for upper body and one accessory day for upper body. There is one lower body day and I have a second optional lower body day.

I think I am going back to stronglifts. I should be doing squats 3 times aweek. I think I am borderline intermediate at this point but I now have a cage so I can actually do squats properly. I guess my point is that if I squat 1-2 times a week I won't be getting the gains I want.

If I could do it over again, I'd do Starting Strength by the book. And when ready I'd move onto Madcow. This split routine I am on kinda sucks and I think it is not going to give me the gains that I want.

It gets complicated because I lift with a friend.


Oh, are you sure that you aren't having the problem I am kinda having? I am sick of doing the same damned thing week in and week out. It gets boring.

I have changed things a bit though. I alternate exercises best I can. So, I'd do deadlift, then bench, then rest. And repeat 5 times. Gets the workout done much faster. Different muscles are involved in each so the target muscles have time to recoop as you do the other exercise.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Well, let me ask this: when's the last time you took a week off? How long have you been lifting? Typically, when people stall, it's because they're near CNS fatigue or overtraining. You need to schedule a week off every 8-12 weeks, especially if you're continually taxing yourself with progressively heavier lifts.

 

[Lamont Burns]

Well at 210 for sets across that's approaching a 1.5 BW squat. I imagine your 1RM is near that now.

So, time to ask what your long term goal is. I hate to advocate as many do the addage "eat more" but that might be something to keep in mind.

Anecdotally, for OHP I didn't find DB Press helping me increase my OHP. I don't know why tbh, just didn't translate for me. Push Presses helped, but I think I just suck at pushing.

Gotta do what keeps you moving, but a perhaps deload #1 is in order? I was stubborn as hell about doing this a long time ago, but particularly for OHP and Squats it did help me break a barrier pretty well when I gave in and did it.

 

[repoman0]

Well my long term goal in the first place when I started in September was to put on some muscle and hit 160lbs (from 140) - I'm around 162-164 now and am very happy with it - I'm 5'10", so pretty skinny still but muscular now, and I don't think I'd want to put on too much more weight, maybe 170lbs max. Now I just like adding weight to my lifts because it's fun!

I've deloaded a bunch of times on each of my exercises - as in started back 10-15% lower and worked back up, 5lbs at a time. Helped a couple times for squats and deadlifts but not so much with upper body lifts.

As for last time I took a week off, it was probably in March (?) and I don't think that was a full week. I've missed a few exercise days here and there lately because I just graduated college and was super busy. Maybe it's time for a week off? Do I not go to the gym at all or can I go and just do like 25% less weight?

Also I switched my deadlift work set to a set of 6 since I switched to mixed grip and I'm paranoid about using both grips. So I do 3 one way and then 3 the other; it was no problem at 240lbs. Finally get to start moving up on these again, and it seems like I'll be adding weight pretty fast now

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Yeah, you probably need to take a week off. Don't lift any weights - just active recovery. Go for a leisure jog, bike ride, swim, etc. Don't do anything directed at moving heavy things on purpose. It allows for your central nervous system to recover.

 

[repoman0]

^I'll have a forced chance to do a week or so off next week, so that's pretty good timing.

Also I can tell already this is going to need modification - need to do barbell bench more than once a week. I think I'll go back to every other workout like SS/stronglifts suggest, and every other bench day or something add dumbbell bench at the end. Today my bench was pathetic, I only did 130 and that felt like a struggle, not like the usual 145 that feels like a struggle is much better - but my Pendlay row and deadlift were 140 and 250 and felt great, so it wasn't just an off day.

Need to figure out some way to put up more on the bench, good supplemental exercises or extra chest work or whatever. I think by now I should at least be able to do body weight (165) bench compared to the rest of my lifts.

 

[Saint Nick]

FWIW my bench has always sucked. Are you a tall dude? I am 6' 5" and leg stuff is pretty easy for me, but my upper body takes a while to grow.

 

[uclaLabrat]

FWIW my bench has always sucked. Are you a tall dude? I am 6' 5" and leg stuff is pretty easy for me, but my upper body takes a while to grow.

I'm the opposite...my bench has always been weak (I just barely repped 205, my wife helping more than I'd like to admit) and I can only squat 205. I'm a bit over 6'6 and weigh 245.

 

[repoman0]

Nah I'm not particularly tall, only 5'10" so just about average male height.

 

[Sid59]

Definitely a break is in order. I started on SL5x5 but squats and DL one the same days was taxing me. I split deadlifts from squats and added the following into my 3 day split: weighted chins, weighted dips, incline bench, leg press. I usually toss these in but cut them out if i'm in a rush, preacher curls, tricep w/ ropes, shrugs, calves, hyperextension.

 

[repoman0]

Small update, haven't taken any time off yet but I watched a video someone posted here on bench press form and think it will really help me. Yesterday at the gym I did benches first and though I only did 135lbs because I am doing yet another small deload and working myself back up, the bar was moving really fast and easily. I recommend watching the videos posted in IHateMyJob's form thread if you're struggling.

Also did some relatively easy 190lb squats (couldn't get 3x5 at 215 so working back up in those too) and a set of 6 255lb deadlifts - ever since switching to mixed grip past ~235 it's easy for me to add 5lbs to these each workout again.

 

[repoman0]

^Spoke too soon, failed my 5th deadlift rep at 260lbs today, but bench at 140lbs was pretty easy. Since changing form a bit, bench press takes more out of me and has me breathing harder at the end, but also lets me move the weight much easier. Hopefully they'll catch up to the rest of my lifts soon!

 

[repoman0]

Some dude complimented me on my power cleans today, said they look good - cool! I did 130lbs today pretty easily and am excited to finally get to 45lb plates on each side next time for a more natural starting position. I only got 3 OHP at 110 my first set but then easily got 2 more sets of 5 at 105, really need some 1.25lb plates.