Finished 3x5, new routine?

[ark94]

Well, the gains have been good. And the weights have gone up. I did have a lot of trouble with my squatting and benching form at first, fixed my bench form last month, and squat form just recently. So that's why the squat number is so low.

I started Rippetoe's 3x5 on January 15th ish.
START END
Squat - 80lb 135lb
Deadlift - 120lb 215lb
Bench Press - 115lb 140lb
Military Press - 60lb 90lb
Bent Row - 75lb 125lb


Now, in my next routine i want to at the bare minimum keep squat, deadlift, and bench press. I would really like to keep military press too, bent row i don't care if its taken out or not.

I am looking around still, but would like some suggestions on a routine. I have a great diet, so don't worry about that, but im looking to gain size rather than strength.

What should i try for size? Is the rep range 6-8? And how many sets? Any recommended routines?

 

[oso0960]

Madcow's 5x5. Look in the sticky at the top of the page titled Training Vault.

 

[oso0960]

Bill Starr 5x5 - Madcow Intermediate or Linear Version

Forgot that the geocites link doesn't work.

 

[ark94]

Bill Starr 5x5 - Madcow Intermediate or Linear Version

Forgot that the geocites link doesn't work.

thanks, i just checked it and was bout to say the link is dead. ill look into this one .

 

[JDid23]

I don't think you've reached your full potential on the 3x5, so i think you should reconsider sticking with it for a little longer. I also think something like 5x5, 5/3/1 or a routine some of us could help you make would be good. Does it seem like squatting 3x per week seems to take a serious tole on your body and hamper your progress? If so, I think 5/3/1 or a 3-4 day full body routine would be good. However, if you feel like squatting 3x per week isn't going to be an issue, 5x5 would be ideal. Also, you're not going to have 5x5 with the same amount of weights like you have to do in rippetoes 3x5. Instead, you'll be working up to your final set of 5 reps, so that might actually benefit you a lot since there is extra form work involved on the lighter sets.

What do you think?

 

[Tblock1]

I don't think you've reached your full potential on the 3x5, so i think you should reconsider sticking with it for a little longer. I also think something like 5x5, 5/3/1 or a routine some of us could help you make would be good. Does it seem like squatting 3x per week seems to take a serious tole on your body and hamper your progress? If so, I think 5/3/1 or a 3-4 day full body routine would be good. However, if you feel like squatting 3x per week isn't going to be an issue, 5x5 would be ideal. Also, you're not going to have 5x5 with the same amount of weights like you have to do in rippetoes 3x5. Instead, you'll be working up to your final set of 5 reps, so that might actually benefit you a lot since there is extra form work involved on the lighter sets.

What do you think?

Don't thing you are ready for 5x5 either ark. You should be intermediate class before you start that. EM always has good ideas for simple routines, maybe he will chime in.

Day 1:
Squat
Weighted pullups
rows

Day 2:
Bench
military press
triceps extensions
curls

Day 3:
deadlift
hypers

Just something really simple like the above would be great in my opinion, and you could add a 4th day or add front squats one day or whatever.

 

[JDid23]

Don't thing you are ready for 5x5 either ark. You should be intermediate class before you start that. EM always has good ideas for simple routines, maybe he will chime in.

Day 1:
Squat
Weighted pullups
rows

Day 2:
Bench
military press
triceps extensions
curls

Day 3:
deadlift
hypers

Just something really simple like the above would be great in my opinion, and you could add a 4th day or add front squats one day or whatever.

To be honest, something like that seems almost too simple and it imo it isn't a full body routine as you have bench/military/triceps back to back to back and not nearly enough leg work. Ark wants to base his routine off of squats, deads, bench, military, and rows as he's already said. That's a great idea and it's why i think something like 5/3/1 would be perfect for him. However, the only possible downside (which isn't that bad) i see is that he will be using weight that seems almost too light for squats- this might help his form, but it wouldn't allow him to become acclamated to heavier weights.

Having said that, I think your squat could use some assistance work like lunges, leg press, front squats (and i know you want to try those), etc. and 5/3/1 would do a good job of optimally implementing this since you've only been focusing on squatting to help your squatting. If the 5/3/1 interests you, let me know- BBlazer is a huge advocate of this program so maybe if he sees this he can chime in and let you know if he thinks it's right for you or not. 5/3/1 is a simple template- take 90% of your 1RM and use that as your 1RM for calculations. You have 2 warmup sets each time and one week, you'll use 85% of your 1RM for 5+ reps, next is 90% for 3+ reps, and next is 95% for 1+ reps followed by a deload week. You push yourself during each of the last sets so if you were squatting 115 for 5+ reps and are able to do 12, then do 12. Then, you pick assistance work to help each exercise so if you want to help your military press, you might choose dips and some other exercises or you can do something like 5x10 with 50% of your 1RM

If you don't like the look of the 5/3/1, making up a program would definitely be a good idea!

 

[Tblock1]

To be honest, something like that seems almost too simple and it imo it isn't a full body routine as you have bench/military/triceps back to back to back and not nearly enough leg work. Ark wants to base his routine off of squats, deads, bench, military, and rows as he's already said. That's a great idea and it's why i think something like 5/3/1 would be perfect for him. However, the only possible downside (which isn't that bad) i see is that he will be using weight that seems almost too light for squats- this might help his form, but it wouldn't allow him to become acclamated to heavier weights.

Having said that, I think your squat could use some assistance work like lunges, leg press, front squats (and i know you want to try those), etc. and 5/3/1 would do a good job of optimally implementing this since you've only been focusing on squatting to help your squatting. If the 5/3/1 interests you, let me know- BBlazer is a huge advocate of this program so maybe if he sees this he can chime in and let you know if he thinks it's right for you or not. 5/3/1 is a simple template- take 90% of your 1RM and use that as your 1RM for calculations. You have 2 warmup sets each time and one week, you'll use 85% of your 1RM for 5+ reps, next is 90% for 3+ reps, and next is 95% for 1+ reps followed by a deload week. You push yourself during each of the last sets so if you were squatting 115 for 5+ reps and are able to do 12, then do 12. Then, you pick assistance work to help each exercise so if you want to help your military press, you might choose dips and some other exercises or you can do something like 5x10 with 50% of your 1RM

If you don't like the look of the 5/3/1, making up a program would definitely be a good idea!

Just my opinion, but I personally think he could make a lot better progress on a simple 5 pound progression. Then once he reaches your level of strength he could switch to 5/3/1. I just don't think he needs a routine like that yet. As for leg work, I assumed with that routine that he would add whatever other accesory work he wanted, ie stiff leg deadlifts, lunges, front squats, etc. This is definitely a case of KISS.

 

[JDid23]

Just my opinion, but I personally think he could make a lot better progress on a simple 5 pound progression. Then once he reaches your level of strength he could switch to 5/3/1. I just don't think he needs a routine like that yet. As for leg work, I assumed with that routine that he would add whatever other accesory work he wanted, ie stiff leg deadlifts, lunges, front squats, etc. This is definitely a case of KISS.

yeah exactly- that's the possible downside of 5/3/1 for him at this point i feel like. And yeah- i wasn't sure whether your routine was actually serious or not or just a rough draft

 

[ark94]

Well, tblock i agree with you that i have not reached my full potential on this routine. And it only has been 4 months, i should be doing it for 6-8 or so?

Jdid, i think i am going to wait a month, or 2 before i start anything else. Just trying to get some ideas now. However i like the idea of the 5/3/1 but it seems to complicated, and i would rather step up to something else, then go to that one.

I do want to add front squats into my next routine, rows don't matter to me as long as im pressing, squatting (back,front), benching, and deadlifting. Then w/e else added on is cool with me.