In DIRE need of Workout Help ASAP!!!

[Hellawulf]

After taking a look at the 5x5, I'm pretty pumped about it... hell yah, I'll start that next week on Monday, thank you, it will be really hard for me to go down to three days a week though.

I guess my only other question then is how much cardio do you guys think will maximize my results? I've been doing the interval training and I like it, it makes running more fun, whereas just running long distances gets boring to me.

Also do you think I should start with the intermediate program or the advanced?

 

[OneBreath]

Start with the intermediate. Intermediate vs advanced is not really what you might think. Yes you could do the advanced, but you would actually not progress as fast. Advanced is for people that have come to the point in training that they need to plan their progress from month to month or 6 months or even a year.

You need to work on week to week progress. 3 days a week actually works well because you body needs more time to recover from these big lifts. Your muscle grows when you are resting, not when you are lifting.

On the other 4 days i would suggest (and you'll hate it) low to mid intensity, steady state cardio for 45 min to 1 hour. It's fucking boring as hell but it strips of that bodyfat while allowing you to recover from those hard lifting sessions. High intensity or interval training could keep your body from recovering fully and thus you won't see maximum results from the overall program.

 

[Hellawulf]

Aw, but if thats whats best, thats whats best, so steady cardio is best for me... what do you suggest, like 6-7 mph for 45 minutes?

 

[OneBreath]

Make it based on heart rate. Whatever gets your HR between say 130 and 140 would suffice. For me that's 3.2 MPH @ 11% incline. I go 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Never less than 30.

So i obviously walk instead of run. This is to protect those legs that have been taking a beating from squats. These cardio sessions are all about the fat burn.

Also, for your barbell rows, do them from the floor. Each time picking the weight up dead from the floor. Below is a decent example of this.

 

[Hellawulf]

Thanks, I think I might do my Maxs tomorrow and friday to put into that excel spread sheet, but when and what do I do for abs in this program?

 

[OneBreath]

Just keep it simple. Your core will get rocked by the deads, squats, rows, and standing barbell overhead presses. I've had heavy squat workouts where i wake up the next day and my abs hurt like i'd done 500 situps or something.

So on the days it mentions doing abs as assistance, just do 3 or 4 sets of 15-20 reps with something like weighted situps on the decline or hanging leg raises. It doesn't need to be anything elaborate. You are really just supplementing the core work you'll get with the heavy lifts with some direct ab stimulation.

 

[joe d]

Thanks, I think I might do my Maxs tomorrow and friday to put into that excel spread sheet, but when and what do I do for abs in this program?

you do all of the core lifts correctly thats it. you abs will grow.

 

[bblazer]

Everyone keeps talking about abs. What are those? I still don't get it.

B-

 

[ExtraMile]

Thanks, I think I might do my Maxs tomorrow and friday to put into that excel spread sheet, but when and what do I do for abs in this program?

do the assistance sets of weighted situps and never wear a lifting belt, your abs will grow fine and also get alot stronger.

Also, on friday it says to do 3 sets tricep extension, I would reccomend close grip benchpress instead or, if you have to do a tricep extension do skullcrushers, they are by far the best extension...

 

[Hellawulf]

I'm willing to give it all a try, its like they say: the man who doesn't like the way in which things are going but isn't willing to change anything about the process is a fool, it will be hard for me to accept that 3 days a week will give me the growth I'm looking for, especially in arms... but I like the excel spreadsheet that comes with this workout, thats def a plus, I've always been a little lost on what weights I should be doing. Thanks a lot for all of the help, I guess it goes to show that it doesn't hurt to ask questions.