Thread: whats the best weight lifting routine for strength?

MMmmmmm.....moderately heavy weights for 4 sets of 6-8 reps.

Some say moderately heavy weights for 4 sets of 10.

That is what I started out with in a college women's strength class. But now I do lower reps with higher weights for strength. There is no difference in the routine between the guys and women's classes....only the amount of weight started off with.

Free weights are always good for me.

I am HORRIBLE with concentrating or doing something, the same thing, ie: a repetative movement like most training... (lol) over and over again because I get bored, but free weights at least just for my arms has always been good for me.

During the first semester, the male instructor had all the women use the Universal machines for bench/chest and shoulder presses. Ok, I can understand his point behind beginning with that for safety/controll reasons with newbies who never lifted before. However I was getting frustrated with my lifting progress with the things.

We are all stronger in one side or the other and I found my strong right arm compensating for my weaker lift. Eventually, I went to using the Olympic bar/bench there for the bench press and dumbbells to build up my support muscles. Only after that did my bench greatly improve.

I found doing laterals was hurt my left shoulder too much. So I dropped it upon his advice. Found out later why.....an old traumatic supraspinatus tear. Because of this, I perform military presses with dumbbells instead as well. Do palms facing shoulder presses too.

Machines are nice if you have access to them. But for my purposes, freeweights are preferable.

But getting back to routine. The compound Core exercises in general are good. Squats, Bench and deadlifts.

Individual exercises for the upper body (but dont forget the lower too!)

Bench
Incline
flyes
Bicep (sulpinating hits the forearms too)
Tricep pushdowns
Overhead extensions

Squats
Leg press
leg extension
leg curls
lunges
calf raises

Lat pulldowns to chest
Shoulder press
laterals
uprights rows
Bentover dbl rows and/or
Bentover barbell rows

Ab crunches

Do this for a 3 day split for a hour/90 minutes. Be sure to stretch and warmup first. Rest a minute between each set.

This is a basic routine to work from. The same as was given to my class. Like I said....the only difference between the womens and the guys....is the amount of weight we started off with.

Search posts within the last 3 months or so for Westside.

mudge, westside doesnt focus on biceps, back, or abs does it?

ok it does hit your back, but what do u do for your biceps, abs, shoulders, and lats?

If you are looking for over all strength the Westside program has proven to do it. I havent tried it myself yet but read a lot on it and it seems to really boost all your lifts if you do it right and stick with it. if you ar elooking at building mass, which isn't necessarily strength (although the two are certainly related to an extent), you might consider something different.

Westside focuses on what you want it to focus on. You want to target your biceps, look at the volume of rowing work and back work. That also covers lats. Abs are a HUGE part of Westside. Shoulders are used in benching and any type of pressing movement.

The glory of Westside is that it focuses on 3 lifts. Squat, bench, deadlift. The muscles used to train those 3 lifts encompass the entire body. Lats assist in your bench press. If your lats are weak because your biceps are weak, DO SOME BICEPS WORK. If your bench is freezing 6" off your chest, do some extra shoulders work.

You have to be able to identify weaknesses to take full advantage of Westside. But it has proven itself, in the last 25 years, to be the premier routine for adding strength.

First I have heard of this one... seems interesting, but not certain I need anymore STRENGTH, I am already in shera territory, lmao...

Originally posted by o-dub
mudge, westside doesnt focus on biceps, back, or abs does it?

No it focuses on power lifts, but you can apply the theory to anything, perhaps with adjustment for those smaller bodyparts.

Before meets things like biceps dont often get worked at all.

5x5 training not to failure. Westside training is more for lifters wearing powerlifting gear. Alot of partial movements.

5x5 in the proper format will bring results after results. I use these principals all year round for myself and all of my clients. Great gains.

Somewhat true, for me the weaker part of my bench has always seemed to be the top half, so board presses for me would be a +. Partials seem to still benefit a non-suited lifter by allowing the user to feel and use more weight.