New routine! hopefully...

[biggun1234]

Hello all my name is Sean and I'm 19 years old. I've been lifting for 2 or 3 years consistantley. I recently found out that I had been overtraining myself! I could have been gaining much, much faster If I focused more on compound lifts and more rest. As of now, I am 205 pounds with somewhere around 16-16.5" biceps. My bench press is 285 pounds. I started 2 or 3 years ago at 165 pounds with a bench press of 175 and a bicep of 13.5-14". I thought this was a decent gain in 3 years at first, but now I realize that I could probably be stronger. My question is...How do you think this new routine will work out for me?(Routine is attached, its called the Maija 5x5). Instead of lifting 6 days a week, I will be lifting 3 days a week. Here is my old OVERtraining routine:
Monday: Chest/tri day
chest:
4 sets of 3-6 reps flat bench
4 sets of 3-6 reps incline
4 sets of 3-6 reps decline
4 sets of 6-8 reps chest flies
tri's:
4 sets of 8-10 reps weighted bar dips
4 sets of 8-10 reps skull crushers
4 sets of 8-10 reps tricep pull-downs
Tues: Back/Biceps
back:
4 sets of 6-8 reps Lat pulldowns
4 sets of 6-8 reps one arm dumbell rows
4 sets of 6-8 reps seated row
4 sets of 15-20 reps back extensions
biceps:
4 sets of 8-10 reps reverse barbell curls
4 sets of 8-10 reps hammer barbell curls
4 sets of 8-10 reps regualr barbell curls
Wed: shoulders
4 sets of 6-8 reps seated shouler press
4 sets of 8-10 reps upright row
4 sets of 8-10 reps side lateral raises
4 sets of 8-10 reps shrugs
4 sets of 8-10 reps of rear delts(usually on reverse peck deck)
4 sets of 8-10 reps of forward lateral raises
Thurs:legs
4 sets of 3-6 reps squat
4 sets of 3-6 reps deadlift
4 sets of 8-10 reps quad leg curls
4 sets of 8-10 reps reverse hamstring leg curls
4 sets of 10-15 reps calf raises machine
4 sets of 6-8 reps leg press
Friday: repeat of Monday (if time)
Saturday: repeat of tuesday (if time)
Sunday: rest day

As you can see, I was definatley overtraining. My goal is to be able to bench press 305 pounds. Do you think this is possible in 2 or 3 months with this new routine? This new routine is called the Maija 5x5, and as I stated earlier, focuses on compound lifts(mostly) and is a 3 day a week program. Instead of doing 28 set workouts MTWTFS, I will be doing 12-20 sets Mon-Wed-Fri. The reason I ask this question is because I do not want to make the mistake of overtraining or under training again! Thanks a bunch in advance for looking at this!

Here is the maija 5x5:
Exercises = 5x5
Day 1: Upper (Chest/Back)
Bench Press

Barbell Row

Dips

Chinups

Tricep Pressdown

Bicep Curl

Day 2: Lower
Squats

Deadlifts

Calf Raises

Shrugs

Day 3: Upper (Shoulders/Back)
Military Press

Pullups

Tricep Pressdown

Barbell Bicep Curl

What do you guys think?

 

[P-funk]

if you are training three days a week why not go with total body workouts to get in more volume. A 5x5 routine is great. You can do something along the lines of Bill Starr's program and see some awesome results in both strength and size.

 

[biggun1234]

awsome thats good to know. I've also seen Bill Star's routine it looks good. How do you feel about 3 day a week routines compared to 4 or 5 day a week routines?

 

[P-funk]

awsome thats good to know. I've also seen Bill Star's routine it looks good. How do you feel about 3 day a week routines compared to 4 or 5 day a week routines?

I usually never train 5 days a week.

4 days is good.

I tend to favor 3 days a week.

Currently I am training 7 days over the course of 14 days (2 weeks time frame). So it works out to a week of 4 workouts and a week of 3.

 

[biggun1234]

Sweet, I decided I'm going to use a Bill Starr Intermediate program. It seems like that is not much to do, but I think its because Im so used to overtraining lol.
Here is the workout:
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm#INTRO:

 

[P-funk]

Sweet, I decided I'm going to use a Bill Starr Intermediate program. It seems like that is not much to do, but I think its because Im so used to overtraining lol.
Here is the workout:
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm#INTRO:

yes yes...I love that program. Basic periodization will take you a long way. Make sure that you really follow it and the percentages he has listed for the squat, etc....if you don't then you will overtrain and be lifting at to high of an intensity on all three days. you will burn out fast and not see the results. Post the routine you come up with (if you are going to modify what is listed) and the weights you will be using.

When going with the 5x5 on the squat....On the day where you are supposed to work up to a max set of 5 I like to start my routine in week one with a weight that is about 10-15lbs below my max 5RM squat so that I leave myself somewhere to go to and then break my old 5RM. For example:

5RM= 225lbs

week1- max set 210/5 reps
week2- max set 220/5 reps
week3- max set 230/5 reps (new 5RM PR)
etc...continue up in 5-10lbs jumps weekly until progress stops.

base your other percentages for the 5x5 set off of the max numbers you are using.

 

[Bakerboy]

I took a look at Bill Starr's Intermediate program and it looks pretty sound...

I think I will give it a shot in two weeks, when I come off my present program.

My only question is: why squat 2 times a week and deadlift only once???

I think it would make more sense to squat 2x one week and then the next week deadlift 2x...

And tricep extensions (hmmm...) If you are doing heavy dips you can change your hand placement to hit the different heads.

And just to be a pain in the ass... the ab exercises that routine suggests are ok but I would do a twisting movement to hit the obliques- My favorite is getting into a crunch position (knees bent or raised, back bent so that you are holding yourself up, contracting your abs) then with a moderately heavy medicine ball in your hands move the ball from one side of your body to the other. It's an old school movement that still kicks. Besides, the stronger your core is the easier it is to deadlift, shoulder press and squat...

I know he says not to fuck with it but... There are no perfect workouts, just improvements on past workouts...

But basically that routine looks mighty fine!

Thanks for posting it!!!

 

[P-funk]

the point of deadlifting once a week is to get the bar off you back and unload the spine. to train the squatting muscles without squatting. deadlifting 2x's in week one and then switching to squating in the next week would not help you increase that 5RM squat specifically. the program is designed to allow you to adapt to a high amount of squat volume over a certain amount of weeks.

 

[Bakerboy]

Yeah, that makes sense I guess.

It looks road worthy. I'm going to try it out. See if I can pack on some quality muscle.

 

[P-funk]

Yeah, that makes sense I guess.

It looks road worthy. I'm going to try it out. See if I can pack on some quality muscle.

if you eat and train on this program for a good 6-8 weeks you will see some great results.

 

[KarlW]

I usually never train 5 days a week.

4 days is good.

I tend to favor 3 days a week.

 

[biggun1234]

I'm ready to try this plan. But I want to make sure I don't over do it. So I had a couple of questions about it. First off, do you max out ONLY on the last set of 5 reps on each set? So does that mean that the previous 4x5 sets should be able to be pushed out easily? For example, if my 5 rep max bench is 250 pounds, then what would be a good first set to start with? If I'm correct, You essentially don't need a spotter for this workout then? Even though I know its good to always have a spotter, I am just speaking theoretically. Also, what if I can't goup 2.5% because I don't have microplates? Ok, and lastly, since I'm going 3 days a week, should I be eating 3300-4000 calories everyday? OR just on lift days? That was about a thousand questions lol. thanks.