FallingEdge
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Fitness |OT8| Dad Bods, Bulge Swelfies, and Wait...Do you even lift bro?
- Thread starter Chocobro
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BladeoftheImmortal
Member
Hi all, I'd like some help designing a 5x5 routine for myself and a friend. We are intermediate level and we were doing a 3x12 workout regimen but that finished and now we want to keep going. We can only exercise 3 times a week with our schedules and want a total body workout, so squats and deadlift are good. But we also want to focus on some specific muscles like biceps, triceps, shoulders and back + abs.
I found a 5x5 routine but they said to only do squats, deadlift, and bench press. Nothing else. So I didn't want that one. Any help would be appreciated.
I found a 5x5 routine but they said to only do squats, deadlift, and bench press. Nothing else. So I didn't want that one. Any help would be appreciated.
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
Stronglifts 5x5 seems like your best bet. 3 days a week, compound focused. Each day, feel free to tack on an accessory / assistance lift of your choosing (what you do for accessories is entirely determined by your goals, e.g. aesthetics, grow arms, assist with compounds, etc.). Give a little more information if you want help with your accessories, but this workout is 90% there.
Psychotext
Member
Questionbump.
Also - The Mountain vs Conor McGregor (Sparring): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aaehn1aY8Ig
Haftor in really good shape at the moment.
Spiritreaver
Member
Dude's my dream guy. What a beast. I can't imagine what it's like being that big/strong, let alone athletic as well. Crazy.
On pullups, I go for a wider grip as it feels more natural to me than a closer grip when doing them overhanded. Underhanded/reverse grip I prefer to keep them close,
Psycho, I don't have a scientific answer for you but I prefer to pull ups with my hands about 12-18" outside of my shoulders. I feel like that gives me the best workout.
Psychotext
Member
Interestingly, both of those crossfitters have what I'd consider a fairly close grip for a pull-up.
Edit - Ha, only just realised he kicks her.
Edit - Ha, only just realised he kicks her.
ldcommando
Banned
Taking kipping too far
Patrick Bateman
Member
I read about counting calories in OP, but are there any sites just about healthy meals you could recommend?
For breakfast, lunch and dinner?
For breakfast, lunch and dinner?
TTOOLL
Member
BladeoftheImmortal
Member
Actually, this is the one I downloaded. I got the app for it. It just seemed like it wasn't enough of a workout for the week, for some reason. Although I'm not the smartest person when it comes to exercising, so guess I shouldn't knock it. For accessories, my main two goals are grip strength and arm strength. They are my worst areas, still. I can only curl 10kg weights about 3x8-10. And on my deadlifts when we'd do 30kg one each side plus the bar at 15kg, I could only get to about 10 a set without having my hands give out.
My ultimate goal is to one day do a pull up. But I'm no where close, yet. I'm also losing weight at the same time. I'm 6'5" and 132kg at the moment. Hope to get to 100kg at my optimum weight. On track to be 125kg by middle December.
Psychotext
Member
The key is getting a better understanding of what's in food, and what makes it healthy vs unhealthy or high in calories vs not. Having particular meals is fine, but what happens there generally is as soon as your routine gets messed up, your diet goes out the window. If you understand which foods are good to turn to in these circumstances, you can often save yourself from the start of a diet relapse.
For recipes and the like though, the nutrition thread recommends these sites:
http://dhftns.com/ The Protein Chef
http://comfybelly.com/ Comfy Belly
http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/ All Day I Dream About Food
http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/ I Breathe Im Hungry
http://www.ruled.me/ Ruled Me
But I believe almost all of those are low carb / high protein so they're aimed at a fairly specific diet type.
I think you definitely can do more for sure...just better (at first) to focus on the program as designed without adding too much. You've been lifting for a little while now so if you do SL5X5 and want to do a few targeted accessories, that works!
Its an excellent program. Try it as is with 1 extra accessory per day for a few weeks. If that feels too light, pop in and let me know.
For accessories, try 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps for (day 1) paused incline db press, (day 2) heavy farmer walks to improve your grip strength and 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps for (day 3) lat pull-down to stengthen the muscles needed for pull ups.
Otherwise, follow the program religiously.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
IMO for strength include 1 strength based accessory (3-5 rep range) and 1-2 hypertrophy/prehab (8-20 rep range) except if you're pressing twice a week, in that case 2-3 hypertrophy based assistance and no additional strength accessory.
That's just me though.
That's just me though.
Patrick Bateman
Member
Psychotext
Member
Cheap cuts of beef, slow cooker, bunch of veg, job done.
I tend to do compounds in the 1-5 range and all of my accessories in the 8-20 range. For me, I have a slight lean towards aesthetic goals with my accessories though.
P.s. I tried what you said for good mornings earlier (so much more comfortable) and bent over rows (more tension on my upper back felt awesome...also, never touching the ground will do wonders for my grip). Thanks, you really should teach this stuff. People would listen.
mdsfx
Member
I just ran out and realized I have no need to buy more. Between chicken, beef, fish, yogurt and eggs, there are so many ways to get more than enough protein in your diet each day.
At this point I personally think powders are more suited for those with very busy schedules or circumstances where they don't have access to food for longer periods of time (like a long commute).
And people too lazy to whip up some decent food 
I just ran out and realized I have no need to buy more. Between chicken, beef, fish, yogurt and eggs, there are so many ways to get more than enough protein in your diet each day.
At this point I personally think powders are more suited for those with very busy schedules or circumstances where they don't have access to food for longer periods of time (like a long commute).And people too lazy to whip up some decent food
Yup. I very rarely use powder.
Holy shit, I can do pull-ups now. I had been doing the assisted machine at the gym for a long while, mixing in pulldowns, rowing, neutral grip, and curls to get my arms and back used to moving heavy stuff around. Then yesterday out of curiosity I hopped on the bar I have on my door and did three real-ass, full hang pull-ups.
Going from being a man of pure fat to this... it's a huge moment for me. Something I never thought I'd be able to do. I know I'm going to keep working harder and doing more, but I'm really proud.
Going from being a man of pure fat to this... it's a huge moment for me. Something I never thought I'd be able to do. I know I'm going to keep working harder and doing more, but I'm really proud.
I do my good mornings "high bar" like Bill Starr taught. It is definitely uncomfortable. At the bottom I get a ringing in my ears, and I'm developing a callous on my neck. I hate them, but I think they've made me like squats more, so I'll stick with it.
Congrats dude! Great feeling!
Give them a shot the way Brolic described. Infinitely more comfortable.
mdsfx
Member
Nice!! Keep at it!
TTOOLL
Member
Congrats, mate!
That's real progress and something to be proud of. Keep at it. Pull ups are truly a great exercise.
Officially in the 21x zone. 219.4 yesterday, 219.8 today. As slow as progress is, at least it's progress.
That is indeed a great feeling. Wait till you're at a point where you need to buy a belt to add weight lol. I'm there now. Good problem to have.
That is indeed a great feeling. Wait till you're at a point where you need to buy a belt to add weight lol. I'm there now. Good problem to have.
That couple inches probably makes a big difference in terms of stress on the lower back. Nothing adding weight wouldn't take care of, but I'll do some more reading on this.
Spiritreaver
Member
Nothing beats that moment after you do your first pull-up, especially if you were one of those kids who could never do them during physicals in school. You come off the bar feeling like Superman.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
I've been pushing myself to do proper push ups. It's so hard for me, you have no idea! I think my dumbbells have helped a lot. I notice more muscle mass than previously. Nothing that any of you would probably notice lol, but it's there.
Today I'm feeling a lot better than yesterday and with a lot more energy.
Today I'm feeling a lot better than yesterday and with a lot more energy.
mdsfx
Member
Great to hear! Progress is the best motivator.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
Yeah, it helps a lot.
Also, just the fact I can do push ups at all is huge for me. I've said it before (even made a thread), but I had never been able to do even 1.
Knowing your prior comments on the man if steel I'm glad to hear you admit Superman is the GOAT.
Charles Foster Kane
Rosebud
Oh man, I wonder if I'll ever do a pull up lol
To the guy asking about 5x5, read the website, mehdi tells you why it works and how it works, I've been slowly adjusting and doing 5x5 routine for the past couple of weeks. It works and you know it works because you're always adding weight. I've been doing 5 days a week but the 5x5 stuff alternate days and then cardio / abs / biceps on the days in between
Psychotext
Member
Speak for yourself (long since stopped "always" adding weight). Never really did get the noob gains either.
At some point soon I really need to switch to a variation of 5/3/1, but I need to work out a way of doing it so that I don't have any days with a particular emphasis on upper or lower body as trying to do cycling training on the day after a "leg day" is all but impossible (and it really doesn't help with recovery either).
You can get there.Some goals are just harder to reach.
Several months ago I could not do a bodyweight dip, now I can do sets of 5
I still cant do chinups but I can do 1 shitty pullup
Mysterious
Banned
So since mid-September, I've been following the program Bum Rush sent to me. I've seen some improvements
Deadlift: 135 lb -> 165 lb
Squat: 45 lb -> 105 lb
Bench: 45 lb -> 75 lb
But I've been noticing these improvements have been plateauing recently. My increments on how much I can do is only margin week-over-week now. My friend told me I should start looking into intermediate programs now, and I want to start this sometime next week (so this week I will continue with Bum Rush's program).
I was wondering if anyone could recommend an intermediate program. Maybe intermediate isn't the right word, but something to offset this plateauing.
Deadlift: 135 lb -> 165 lb
Squat: 45 lb -> 105 lb
Bench: 45 lb -> 75 lb
But I've been noticing these improvements have been plateauing recently. My increments on how much I can do is only margin week-over-week now. My friend told me I should start looking into intermediate programs now, and I want to start this sometime next week (so this week I will continue with Bum Rush's program).
I was wondering if anyone could recommend an intermediate program. Maybe intermediate isn't the right word, but something to offset this plateauing.
I researched my question on goodmornings. From what I've read goodmornings are useful as an assistance exercise for both the squat and deadlift, which I knew. Using the low bar method may have better carryover to the low bar squat. High bar is seen as a deadlift variant. Because I use goodmornings as more of a deadlift replacement, I'll stick with the uncomfortable high bar version.
TTOOLL
Member
I've been doing 5x5 for a while and decide to do 3x10 in order to see if I get a little bigger (I know I will have to eat more). I'm 78kg now and I would like to get to 81-82 tops.
This is the program I made this afternoon.I can only go 3x a week and I don't think I can do Overhead Press without hurting my shoulder, so I left it out. I would love to get some suggestions.
This is the program I made this afternoon.I can only go 3x a week and I don't think I can do Overhead Press without hurting my shoulder, so I left it out. I would love to get some suggestions.
Psychotext
Member
The hell is 4 type abs?
FreddieQuell
Member
My cheat day yesterday went a little out of hand, heh. Weighed in this morning 4 pounds heavier than saturday morning. I think I'm just going to give myself another day or two for the water weight to come off before logging weigh ins and messing up my 7 day averages.
why do you replace DLs with goodmornings? not that you can't or shouldn't, I am just curious.
4 different variations?
Thanks for looking into it dude. I'll stick with low bar for now because it doesn't tear my back apart.
Hey bud, those are good gains for a beginner in 6 weeks. Nice work. As far as plateaus go, we'll need more info. The workout you linked is a pretty standard compound heavy program with alternating accessories.
Look into 5/3/1 (it's in the OP) if you're looking to make strength gains, but on the surface that program is pretty barebones and supplementing with accessories is a good idea.
More importantly though...are you eating at a caloric deficit now? Sleeping enough?
TTOOLL
Member
hahaha I do 4 different types of abs until fail in a row and that's it.
6 weeks is a very short time to give up on a beginners program. Whatever program you're doing should have instructions for deloading if you get stuck on a particular weight. Just follow through on those and keep going.
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