Tank's program after Madcow's 5x5

[tank]

I'll preface this post by saying that Madcow's did wonderful things for me, and progress was still steady at the time of deciding to switch programs, but I believe it's equally important that lifting be exciting and fun. After 11 great weeks of Madcow's, I've started to grow bored, but I don't believe I'm "program hopping" because I stuck with it for awhile.

I'm considering something that looks like this:

day 1:
squat
2 accessory exercises
ab/core work

day 3:
bench
2 accessory exercises
1 auxillary exercise
ab/core work

day 5:
deadlift
2 accessory exercises

day 7:
press
2 accessory exercises
ab/core work




once i figure out these basics, i'm going to begin planning sets/reps and progression timelines and weights. please any and all input is welcome!

[tank]

i've also been throwing around the idea of some oly lifting (beginner) for power, flexibility, and cardio.

[Fazc]

So onto specifics, something like:

Raw Powerlifting: How To Increase Your One Rep Max - Muscle and Brawn Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Muscle Building.

Like this right?

[big_swede]

Originally Posted by tank

i've also been throwing around the idea of some oly lifting (beginner) for power, flexibility, and cardio.

Do it! They are great for full body strength and developement, I started to do them as a general warmup before my "real" training and it really fired up my CNS to handle the heavy stuff. This was before i had mastered form so weights were pretty light, but i learned technique meanwhile.

Good luck!

[tank]

Originally Posted by big_swede

Do it! They are great for full body strength and developement, I started to do them as a general warmup before my "real" training and it really fired up my CNS to handle the heavy stuff. This was before i had mastered form so weights were pretty light, but i learned technique meanwhile.

Good luck!

cool, i think i will. how did you start? i'm thinking like 1 oly lift at the beginning of each session.

Originally Posted by Fazc

So onto specifics, something like:

Raw Powerlifting: How To Increase Your One Rep Max - Muscle and Brawn Bodybuilding, Powerlifting and Muscle Building.

Like this right?

yup! you mentioned that i might want to avoid a 4 day split right now, i assume for technique proficiency?

[markievicz]

Originally Posted by tank

i've also been throwing around the idea of some oly lifting (beginner) for power, flexibility, and cardio.

is there anywhere you can get specific coaching on these lifts ?

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by tank

yup! you mentioned that i might want to avoid a 4 day split right now, i assume for technique proficiency?

Well not necessarily that you should avoid it, you know I like the routine 'cos I wrote it! But if you're still making progress on a more frequent schedule I'd rather you milk that.

When you genuinely stall on full body stuff you'll have a few options either to abbreviate down or carry on with some weekly modifications. Either way works as long as you do, it's not massively important what 'routine' you use just as long as you get out and do something.

If you want to go for it though, then great you'll have a lot of support from others doing the same thing and I'm here if you need help too.

Rock on

[big_swede]

Originally Posted by tank

cool, i think i will. how did you start? i'm thinking like 1 oly lift at the beginning of each session.

Sounds good! I started by cleaning or snatching just the bar, and after a while 30 and then 40kg's. I did this for alot of sets and reps, 20mins or so, to practice the lift. When i felt confident about my form (i took 2-3 months of 3-5 sessions a week to get to this point) i started to add weight and did something like 5x3 before the main lift, and going for 1RM on the occasional "play day" in the gym.

[tank]

Originally Posted by markievicz

is there anywhere you can get specific coaching on these lifts ?

no, not currently, but i've worked with power cleans before and clean and press, so i'm confident in those two lifts if i take it slowly and respect the technicality. as far as jerks and full olympic lifts, i'll probably avoid those until coaching became available.

Originally Posted by big_swede

Sounds good! I started by cleaning or snatching just the bar, and after a while 30 and then 40kg's. I did this for alot of sets and reps, 20mins or so, to practice the lift. When i felt confident about my form (i took 2-3 months of 3-5 sessions a week to get to this point) i started to add weight and did something like 5x3 before the main lift, and going for 1RM on the occasional "play day" in the gym.

thanks swede!

Originally Posted by Fazc

Well not necessarily that you should avoid it, you know I like the routine 'cos I wrote it! But if you're still making progress on a more frequent schedule I'd rather you milk that.

When you genuinely stall on full body stuff you'll have a few options either to abbreviate down or carry on with some weekly modifications. Either way works as long as you do, it's not massively important what 'routine' you use just as long as you get out and do something.

If you want to go for it though, then great you'll have a lot of support from others doing the same thing and I'm here if you need help too.

Rock on

and that is the crux of it. i know that right now the madcow method of progression is working for me, so really maybe i just need a set/rep scheme change rather than programming. progress is coming, but boredom is too.

maybe i just need a week off?

i'd like to keep the frequency since i can still progress with it.

[BendtheBar]

Tank, I am going to give my 2 cents. I have seen you a but bored over the last month. You have expressed it several times, and there's certainly nothing wrong with feeling stale.

I used minor variations of a single program for nearly 2 decades. In 2007 I went complete gonzo and just started to mess around on everything and anything.

Sometimes you just need to take a break. I recommend Testing a few things for a couple weeks just as a mental break. These programs don't even need to make sense. Here is one I recommend to people who are sick and tired of 5x5's. It's not perfect, and could be changed, but it's an option.

I like pushing myself on every set. It keeps me more engaged. You might like it too.

Monday
Squat 3 x 20 rep goal
Close Grip bench 3 x 20 rep goal
Dumbbell Row 3 x 20 rep goal
Barbell Curl 3 x 25 rep goal
Abs exercise 3 sets

Wednesday
Deadlift 3 ramping sets, 8 rep goal
Military Press Variation 3 x 20 rep goal
Pull Ups 3 x max
Dips 3 x max
Calf Exercise 3 x 25 rep goal

Friday
Squat 1 x 20 reps
Bench Press 3 x 20 rep goal
Barbell/Pendlay Row 3 x 20 rep goal
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 25 rep goal
Abs exercise 3 sets

"Rep goals" - use the same weight for these sets. Push, but stop a set when your form goes bad or you feel like you will fail on the next rep.

When you can hit the rep goal total for the 3 sets, add weight the next time you perform that lift.

For example...bench press. You use 155 pounds and your 3 sets look like:

155 x 8 reps
155 x 6 reps
155 x 5 reps

That's 19 total reps...shy of your rep goal. Next week you perform:

155 x 9 reps
155 x 7 reps
155 x 5 reps

That's 21 reps! Your rep goal was 20. Time to add weight.

They key with this workout is to always push yourself on every set (safely with good form), and to always add weight when you hit your rep goals.

There are also some two 4 days splits I put together that use very different approaches. T-Bone is using one of them right now.

Steve's Density And Strength 4 Day Split | Muscle & Strength

Some of my workouts were written prior to ever sticking my foot into the fullbody and classic realm, and they might feel out of place with a lot of what I recommend currently, but damn they can be fun.

Whatever you do, at least allow yourself a mental break for a couple weeks. We learn just as much playing around as we do working.