Searching for a New Program

[BigMal]

Ok, for the past couple of months I have been following the workout below with good success.

http://www.mensfitness.com/fitness/workout/88

I'm progressing nicely and seing some good gains, and would like to change my program in the next couple of weeks or so. I'm 5'9" 175.

I have a home gym with the usual, bench, 300lb plate set, a few pairs of dumbells, treadmill, swiss ball & chin up bar. A limitation that I have is that I can only squat what I can get over my head, and I also do not have a spotter. Given those limitations, I think a true 5x5 program will not work for me. I've used it before in high school, 10yrs ago, but know that I can't truly follow it now given that I don't have the proper equipment.

Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

[_Wolf_]

u havent stated ur goals sir.....

[BigMal]

Originally Posted by Sentinel

u havent stated ur goals sir.....

sorry about that.

Goals: Continue to build muscle, and increase strength.

[_Wolf_]

so u want hypertrophy + strength? then there are several programs that i know of...and i know the others will add more:
1.) SF 5x5
2.) HST
3.) FortifiedIron's Hypertrophy Boost
4.) Pendulum Bodybuilding
5.) Upper-Lower using undulated periodization
6.) Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength
7.) GVT
8.) OVT
9.) DC
10.) Needlesize's 5x5

thats about all i can come up with right now....the others experienced (more experienced) members like eric, 0311, dave, sleazy, hrdgain81, kane will contribute a lot more and chop out quite few from my list too

best of luck

and the best way for u to judge whats good 4 u:
1.) read the journals
2.) read the articles + threads put up by
Eric3237
ChinPieceDave667
Kane
hrdgain81
0311
Sentinel

if i have forgotten somebody: SORRY

Sentinel

[Kane]

Originally Posted by BigMal

. A limitation that I have is that I can only squat what I can get over my head, and I also do not have a spotter.

Back when I started out I was using a dinky home gym and I had the same problem. But what I did was I used the rack on my bench as my squat rack. I'm not sure if your bench will let you do this but I'll explain as best I can anyway. I would set my bar up and then sit at the end of the bench (where your head would go when benching), face away from the bench with your back to the bar and then stand-up with the bar on your back. Its alot better than having to OHP the weight onto your back, but since you have to start from a somewhat seated position I could never really jack up the weight the same as with a true squat rack.


Assuming you can do all the exercises in the routines. I would go with:

SF 5x5
Needsize's 5x5
Rippetoe's

OVT & GVT are out because you don't have enough equipment to do the supersets (some days you need 2 sets of DB's for Exercise B and you also need to progress....which means you almost need a full DB rack )

DC is out because you have no smith machine for RP, no squat rack, and no spotter....can't do DC without the RP and no smith and no spotter means no RP

There are other routines available...Like Sentinel said, your best bet is to browse through the member journals and see what the routines are like and see which one you could actually do given your home gym equipment. Best of luck!

[BigMal]

Giving it some thought, and reading the stickies, I will begin next week with a 5x5 program. Please critique my plan.

5-weeks loading

Sunday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (same weight)
Benching 5x5 (regular)(same weight)
Barbell bentover Rows 5x5 (same weight)
Accessory: Dips 5x5 (bodyweight), Swissball Crunch(weighted)

Monday: Low Intensity Cardio, Basketball 6-8 hrs after cardio

Tuesday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (reduced 15-20% from Monday)
Standing Military Press 5x5 (same weight)
Deadlifts 5x5 (same weight)
Pull ups 5x5 (bodyweight)
Accessory: Incline DB curls 5x5, Hanging Knee Raises 20x5

Wednesday: HIIT Cardio

Thursday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (working up each set)
Benching 5x5 (incline)(same weight)
BB Shrugs 5x5 (same weight)
Accessory: Skullcrushers 5x5, DB Oblique Side Lifts 5x5, Lying incline DB Rows 5x5

Friday: Off

Sat: HIIT Cardio

As for my 1RM, with proper form, I pretty much have a good idea of what it is for all of the lifts above, except for the squats. I'm limited to what I can get over my head, but being new to olympic squats, and squating again since highschool, I know that I will not be able to do 1.5% of my bodyweight for a while, but will work up to it.

After the 5 weeks, I will drop the squats on tuesday, and work 3x5 for the rest of the lifts for 4 weeks, alternating heavy/light between sets.

Any thoughts.

[BigMal]

Thanks for the input. I can handle the 5x5 in all aspects except for the squats, for already stated reasons.

How about this modification. Dropping the squats on Tuesday, and keeping the same weight for all sets on Thurs. Also keep in mind, that for squats, big weight will be limited until I get stronger with cleaning it overhead.

Any recomendations on lifts selection for accessory lifts, or are those below sufficient and well diverse?

Originally Posted by BigMal

5-weeks loading

Sunday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (same weight)
Benching 5x5 (regular)(same weight)
Barbell bentover Rows 5x5 (same weight)
Accessory: Dips 5x5 (bodyweight), Swissball Crunch(weighted)

Monday: Low Intensity Cardio, Basketball 6-8 hrs after cardio

Tuesday:
Standing Military Press 5x5 (same weight)
Deadlifts 5x5 (same weight)
Pull ups 5x5 (bodyweight)
Accessory: Incline DB curls 5x5, Hanging Knee Raises 20x5

Wednesday: HIIT Cardio

Thursday:
Olympic Squats 5x5 (same weight)
Benching 5x5 (incline)(same weight)
BB Shrugs 5x5 (same weight)
Accessory: Skullcrushers 5x5, DB Oblique Side Lifts 5x5, Lying incline DB Rows 5x5

Friday: Off

Sat: HIIT Cardio

After the 5 weeks, I will drop the squats on tuesday, and work 3x5 for the rest of the lifts for 4 weeks, alternating heavy/light between sets.

[BigMal]

Any ideas on the modifications?

[_Wolf_]

^^thats the advanced program by animal mass....are u sure u are advanced enough to do it?

[EricT]

Originally Posted by Big Mal

As for my 1RM, with proper form, I pretty much have a good idea of what it is for all of the lifts above, except for the squats. I'm limited to what I can get over my head, but being new to olympic squats, and squating again since highschool, I know that I will not be able to do 1.5% of my bodyweight for a while, but will work up to it.

After the 5 weeks, I will drop the squats on tuesday, and work 3x5 for the rest of the lifts for 4 weeks, alternating heavy/light between sets.

Can't see a dual factor happening without a squat rack but this is not a program you screw with. You either do it or you don't. If you can't squat 1.5 then there is no need for you to do a dual factor program. You can build up your squats using single factor. Sounds like you should either do a 3x5 or a single factor 5x5 but I really can't imagine it without a rack since shit is gonna get really heavy.

Look here for Madcow's write up's of 5x5