Skip to main content

5x5 swap (critique this routine, plz)

Swapping back to 5x5 for fun and schedule reasons

LifesHarlequin
LifesHarlequin g Joshua Barker
30 Post(s)
30 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2017
Posted

For a couple reasons I'm moving from the PPL routine to a Powerlifting 5x5. I just enjoy lifting heavy and the opening 7/7/6/4/3 lifts of the PPL were my favorite part of the workout. I've used the Madcow 5x5 Intermediate prior to finding this site and used it to break through 315 squat and 185 bench, so hoping the PPL gains I've made really surprise me. Nice part is I can just plug my current heavy lift numbers into a spreadsheet and it gives me a calculated 5RPM to start with. So with that being 3 days per week I'll be commute cycling and doing HIIT with the family on days between with a rest day for Sunday. This will actually help me use my work lunch breaks for the gym easier and still have PT time with the family to encourage healthy living with my son and get the wife more active.

 

But, with being used to so many assistance lifts, I'm curious if anyone has suggestions for the Madcow specific routines. Right now it's like this:

Mon: Squat/Bench/Row 5x5 + Weighted Situps 3x8 & Weighted Hypers (Straight Leg Dead) 2x8

Wed: Squat/InclineBench/Deadlift 4x5 + Situps

Fri: Squat/Bench/Row 4x5/1x3/1x8 + Dips, Barbell Curl, Tricep Ext 3x8 (My fridays are short days, so I can afford the longer workout)

33 / Military (Navy) / Avid Cyclist (fixie and touring) / Assistant Command Fitness Leader / Currently doing Starting Strength Barbell Training
LifesHarlequin
LifesHarlequin g Joshua Barker
30 Post(s)
30 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2017
Posted

On second thought, backing down from this specific workout. Even though my deadlift and squat are intermediate-ish, my upper body needs more growth, so going down a level to the basic Starting Strength 5x5 program by Mark Riptoe to get more volume instead of having just a single heavy working set.

33 / Military (Navy) / Avid Cyclist (fixie and touring) / Assistant Command Fitness Leader / Currently doing Starting Strength Barbell Training
Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: LifesHarlequin

On second thought, backing down from this specific workout. Even though my deadlift and squat are intermediate-ish, my upper body needs more growth, so going down a level to the basic Starting Strength 5x5 program by Mark Riptoe to get more volume instead of having just a single heavy working set.

So many different programs you're trying! haha. That's good though in a way - finding what's right for you and your goals. Did you check out Brian's Powerbuilding program on the site as well? Obviously it still isn't going to be as strength focused as these other ones you've tried, but it probably does focus a bit more on strength with the percentage based training. Plus it has a good amount of volume too.

Need 1 on 1 coaching? Send me a direct message to learn more!
LifesHarlequin
LifesHarlequin g Joshua Barker
30 Post(s)
30 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: October 10, 2017
Posted

Yeah, was having a hard time bouncing around due to the holidays and work, but I've really settled into this basic 5x5 with HIIT/cardio for days between. I was struggling with recovering during the first week, so I reassessed my forms, rechecked my meal plan, and realized I was still aiming for losing weight, which clearly contradicts one of your latest videos (eating around 2700Cal/day). Changed my settings in the meal planner app and now I'm doing 3400 daily calories. Still massively prefer the meal planner app from this site over myFitnessPal simply because of the shear level of wrong nutritional info on myFitnessPal. Unless you can scan your pre-packaged food's barcode, it can get widly inaccurate and frustrating trying to match manufacturer's websites with their app. And so many of their "verified" foods are still wrong.

 

So far I've gained half a pound this week, but my waist measurements have dropped around 1/4", but importantly, I've been able to progress in weight lifted every session by about 5%. Last struggle was I still feel weak on bench (like 135 still feels heavy and I can't do more than 8 reps/set), so I went back and watched the videos on proper form and yesterday's working sets felt WAY better. It's hard to accept that just doing 3x5 working sets of bench or overhead press with 5 warmup sets is enough, but when you remember you're doing bench or overhead press alternately 3x a week and not just once a week it makes sense.

I also dropped my working weight for squat for the 2nd week from 255 to 225 and am working my way back up. My legs just weren't used to lifting my working set 3 times a week yet. Already back at 245 and legs aren't complaining. What also helped is there is so much conflicting info on how wide your grip should be on a barbell benchpress, but I finally found my sweet spot that is actually much narrower than powerlifters would have me setup (pinkie just touching the ring) but keeps my elbows next to my body during the movement.

 

 

33 / Military (Navy) / Avid Cyclist (fixie and touring) / Assistant Command Fitness Leader / Currently doing Starting Strength Barbell Training
Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: LifesHarlequin

Yeah, was having a hard time bouncing around due to the holidays and work, but I've really settled into this basic 5x5 with HIIT/cardio for days between. I was struggling with recovering during the first week, so I reassessed my forms, rechecked my meal plan, and realized I was still aiming for losing weight, which clearly contradicts one of your latest videos (eating around 2700Cal/day). Changed my settings in the meal planner app and now I'm doing 3400 daily calories. Still massively prefer the meal planner app from this site over myFitnessPal simply because of the shear level of wrong nutritional info on myFitnessPal. Unless you can scan your pre-packaged food's barcode, it can get widly inaccurate and frustrating trying to match manufacturer's websites with their app. And so many of their "verified" foods are still wrong.

 

So far I've gained half a pound this week, but my waist measurements have dropped around 1/4", but importantly, I've been able to progress in weight lifted every session by about 5%. Last struggle was I still feel weak on bench (like 135 still feels heavy and I can't do more than 8 reps/set), so I went back and watched the videos on proper form and yesterday's working sets felt WAY better. It's hard to accept that just doing 3x5 working sets of bench or overhead press with 5 warmup sets is enough, but when you remember you're doing bench or overhead press alternately 3x a week and not just once a week it makes sense.

I also dropped my working weight for squat for the 2nd week from 255 to 225 and am working my way back up. My legs just weren't used to lifting my working set 3 times a week yet. Already back at 245 and legs aren't complaining. What also helped is there is so much conflicting info on how wide your grip should be on a barbell benchpress, but I finally found my sweet spot that is actually much narrower than powerlifters would have me setup (pinkie just touching the ring) but keeps my elbows next to my body during the movement.

 

 

Oh yeah! The @mealplan app has had a lot of work put into it to make sure it has LOTS of food choices, and the right information. It can get pretty daunting with all the options on MyFitnessPal for sure, especially because there are so many different macros and calories for the same foods.

 

Sounds like you are making great progress with your lifts and with your body weight! Bench press grip is more personal prefernce than anything. A wider grip will give you a shorter range of motion, which is why you tend to see powerlifters go wide - that way they can move as much weight as possible. They still have big chests though so it works for them, but there are plenty of people who use a closer grip and have solid chests too.

 

Just make sure it's not so close that you are turning it into a close-grip bench press! haha.

Need 1 on 1 coaching? Send me a direct message to learn more!
muscular strength
 You must be a Member to view or reply this tread. Please Log In or become a Member .