beginner power lifter split

[i_SLAM_cougars]

My training as always been bodybuilding based. 4-6 days a week. Each muscle group worked 1-2 times per week. 4-12 rep range for working sets.

Looking to try something new, and add some strength! I've been reading some of the training routines posted here, but was wondering what everyone here is doing specifically.

Looking forward to the replies.

[Khazima]

I'm currently doing my own programming, it's basically 2 on 1 off squat/bench and looks like;

Squat/deadlift, alternating focus - max effort (1-3 reps sort of thing)
Bench - max effort
Rest
Squat - rep day (hypertrophy) (essentially a lower/upper split)
Bench - rep day (hypertrophy)
Rest
Squat - dynamic effort (basically active recovery, speed work/technique)
Bench - dynamic effort

Yet to see how it pans out, been doing it for about 2 weeks and already made definite progress on my bench, will see about squat day after tomorrow.
If you like training 3-4 days a week something like the cube method or westside barbell, maybe 5x5 or 5-3-1 as well is really good. I like to train often though.

[i_SLAM_cougars]

Thanks Khazima. Maybe I'll give something like that a try. I like to train often, but currently I'm working 14-15 hours a day 7 days a week. So unfortunately 4 days a week is better for me right now.

[bigrich4]

I wouldnt recommend westside if you dont plan on competing using gear. As a beginer, i would start out just doing the compound lifts in low rep ranges heavy, then after you do that for awhile move to a good program. But if you already are good on your lifts 531 is great in my opinion. But if you have training adhd like myself cube method is great because its a rotation, of heavy, speed and rep day style workouts, i love it.

[bigrich4]

Oh sorry, also there is a "beach body" version of 531 and if training days are an issue, its the best, its 3 days and i did it for 6 weeks and it rocks

[Docd187123]

My training as always been bodybuilding based. 4-6 days a week. Each muscle group worked 1-2 times per week. 4-12 rep range for working sets.

Looking to try something new, and add some strength! I've been reading some of the training routines posted here, but was wondering what everyone here is doing specifically.

Looking forward to the replies.

There are a million different ways to skin this cat so to speak. Which program is best suited to you would depend on your ultimate goal and how often you want to train, what your lifestyle is like etc. Do you just want to get stronger, stronger and bigger, plan on competing in PL'ing??

[i_SLAM_cougars]

There are a million different ways to skin this cat so to speak. Which program is best suited to you would depend on your ultimate goal and how often you want to train, what your lifestyle is like etc. Do you just want to get stronger, stronger and bigger, plan on competing in PL'ing??

Stronger AND bigger. That's always the goal. No plans on competing, at least not at the moment.

[Docd187123]

Stronger AND bigger. That's always the goal. No plans on competing, at least not at the moment.

For that I'd suggest something like Texas Method or one of Wendler's variations that's also geared for size. Two excellent programs although I only have personal experience with the Texas Method by Rippetoe. Obviously there are many others to choose from but those two come to mind quickly. Another option is to do your own programming if you're so inclined. An upper/lower split, push/pull, a day dedicated to each power lift squat day, bench day, deadlift day. Your main power/strength movements such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, cleans, etc should be done with lower reps (5 or less). This isn't set in stone as higher reps on these lifts have their own benefits but most of your strength and neural adaptations will come from higher intensity with lower reps. You would figure out your 1RM or calculate/estimate it from a 3-5RM. TAKE THAT AND google Prilepin's chart to see how many reps and sets you should do for any given percentage of your 1RM max <---- Prilepin's chart is an excellent tool to use but the more advanced you are the more it will help. If you're still relatively new to the strength scene, doesn't mean that you're weak just that your recovery time is quicker, you'd probably benefit more from a linear progression type model than this.

You would choose accessory and auxiliary lifts that complement/address your weak points in the main lifts and those could be done for higher reps, ~8+.

I'm going to start rambling bc I don't know enough specifics about you to tailor the advice much more so I suggest you either provide more info about your past and current time in the gym, you could follow an already proven template like one of the ones listed above or another one completely, or learn about programming on your own and have the freedom of designing your own programs. If you are serious about strength though, working out with some serious powerlifters or a PL team/gym will pay off almost instantly. The constant form checks, programming tweaks, encouragement, atmosphere, etc all will make you a much better and stronger lifter. Finally if you want to design your own programs I'd suggest a good deal of reading like Practical Programming, anything by Bill Starr, Glen Pendlay, And some of the Eastern European/Russian lifting coaches.

[i_SLAM_cougars]

Holy shit. Thanks Doc, could you give me a rundown on the Texas method?

A little more about me, um. 6'1 220lbs. Like 15-17%bf Lifting on and off since I was 13, and I'm 29 now. Took a five year break while I was working on the road alot and just really got back into it last January, and I'm starting to look like my former self again.

Couldn't really give you max poundage on anything cause I never really max out.

But to give you an idea

Bench Press 225x8
Squat - 225x15
Deadlift - 405x4

[Docd187123]

Holy shit. Thanks Doc, could you give me a rundown on the Texas method?

A little more about me, um. 6'1 220lbs. Like 15-17%bf Lifting on and off since I was 13, and I'm 29 now. Took a five year break while I was working on the road alot and just really got back into it last January, and I'm starting to look like my former self again.

Couldn't really give you max poundage on anything cause I never really max out.

But to give you an idea

Bench Press 225x8
Squat - 225x15
Deadlift - 405x4

Hopefully more ppl can chime in to help you. Although I may not always agree with them, there are some pretty good ppl here who are I to powerlifting that can also add their ideas to the mix. Khazima and Buster Brown come to mind.

Texas method is an awesome template first and foremost. It's more of a template than an actual program bc you can tailor it any which way to suit your specific goals. For example you can tailor it to olympic lifting or powerlifting, general strength or specific strength in certain lifts or body parts, sports, etc. The thing I need to stress to you is that it's an intermediate lifters template so if you're more a beginner quicker progress can be had with other programs. By beginner I mean you can recover from a training stimulus in 1-2days and be ready to lift again. An intermediate has better recovery but since he also requires a much stronger stimulus to force neural and muscular adaptations, it takes him longer to recover and show this peogress...around a weeks worth. There's more detail and nuances to it but I'm rushing through the description of each. Finally, if you do the Texas method, I HIGHLY urge you to buy and read Practical Programming for Strength Training by Mark Rippetoe and the Texas Method ebooks by Justin Lascek. Invaluable. I own copies of both and have read them each at least 3 times and still learn new shit when I reference back to them.

Texas method:

You lift 3 days a week so example is Mon, Wed, Fri. You have a high volume/moderate intensity day, light/active recovery day with lower volume and intensity, and a high intensity/low volume day. Volume day provides the training stimulus to drive adaptation and progress. Light day allows you the time to rest while actively recovering and work on techinique, intensity day let's you show the progress you made by lifting a heavier and heavier weight each and every week. It also helps drive progress in volume day. I'll give you a few examples:

Monday: squats 5x5 straight sets across
Wednesday: squats 70-80% of Monday's weight for 3sets of 5 or moderately heavy front squats
Friday: squats 1set of 5 <---will be heavier than Monday bc you don't need to do 5sets and you workout to a top set of 5

Begin by figuring out your 5RM and start with about 90% of that for your first Monday workout. Progress is made when you complete ALL sets and reps. if you do then next Monday you go up by ~5lbs (could be slightly more or a bit less depending on some factors so micro plates can be beneficial). Wednesday is always a percentage of what you do on Monday. Friday you will work up to a heavy set of 5. If you get it you add ~5lbs for next Fridays workout. So progress comes Monday to Monday, and Friday to Friday.

An entire program may look like this as an example

Monday: volume
Squats: 5sets of 5 @ 90% of 5RM
Bench: 5sets of 5 @ 90% of 5RM
SLDL: 3sets of 5 (or BB rows 3sets of 8)

Wednesday: recovery
Squats: 2-3sets of 5 @ 70-80% of Monday's weight (or front squats 3x5)
OHP: 5sets of 5
Chin-ups 3x12 or GHR 3x8

Friday: intensity
Squats: work up to a 5RM or 3RM for 1 set
Bench press: work up to 5RM OR 3RM for 1 set
SLDL: 3x5 (or BB rows 3x8)

Every week you alternate bench and OHP so one week you bench twice overhead press once and following week you bench once overhead press twice. If you get ALL the 5x5 on Monday you add about 5lns the following week on Monday. If you get the 1x5 on Friday you add 5lbs in next Friday or work up to whatever 5RM you can...I suggest doing the former at first. This is just an example but as you can see it's centered iron big compound movements for lower reps. The SLDL, chins, BB rows are not the big 3 but they'll help adding musculature and addressing weak points. On these lifts you just try to increase the weight whenever possible. You could throw in a few sets of weighted sit-ups or some an work on each day but don't add much else. Recovery will be an issue after several weeks once you add weight. Sleep becomes very Important and you'll see why you don't want to go adding much in terms if more lifts. Eating should be in a calorie surplus or bulking. I tried this when cutting and while I managed to keep some progress, I was miserable and hit overtraining hard.

Remember this is a template. A generic one to show you what something could look like on Texas method. The rep and set schemes can change, the lifts can change, etc etc. I can help set something up more specific if you want but here are some screen shots of basic templates. Sorry, I wrote this quick and late so there are probably a few errors and omission on my part but I'll try to proofread more tomorrow.

[i_SLAM_cougars]

Thanks for all the info!
I'll definitely order those books too, although you probably gave me everything I need in the above post.