I’m starting a 5x5 program this week. I was wondering if it’s OK to split it over two workouts (upper and lower body) and perform them in alternate fashion on Mon-Wed-Fri? It’s like this:
UPPER BODY:
Push Press 5x5
Wide-grip chin 5x5
Incline Dumbbell Press 5x5
Supinated Chin 5x5
LOWER BODY
Front Squat 5x5
Snatch Deadlift 5x5
Standing Calf 5x5
Ab work
I do not see a problem with doing things this way; however, I would make some alterations to the upper body workout. Drop the wide grip chins and substitute them with parallel bar dips. The supinated chins should suffice for your back and bi work, while the dips will allow you to more effectively hit your triceps while throwing your lower chest into the equation.
The lower body day looks fine.
-JM
I’m a little leary of parallel bar dips since a while back I popped a rib doing them, and to this they cause a painful strain in my sternum. I discovered an exercise called the Tate Triceps Press which I use as an alternative (of course not working as much musculature as the dips) - it is sort of a close grip DB press/extension.
Overall, I think things look fairly good. One suggestion, would be to ditch one of the chin exercises and substitute a rowing exercise. Another thought, would be to use flat or decline db or barbell bench instead of incline, because your delts will already be getting a load of work with the push presses.
Jason, what if I sub close-grip flat presses for push presses? The reason I don’t have a rowing exercise posted is because I feel I get so much work in that manner from the deads on lower body day.
I figured that would be your reasoning for not including a rowing motion. As for the close grip/push press substitution, that sounds like a good switch.