jskrabac, CT’s 6 weeks looks interesting, and might have to give that a try down the line.
I appreciate you playing devil’s advocate, as I am here to learn. Why am I focusing on the main 4 lifts? Quite simply because I am new to fitness, have done what research I can with what limited time I have available to do so, and am at the point where I need to rely on the word of the masses so that I can pick a program and see how it works for me.
The truth is, I really don’t know what my ‘dream body’ looks like, because I don’t know how I will look wearing muscle. I do know that I have a skinny frame, and I need to fill it out. Eating right is probably my biggest hurdle to this end, and likely more important that whatever routine I pick right now. The word of the masses is that the 4 main lifts are the best set of compound movements to gain size and strength. I need to gain size and I need to gain strength (for sports and for health issues). It seems like I need to pick a simple-yet-effective workout program that allows me to build muscle and strength, and is not over-complicated. I need a simple program because I have realized I need to divert more energy to eating a much larger amount of cleaner foods than I have been able to up to this point. I also think I have been over-training up to this point (or just not eating enough to recover properly), so I think going to a 3-day beginner routine makes sense to see how my body responds.
As I understand it, 5/3/1 is a good template to this end, and quite frankly, reading Wendler’s eBook motivated the hell out of me.
[quote]UFsnook wrote:
The word of the masses is that the 4 main lifts are the best set of compound movements to gain size and strength.[/quote]
I’m assuming by the 4 main lifts, you mean squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press.
Just a few others that are also frequently cited as great [bilateral] compound movements are weighted dips, weighted pullups, barbell rows, stiff-leg deadlifts, pullovers, and others.
I mention that just to show that there is a whole bunch of territory between the big 4 and pure isolation movements.
As a personal anecdote, I’m starting to really like dips; I’d never given them a chance before, even when I was stuck in the bodyweight/functional-training camp, but they seem to be doing more for my chest and arms than bench press. YMMV, obviously.
[quote]UFsnook wrote:
The word of the masses is that the 4 main lifts are the best set of compound movements to gain size and strength.[/quote]
I’m assuming by the 4 main lifts, you mean squats, deadlifts, bench press, and overhead press.
Just a few others that are also frequently cited as great [bilateral] compound movements are weighted dips, weighted pullups, barbell rows, stiff-leg deadlifts, pullovers, and others.
I mention that just to show that there is a whole bunch of territory between the big 4 and pure isolation movements.
As a personal anecdote, I’m starting to really like dips; I’d never given them a chance before, even when I was stuck in the bodyweight/functional-training camp, but they seem to be doing more for my chest and arms than bench press. YMMV, obviously.[/quote]
Yup, those are the 4 I mean. As part of my 5/3/1 program, I am heavily focusing on chins/pullups and dips in my accessory work. On my first day (yesterday), I was able to do 18 chins and 28 dips. My goal is to work to 100 of each in a given week, and then transition to the weighted variety.