I recently ran the 6 day PPL for a month and made some pretty good progress. Because of time constraints due to uni, I am look for a new 4 day routine that will complement my bulk. My stats are:
Age: 21
Weight: 76.7kg
Height: 183cm
This is my lift progress over the month of PPL:
Bench 35kg to 55kg (5x5)
Deadlift 60kg to 75kg (5x5)
Squat 30kg to 50kg (5x5)
Overhead 20kg to 30kg (5x5)
So my goals are to get significantly bigger over the next 6 months. I believe that I could gain 6kgs of muscle at a maximum in around 6 months. I’d like to gain between approximately 5 - 6kgs of muscle in the next 6 months. From my research this seems plausible if I train and eat correctly. Essentially my overarching goal is to be able to cut to some significant muscle for summer (in December for me).
At the moment, I am looking for a powerlifting style programme to run for about 12 weeks. While I want to be bigger, I also want to first spend time getting stronger. Ideally, I’d like to focus on one big lift every workout and then spend some time doing accessories. I’d really appreciate any program suggestions or advice.
Beyond introduces a few new concepts, some hits and some that seemed to disappear again. Forever is a much more comprehensive guide and is, in my opinion, light years ahead of Beyond or 2nd edition but it does rely on some knowledge from those books. It doesn’t re-explain much of the stuff in the first books very thoroughly.
Beyond has a lot more new concepts and programs. Forever has a section of all programs combined, and it also has this leader/anchor principle added. Basically Forever is like a guide that you can use to plan your stuff for years and years, but for my taste it has a bit much. There are like 20 different programs with 20 variations each and you can combine them as you like, but it gives so much options i was lost in that book for a year and still didnt understand it totally clear.
Beyond is as basic as first books but it has some very cool variations. The most popular is called just like the book - Beyond. It lets you autoregulate every session etc.
Weirdly enough, lots of best stuff from Beyond is NOT in Forever. But as much as i love Forever as a read and to just fantasize what programs i would do, i always end up doing smth from Beyond anyways
Very interesting. I really want to get both books and maybe use the concepts I learn about programming in “Forever” to program templates from “Beyond”, the first book, and of course “Forever” so my long term plan has a bit more of a planned structure.
It sounds to me like “Beyond” introduces a lot of new and interesting concepts like Joker sets and first set last and “Forever” introduces more concepts like Leaders and Anchors and gives you a practical application for all the new info and programs, and how to string everything together. Does this sound like an appropriate understanding?
Yes. Beyond is like an upgrade and it works super well by itself. Forever is like a complete collection of a lot of new programs and how to plan and combine them. But people need to know about first books and Beyond to completely understand Forever since it uses something from first and beyond and doesnt explain or does it poorly again in Forever.
If money is an issue i would have to say that Forever is a better investment, but i just like Beyond so much, i always end up just doing smth from it anyways, i would feel bad for someone to not be introduced to it. I feel that Beyond is well writen as a stand-alone. Forever is more like super fancy collection of stuff.
Ok perfect. This is exactly the info I needed. I’ve been loving the first book, by the way. I love how well planned out the progression is, as well as all the assistance options. Currently doing Boring But Big, and I’m looking at trying the DC inspired Rest-Pause template next. Combines two programs I love!
"Squat, bench. deadlift once a week. Have a 4th day for bench assistance movement like board work (stronger triceps=stronger bench).
An easy program I came up with for others starting out that puts in work and you don’t need to think about percentage every set.
Week 1 (5 reps) - warmup. Begin worksets at 50%. Depending on your strength level make smart jumps. Use smaller jumps if you’re weak or want a lot of volume. Bigger jumps if you want more of a strength day or have a higher strength level. Week 1 you start at 50% of your max and do 5 reps. Move up in weight and do another 5. Keep moving up until the next jump in weight you are confident you won’t get 5. STOP THERE!
Week 2 (3 reps) Same progression rules apply.
Week 3 (2 reps) Same as above.
Here’s a sample of Week 1: 300lb bencher
155/175/185/205/225/245x5. Let’s say 265x5 is asking too much. No problem. Save that weight for week 2 or 3 as you progress up.
I typically just use 45/25/10lb plates just to keep it simple. If you wanna break a rep PR, put on the 2.5s and break it.
At the end of 3 weeks, repeat 2 more times. That will give you an opportunity at week 10 to test yourself with a single in each lift.
I would recommend any bodybuilding stuff be kept isolation movements and kept fairly light and lower volume. The volume of this training will be plenty!
Don’t do this forever. But it works a very long time and works very well!
Always stop at a jump in weight you don’t think you’ll get. The goal is completing the rep requirement per set. The following weeks will allow you to lift the weight you couldn’t get the previous week.
Good luck crazy simple and HIGHLY effective. Stick to it and you’ll be rewarded."
Since you wrote this as opposed to becoming the strongest person in the gym I’m going to sidestep the 531 suggestions that have already rained upon you and link this article which includes a 4x/wk option
Or suggest purchasing Meadows Warlock program which is a 4-day program that’s actually tailored to someone stronger than you but Baby Groot is “only” 3-days.
5 x 531 is a Wendler template from Forever, so he obviously agrees with your thinking.
@Voxel I was going to link the same program, or the Ben Bruno college training template. I’ve never run either of them though, so I can’t vouch for them.
Just glancing at your log real quick, it looks like you got rolling 7-8 weeks ago. Now you’re looking for a little change up. This is pretty common, lots of guys like a little variety.
osu said to run the plan for about 10 weeks before you test your lifts. Do you think you can “lock in” for the full 10?
Or is 6 weeks (two, 3 weeks cycles) going to be a little better for you?
I see tricep extensions, delt raises, leg curls, machine rows, pulldowns and some curls in your log. Are you feeling like any of those moves are especially good, or that you really “feel” them in the target muscles?
They all feel like they are pretty good. I think tricep extensions, leg extensions, and bicep curls have been the ones that have most beneficial. Plus incline DB bench
