I joined a gym 6 months ago and my routine has been centered around the bench, squat, DL, and military press. I’ve stopped making progress, so I first tried changing routines. I did Rippetoe’s for about 2 weeks and stalled. Someone suggested I was no longer a beginner (lifting for ~18mo total) and try 5x5. I did Madcow for about 4 weeks.
The 1st 2.5 weeks were great, but then I started missing lifts. My warmup sets for my squats started feeling heavy and they were only 60-70% of my max.
So I think I need to switch off the big 3 for a while. What do you think about these exercises: front squats, bb rows, db bench, chins, glute-ham raises, rack pulls, and supramax holds? Are any of these too similar?
BTW, I’ll be going on vacation next week so I’ll have a deload.
[quote]Phydeaux wrote:
I joined a gym 6 months ago and my routine has been centered around the bench, squat, DL, and military press. I’ve stopped making progress, so I first tried changing routines. I did Rippetoe’s for about 2 weeks and stalled. Someone suggested I was no longer a beginner (lifting for ~18mo total) and try 5x5. I did Madcow for about 4 weeks. The 1st 2.5 weeks were great, but then I started missing lifts. My warmup sets for my squats started feeling heavy and they were only 60-70% of my max.
So I think I need to switch off the big 3 for a while. What do you think about these exercises: front squats, bb rows, db bench, chins, glute-ham raises, rack pulls, and supramax holds? Are any of these too similar?
BTW, I’ll be going on vacation next week so I’ll have a deload.[/quote]
what kind of weight are you moving in the lifts using Rippetoe’s workout? (Compared to where you started, of course.) Are you incorporating cleans? You can add some assistance exercises to it, but i have not found the need.
if you have truly moved past Starting Strength, the Texas Method is probably the best next step. Or light day, volume day and Heavy Day or something of that ilk.
I’ve tried power cleans a couple times but my technique is poor. I can get 135 up but not smoothly.
My maxes are 225 bp, 315 sq, 385 dl. I hit those on 7/27, 9/10, & 8/30 respectively. (OTOH I haven’t tried new maxes on the bp & sq, and my mil press max moved up last week 10lbs to 130.) I was certain I would have a 405 dl by the end of the year. I thought my squat form was pretty good but I’ve noticed I start leaning over more once I get above 225.
Food-wise, I really have no clue. Should I estimate 500 cal/meal? I have 2 protein shakes on workout days for 64g, but other than that I don’t know. I probably eat about average. My weight pretty much stays in the 165-170lb range.
If you eat about average your results are going to be about average, ie stalling and going nowhere fast. Get control of your food and eat to grow/for strength.
[quote]Phydeaux wrote:
<<< Food-wise, I really have no clue. Should I estimate 500 cal/meal? I have 2 protein shakes on workout days for 64g, but other than that I don’t know. I probably eat about average. My weight pretty much stays in the 165-170lb range.[/quote]
Food is your key and, no offense, but you’re right. You have no clue and whoever suggested you were no longer a beginner is still one themselves. You need lotsa protein, a decent amount of all kinds of fats and a decent amount of quality unprocessed carbs eaten over six meals a day with meal number one being the largest. Unless you have no other choice I’d reserve shakes for around workouts.
It’s impossible to tell somebody else exactly how much to eat, but if you are not progressing it’s MORE. You may need to put some real effort into planning your meals and figuring out how much of what you’re eating. Nutrition is a foundational component of any athletic pursuit and just about every single influence in this society is allied in opposition to eating right, especially for serious weight training people. It cannot be accomplished casually.
[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
Food is your key and, no offense, but you’re right. You have no clue and whoever suggested you were no longer a beginner is still one themselves. You need lotsa protein, a decent amount of all kinds of fats and a decent amount of quality unprocessed carbs eaten over six meals a day with meal number one being the largest. Unless you have no other choice I’d reserve shakes for around workouts.
It’s impossible to tell somebody else exactly how much to eat, but if you are not progressing it’s MORE. You may need to put some real effort into planning your meals and figuring out how much of what you’re eating. Nutrition is a foundational component of any athletic pursuit and just about every single influence in this society is allied in opposition to eating right, especially for serious weight training people. It cannot be accomplished casually.[/quote]
None taken. I’m still learning. I guess it would make sense that if my weight is staying fairly steady then I must be eating roughly the amount of calories my body needs to continue functioning. So it sounds like if I just start eating more my body will start responding to the big 3 again. Hmmm, I guess vacation’s as good a time as any to eat big. I know I’ll be eating out a lot, probably hitting seafood joints and buffets a few times.
I won’t be able to go to the gym, so I’d planned to do basic bodyweight exercises on vacation. Should be a nice change of pace.
I just want to add that, although food intake may be the key issue here, there is nothing wrong with switching and changing exercises for a brief period of time.
I think the movements you suggested are a nice change of pace. Don’t worry about them being too similar either; sometimes all you need is a small change, like a change in grip or stance.
[quote]Phydeaux wrote:
I won’t be able to go to the gym, so I’d planned to do basic bodyweight exercises on vacation. Should be a nice change of pace.[/quote]
If you are not training over the holidays now is not the time to start eating big. Start doing your research now. You should be eating enough for the upcoming activities. Otherwise you will just get fat. You don’t have to get fat to get big and strong but you will if you do it indiscriminately.