Ive been lifting about 2 years now and my strength levels don’t really show it. Ive been training to get bigger all this time and I have gotten bigger but I’m tired of being all show, no go. I figured I would quit doing all the crap i been doing and go back to the essentials and try to become as strong as possible, and at 5’8" 181lbs., only being able to bench press 185x6, squat 250x2, and deadlift 250x5 i think strength is definitely something i need to work on. As far as size, I read somewhere that i should train for strength and let things fall in place so that’s what i plan on doing. Since I started lifting, I’ve gained about 30lbs. and its actually been pretty lean. I’d like to ask for advice from some of the strong guys here, how would you think this would play out:
Military press 3x5
Side laterals 5x10
upright rows 3x12
weighted dips 5x5
abs
Squat 3x5
Walking lunges
chins ill do how many ever sets to get to 30. i suck at these.
shrugs 5x10
calves
The easiest and most basic thing you can do is buy Wendler’s 5/3/1 e-book and put together a workout based on that. It’s a strength-building program, and it does a good job at it.
You can do your 5/3/1 workout, and then add in accessory work using the BBB template, and you can get your bodybuilding jollies off.
For beginning strength, I’d recommend starting strength, WSSB, or 5/3/1. At your level, you could probably just do some really basic linear progression and just ramp up to a 5-8rep maximum on the main lift everytime you work out.
I agree with Fletch on something like Starting Strength or a 5x5 program. 5/3/1 is fantastic but I you will be able to make faster gains than 5/3/1 will allow. Stick to something basic yet proven and you will be fine
Definitely do 5/3/1. I had only been training for 1 year before I started that. All my lifts jumped tremendously. In a year, you can expect your total to go up about 300 lbs (120 on squat, 120 on deadlift, 60 on bench) minimum, assuming you do everything correctly. Hope this helps.
I hate to tell you OP, but with these stats "only being able to bench press 185x6, squat 250x2, and deadlift 250x5 " you are NEITHER show NOR go. This is stats of a person that barely works out, and my guess would be that your physique shows it. Read some on basic training, start training wiht a simple template and adding pounds to the bar and to the kitchen table, everything else will fall in its right place