Hey guys, I’m a skinny dude who’s trying to gain weight but through muscle and not fat. I don’t think nutrition is an issue. My workout routine sounds pretty awesome to me, what are views on it? Also, previously, i.e. for the past 3 months I did a single muscle a day split. But many said that it’s not meant for someone who’s just starting off as to improve my compound lifts which are very important for physical development, I need to lay more emphasis on it. Many recommended a 5x5 routine. 5x5 strong lift sounds pretty amazing, but I still think that arm development might not happen at an optimum rate if I competely skip isolation movements. So here’s my modified 5x5 SL:-
MONDAY:- Bench press, squat, deadlift
TUESDAY:- Bicep curls (3 sets), conc. curls (3 sets) , triceps dips (3 sets), triceps extension (3 sets)
WEDNESDAY:- Shoulder press, squat, DB row
THURSDAY:- Bench press, squat, deadlift
FRIDAY:- Incline DB curls (3 sets) hammer curls (3 sets) , reverse tricep push down, tricep push down (3 sets each) , shoulder press
AB workouts everyday. I’ll do short bodywieght ab workouts everyday and weighted ab workouts every alternate day as this works well for my ab development. I’m 16 and am an ecto
So, what’s your call on this routine?
Simple 5x5 plans have built muscle and strength for decades. You’re not improving it at all. You’re actually de-emphasizing one of the key points - recovery. If you go from overhead pressing 105x5 to 185x5 and doing a set of 4 chins to a set of 5 chins with 35 pounds of added weight, your arms will get bigger as long as you’re also gaining bodyweight.
If you’re super-ultra paranoid about not building your arms, add a few sets of one biceps exercise and one triceps exercise to the end of one of the workouts. You don’t currently need an arm day, and you definitely don’t need two arm days each week.
What’s your current height and weight? And what did you weigh 3 months ago?
There’s no benefit to this. You’d be much better off taking the time you waste training abs every day and use it for meal prep. Boil some eggs, bake some potatoes, whatever.
I also wanted to ask about nutrition. I don’t believe in ecto/meso/endo somatotypes. The guy who came up with that was a psychologist. But if you’re lifting weights and are still an ectomorph, you might not be eating enough.
I also agree with the idea of learning how to prepare your own meals. Eggs, potatoes, pasta, etc are great stuff to start with.
I would start with the base SL 5x5*. Do this for a month.
After this, if you still want arm work then add some biceps work to one workout and some triceps on the other day. By some, I mean 5 minutes worth. Set a timer, and go for 5 minutes - break it up however you like (eg 5x10 EMOM). Don’t kill yourself, stay short of grinding reps out.
If you want more work, extend to 7 minutes. If you want still more work after that then consider adding a day as you have listed (not sure if you have the best layout there).
Also consider your goals, building muscle is pretty important for strength. I’m pretty sure only novices and those with a financial interest recommend stronglifts and the like.
*I wouldn’t because it’s rubbish but if you want to, no problem with me.
Yup, it’s true. I’m thinking of having a rest day after an arm day… It’ll be like
Monday:- Compound lifts
Tuesday:- Arms
Wednesday:- Rest
Thursday:-Compound lifts
Friday:- Rest
Saturday:- Compound lifts
Sunday:- Rest.
On arms day, I’ll also perform a few exercises for abs… I’ll be doing barbell curls and hammer curls for biceps and triceps dips, reverse and regular pushdowns for triceps…so basically I’ll be forming only 12 sets of isolation exercises in the whole week only. The main reason behind it is, I feel SL 5x5 is more strength oriented and is more like a powerlifter’s program. I’m following this so I can improve my compound lifts as any average beginner will be weak at their compound lifts. Once I get access to a pull up bar I’ll make sure I’m doing bodywieght workouts for biceps mainly. How does this sound? If it’s still a thumbs down… I’ll stick to SL 5x5…has anyone tried a 5x5 program like SL which only has compound lifts in it and seen muscle growth along with strength as well? If yes, which 5x5 were y’all folloowing…also, what are your views on ICF 5x5? And when should I switch to a bro split like I used to do from a 5x5 program?
That sounds really nice! Could you suggest me the arm workouts?
I’m thinking of doing bicep curls, hammer curls and concentration curls for biceps and triceps pusbdown , skull crusher for triceps. 3 sets each. Can I do this arm workout every 3 days by performing just one of these exercises per day?
Like monday:- Compound lift+ bicep curl and skull curses
Wednesday:- Compound lift+ hammer curl and triceps pushdown
Friday:- Compound lift+conc. Curl and reverse grip tripep pushdown.
If this doesn’t sound right then please suggest me an arm workout. Strength gains are something I want badly but I don’t want my program to be emphasising solely on that , I also want aesthetics.
I’m sorry. I’m 54 kgs, I’m not sure about my height. I’m maybe around 5’5 or 5’7 and I wiehged 48 kgs 3 months ago. If possible, please recommend me a 5 day aesthetic+strength based routine.
Also, can you suggest me a routine that is also aesthetic based. SL 5x5 sounds solely strength based. Like, it has no lateral raises, front raises, reverse flies, chest flies etc. If you think that this routine+ arm workouts will give me strength plus aesthetics then I’m fine. Also, did I completely waste my money I spent on my diet and my gym membership by doing that 1 muscle group a day split?
A question regarding Stronglifts and other 5x5 routines.
Aren’t these 5x5 routines more strength oriented than aesthetics? I would love a balance of both but many people say on a 5x5 routine, especially stronglifts, you’ll build more strength than muscles and it’s more like a powerlifter’s routine. I’ve been performing a one muscle a day split for the past 2 months now and someone said that I should switch to 5x5 as my compound lifts are weak. But, then again I see people saying that it’s more strength oriented and I also feel the same. Can someone please tell me a routine that is a balance of strength as well as aesthetics as I need both. I’m skinny, 16 yo , 118 pounds. The modification of SL 5X5 I’ve made is as follows:-
Monday:- SL 5X5 workout A + arms (barbell curls 36-8/chin ups, tripep push downs 38)
Tuesday:-REST
wednesday:- SL 5X5 workout B+ arms (conc. Curls, skull crushers, same rep and set range)
Thursday:- REST
friday:- SL 5X5 workout A+ arms (hammer curls, triceps dips, triceps extentions.
Someone also recommend me to shift all the arm workouts to one day instead of spliting it and doing it thrice. Also, instead of doing arms after SL workouts, what if I do them on rest periods? I’ll pick two for tris and two for bis…and on saturdays I’ll do abs… How does that sound?
I had to modify this routine since I don’t want to go for powerlifitng, I want strength, but I want it as much as I want aesthetics
Who specifically? Don’t rely on the words of many people: choose to listen only to select few people, and ideally experts.
5x5 routines are about quickly building your numbers in a handful of lifts. If that isn’t your goal, it’s a poor choice.
At 16 years old and 118lbs (granted, I don’t know your height), you just need to get into the weight room and do some conditioning as well. Don’t worry about strength or aesthetics: worry about building habits and laying down a foundation.
My height is 5’5 , probably. I don’t look like a stick at all, neither am I a beast. But my compound lifts suck, especially because of my injured right arm. Not that I can’t move it at all but it’s a bit weaker than what it would be if my fracture didn’t happen. I’ll try the 5x5, but I don’t know how I ruin the program by performing just 1 exercise for my biceps and 1 for triceps? I’ll not do them if it’ll really ruin me. But please explain me how? Tell me your final opinion and I’ll follow it. Thanks
