Earlier this year I did a 12 week cycle of madcow 5x5 and had tremendous results, I decided I would be be a know it all and try to put my own program together…7 weeks in…no results. Moral of the story…for all of us young ins learn from my mistake and stay/get on a proven program.
What did ‘your’ program look like? Do you know what the mistakes were and why it didn’t work?
[quote]chobbs wrote:
Earlier this year I did a 12 week cycle of madcow 5x5 and had tremendous results, I decided I would be be a know it all and try to put my own program together…7 weeks in…no results. Moral of the story…for all of us young ins learn from my mistake and stay/get on a proven program.[/quote]
Like Rez was saying, try to look back and figure out why you’re not happy with the results.
I took a quick look at your recent training log, I’m guess that’s the routine you’re referring to. It looks like a legs, arms, shoulder, chest/back split which isn’t necessarily a bad bodybuilding split, but I think the exercise choice and sets/reps were an issue. What was/is your goal?
As long as you can figure out what went wrong, it wasn’t a waste of 7 weeks time and energy. But I will agree, I think a lot of people jump into attempting to build their own programs too soon when they can just as easily use a pre-designed routine or basic template and learn as they go.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]chobbs wrote:
Earlier this year I did a 12 week cycle of madcow 5x5 and had tremendous results, I decided I would be be a know it all and try to put my own program together…7 weeks in…no results. Moral of the story…for all of us young ins learn from my mistake and stay/get on a proven program.[/quote]
Like Rez was saying, try to look back and figure out why you’re not happy with the results.
I took a quick look at your recent training log, I’m guess that’s the routine you’re referring to. It looks like a legs, arms, shoulder, chest/back split which isn’t necessarily a bad bodybuilding split, but I think the exercise choice and sets/reps were an issue. What was/is your goal?
As long as you can figure out what went wrong, it wasn’t a waste of 7 weeks time and energy. But I will agree, I think a lot of people jump into attempting to build their own programs too soon when they can just as easily use a pre-designed routine or basic template and learn as they go.[/quote]
Yea “my” workout was the one in my log. Yes it was a chest/vertical back, legs, bis+tris, off, then shoulders and back. My intention was to make sort of a powerbuilding workout. Any quick advice on the exercise choices or reps could have been better?
[quote]LoRez wrote:
What did ‘your’ program look like? Do you know what the mistakes were and why it didn’t work?[/quote]
I have a log. But I honestly have no clue…
I’ve always had the theory of, it doesn’t really matter what program you’re on as long as you give it your all and eat/rest the way you know you should. Buuuuuuut that’s obviously been proven wrong.
IM.ABOUT.TO.FREAK…I can’t seem to find my 5x5 spreadsheet
After thinking it over, I’ll be doing one of the four following programs
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/other/incredible-hulk-program
(Please give opinions on the saturday routine)
Madcow 5x5, I’ll look again for the template
The only thing I would consider about those programs is how are you going to progress in weight? With something like madcow’s program, weight increases are the main focus of the program, and progress is built in. With the other programs you listed, they just give a rep range and there is no built in progression.
That doesn’t mean the programs won’t be effective, it will just require more attention on your part to ensure that your numbers go up.
I keep a detailed logbook so hopefully that won’t be a problem, but that is one thing I like about madcow.
[quote]chobbs wrote:
Yes it was a chest/vertical back, legs, bis+tris, off, then shoulders and back.
…
My intention was to make sort of a powerbuilding workout. Any quick advice on the exercise choices or reps could have been better?[/quote]
The “shoulders and back day” was some heavy deadlifts, a bunch of shoulder exercises, and one set of Kroc rows… that’s hardly any “back” work for the day. Hang cleans (with or without presses) would’ve been a great add at the start of this day. The “chest/vertical back” day that had a whole six sets of back training. Combine those two points and you end up with very low volume per week for one of the biggest bodyparts.
Also, on the chest day, there’s not usually a need to do one kind of crossover, then flyes, then another kind of crossover. It’s redundant. Chest dips might’ve been a good alternative for an extra exercise.
The leg day was 6 sets of squats (great start) and then low volume/barebones “accessory work” (just 3 front squat/RDL supersets), then 2 sets of low back supersets. I would’ve bumped up the accessory work in general. Nothing at all wrong with low volume, once-a-week training, but the intensity of those few sets has to be turned to 11 in order to get the most out of them, usually with techniques like negatives, drop sets, rest-pause, forced reps, etc.
The arm day did look like fun though. Also seemed like it was one of your biggest training days with the largest variety of exercises. Hmmm. 
Overall, while “powerbuilding” doesn’t have one universal definition, I tend to connect it, simply, to “traditional bodybuilding” lifting done with “heavier than traditional bodybuilding” loads. This would, I guess, be slightly different than “basic powerlifting with bodybuilding accessory work”. Maybe it’s a fine line or just matter of syntax, so I wouldn’t sweat over it. in general, for “powerbuilding training”, I’d expect to see more work in the 4-8 rep range for the majority of each day’s exercises.
In these last 7 weeks, did your bodyweight go down and did your strength on the basic lifts drop? If the answer to those was “no”, then your theory still stands. You progressed, just maybe a bit slower than was otherwise possible.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]chobbs wrote:
Yes it was a chest/vertical back, legs, bis+tris, off, then shoulders and back.
…
My intention was to make sort of a powerbuilding workout. Any quick advice on the exercise choices or reps could have been better?[/quote]
The “shoulders and back day” was some heavy deadlifts, a bunch of shoulder exercises, and one set of Kroc rows… that’s hardly any “back” work for the day. Hang cleans (with or without presses) would’ve been a great add at the start of this day. The “chest/vertical back” day that had a whole six sets of back training. Combine those two points and you end up with very low volume per week for one of the biggest bodyparts.
Also, on the chest day, there’s not usually a need to do one kind of crossover, then flyes, then another kind of crossover. It’s redundant. Chest dips might’ve been a good alternative for an extra exercise.
The leg day was 6 sets of squats (great start) and then low volume/barebones “accessory work” (just 3 front squat/RDL supersets), then 2 sets of low back supersets. I would’ve bumped up the accessory work in general. Nothing at all wrong with low volume, once-a-week training, but the intensity of those few sets has to be turned to 11 in order to get the most out of them, usually with techniques like negatives, drop sets, rest-pause, forced reps, etc.
The arm day did look like fun though. Also seemed like it was one of your biggest training days with the largest variety of exercises. Hmmm.
Overall, while “powerbuilding” doesn’t have one universal definition, I tend to connect it, simply, to “traditional bodybuilding” lifting done with “heavier than traditional bodybuilding” loads. This would, I guess, be slightly different than “basic powerlifting with bodybuilding accessory work”. Maybe it’s a fine line or just matter of syntax, so I wouldn’t sweat over it. in general, for “powerbuilding training”, I’d expect to see more work in the 4-8 rep range for the majority of each day’s exercises.
In these last 7 weeks, did your bodyweight go down and did your strength on the basic lifts drop? If the answer to those was “no”, then your theory still stands. You progressed, just maybe a bit slower than was otherwise possible.[/quote]
I didnt gain but I didnt lose any…sooo I need to add more leg volume and back volume, but my arm day is good?
[quote]chobbs wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
In these last 7 weeks, did your bodyweight go down and did your strength on the basic lifts drop? If the answer to those was “no”, then your theory still stands. You progressed, just maybe a bit slower than was otherwise possible.[/quote]
I didnt gain but I didnt lose any…sooo I need to add more leg volume and back volume, but my arm day is good?[/quote]
Pretty much. Just make sure you’re training everything as hard as you’re training arms. And as I said, I’d have a lot more work in the lower end of the rep range (8 and below), rather than having the majority of stuff being 10-12. Also, maybe keep a better eye on your food intake and weigh-in once a week.
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
[quote]chobbs wrote:
[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
In these last 7 weeks, did your bodyweight go down and did your strength on the basic lifts drop? If the answer to those was “no”, then your theory still stands. You progressed, just maybe a bit slower than was otherwise possible.[/quote]
I didnt gain but I didnt lose any…sooo I need to add more leg volume and back volume, but my arm day is good?[/quote]
Pretty much. Just make sure you’re training everything as hard as you’re training arms. And as I said, I’d have a lot more work in the lower end of the rep range (8 and below), rather than having the majority of stuff being 10-12. Also, maybe keep a better eye on your food intake and weigh-in once a week.[/quote]
Appreciate it
Why not go back to what you know works?
Madcow. It seems so obvious, its blinding.
[quote]sexyxe wrote:
Why not go back to what you know works?
Madcow. It seems so obvious, its blinding.
[/quote]
I love it…but it gets boring.