I’ve been lifting weights for about 3 years 2 months, but have exercised longer than that.
Primarily bodybuilding routines the whole time.
5’9" 158lbs morning weight. Lifts were higher on the bulk, but:
Squat - 290ish
Bench - 300ish
Deadlift - 370ish
So I wanted to go on a strength routine to really improve my physique. Madcow is a routine that’s recommended for post-starting strength, but I’ve seen great things about it. I’ve been lifting for longer than that, so I’m not sure if it’d be optimal for me. I mean, my squat/dead aren’t that high and I feel like this could be a reason to go on Madcow.
[quote]That70sShowDude wrote:
I’ve been lifting weights for about 3 years 2 months, but have exercised longer than that.
Primarily bodybuilding routines the whole time.
5’9" 158lbs morning weight. Lifts were higher on the bulk, but:
Squat - 290ish
Bench - 300ish
Deadlift - 370ish
So I wanted to go on a strength routine to really improve my physique. Madcow is a routine that’s recommended for post-starting strength, but I’ve seen great things about it. I’ve been lifting for longer than that, so I’m not sure if it’d be optimal for me. I mean, my squat/dead aren’t that high and I feel like this could be a reason to go on Madcow.[/quote]
Check out madcow advanced, just google search it. With your strength numbers, you might be able to do the intermediate version (this is the one everyone thinks off when they say madcow) or the progression may be too much.
Madcow advanced you would definitely be able to handle the progression. It’s got a couple weeks of a built in period, then you push for PRs hard for a few weeks, then you drop down to 3x3 instead of 5x5 (the first week the weights are the same, so it’s a bit of a break) and keep adding weight and going for PRs.
On another note, what’s your squat form look like? You said you did mostly bodybuilding stuff in the past, so do you go “ass to grass”? Maybe take a look at your form, you may want to switch to a more powerlifting type form (you don’t have to be super wide, but just not ass to grass) if your numbers are the primary concern.
I just ask because my squat and deadlift are in the same neighborhood as yours, but there’s no way in hell I could bench 290.
Stop right there! You’ve just been caught by the Bench Higher than Squat Police. I’m glad to see you gettin on a program in hopes of upping your lower body strength.
Dude above me has a point as well. Check the articles on this site and some videos. Could be that with a form fix on squat (and/or deadlift) you could benefit greatly.
P.S. For a 158 pounder you have quite a good bench press though.
I ran Madcow for a few months and it is a good program and I made gains on it. After doing a little more research on intermediate programs I personally like the sound of texas method better than madcow. Both are fairly similar but the main difference is the “recovery day wednesday” and the amount of volume on friday.
TM has a high volume monday, recovery workout wednesday, and a low volume PR day on friday.
Where as MC has a high volume day monday, a quasi recovery day on wednesday but with heavy deadlifts, and a high volume with a drop set on friday.
Personally I like the idea of having the heavy DL’s on the high volume day like it is in TM, I always feel trashed after DL’s. Plus I like the low volume on Friday and setting new PR’s.
Thanks for the advice guys. I’m thinking of giving the intermediate version a try. Question on accessory work. As a bodybuilder, there are certain weaknesses that I want to bring up most. I know it’s best to stick to the main lifts as the main goal is strength progression on them.
Current issues:
-CALVES
-arms
-lack of hamstring work compared to quad work in the routine (same goes for back/rear delts, trying to get rid of posture imbalances)
-possibe lack of delt work b/c I want to bring them up relative to chest
-Upper chest
So for calves, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be harmful to add a few sets on the end of each day?
Arms can get hit w/ those recommended sets on Friday
Hamstrings? Maybe add GHR or SLDL on a day?
Then delts get hit on lots of things, but would that single military press on wednesday be sufficient? I was thinking of a lateral raise or something.
I guess I could get away w/ not having an incline bench b/c flat technically hits the full pec.
So in the end it’s just a couple things that I’m thinking of adding. Any advice?
[quote]That70sShowDude wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys. I’m thinking of giving the intermediate version a try. Question on accessory work. As a bodybuilder, there are certain weaknesses that I want to bring up most. I know it’s best to stick to the main lifts as the main goal is strength progression on them.
Current issues:
-CALVES
-arms
-lack of hamstring work compared to quad work in the routine (same goes for back/rear delts, trying to get rid of posture imbalances)
-possibe lack of delt work b/c I want to bring them up relative to chest
-Upper chest
So for calves, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be harmful to add a few sets on the end of each day?
Arms can get hit w/ those recommended sets on Friday
Hamstrings? Maybe add GHR or SLDL on a day?
Then delts get hit on lots of things, but would that single military press on wednesday be sufficient? I was thinking of a lateral raise or something.
I guess I could get away w/ not having an incline bench b/c flat technically hits the full pec.
So in the end it’s just a couple things that I’m thinking of adding. Any advice?
[/quote]
Adding some calf raises shouldn’t be a problem. If you are really concerned about your shoulders, you could switch the bench and press, so you press twice a week and bench once. Other than that, I wouldn’t make much alterations. If I were you, I would just stick to the assistance work that is listed in the program. Realize that after all, this is a strength program, not a bodybuilding one.
[quote]That70sShowDude wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys. I’m thinking of giving the intermediate version a try. Question on accessory work. As a bodybuilder, there are certain weaknesses that I want to bring up most. I know it’s best to stick to the main lifts as the main goal is strength progression on them.
Current issues:
-CALVES
-arms
-lack of hamstring work compared to quad work in the routine (same goes for back/rear delts, trying to get rid of posture imbalances)
-possibe lack of delt work b/c I want to bring them up relative to chest
-Upper chest
So for calves, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be harmful to add a few sets on the end of each day?
Arms can get hit w/ those recommended sets on Friday
Hamstrings? Maybe add GHR or SLDL on a day?
Then delts get hit on lots of things, but would that single military press on wednesday be sufficient? I was thinking of a lateral raise or something.
I guess I could get away w/ not having an incline bench b/c flat technically hits the full pec.
So in the end it’s just a couple things that I’m thinking of adding. Any advice?
[/quote]
Adding some calf raises shouldn’t be a problem. If you are really concerned about your shoulders, you could switch the bench and press, so you press twice a week and bench once. Other than that, I wouldn’t make much alterations. If I were you, I would just stick to the assistance work that is listed in the program. Realize that after all, this is a strength program, not a bodybuilding one.[/quote]
True, I just don’t want my weaknesses to get even worse than they are now.
Also, would switching OHP and bench be allowed? If I did this, would it be a better idea to do pull ups instead of rows on the OHP days and rows on the bench day? (Same planar direction)
[quote]Zerpp wrote:
Wow, I didn’t even know there was a madcow advanced. Learn something new everyday.[/quote]
Even though it’s called advanced, an intermediate could definitely use it. Madcow gives a starting point for how fast you progress, but you can change it depending on your level.
[quote]That70sShowDude wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys. I’m thinking of giving the intermediate version a try. Question on accessory work. As a bodybuilder, there are certain weaknesses that I want to bring up most. I know it’s best to stick to the main lifts as the main goal is strength progression on them.
Current issues:
-CALVES
-arms
-lack of hamstring work compared to quad work in the routine (same goes for back/rear delts, trying to get rid of posture imbalances)
-possibe lack of delt work b/c I want to bring them up relative to chest
-Upper chest
So for calves, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be harmful to add a few sets on the end of each day?
Arms can get hit w/ those recommended sets on Friday
Hamstrings? Maybe add GHR or SLDL on a day?
Then delts get hit on lots of things, but would that single military press on wednesday be sufficient? I was thinking of a lateral raise or something.
I guess I could get away w/ not having an incline bench b/c flat technically hits the full pec.
So in the end it’s just a couple things that I’m thinking of adding. Any advice?
[/quote]
Adding some calf raises shouldn’t be a problem. If you are really concerned about your shoulders, you could switch the bench and press, so you press twice a week and bench once. Other than that, I wouldn’t make much alterations. If I were you, I would just stick to the assistance work that is listed in the program. Realize that after all, this is a strength program, not a bodybuilding one.[/quote]
True, I just don’t want my weaknesses to get even worse than they are now.
Also, would switching OHP and bench be allowed? If I did this, would it be a better idea to do pull ups instead of rows on the OHP days and rows on the bench day? (Same planar direction)
[/quote]
Yea it wouldn’t be a big deal. You’re just changing which one is the main focus. I wouldn’t mess around with the rows though.
[quote]That70sShowDude wrote:
Thanks for the advice guys. I’m thinking of giving the intermediate version a try. Question on accessory work. As a bodybuilder, there are certain weaknesses that I want to bring up most. I know it’s best to stick to the main lifts as the main goal is strength progression on them.
Current issues:
-CALVES
-arms
-lack of hamstring work compared to quad work in the routine (same goes for back/rear delts, trying to get rid of posture imbalances)
-possibe lack of delt work b/c I want to bring them up relative to chest
-Upper chest
So for calves, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be harmful to add a few sets on the end of each day?
Arms can get hit w/ those recommended sets on Friday
Hamstrings? Maybe add GHR or SLDL on a day?
Then delts get hit on lots of things, but would that single military press on wednesday be sufficient? I was thinking of a lateral raise or something.
I guess I could get away w/ not having an incline bench b/c flat technically hits the full pec.
So in the end it’s just a couple things that I’m thinking of adding. Any advice?
[/quote]
Well I’m not sure you’ll find too much help for your calves on this forum lol. I’ll say this though, you could probably do calves after every workout till you were blue in the face, and I doubt it would mess up any of your big lifts.
You mentioned GHR and SLDL, I would toss good mornings into that same ring as well. All three of those exercises are wonderful imo. You don’t have to program all of them obviously, but they are all great for hamstrings.
If you want to bring up your delt strength relative to your chest, first of all that’s awesome, second of all, fuck lateral raises lol. I think you could get away with doing seated dumbell shoulder press as an accessory to your standing OHP.
For upper chest, well what else is there but inclines lol. Inclines are certainly a good chest supplement exercise for strength. I guess there is the guillotine press for your upper pecs as well, but I don’t really know anything about that.