Routine check

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

goals are to be strong, want a bigger DL, squat, OHP, bench press. but i also want bigger arms and some aesthetics. but strength is more important. ive done SS.

monday: squat & deadlift both 5x5 and leg-raises 5xfailure
tuesday: flat bench press & OHP & weighted dips & weighted pull ups & weighted chin ups all 5x5
wednesday: rest day
thursday: repeat monday
friday: repeat tuesday

got my diet in check to gain weight; eating a meal every 3 hours from 8am-10pm with lots of nuts, etc. what do you guys think about my routine? again, im much more worried about strength gains than aesthetic gains. but aesthetic gains are part of it. thanks guys.

EDIT: just to clarify, when i say 5x5, i mean sets x reps. not reps x sets.

2

So… the sets by reps clarification makes me think you are dicking around?

If serious, I’d throw in more variety.

Maybe try:

Monday:

Squat, 5x5
Leg press, 5x5
Romanian dead, 3x10
Leg extension, 3x 12
Leg curl, 3x12
Calf raises, 3x15
Abs

Tuesday:

OH Press, 5x5
Weighted dips, 5x5
Weighted chins, 5x5
T-row, 3x10
High Row, 3x10
Preacher curls, 3x12
Incline seated dumbbell curls, 3x 12

Wednesday: off

Thursday:

Deadlift, 5x5
Dumbbell row, 3x10
Chins, 5x5
Barbell row, 3x10
Shrugs
Hammer curl, 3x12
Reverse grip curl, 3x12
Back extension, 3x15
Abs

Friday:

Bench press, 5x5
Incline dumbell press, 5x5
Close grip bench, 5x5
Lateral raise, 3x 10
French press, 3x10
Front raise, 3x10
Rope push down, 3x10

Saturday and Sunday off

You’ll build your strength and aesthetics.

3

[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
So… the sets by reps clarification makes me think you are dicking around?

If serious, I’d throw in more variety.

Maybe try:

Monday:

Squat, 5x5
Leg press, 5x5
Romanian dead, 3x10
Leg extension, 3x 12
Leg curl, 3x12
Calf raises, 3x15
Abs

Tuesday:

OH Press, 5x5
Weighted dips, 5x5
Weighted chins, 5x5
T-row, 3x10
High Row, 3x10
Preacher curls, 3x12
Incline seated dumbbell curls, 3x 12

Wednesday: off

Thursday:

Deadlift, 5x5
Dumbbell row, 3x10
Chins, 5x5
Barbell row, 3x10
Shrugs
Hammer curl, 3x12
Reverse grip curl, 3x12
Back extension, 3x15
Abs

Friday:

Bench press, 5x5
Incline dumbell press, 5x5
Close grip bench, 5x5
Lateral raise, 3x 10
French press, 3x10
Front raise, 3x10
Rope push down, 3x10

Saturday and Sunday off

You’ll build your strength and aesthetics.[/quote]

lol, im not doing a BB split. what you just wrote is a BB split. basically what im doing, is the stronglifts 5x5 routine, with some dips pull ups and leg raises.

yes that would give me aesthetic and strength, but thats a lot more focused on aesthetic gains than strength gains. and, i clarified because i was having a brainfart and wasnt sure if i wrote that right for some reason. but, like i said. thats more focused on bodybuilding than powerlifting. i want high numbers in the deadlift, bench press, OHP, and squat. to get those numbers, i need to do those exercises. assistance exercises are less important than the main exercise. i appreciate the input though. i havent thought about french raises in a long time. if i change anything to this routine, itd be that ill put my chins/pull ups on the same day as squats and deadlifts.

4

sorry - part of the reason im not gonna take most of that into consideration is because, i dont do isolation exercises… at all. they’ll never be part of my workout routine if i can avoid it.

5

Just as long as you realize you’re in the bodybuilding forum asking for strength plus aesthetics I guess.

What is your goal specifically?

6

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:
sorry - part of the reason im not gonna take most of that into consideration is because, i dont do isolation exercises… at all. they’ll never be part of my workout routine if i can avoid it. [/quote]

Why?

Seriously, do you have a good reason?

If you want bigger arms, train your arms directly. With curls and extensions and such. You can focus on the major lifts and still do some isolation exercises. Some kind of lateral raises should also definitely be included if you want aesthetics.

If you want to get mainly stronger but also care about looking good/muscular, why not just do something like 5/3/1 with the boring but big assistance exercise template?

7

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:
sorry - part of the reason im not gonna take most of that into consideration is because, i dont do isolation exercises… at all. they’ll never be part of my workout routine if i can avoid it. [/quote]

Why?

Seriously, do you have a good reason?

[/quote]

i feel like jimmy struthers saying this… they dont go along well with my number one goal, which is functional strength. they go with my 3rd and last goal which is aesthetics. 1st is functional strength, 2nd is high numbers in the 4 big lifts, 3rd is aesthetics. plus, its much more time consuming to spend time working each muscle individually than to combine them. i think isolation exercises are great if your main goal is aesthetics. im not dissing them, they just arent my main concern if that makes sense. and yeah… but the guys in this forum are typically nicer and more accepting than the ones in the PL forum. if i mentioned aesthetics in a PL forum, id get flamed probably. thats why i posted it in BB.
my aesthetic goals (which are last in priority) are: to look stronger than most people my size. thats why i threw in the dips and pull ups/chins. to put a little more focus (while not isolating) the rhomboid, lats, and triceps. anyways, i think this is the routine im gonna do. thanks for yalls input :slight_smile: i appreciate the reminder about french raises, im gonna use that for some of my clientele.

8

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:
sorry - part of the reason im not gonna take most of that into consideration is because, i dont do isolation exercises… at all. they’ll never be part of my workout routine if i can avoid it. [/quote]

Why?

Seriously, do you have a good reason?

If you want bigger arms, train your arms directly. With curls and extensions and such. You can focus on the major lifts and still do some isolation exercises. Some kind of lateral raises should also definitely be included if you want aesthetics.

If you want to get mainly stronger but also care about looking good/muscular, why not just do something like 5/3/1 with the boring but big assistance exercise template?[/quote]

by the way, im gonna go look into 5/3/1. i dont know what it is, may give it a shot. im also considering westside possibly. : )

9

post in bb forum
reject all bb related advice

I think all the blood in your brain from the handstands you’re doing is making you really stupid and easily susceptible to dogma.

Pro-tip: throwing in a few “isolation” exercises will not interfere with progress in your other goals. It may even help them.

10

Sorry man, go to the powerlifting forums. You’re not gonna get any sympathy here.

11

Throw in some lunges and rows, higher rep scheme than 5x5. As additions to your current routine, they will compliment your strength gains and help you out aesthetically.

When your balls drop, do your routine plus some…

12

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:

[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:
sorry - part of the reason im not gonna take most of that into consideration is because, i dont do isolation exercises… at all. they’ll never be part of my workout routine if i can avoid it. [/quote]

Why?

Seriously, do you have a good reason?

[/quote]

i feel like jimmy struthers saying this… they dont go along well with my number one goal, which is functional strength. they go with my 3rd and last goal which is aesthetics. 1st is functional strength, 2nd is high numbers in the 4 big lifts, 3rd is aesthetics. plus, its much more time consuming to spend time working each muscle individually than to combine them. i think isolation exercises are great if your main goal is aesthetics. im not dissing them, they just arent my main concern if that makes sense. and yeah… but the guys in this forum are typically nicer and more accepting than the ones in the PL forum. if i mentioned aesthetics in a PL forum, id get flamed probably. thats why i posted it in BB.
my aesthetic goals (which are last in priority) are: to look stronger than most people my size. thats why i threw in the dips and pull ups/chins. to put a little more focus (while not isolating) the rhomboid, lats, and triceps. anyways, i think this is the routine im gonna do. thanks for yalls input :slight_smile: i appreciate the reminder about french raises, im gonna use that for some of my clientele.
[/quote]

You’re a trainer?

That bums me out. Seriously consider: Don’t be so dogmatic and absolute in your thinking. Learn from everyone with different viewpoints, not just the avoid isolation work, functional training crowd. This will make you a much better trainer.

But one more thing: direct arm work such as curls IS “functional.” Having strong arms helps you move a desk or dig a hole more than having a strong bench press does.

13

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:
goals are to be strong, want a bigger DL, squat, OHP, bench press. but i also want bigger arms and some aesthetics. but strength is more important. ive done SS.

monday: squat & deadlift both 5x5 and leg-raises 5xfailure
tuesday: flat bench press & OHP & weighted dips & weighted pull ups & weighted chin ups all 5x5
wednesday: rest day
thursday: repeat monday
friday: repeat tuesday

got my diet in check to gain weight; eating a meal every 3 hours from 8am-10pm with lots of nuts, etc. what do you guys think about my routine? again, im much more worried about strength gains than aesthetic gains. but aesthetic gains are part of it. thanks guys.

EDIT: just to clarify, when i say 5x5, i mean sets x reps. not reps x sets.[/quote]

you’re gonna stall real quick just doing that… Why not just give each lift their own day and then do assistance exercises for each?

14

[quote]myself1992 wrote:

[quote]iStandOnMyHands wrote:
goals are to be strong, want a bigger DL, squat, OHP, bench press. but i also want bigger arms and some aesthetics. but strength is more important. ive done SS.

monday: squat & deadlift both 5x5 and leg-raises 5xfailure
tuesday: flat bench press & OHP & weighted dips & weighted pull ups & weighted chin ups all 5x5
wednesday: rest day
thursday: repeat monday
friday: repeat tuesday

got my diet in check to gain weight; eating a meal every 3 hours from 8am-10pm with lots of nuts, etc. what do you guys think about my routine? again, im much more worried about strength gains than aesthetic gains. but aesthetic gains are part of it. thanks guys.

EDIT: just to clarify, when i say 5x5, i mean sets x reps. not reps x sets.[/quote]

you’re gonna stall real quick just doing that… Why not just give each lift their own day and then do assistance exercises for each?
[/quote]

That’s a good idea… But won’t my gains be slower if I’m only doing those lifts once a week?

15

this thread is amazing.

I missed this place.

16

lol trainers

also clarifying 5x5 is hilarious. both numbers are five. and of course 5xfailure is just an interesting paradox… very interesting.

as far as routine check, i have never done a routine like that, seems demanding on the nervous system. given your evident size i would look into westside for skinny bastards. i like dat routine

17

also number 1 goal being functional strength without a defined function is an essentially meaningless statement

unless you crossfit

lol

18

[quote]anonanon wrote:
Sorry man, go to the powerlifting forums. You’re not gonna get any sympathy here.[/quote]

No, dont go there, we do isolation exercises from time to time, and we are not “functional”

19

[quote]DixiesFinest wrote:

[quote]anonanon wrote:
Sorry man, go to the powerlifting forums. You’re not gonna get any sympathy here.[/quote]

No, dont go there, we do isolation exercises from time to time, and we are not “functional” [/quote]

Hah, I know even powerlifters are not that dead set against isolation. That’s not what I meant.

His says his main goal is improving strength, which powerlifters would know more about than bodybuilders. Maybe you guys could talk some sense into him.

20

sigh op, lets keep this simple.
Do 5/3/1 as written with ‘boring but big’
Don’t disparage isolation exercises - you’re only as strong your weakest link
Stop using the word ‘functional’