A guide to beginner and intermediate training programs

[The_cannibal]

Foreword

The most frequently asked questions in this section are about programs for beginners and intermediates in strength training. People are usually redirected to the stickies, which are filled with tons of links, but all that info may seem overwhelming to some readers, so this thread could be used as a starter/primer.

I initially wrote this as an email to help one of my friends, to show him a few programs and help him understand the basic principles behind these programs. However, this version is more complete.

Basically, this thread aims to provide brief descriptions and links to some of the most popular programs. I will also include answers to some frequently asked questions that are not covered in the writeups.

Feel free to post questions and comments. And if you disagree with something I wrote, I want to know about it, so post it!

Table of content
1 Beginner and intermediate programs
1.1 Starting strength
1.2 Bill Starr's 5x5 intermediate
1.3 The_cannibal's 5x5
1.4 Jim Wendler's 5/3/1

2. Advanced programs
2.1 Bill Starr's 5x5 advanced
2.2 Sheiko
2.3 Westside

3. Special programs
3.1 Smolov
3.2 Peaking routines

4. Special cases
4.1 Starting weight training
4.2 Post-rehabilitation from injury

[The_cannibal]

1. Beginner and intermediate programs

1.1. Starting strength:
The ultimate program for a beginner to strength training is Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. Mark has written a few books on the subject of strength training. kethnaab has written an excellent thread on the subject, which covers everything that you need to know about this program:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

The program consists of 2 workouts, with 3 workouts per week:

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing military press
3x5 Power cleans

You train on 3 nonconsecutive days per week.

So week 1 might look like:
Monday - Workout A
Wednesday - Workout B
Friday - Workout A

Week 2:
Monday - Workout B
Wednesday - Workout A
Friday - Workout B

There are also "adjustments" available:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...6&postcount=25

Why is this program so great?
Because it consists of major compound lifts. You do not need to be a powerlifter to use squat, bench and deadlift as your main training lifts: the endocrinal response to heavy squats and deadlifts are the best thing you could ever ask for, whether your goals are strength, or muscle development. Think about it : what will result in the biggest change in body composition? Biceps curls, which work one the smallest muscle in the body, or compound movements which work about every muscle? (this is a rhetoric question).

How do I increase weights?
Rippetoe's program isn't very strict on weekly weight increases (as opposed to Bill Starr's 5x5 below), so you should increase the weights as you see fit, but you should remain conservative, to avoid stalling too quickly. At this point in your strength development, you should learn the proper way to execute the lifts, and you will basically ruin everything if you start using weights that are too heavy.

What do I do when I can't progress anymore?
When you can't progress anymore, you can reset the lifts by lowering the weights used by about 10%. The following post covers the question "should I reset? " : http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...2&postcount=23

Can I reset lifts individually?
Yes, you can reset each lift individually, but if you tend to feel drained/exhausted, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reset all lifts at the same time.

[The_cannibal]

1.2. Bill Starr's 5x5 intermediate:
Bill Starr's Madcow program is the next logical step after "Starting Strength", once you stop making gains from the latter.

There is an excellent writeup found here:
http://stronglifts.com/madcow/index.htm

I think it is worth emphasizing on the following excerpt:

Don't f*ck with this. Every bodybuilder seems to have Attention Deficit Disorder and an overwhelming desire to customize everything. The bottom line is that these are all the most effective exercises and just about anything one does will result in less gains. As a rule those people who want to change it don't know enough to make proper alterations - those who do know enough, don't have much to change. The guy who is responsible for this program is of the best on the planet at bulking lifters and making people stronger. It's kind of like Sesame Street's Elmo offering neurosurgery advice at NYU. Anyway, it's absolutely essential not to screw with the squats, they are the foundation of this program. If you want to sub inclines or push presses for military that's okay. Do not sub machines - don't even think about it, hit yourself with a plate if you must. For arms choose a single biceps and triceps exercise and perform them at the end once per week for 3 sets of whatever - your arms will take a beating from all the pulling and pressing anyway. If you want to chin on Wednesday or do a few sets of pulldowns/ups that's fine (avoid the machines if you can use bodyweight). Core work is always fine. Cardio is fine - interval training is the best for this I'll just throw out. If this is just too much mental strain, take solace in the fact that it's just a few weeks, you'll gain a ton of muscle and strength and then you can spend the next 4 weeks adding the minute detail to refine the gained mass (like most care anyway - I have yet to meet a guy on this board who will trade 20lbs of muscle for a bit of added detail somewhere). In a nutshell, put your trust in some of the better coaches on the planet and enjoy the results.

Why is this program so great?
Squatting 3x a week, benching 2x a week, deadlifting 1x a week. IMO, every intermediate lifter should be on this program. Frequency and volume will allow you to learn the lifts better than anything else: as an intermediate lifter, you do not really need advanced concepts such as conjugate periodisation, you just need to lift a lot, and your body will learn to optimize its motor unit recruitment. Also, the program includes different intensities on the squat on each day. Monday is a volume day, Wednesday is an easy squat day (not an easy day, though, as it includes heavy deadlift), and Friday is a more intense day (you use a 3 rep set with next week's 5 rep lift).

Why is volume so important at this stage of an athlete's development?
I'm a firm believer in volume training. Volume is the base upon which you build everything else in your training.
Imagine a pyramid where the base is made of volume, and the top is made of intensity: if volume isn't present, intensity will crash.
This principle is essential in ALL sports, whether they're strength sports such as powerlifting and weightlifting, or aerobic sports such as xc skiing, cycling and running; only its implementation differ according to the sport. You will not get a second chance at being a beginner, use it wisely.

My friend uses a lower volume routine and still progress much faster than this
I heard this one a lot. Yes, using a high intensity/low volume routine will result in quick increase in strength, but since this intensity is not backed with volume, this individual will also stall much more quickly. Once the progress stops on that routine, it will be hard to "un-stall", whereas the routine with higher volume will result in slower, but more steadily gains over time.

I like to train more often than 3x a week
So do I. That's why I do GPP (General Physical Preparedness) on off days. You can find a lot of info on GPP in this post: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...71&postcount=8. I particularly like this article: http://www.elitefts.com/documents/ge...eparedness.htm.
GPP will increase your work capacity, and will help you recover faster from big workouts.
When you use GPP on off days, you should make sure that your main goal is to enhance recovery, and NOT stack an extra workout in the week. This means it should be fairly easy.

How do I increase weights?
The program recommend using a 2.5% increase each week. You can round the weights up or down if you don't use microloading plates.

What do I do when I can't progress anymore?
When you can't progress anymore, you reset the lifts. This is very easy if you use the Excel file provided at the bottom of the write-up page (http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...diate_v0.3.zip). You simply plug-in your new 5 RM weights into the yellow cells, which will reset all the weights for that lift. This will now result in 3-4 easy weeks.

Can I reset lifts individually?
Yes, you can reset each lift individually, but if you tend to feel drained/exhausted, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reset all lifts at the same time.

Is the program 9 weeks long?
Even though the Excel file has 9 weeks, it doesn't mean the program is over after 9 weeks, the file is simply limited to 9 weeks because of screen width considerations.

Should I take a week off at the end of the program?
No, unless you feel you really need to. Taking an easy week, where you use 60-70% of your normal weights is probably a better idea.

Should I test my maximum lifts at the end of the program?
You can occasionnally test your new 1RMs, but you shouldn't do it too often. This is hard on the nervous system, and will make it harder to maintain a higher volume and frequency.

I've resetted the program quite a few times, and I haven't progressed in a while
You now have a dilemma : do I change my program for an advanced version, or do I keep going? By default, I'll say: keep going with this program. Why? Because as long as you keep doing the lifts, they will end up improving. As long as you reset the lifts when needed, you will not overtrain; in fact, resetting the lifts as needed results in a sort-of periodisation of the intensity. It is also not unheard of to use a 5 lbs increase per week, instead of 2.5% (when a 2.5% increase becomes way more than 5 lbs). Alternatively, you can go on to more advanced programs, as found below, in chapter 2.

[The_cannibal]

1.3 The_cannibal's version of Bill Starr's:
Yes, I dared to improve on Bill Starr's program. Bill Starr added barbell curls and triceps extensions on fridays as a way to accomodate bodybuilders willing to start this program. Well, I firmly believe that weighted chin-ups provide a better load on the biceps than any curling exercises. Therefore, I slightly changed the program like this (using the same reps/sets schemes); changes are in bold:

Monday: squat, bench, bb row, skullcrushers or close grip bench press, weighted hypers and weighted sit-ups.
Wednesday : squat, OH press, deadlift and sit-ups.
Friday : squat, bench, bb row, weighted dips and weighted chin-ups/pull-ups

Notice that I replaced bb curls with chin-ups and pull-ups, and sent triceps extensions (as skullcrushers or CGBP) to Monday.

Questions and answers are the same as in 1.2.

[The_cannibal]

1.4 Jim Wendler's 5/3/1:
I wasn't sure whether to include this program in the intermediate or advanced chapter. After all, Jim Wendler uses this program, and he's far from intermediate. However, Jim is a businessman; he works with Dave Tate, and they are both very busy individuals.

This is where this program gets interesting: it's for people who can't handle higher volume, whether it's because of high stress lifestyles, lack of time, or lack of experience with volume.
In the third case, I would highly recommend that these people switch to a higher volume routine once they get accustomed to the volume of this program.

Bango Skank wrote a very nice writeup on the program here:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=112382761

And an Excel file can be found here:
http://rapidshare.com/files/18129564...-3-1_excel.xls

The good things about this program:
It's periodized, which means you use different percentages and reps/sets schemes every week. This is good to avoid overtraining/exhausting the nervous system.

The things I like a bit less about this program:
If you run this program as intended, that is: 3 days a week, one lift per day; you end up squatting 3 times every 4 weeks... this just isn't optimal for an intermediate lifter. There are ways to increase volume without "breaking" the program, cjdelaney gave nice examples in post #14: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showpo...1&postcount=14

How do I know when to increase weights?
Even though the program doesn't let you max out, there are weeks with 95% intensity, which should give you a pretty good opportunity to know whether or not you should increase the weights.

Should I take weeks off?
As with most other programs, you should rather take a very easy week rather than taking the whole week off, unless you really feel drained and exhausted. This program shouldn't leave you exhausted though, as the intensity is varied throughout the weeks.

[The_cannibal]

2. Advanced programs

2.1 Bill Starr's 5x5 advanced:
This program can be seen as the logical continuity to Bill Starr's 5x5 intermediate. It is based on very similar principles, but it uses non-linear periodisation. In a nutshell, it consists of 4 weeks of a 5x5 rep scheme, followed by 5 weeks of a 3x3 rep scheme (the unloading/intensification phase).

An excellent write-up can be found here:
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...odized_5x5.htm

Is the program 9 weeks long?
Yes, this program is quite different from the intermediate version and really lasts 9 weeks. Once the 9 weeks are over, you can simply reset the program with your new lifts, and do it again.

Should I take a week off at the end of the program?
No, unless you feel you really need to. Taking an easy week, where you use 60-70% of your normal weights is probably a better idea.

[The_cannibal]

2.2 Sheiko:
Sheiko was designed by Boris Sheiko. It is based on Eastern European training philosophies. It is a high volume, low intensity training program.

It is an advanced program, which has been used by some of the best powerlifters in the world. Some of the programs are meant to be used exclusively by lifters who have achieved higher ranks in powerlifting (Candidate to Master of Sports (CMS), Master of Sports (MS), Master of Sport of International Class (MSIC)).

The powerlifting standards for these specifications are as follows (totals, in kilograms):

Weight
Class    MSIC      MS        CMS
  52       480     440       402.5
  56       515     475       425
  60       565     525       475
  67.5     630     570       520
  75       692.5   620       565
  82.5     745     660       602.5
  90       785     692.5     630
  100      820     727.5     660
  110      855     747.5     690
  125      880     767.5     715
  125+     915     787.5     727.5

ChaseT made an Excel spreadsheet which greatly facilitates following a Sheiko program:
http://rapidshare.com/files/17976027...2008.08.25.xls
By the way, if you use this file, ChaseT greatly deserves to be repped for this great work.

There are also 2 Sheiko-type programs found on http://www.joeskopec.com/programs.html. I have also made a spreadsheet for these programs: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...1&d=1224615613

Why are the sets so short (rep-wise)?
The number of reps per sets are somewhat based on Prilipin's table. (http://www.texaspowerscene.com/artic...prilephin.html) It basically allows you to use perfect form and higher speed/power output throughout the reps, thereby increasing the efficiency of the workout. Most people could probably do about 8 reps with 80% of 1RM, yet most sets @80% intensity have only 2 reps. Don't try to do more than 2 reps, as you'll go against the intent of the program.

Why is the intensity so low?
The volume is really high; therefore the only way to handle such a volume (without overtraining) is to use lower intensity.

Why is there push-ups in the program? And seated good mornings?
Push-ups are probably added to the program as recovery exercises... as a way to get the blood flowing without strain. Plus it is a good core exercise, similar to planks.
Seated good mornings would most likely substract the hamstring and glutes from the posterior chain (the hips aren't moving much when seated, so the hip extensors can't do much work), although some people feel it even more in their hamstrings; the result probably depends a lot on one's hip flexibility, as the hamstrings would be in a stretched position when seated.

Should I max at the end of a cycle?
No. It would be better to use cycle #32 (or another competition/peaking cycle) to test maximum lifts.

How do I run multiple consecutive cycles of Sheiko?
Sheiko cycles have periodized volume. There are multiple ways you can 'stack' them.
You could run the same cycle consecutively, as in #29, #29, #29, etc.
Or you can modulate volume by going through different cycles:
- increasing volume for 3 cycles, then a peaking cycle at the end: #29, #37, #40, #32.
- modulating volume up and down, then a peaking cycle: #29, #37, #39, #32
- increasing volume for 3 high volume cycles, then a peaking cycle: #37, #40, #30, #32
- and so on...

What kind of gains should I expect? When should I increase weights?
Sheiko is an advanced program, so it doesn't plan weekly weight increases (as opposed to 5x5, etc.) You can increase weights according to the results you'll see when maxing.

Should I take a week off between cycles?
No. As with most programs, you should only take a week off if you really feel drained/exhausted. A week with low intensity AND low volume should be good enough,

[The_cannibal]

2.3 Westside:
Westside isn't really a training program. It is a suite of ideas, concepts and training philosophies.
It is based on the concept of conjugate[1 2]/concurrent[1 2 3] periodisation. In a nutshell, it means you improve different abilities concurrently (at the same time).

When using Westside methodologies, you rarely train the competition lifts directly; rather you use variations on the lifts that allow you to train your weaknesses. Most beginners are too inexperienced to know their weaknesses and should probably stay away from Westside, in order to optimize their gains.

One of the "trademarks" of Westside is the use of Dynamic effort (DE) days, and the use of chains, bands, etc. Chains and bands are accessories, and are in no way necessary to achieve the goals of Westside. As for DE days, it is based on "static overcome by dynamic": it is a way to increase power output by using lower weights with higher speed; it is a form of concurrent training along with maximum effort training.

The basic Westside template consist of 4 workout per week. A day of maximum effort for lower body lifts ("ME lower"), a day of dynamic effort for lower body lifts ("DE lower"), a day of maximum effort for upper body lifts ("ME upper"), and a day of dynamic effort for upper body lifts ("DE upper"). These days can be scheduled according to one's preference, but 2 ME workouts shouldn't be set on consecutive days.

[The_cannibal]

3. Special programs

3.1 Smolov:
Smolov is typically used for squats, although it can also be used for bench or deadlift.
An excellent writeup can be found here: http://www.dragondoor.com/cgi-bin/ar...3&articleid=80

There's also a different version called "Smolov Jr". It goes like this:
Mon - 6x6 @70%
Wed - 7x5 @75%
Fri - 8x4 @80%
Sat - 10x3@85%

Whichever version you choose, it is an overreaching program. I explained overreaching in this thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=106416741
Basically, it means this is a program designed to make you suffer, so you have to be sure you don't overdo it, else you'll fail at overcompensating during the last week.

What should I use as my max for this program?
It is preferable to not use your absolute true max. You can either: take your real max and subtract 10-20 lbs from it; or, take a max you can hit on any given day (a 1RM for which you don't have to psyche yourself and don't need to feel particularly rested); or, use your current 5RM as the weight you want to hit as the last week's 7 sets of 5 reps, then calculate all other lifts from that weight.

What should I do during the so-called "switching meso-cycle"?
The writeup on dragondoor.com isn't very elaborate on what to do during these 2 weeks. The main goal of this cycle is to recover from the previous 4 weeks, and take the occasion to work on power/speed. Therefore, you should keep everything light, and perform squat jumps, box jumps, explosive box squats (DE); with the exception of negative squats done once or twice a week.

Exploding from the sticking point in the squat is another fine exercise for the switching period. "The motto of the switching program is speed, and speed again," explains S. Smolov. For a change of pace as much as anything else.

Can I continue my usual routine while doing Smolov for squats? Can I run Smolov Jr for bench and Smolov for squat simultaneously?
You shouldn't do much of anything (other than squat) during these 3 weeks. You could hit light bench workouts, but no deadlifts, and no squat assistance. Not that you wouldn't be able to do it, but you wouldn't be able to recover during the last week. Believe me on this: I did Smolov and failed miserably on the 4th week because I did too much assistance during the cycle. It should be obvious that you shouldn't stack 2 Smolov routines, unless your goal is to get much weaker.

[The_cannibal]

3.2 Peaking routines:
A couple of peaking routines are available on the net, notably on www.joeskopec.com/programs.html.

These routine usually start with low intensity, then weights are gradually increased, sometimes "waved/periodized", and you are expected to hit 105% of your previous maximum. They are quite varied, so I won't comment on each one, but those found on joeskopec.com are good programs.

[The_cannibal]

4. Special cases

4.1 Starting weight training:
If you are starting weight training, and are not particularly fit or have never trained before, you shouldn't start Rippetoe's Starting Strength right away. Your tendons/connective tissues couldn't handle a 5RM weight.

You should start the routine with 15 reps per set for 2-3 weeks (10-12 reps/sets for deadlifts and cleans), then 10-12 reps/sets for 2-3 weeks, then 7-8 reps/sets for 2-3 weeks. Then you can move on to 5 reps/sets.

[The_cannibal]

4.2 Post -rehabilitation from injury:
Let's say you had a bad injury and needed to stop training for months: it wouldn't be a bad idea to restart with Bill Starr's 5x5 intermediate, but using 3 sets of 8 reps instead of 5x5, for about 2-3 weeks; for similar reasons as those mentionned in 4.1. You want to make sure your tendons are ready to hit 5RM weights.

[metal-head-]

Great post man, this is exactly what I've needed. I've been on Rippetoe's for almost a year now (and i plant to keep going till the gains dry up) and I've been wondering what's next. Think I'm going to go with bill star's intermediate as i already know the lifts and it's the kind of training i like to do. Cheers, defiantly bookmarked.

[cjdelaney]

The things I like a bit less about this program:
If you run this program as intended, that is: 3 days a week, one lift per day; you end up squatting 3 times every 4 weeks... this just isn't optimal for an intermediate lifter.

^this is a good point.

But I want to point out that in the actual 5/3/1 manual Jim says training 3 or 4 days per week is completely up to the individual, So you can definitely squat heavy 1x per week.

Also, I'm currently front-squatting on my DL days as assistance work, and have toyed with the idea of SSB box squats for higher reps as assistance on DL days. In either of these scenarios I squat 2x per week (one heavy squat session and one lighter squat variation).

It's still not optimal for a true intermediate, but it's possible to manipulate the template a little bit to make it more intermediate-friendly.



Awesome thread is awesome by the way.

[mcfadden47]

great write up brother.

sorry I didn't help with proof-reading

[SoaringSwine]

Awesome. Subbed so I direct noobs here in future!

[SquatzAndPuke]

Well done.

Too bad the noobs aren't gonna bother reading it.

[Mitsuomi]

damn awesome thread! reps brah

this needs to be stickied

[19george]

Well done.

Too bad the noobs aren't gonna bother reading it.

Have faith. I read the stickies when I first came to this section.


Great writeup. Thanks, its good to see that some people with French blood in them actually are actually productive human beings.

[db2000]

damn awesome thread! reps brah

this needs to be stickied

I am going to cut and paste the link when ever a basic question is asked

[holbee]

Just fantastic. A nice, concise, easily understood, well thought out breakdown of all of the major systems.
I'm going to print out the whole thing and keep it in a binder for the gym. Repped and will rep again on recharge (with my whole 82 rep power! lulz).

But in all seriousness, thankyou for the time and effort that you've put into this. THAT'S a great thing to give back to the sport. Good job.

[The_cannibal]

^this is a good point.

But I want to point out that in the actual 5/3/1 manual Jim says training 3 or 4 days per week is completely up to the individual, So you can definitely squat heavy 1x per week.

Also, I'm currently front-squatting on my DL days as assistance work, and have toyed with the idea of SSB box squats for higher reps as assistance on DL days. In either of these scenarios I squat 2x per week (one heavy squat session and one lighter squat variation).

It's still not optimal for a true intermediate, but it's possible to manipulate the template a little bit to make it more intermediate-friendly.

Awesome thread is awesome by the way.

Those are very good points. I'll include them in the post on 5/3/1.

Great post man, this is exactly what I've needed. I've been on Rippetoe's for almost a year now (and i plant to keep going till the gains dry up) and I've been wondering what's next. Think I'm going to go with bill star's intermediate as i already know the lifts and it's the kind of training i like to do. Cheers, defiantly bookmarked.

great write up brother.

sorry I didn't help with proof-reading

Awesome. Subbed so I direct noobs here in future!

Well done.

Too bad the noobs aren't gonna bother reading it.

damn awesome thread! reps brah

this needs to be stickied

Have faith. I read the stickies when I first came to this section.


Great writeup. Thanks, its good to see that some people with French blood in them actually are actually productive human beings.

I am going to cut and paste the link when ever a basic question is asked

Just fantastic. A nice, concise, easily understood, well thought out breakdown of all of the major systems.
I'm going to print out the whole thing and keep it in a binder for the gym. Repped and will rep again on recharge (with my whole 82 rep power! lulz).

But in all seriousness, thankyou for the time and effort that you've put into this. THAT'S a great thing to give back to the sport. Good job.

Thanks everyone.

[LaBamba]

Agreed this is a great post , maybe it should be posted in the workout section also ... >>


All hail cutting while on 5/3/1 [slowly losing fat while increasign strength ]

[Entkommen115]

Awesome thread.

5 stars

[Retardo-pex]

1.4 Jim Wendler's 5/3/1:


This is where this program gets interesting: it's for people who can't handle higher volume, whether it's because of high stress lifestyles, lack of time, or lack of experience with volume.
In the third case, I would highly recommend that these people switch to a higher volume routine once they get accustomed to the volume of this program.

The volume is in the assistance. Sure 3 sets for the main movement seem really low but when you consider you end up doing several reps higher on your last sets, meaning up to 10-12 reps in your first few cycles, and then 5 sets of 10-20 reps on assistance, it ends up feeling like a lot more volume then 5x5 or westside to me.

Great thread though.

[Oroborus]

Would WSFSB come under advanced too?

I've been on 5x5 for 5 weeks now and I'm not sure what to start next (not any time soon, just wondering)

[The_cannibal]

The volume is in the assistance. Sure 3 sets for the main movement seem really low but when you consider you end up doing several reps higher on your last sets, meaning up to 10-12 reps in your first few cycles, and then 5 sets of 10-20 reps on assistance, it ends up feeling like a lot more volume then 5x5 or westside to me.

Great thread though.

Aren't the 10 reps sets at 50% intensity, though? Or is it possible to tweak that a bit? I don't have the manual, so I don't know all the details on the program.

Reps under 60% intensity often do not count towards total volume according to some authors, though.

In either case, I'm not saying that Wendler's 5/3/1 isn't a good program, but I would tend to prefer if intermediate lifters squatted more often than what was prescribed in the template I found (the one in the Excel file).
cjdelaney had very good ideas on how to improve on the program, through assistance exercises, and training 4 times a week.

Would WSFSB come under advanced too?

I've been on 5x5 for 5 weeks now and I'm not sure what to start next (not any time soon, just wondering)

I didn't cover WS4SB in this thread, because I don't know much about it, and I don't know a lot of people using it.

However, from what I know of the program(s), it uses methods that are kind of similar to Westside methods, but with different goals, and is mainly geared towards young and/or inexperienced lifters. So I'd classify it as intermediate.

Also, most of the versions are sports-oriented rather than powerlifting-oriented. It also leaves a lot of room for choice (between different exercises), but a lot of young lifters do not have enough knowledge to pick the exercise that would be most beneficial for their needs. It is probably a pretty good program for someone who'd want to strength train for football, hockey, etc., since it incorporates speed work.

[HumanHorrorFilm]

Cannibal, always amazed at the effort you put into helping people on this site. Well done.

in regards to 5/3/1, your thinking of the Boring but Big Template in which 5x10 is at 50-60%. alternatively, like CJ said, you could go with front squats 5x10-50%-60% on DL days and vice versa with deadlift assistance to get squatting/dl twice a week.,

[Doenitz79]

Cannibal, always amazed at the effort you put into helping people on this site. Well done.

in regards to 5/3/1, your thinking of the Boring but Big Template in which 5x10 is at 50-60%. alternatively, like CJ said, you could go with front squats 5x10-50%-60% on DL days and vice versa with deadlift assistance to get squatting/dl twice a week.,

Actually I am doing FS as assistance on DL day,but I use a moderately heav load-8x3 at around 5RM.

[Flex_Kavana]

Bill starrs 5x5 is something ill go back to when i stall out, honestly BS 5x5 is a solid program and i think all lifters so try it out.