Intermediate Madcow 5x5 for Strength & Mass!

[icebreakeribs]

I've been lifting since January of 2008. I've been doing a typical four or five day split for most of the time, although I've tried Layne Norton's strength-hypertrophy program for a few months last summer. I have switched the types of exercises I've done, the rep scheme, and also have experimented with other program variations. Nothing has given me such a linear progression in terms of strength and mass gains as the Madcow 5x5.

In just over a month these are my approximate lift increases for my 5-rep max:

Squat: +25 (lbs)
Deadlift: +15
Barbell Rows (Yates style): +20
Bench: +10
Military Press: +10

Pictures and bodyweight stats are not updated on my profile. Don't have a scale, but I assume I have put on a moderate amount of weight (not trying to bulk up too fast because I tend to gain too much fat if I do that).

[ajj0034]

nice good progress might have to try to that after my next workout program is done.

[grumble1]

What were the initial weights?

[icebreakeribs]

What were the initial weights?

I'm in Montreal right now, so the weights are in kilos and there are a variety of different numbers (so that's why they translate to numbers not divisible by five). I put my approximate lifts increases in pounds (5-rep max):

Bench: 177 -----> 188
Squat: 226 -----> 254
Deadlift: 298 ----> 316
Yates Row: 205----> 226
Military Press: 138 ----> 149

Yates Rows, i.e. using a less deep stance, has really helped targeted my lats better than using the conventional 45 degree angle. I squat below parallel. I use straps for rows. I use chalk on deadlifts and reset after each rep (no momentum off the floor, but slight pausing at the bottom to reset).