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  1. #1
    Registered User bigsteve0506's Avatar
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    5x5, 8x3 Workout Routine?

    Hi! I know do a search. BUT..... I still cant find anything that concerns what I am looking for. Ok... I have been working out /w weights for a year now. And I have noticed gains in strength and size. I was told recently that I am doing exercises that are a "WASTE of Time". Here is an example of my 3 day workout routine. As follows:
    Day 1.Chest and Arms
    Flat Bench Press 4x10 adding weight each set.
    Inclined Benchpress same as flat.

    Bicep Barbell Curls 4x10
    Close Grip Bench Press
    Dumbbell curls 4x10
    Dips 4x10

    Day 2 Legs & Shoulders
    Squats 4x10 adding weight each set.
    Deadlifts 4x10
    Leg Extension
    Leg Curls 4x10
    Military press Barbell 4x10 same as above
    Military Dumbbell Presses 4x10

    Day 3. Back
    Deadlifts 4x10
    Bent Over Rows 4x10
    Upright Rows 4x10

    ok... with that all settled. I was told to Bump the following and start doing this.

    Day 1 Chest
    Flat and Incline 5x5, 6x6, etc
    Biceps 8x3
    Triceps 8x3

    Day 2 Legs
    Squats 5x5, etc
    Deadlifts 5x5 etc.
    Bump the rest.

    Day3 Rest

    Day 4 Back
    Deadlift 5x5, etc
    BentOver Rows 5x5, etc
    Arms again 8x3

    I'm trying to build strength and mass. So... What do you think?

    ps
    I performed the 5x5 on Chest day and didnt get sore period.
    BIGSTEVE0506
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  2. #2
    Registered User pastorgbc's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by bigsteve0506 View Post
    Hi! I know do a search. BUT..... I still cant find anything that concerns what I am looking for. Ok... I have been working out /w weights for a year now. And I have noticed gains in strength and size. I was told recently that I am doing exercises that are a "WASTE of Time". Here is an example of my 3 day workout routine. As follows:
    Day 1.Chest and Arms
    Flat Bench Press 4x10 adding weight each set.
    Inclined Benchpress same as flat.

    Bicep Barbell Curls 4x10
    Close Grip Bench Press
    Dumbbell curls 4x10
    Dips 4x10

    Day 2 Legs & Shoulders
    Squats 4x10 adding weight each set.
    Deadlifts 4x10
    Leg Extension
    Leg Curls 4x10
    Military press Barbell 4x10 same as above
    Military Dumbbell Presses 4x10

    Day 3. Back
    Deadlifts 4x10
    Bent Over Rows 4x10
    Upright Rows 4x10

    ok... with that all settled. I was told to Bump the following and start doing this.

    Day 1 Chest
    Flat and Incline 5x5, 6x6, etc
    Biceps 8x3
    Triceps 8x3

    Day 2 Legs
    Squats 5x5, etc
    Deadlifts 5x5 etc.
    Bump the rest.

    Day3 Rest

    Day 4 Back
    Deadlift 5x5, etc
    BentOver Rows 5x5, etc
    Arms again 8x3

    I'm trying to build strength and mass. So... What do you think?

    ps
    I performed the 5x5 on Chest day and didnt get sore period.
    Hey Big Steve,

    The workout you were doing was not a waste of time. Whoever told you that is harshly opinionated in the best case, and rude and misinformed in the worst case.

    Having said that, it is good to change your routine and try different things. If you are looking to gain size and strength, a 5x5 program is a very good one to do. I do not like the 8x3 for the arms. I think you would be better served doing less sets for more reps.

    If you are doing a 5x5, I would advise staying at those sets and reps on your compound movements (bench press, incline bench, squats, deads, bent over rows) for about 8-12 weeks. What you can do is move up in weight when you feel you have mastered your last set of 5x5 for a given workout.

    On Day 2, you say "bump the rest". I do not know what that means. Also: you may want to add a shoulder exercise to your workout.

    Good luck and keep working hard.

    Ray
    Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven... so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matt. 6: 1-4
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  3. #3
    Registered User bigsteve0506's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by pastorgbc View Post
    Hey Big Steve,

    On Day 2, you say "bump the rest". I do not know what that means. Also: you may want to add a shoulder exercise to your workout.

    Good luck and keep working hard.

    Ray
    "Bump the rest" means stop doing them. "Waste of Time". (Leg Extension, Leg Curls, etc)
    BIGSTEVE0506
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  4. #4
    yay riding bikes kethnaab's Avatar
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    WTF?

    Okay, it seems like you had a reasonable training program beforehand. A bit repetitious in some cases, but nothing major.

    What it was replaced with is not a 5x5 workout at all (googe 'madcow 5x5 intermediate')
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  5. #5
    In Ferum Veritas jude-o's Avatar
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    Judging by the volume (how many reps you're getting per muscle group) I'd say you aren't lifting heavy enough weights. However, that could also be a reflection of different goals; I believe in lifting for power.

    How do you feel when you get to the last rep of your last set? Somewhat tired? Utterly spent?

    You suggest a 5x5 of squatting followed by a 5x5 of deadlifting on the same day. If you're lifting a decent weight, that shouldn't be possible. Either one (25 reps total of heavy squats or deads) will do a number on your legs/hips; you shouldn't be able to do both in one session.


    There are as many perspectives as people, without one way necessarily being better than the next, but if I were to suggest a basic power-oriented workout I'd probably go with something like this (warmup sets not included):

    A:

    5x5 DEEP squats
    5x5 bent over barbell rows
    5x5 pullups (weighted if necessary) or cable pulldowns

    B:

    5x5 Bench press (barbell or dumbbell, whichever you prefer.)
    5x5 Military press or shoulder press
    5x1 Deadlift (you don't really do 'sets' of deadlifts; put it down each time.)

    Take at least one day between workouts, probably two after a 5x5 squat day (but you can play it by ear, if you feel up to it, go for it.)

    Your first thought is probably that this is terribly simple...and indeed it is. You'll notice that there's no bicep work at all. That's because you'll catch the biceps pretty well from the rows, chinups/pulldowns and deadlifts anyway. That said, you can certainly add more bicep/tricep work if you wish.

    Regardless of the details of which exercises you choose, the key to building strength is to lift near the limits of your strength. A 5x5 means you pick a weight that you can't cleanly lift more than 5-6 times, not that you simply do fewer reps of the same weight you can lift 3x10. A 5x5 of squatting with appropriately heavy weights is a brutal workout.

    Of course, part of that strategy of lifting near your limits is that you're going to have to regularly increase the weight. Keep testing your own limits by increasing the weight and seeing if you can still get 5+ clean reps with it.
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  6. #6
    Registered User Lat-eralus's Avatar
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    8x3 for arms? I would suggest that you stick with the workout you had or switch to a true 5X5 program. Search this site or do the search kethnaab suggests for 5X5. It is a great program.
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  7. #7
    333...I am only half evil Fritobandito's Avatar
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    I like your original workout much better. It is not to aweful different from what I do. I would do deads only once a week and definitly not on consecutive days, but other than that just keep the original and focus on adding more weight each week. If you want a change of pace then a true 5x5 can be very productive, but as kethnaab said search for an example of a true 5x5.

    -Fritobandito
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