Favorite routine for increasing strength?

[Nsm22]

New here, feeling a little lost. Wondering what is your favorite routine for building strength?

I have looked over a couple routines and I am not sure which one is best for overall body strength. I have always done cardio and weights are a whole new world to me.

I was thinking of doing the 5x5 program is it an ok program for beginners? Also do you do cardio on the in between days? It seems really upper body heavy so I wondered about running on off days.

[Gia85]

I'm currently doing 5x5... I'd highly recommend it for a beginner (or non beginner!). Compound lifts are so important

It's not upper body heavy though... You're squatting three times a week, i's lower body heavy.

[Nsm22]

Oops, for some reason lower body and squats didn't click for me. Thanks for the feedback.

[rdferguson]

There is no best program/routine for overall strength, only one that's best for you at this point in time. Most good strength programs are designed to make the whole body stronger. If a program prioritises building strength in your squats, bench press, deadlift, overhead press, pull ups and rows, it's probably on the right track. I like to take those 6 basic lifts, and spend some timing working in the 10 rep range, then some time working in the 5 rep range. A month or two at 3x10, then a month or 2 at 3x5, rinse and repeat. As a beginner, you'd want a program that basically just has those exercises, and maybe a few isolations. You wouldn't want any other variations of those 6 main lifts unless you have a good reason for it. At an intermediate level, you might start bringing in more variations (eg front squats, power shrugs, close grip bench press, incline bench press etc), but as a total beginner you want to keep at as simple as is practical.

[Nsm22]

Thanks, I decided to go with starting strength and really get form down on the main lifts then add more as I progress.

[sureliftsalot]

GIRL POWER *) i have a personal trainer and we work out 3 days a week, my main focus is upper body strength. I wan to be able to do pull ups, and deadlifts. Working out is fun when u find what u like, i try to finish my work out with 30 min of cardios

[thehobbes]

-Squat heavy
-Bench heavy
-DL heavy
-Row heavy
-OHP heavy
-Eat everything in sight

Works for me