Should I skip to the 5x5 madcow intermediate?

[pHEnomIC]

Ive been lifting seriously for over a year now and Ive gotten the bodybuilding gains ive wanted, now i want to get my strength goals. I researched rippetoe's but it seems a bit light for me even with the 3x5 at a respectable weight, i would have way more in me. I have a 5 day workout right now and I think i should probably concentrate on a strength geared workout/2 day split.

I am 6'2, 200 lbs,
Current - Goal by Xmas
Bench 230 - 300
Squat 350 - 400
Deadlift 410 - 450
C&J ? - 225

Ive put on 25 lbs in the past year of lean mass and all my lifts went up but stuff is plateuing and i dont think my routine is optimal for strength anymore.

[SHOWTIME]

Dude do what you want to do. Do what works for you if you can put on 25lbs lean muscle mass a year dont change anything stick with it dude. theres alot of workouts here

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/workoutdatabase.htm

[Get er Done]

Go for it. I did it and it worked

[jmr41670]

It is totally different then a bb routine. You aren't going to leave the gym all pumped up, but once you start getting into the groove of setting PR's every week, trust me the routine will take its toll on you.

I have been doing a version of the intermediate routine for a little less then a year now. Strength gains are rediculous, and literally put on way more mass then I ever did trying a bb routine.

I say give her a go, if you aren't used to DL, Sq, and Bench for big weights it will challenge you for sure. Plus it is a lot more fun than a bb routine as like I said, you get to a point where you are breaking PR's every week.

P.S. THe intermediate is set up for constant gains which I bet if you started doing high weights for 5 reps you would continually make gains for weeks/months. The advanced is set up for experienced lifters that have reached a level where small gains are difficult to come by.

I'd give it a go.

[pHEnomIC]

Alright then, im getting my tonsils out in a couple days, once i am clear to eat and workout and eat real food im gonna do the intermediate.

[HotPocket]

I've made better gains with the intermediate in a couple weeks, than I made with a mass program.

[pHEnomIC]

Awesome, do you think my progress goals are attainable by xmas: (1rms btw) Assuming diet and everything is in check (Ive had very good luck with mass gains so i would think that stuff is pretty close to correct)

current - goal
Bench 230 - 300
Squat 350 - 400
Deadlift 410 - 450
C&J ? - 225

[GoJu]

Awesome, do you think my progress goals are attainable by xmas: (1rms btw) Assuming diet and everything is in check (Ive had very good luck with mass gains)

current - goal
Bench 230 - 300
Squat 350 - 400
Deadlift 410 - 450
C&J ? - 225

hmmm, well it would depend on the person man, I've seen people run the cycle for as much as 16 weeks, that's a LONG time, I stalled out at 10 weeks so I stopped it there, while I'm hoping for 300 myself come Christmass 70lbs is a lot just from one routine, if you're gonna run 5 x 5 for with those numbers I would expect anywhere around a 250 bench, a 380 squat and a 450 dead looks possible at the least shoot for #'s around those first and then worry about the rest, also you don't clean and jerk on bill starr's you do power cleans and you can do push presses from the rack alone but they're done on a seperate day.

it's a great routine and if you're conditioned to squatting, pressing, and some sort of pulling 3x a week than you'll be good to go!