Beginner Powerbuilding Routine

[Pungiish]

Going to start this routine, time to get my lifts up. Thanks for making it

[TTSBaseball]

Starting this today. 2 weeks into my lifting career/starting numbers: 135x5 Bench, 235x4 and 185x12 Squat, 345x2 Deadlift @160lbs
I'll track progress and won't deviate from the program. Thanks for sharing this resource grouchy.

[SilentV]

Old but informative thread! It was interesting to read it. Thanks to OP!

[antone315]

Still loves this routine and till making progress...best routine I have run on these forums for myself...Grouchy you going to come out with another full body or 4day split?

[grouchyjarhead]

Still loves this routine and till making progress...best routine I have run on these forums for myself...Grouchy you going to come out with another full body or 4day split?

Glad to hear! I have an upper/lower I'm looking for some more intermediate lifters to try it out. Unfortunately anyone who would be eligible for it that I know is mostly all on the Tactical Barbell train thanks to me and don't want to switch. I'd really like to give it a test run with a few people before sharing it though.

[rpedrosb]

Glad to hear! I have an upper/lower I'm looking for some more intermediate lifters to try it out. Unfortunately anyone who would be eligible for it that I know is mostly all on the Tactical Barbell train thanks to me and don't want to switch. I'd really like to give it a test run with a few people before sharing it though.

I guess some of us here would be happy to try it. In my case, right now I'm making good progress with the beginner routine and I want to keep doing it. Besides, testing a routine requires great consistency which many of us here may not have, specialy when talking communication via internet.

[antone315]

Glad to hear! I have an upper/lower I'm looking for some more intermediate lifters to try it out. Unfortunately anyone who would be eligible for it that I know is mostly all on the Tactical Barbell train thanks to me and don't want to switch. I'd really like to give it a test run with a few people before sharing it though.

Give me a couple more weeks with this and I'll test run it or you...I do have a home gym so I might limited with your routine

[Dralnor]

What do you consider an intermediate lifter? Depending of it I may try to test your new routine.

[grouchyjarhead]

What do you consider an intermediate lifter? Depending of it I may try to test your new routine.

If you're at the point where you cannot add weight on a regular basis then you're at the intermediate level. If you're still in the early stages and use this approach, you won't get as much improvement as you would from this beginner template. The intermediate U/L should be for someone who struggles to add weight every week even with deloads.

[TheHaddadz]

I can only do 1 chin-up with my body weight... I have an assisted chin-up machine at my gym but how would i progress? Also, would there be a variation of weighted chin-ups as i progress?

Any feedback would be helpful, THANK YOU!!!

[grouchyjarhead]

I can only do 1 chin-up with my body weight... I have an assisted chin-up machine at my gym but how would i progress? Also, would there be a variation of weighted chin-ups as i progress?

Any feedback would be helpful, THANK YOU!!!

Try a rep goal for chin-ups instead of the rep ranges above. Shoot for 5 to start and do as many sets as it takes to get 5 total reps. Once you can hit 5 reps in two sets, bump it up to 10 reps and continue.

[Hillsy89]

Hi grouchy,

Due to time constraints I have been looking for a power building workout that I can run twice a week for the next 4-5 months.

I love this write up, and wanted your opinion on a two day a week intermediate version:

A:
Squat
Bench
Parallel row
Same as your rep scheme
SLDL (to get a lighter DL variation on non DL days)
3*10
Skull crusher's "E'ry dates arm daye"
3*10

B:
Deadlift
OHP
Same as your rep scheme

Hack squat (to get a squat variation on DL day)
3*10
Calf raise
3*10
Pullup - no lat pulldown
3*10

Same progress as yours should last me 4 months when I can only lift 2* per week. I know people hate it when programme are messed with. But your input on twice a week power building would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[rpedrosb]

Hi grouchy,

I've been doing the routine for a couple months now, and I'm very satisfied with the results, specially in strength.

I've read a lot about how hypertrophy results are directly proportional to volume, so I'd like to add a little more volume to the routine, and equally in all muscle groups, what would you recommend?

[grouchyjarhead]

Hi grouchy,

Due to time constraints I have been looking for a power building workout that I can run twice a week for the next 4-5 months.

I love this write up, and wanted your opinion on a two day a week intermediate version:

If you're an intermediate lifter, you can't progress with linear progression. Looking at your All Pros number, you still have a lot of potential to gain off of linear progression. Just run the program A-B for now, give it a few months and then you can look at adding in extra work.

[grouchyjarhead]

Hi grouchy,

I've been doing the routine for a couple months now, and I'm very satisfied with the results, specially in strength.

I've read a lot about how hypertrophy results are directly proportional to volume, so I'd like to add a little more volume to the routine, and equally in all muscle groups, what would you recommend?

Adding too much volume will end up being too much work, but you're at the point where you can begin focusing on key areas. So if you want a bit more leg work, you could throw in leg presses on deadlift days and RDLs on squat days. For arms, EZ-bar curls and skullcrushers. For extra chest work, dips and DB flyes. 3 sets of 10 reps is still pretty ideal for most purposes in this sense, and adding just one to the end of each workout will be plenty.

[rpedrosb]

Adding too much volume will end up being too much work, but you're at the point where you can begin focusing on key areas. So if you want a bit more leg work, you could throw in leg presses on deadlift days and RDLs on squat days. For arms, EZ-bar curls and skullcrushers. For extra chest work, dips and DB flyes. 3 sets of 10 reps is still pretty ideal for most purposes in this sense, and adding just one to the end of each workout will be plenty.

And wouldn't it be better to mantain the push/pull ratio if adding extra chest work?

[grouchyjarhead]

And wouldn't it be better to mantain the push/pull ratio if adding extra chest work?

It's short term and it's still very close to 1:1. Adding some face pulls couldn't hurt but aren't necessary. If you added one extra chest exercise for 3 sets on each day, you'd have 7 sets of pushes and presses on Workout A and 7:5 on Workout B. Add in some extra one arm row sets to make it even if you wish.

[Hillsy89]

If you're an intermediate lifter, you can't progress with linear progression. Looking at your All Pros number, you still have a lot of potential to gain off of linear progression. Just run the program A-B for now, give it a few months and then you can look at adding in extra work.

Thanks for the input, I'm comparing the beginner/intermediate thing to my bodyweight (Which is wrong on here). But I do agree, I am still making progress using linear progression, I will run this program A-B until I stall and then revisit my workload.

again, great routine. Will rep when I can.

[MacMcCarty]

Matt/Janae lolol!

[JohnTorgerson]

Hey, I'm a beginner in this field. I don't know what exercise or what kind of weight lift I need to use. My body is very skinny. I want to gain weight but need to look handsome. So please suggest me some kind exercise that I can prefer.

[grouchyjarhead]

Hey, I'm a beginner in this field. I don't know what exercise or what kind of weight lift I need to use. My body is very skinny. I want to gain weight but need to look handsome. So please suggest me some kind exercise that I can prefer.

In the main thread there is references to how to pick your starting weights.

[TheHaddadz]

Try a rep goal for chin-ups instead of the rep ranges above. Shoot for 5 to start and do as many sets as it takes to get 5 total reps. Once you can hit 5 reps in two sets, bump it up to 10 reps and continue.

On an assisted chin-up machine, I started with 30 pounds of weight (helping me push up) and was able to perform 5 reps for 3 sets... Now with the same weight I can do 11 reps for 2 sets and 9 reps for 1 set. Would I reduce the weight (20/25 pounds) and work my way up in reps like before?? Or should I aim for a higher rep count with the same weight?

I'm a little confused, so any feedback helps. Thanks again!

[Adjust91]

Definitely want to try this, I only have 2 issues... Lat pulldown and chin ups..

Chin ups, I workout at home... I've tried these on my squat rack with the bar resting on it but it's fairly wobbly, other than that it's a 5 min walk to the park to do it on a climbing frame... Which option do I do? Or can I sub it for something?

Lat pull down, again working from home so nothing to do this on... Could I sub it for tbar rows?

[grouchyjarhead]

On an assisted chin-up machine, I started with 30 pounds of weight (helping me push up) and was able to perform 5 reps for 3 sets... Now with the same weight I can do 11 reps for 2 sets and 9 reps for 1 set. Would I reduce the weight (20/25 pounds) and work my way up in reps like before?? Or should I aim for a higher rep count with the same weight?

I'm a little confused, so any feedback helps. Thanks again!

If you're using an assisted chin-up machine, I would keep working 3x5 but reduce the weight each time until you're able to do 3 sets of 5 reps with no assistance.

[grouchyjarhead]

Definitely want to try this, I only have 2 issues... Lat pulldown and chin ups..

Chin ups, I workout at home... I've tried these on my squat rack with the bar resting on it but it's fairly wobbly, other than that it's a 5 min walk to the park to do it on a climbing frame... Which option do I do? Or can I sub it for something?

Lat pull down, again working from home so nothing to do this on... Could I sub it for tbar rows?

Since it's at the end of your workout, just take the quick walk and crank them out at the park would be my recommendation.

[Adjust91]

Since it's at the end of your workout, just take the quick walk and crank them out at the park would be my recommendation.

cheers mate, walk could turn into a nice stretch too! Think I'll take a hit and get one of those pull up bars for doors for when its a bit rainy!! Getting a new house soon with a garage and have permission from the missus to make it a gym so I'll get a wall mounted bar at some point.

[aci150]

I just finished the first week of this program and really enjoy it so far. Its a nice bump up in volume and rep range coming from Starting Strength. My only question so far is about the Chin up progression. I understand the Kroc row progression works by moving up in dumbell weight once you hit 20 reps. but what about the Chins? Do i wait until I am doing sets of 20 pullups (not likely?)?. For example: Monday I did three sets and pulled out 8, 7, and 5 reps. Today I did them again and hit 8, 8, and 7. Should I start adding weight with a belt? What have you guys been doing for this? Thanks for everyones input so far.

[grouchyjarhead]

You can go about chin-ups with two different ways. Some people respond better to one over the other, so I'd urge trying the one you haven't done before or the one you like less.

One is rep goals. Set a number of reps you want to shoot for (say 20 reps). Your goal is to get that in as few sets as possible. Once you can hit that goal in two sets, you bump it up by 5 (now the rep goal is 25 reps).

The other would be weighted pull-ups. 3 work sets of 5, linear progression style would be ideal.

[WeightRammer]

Hello there grouchy, I just absolutely love this thread! This is literally the first time I am posting here because I really want to give this programme a try because of its evident effective and efficient features. The write-up is just beautiful and easy to understand. I started lifting late 2014 and have been going to the gym consistently for the past 25 months or so with few breaks of 2 weeks at the most here and there. I am going to give you a quick background of my time in lifting so far so that it will be easier for you to answer some quick questions I would like to ask.

I didn't go through intense weight training sessions until late 2015, in which some lifter friends introduced me to a homemade "powerbuilding" routine they were following routinely. Prior to that, I was following a routine in which I did separate body parts on different days, for an instance, Chest on Mondays and Biceps w/ Triceps on Wednesdays and such. The routine aforementioned in the beginning of this para which I have been following since proved effective as I did gain some mass as my weight went up from 62-64kg to 75kgs or so in about 10 months. At my heaviest I weighed at approximately 77kg, which was just about 2 months ago. I missed some lifting days in the past couple of months due to motivation issues due to personal reasons and currently weigh approximately 74.5kg. Please note that whilst I was at my heaviest, I had gained a considerable amount of fat in my waist area and that the fat percentage and lean mass amount must have been somewhat balanced or close with each other. Your programme has made me really interested in following through as it covers my long term goals of gaining mass and strength simultaneously. I am still fairly weak, especially my squat and bench despite having been lifting for well over 2.5 years or so.

Firstly, I would like to know whether I fit in the beginner or the intermediate category based on my 1RM lifts of the compound movements.

Deadlift: 150KGs (330p)

Squat: 110KGs (242p) (90KG working set)

Bench: 80KGs (176p) (60KG working set)

My body stats:

Roughly 5"9-5"11
Current Weight: 74.5kgs
Age:19 years old

Do you think that the programme is ideal for me?

If so, I am a highly motivated person and I have been consistent with my current routine so far. Thus, if you are still looking for people to test run the programme, I am more than willing to give it a try because I am not satisfied with my lifts whatsoever nor my size and would like to grow in size and strength as efficiently and effectively as possible. Moreover, I have no interest in competing whatsoever. If not, how should I proceed?

[grouchyjarhead]

Thanks WeightRammer. I think considering your 1RMs you might be able to milk a bit more from linear progression considering your numbers and body weight. You would be fine running this beginner program. If you find you keep deloading more than progressing, or that you constantly wave between two numbers more than 2-3 times then you would be a good candidate for the more intermediate U/L version I'm looking to test.