If you had to recommend one lifting routine to a newb what would you recommend?

[AlphaNerd1]

Someone that wants to hit every aspect of their body and get the swolest/strongest possible in shortest amount of time but without making things too complicated with too many different kinds of things where it could be overwhelming or extra things that may be unnecessary?

Also say this person can only go to the gym 3 days per week?

thank you!

[Luca2]

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=162916931

[Shihanlifter]

Jason Blaha's Novice 2.0.

Really all that matters is a balanced arrangement and volume of compounds with a realistic rate of progression. Programming isn't *that* complicated.

[AlphaNerd1]

Thanks for the replies, I will check into those.

But just to be a little bit more descriptive.. (sorry I should had included this in the first post)
I can tell you a few lifts that I know I want to do for sure, which is bench press (either barbell or DB), deadlift, squat, and weighted pullups/dips. So I'd like to fit those in there for sure, but just don't want to have any imbalances and want to make things simple. 3 days a week.

Also I have almost no traps, so maybe need some trap work, and I have a bit of a anterior pelvic tilt and forward head posture so would like to correct those as I like to do a bit of running. (3-5 miles 3 times per week and my posture imbalances are giving me a little trouble)

Thank you!

[SuffolkPunch]

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=162916931

^ This x2

Don't worry too much about individual bodyparts. Most novices just need to improve everything at first, details don't matter (yet). A program like this is designed to do that.

Fierce 5 pays particular attention to structural balance - which is important if you have posture issues.

[AlphaNerd1]

^ This x2

Don't worry too much about individual bodyparts. Most novices just need to improve everything at first, details don't matter (yet). A program like this is designed to do that.

Fierce 5 pays particular attention to structural balance - which is important if you have posture issues.

Better than starting strength?

[Shihanlifter]

Better than starting strength?

IMO, Starting Strength doesn't have enough volume to stimulate optimal gains for a novice lifter. Combining the low volume with the oft-prescribed GOMAD protocol often leaves noobs gaining significantly more body fat than they had intended.

If you only care about strength, SS is fine. But anyone with any sort of physique goal or who wants to achieve maximum size in the shortest possible timeframe should IMO steer clear of it.

[SuffolkPunch]

Better than starting strength?

Yes, in terms of structural balance. As the author said, it is tweaked slightly for a different set of priorities compared to SS.

If you are confused over the whole mass vs. strength and volume required for novices thing, read this:

https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=175493881

[AlphaNerd1]

Thanks for the replies brothers.
Do you think that instead of the machine work for tricep/bicep/back like face pulls, tricep pressdown, lat pulldown/curls I could instead just do lots of volume of weighted dips and weighted pullups/chinups to make things more simple and more full body too?

[Shihanlifter]

Thanks for the replies brothers.
Do you think that instead of the machine work for tricep/bicep/back like face pulls, tricep pressdown, lat pulldown/curls I could instead just do lots of volume of weighted dips and weighted pullups/chinups to make things more simple and more full body too?

Yes x1000.

[SuffolkPunch]

Thanks for the replies brothers.
Do you think that instead of the machine work for tricep/bicep/back like face pulls, tricep pressdown, lat pulldown/curls I could instead just do lots of volume of weighted dips and weighted pullups/chinups to make things more simple and more full body too?

No because you aren't necessarily training the muscles the program designer wanted to target like scapular retraction and external rotation.

Keeping it simple is good in principle but you can't just take a simple idea and run with it. Do the program as written is my advice. That's all I'm going to say, I don't advocate modifications unless you have exceptional reasons for such.

[Shihanlifter]

No because you aren't necessarily training the muscles the program designer wanted to target like scapular retraction and external rotation.

Keeping it simple is good in principle but you can't just take a simple idea and run with it. Do the program as written is my advice. That's all I'm going to say, I don't advocate modifications unless you have exceptional reasons for such.

Oh, I didn't know he was making reference to a written program. My advice in that situation would be to always follow the program exactly as it's written.

If he's talking about doing one or the other though in a general sense, I'd always pick the multi-joint option.

[JCubb12]

I agree. Although your weighted dips/chin ups/pullups are all great, the program has a reason for adding in these lifts. The specific bicep and tricep workouts are necessary to make sure these muscles are optimally stimulated and do not lag behind in the long run. You will only ever be as strong as your weakest link!

[sooby]

IMO, Starting Strength doesn't have enough volume to stimulate optimal gains for a novice lifter. Combining the low volume with the oft-prescribed GOMAD protocol often leaves noobs gaining significantly more body fat than they had intended.

If you only care about strength, SS is fine. But anyone with any sort of physique goal or who wants to achieve maximum size in the shortest possible timeframe should IMO steer clear of it.

you are wrong here

Now I'm not the biggest fan of starting strength but for a novice lifter what constitutes most of what optimal is for a novice lifter is consistency, recovery, nutrition, effort as well as any semblance of progressive overload with a reasonable rep scheme/compound movements. I ran SS and was able to squat 315 for 3, bench 225 once and OHP 1 plate. In 5 months of time. And built quite a bit of muscle in the process.

And GOMAD is not often prescribed either. Even Rip himself explains that it is not for the MAJORITY of lifters. It is only for extremely skinny novices that have trouble eating enough calories by keeping things simple. I know it has become pretty much a meme but saying Rip promotes and prescribes this for lifters in general is a huge misconception. If you get fat it's your own damn fault people should stop blaming the program for their woes.

Physique goals come down to leanness as well as building muscle. Novice programs by design aren't meant to be run for more than 6 months, on average about 3-4 months. If you're in it for maximum size in the shortest possible time you're in it for the wrong reasons because it's a long term game and patience is the name of it. Wanting to gain size in the shortest amount of time is such a short-sighted view. You aren't going to gain that much more size, especially in 4-6 months of lifting. You have your whole life ahead of you to do that.

[Garage Rat]

You might also consider Jim Wendlers "5-3-1 big but boring program".
Do a search.
I mentioned the 5-3-1 on another thread only because it's simple to follow.
This is a version of that program for someone who wants to get stronger and grow.
It uses very basic lifts as you mentioned above.

[WapanCakes]

Someone that wants to hit every aspect of their body and get the swolest/strongest possible in shortest amount of time but without making things too complicated with too many different kinds of things where it could be overwhelming or extra things that may be unnecessary?

Also say this person can only go to the gym 3 days per week?

thank you!

AllPros is a little more bodybuilding focused. You can get big for sure if you run it properly.

It terms of strength, GreySkull would be a great choice. Fierce 5 is good but I don't like how it doesn't have deadlifts in the vanilla setup.

For size AND Strength, look up the Reddit PPL. It's 6x a week but it is pretty fun. A lot of noobs done that and made great progress (this is more popular on Reddit).

[Shihanlifter]

you are wrong here

Now I'm not the biggest fan of starting strength but for a novice lifter what constitutes most of what optimal is for a novice lifter is consistency, recovery, nutrition, effort as well as any semblance of progressive overload with a reasonable rep scheme/compound movements. I ran SS and was able to squat 315 for 3, bench 225 once and OHP 1 plate. In 5 months of time. And built quite a bit of muscle in the process.

And GOMAD is not often prescribed either. Even Rip himself explains that it is not for the MAJORITY of lifters. It is only for extremely skinny novices that have trouble eating enough calories by keeping things simple. I know it has become pretty much a meme but saying Rip promotes and prescribes this for lifters in general is a huge misconception. If you get fat it's your own damn fault people should stop blaming the program for their woes.

Physique goals come down to leanness as well as building muscle. Novice programs by design aren't meant to be run for more than 6 months, on average about 3-4 months. If you're in it for maximum size in the shortest possible time you're in it for the wrong reasons because it's a long term game and patience is the name of it. Wanting to gain size in the shortest amount of time is such a short-sighted view. You aren't going to gain that much more size, especially in 4-6 months of lifting. You have your whole life ahead of you to do that.

Fair argument. The simplicity of SS is great for getting noobs to ease into lifting and it's time-proven for building strength. I just don't believe it's the best option for noobs who are interested in hypertrophy. However, if it's only being run for a few months I understand it's not a big deal.

The GOMAD is liable to make anyone fat though, skinny or not. It's too many extra calories for the program. I could see half GOMAD working reasonably well for stubborn noobs who don't know how to consistently eat in a caloric surplus.