Which lifting program is the best for you?

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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    mom23mangos wrote: »
    Yes @TresaAswegan, that's correct! Trying to find a program I will enjoy that fits in with my time constraints. I'm aware I need to stick with something for 3-4 months to progress. Hoping to find something soon. Sounds like 5/3/1 is a definite possibility! Thanks for the feedback!

    I would definitely suggest 531 too. Wendlers mentality if you struggle for time, get in... do the primary lifts and then do whatever you can after that in the time allowed. After that, *kitten* it and leave.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    Bumpin for the newbs
  • Bones2Toned
    Bones2Toned Posts: 73 Member
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    Great links! I'll try these soon!
  • laughingreddog
    laughingreddog Posts: 1 Member
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    bumping
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Bump, so it's easier to find.
  • worldlymaret
    worldlymaret Posts: 20 Member
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    I'm currently at the end of stage 1 of NROLFW. I simply do it at home, with dumbells and barbell - seems to be going well so far and I make it work for me! Having never done anything with weights before, I've kept it up so far!
  • kbshuler1
    kbshuler1 Posts: 5 Member
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    I live in a very rural area with no gym. Which beginner program would be best without a huge investment in equipment?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    kbshuler1 wrote: »
    I live in a very rural area with no gym. Which beginner program would be best without a huge investment in equipment?

    You can start with a body weight program and then transition to a dumbbell program. You can also look at something like Selecttech dumbbells to start with.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Since many people either want to do machines, or only have access to them, perhaps Lyle McDonald's Basic Machine Program could be added?

    For people who are intimidated by the gym atmosphere, it may be a good way to get them acclimated and comfortable about some form of strength/resistance training.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    TR0berts wrote: »
    Since many people either want to do machines, or only have access to them, perhaps Lyle McDonald's Basic Machine Program could be added?

    For people who are intimidated by the gym atmosphere, it may be a good way to get them acclimated and comfortable about some form of strength/resistance training.

    haha, I was just looking at this. I saw that you posted it in another post. Thanks. I will add this to the list. Lyle is legit.
  • GoldenSnidget
    GoldenSnidget Posts: 11 Member
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    I'm in week 2 of Bodytech's Rise and Grind. I downloaded the app and it's great. It's a beginner program, but I couldn't complete the leg day. I really enjoy it and recommend it!
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
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    @psuLemon or anyone else with an opinion. I have been running SS for about 3 months. Now that I'm lifting heavier I'm having recovery issues with squats. I am on week two of a break, but plan on de-loading and starting back up next week. Any suggestions for modifications to allow for proper recovery? I've considered two days , but would still like to do each press more than once a week. I could probably BP and Press both days, but time is tight at the gym right now, so I was considering a possible 4 day split, maybe Squat Press Monday & Thursday , BP PC Tuesday, BP DL Friday and then maybe some accessory lifts as time allows. Any other suggestions? A HLM squat schedule perhaps. I enjoy the simplicity of the program plus I have the app for easy tracking, so I would like to keep running it until I exhaust my LPGA and need an intermediate program.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    BrianKMcFalls wrote: »
    @psuLemon or anyone else with an opinion. I have been running SS for about 3 months. Now that I'm lifting heavier I'm having recovery issues with squats. I am on week two of a break, but plan on de-loading and starting back up next week. Any suggestions for modifications to allow for proper recovery? I've considered two days , but would still like to do each press more than once a week. I could probably BP and Press both days, but time is tight at the gym right now, so I was considering a possible 4 day split, maybe Squat Press Monday & Thursday , BP PC Tuesday, BP DL Friday and then maybe some accessory lifts as time allows. Any other suggestions? A HLM squat schedule perhaps. I enjoy the simplicity of the program plus I have the app for easy tracking, so I would like to keep running it until I exhaust my LPGA and need an intermediate program.

    You pretty much nailed the options down; you can do a HLM (although, I would medium/low/heavy to allow for 2 recovery days post heavy) schedule where you vary between 50 and 85% of your 1RM or you can move to a split so you only work legs 2x a week (this is what I had to do because 3x a week was too much for me).

    I know @SideSteel has mentioned before about taking a 3x a week program and making it into a 4x a week program, but I would defer to his expertise on how to do so.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    BrianKMcFalls wrote: »
    @psuLemon or anyone else with an opinion. I have been running SS for about 3 months. Now that I'm lifting heavier I'm having recovery issues with squats. I am on week two of a break, but plan on de-loading and starting back up next week. Any suggestions for modifications to allow for proper recovery? I've considered two days , but would still like to do each press more than once a week. I could probably BP and Press both days, but time is tight at the gym right now, so I was considering a possible 4 day split, maybe Squat Press Monday & Thursday , BP PC Tuesday, BP DL Friday and then maybe some accessory lifts as time allows. Any other suggestions? A HLM squat schedule perhaps. I enjoy the simplicity of the program plus I have the app for easy tracking, so I would like to keep running it until I exhaust my LPGA and need an intermediate program.

    Have you looked into running Madcow as an alternative?
  • BrianKMcFalls
    BrianKMcFalls Posts: 190 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    BrianKMcFalls wrote: »
    @psuLemon or anyone else with an opinion. I have been running SS for about 3 months. Now that I'm lifting heavier I'm having recovery issues with squats. I am on week two of a break, but plan on de-loading and starting back up next week. Any suggestions for modifications to allow for proper recovery? I've considered two days , but would still like to do each press more than once a week. I could probably BP and Press both days, but time is tight at the gym right now, so I was considering a possible 4 day split, maybe Squat Press Monday & Thursday , BP PC Tuesday, BP DL Friday and then maybe some accessory lifts as time allows. Any other suggestions? A HLM squat schedule perhaps. I enjoy the simplicity of the program plus I have the app for easy tracking, so I would like to keep running it until I exhaust my LPGA and need an intermediate program.

    Have you looked into running Madcow as an alternative?

    I had considered it as an option when I transition to an intermediate program, but thought I probably have plenty of gains left just running a straight LP on the other 3 main lifts. Any suggestions for accessory lifts, chin ups are the only thing recommended.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    BrianKMcFalls wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    BrianKMcFalls wrote: »
    @psuLemon or anyone else with an opinion. I have been running SS for about 3 months. Now that I'm lifting heavier I'm having recovery issues with squats. I am on week two of a break, but plan on de-loading and starting back up next week. Any suggestions for modifications to allow for proper recovery? I've considered two days , but would still like to do each press more than once a week. I could probably BP and Press both days, but time is tight at the gym right now, so I was considering a possible 4 day split, maybe Squat Press Monday & Thursday , BP PC Tuesday, BP DL Friday and then maybe some accessory lifts as time allows. Any other suggestions? A HLM squat schedule perhaps. I enjoy the simplicity of the program plus I have the app for easy tracking, so I would like to keep running it until I exhaust my LPGA and need an intermediate program.

    Have you looked into running Madcow as an alternative?

    I had considered it as an option when I transition to an intermediate program, but thought I probably have plenty of gains left just running a straight LP on the other 3 main lifts. Any suggestions for accessory lifts, chin ups are the only thing recommended.

    I see two options right off the top of my head:

    1: Run SS as is, except run your squats on the Madcow progression - so you'll still do squats 3x/week, but the first day will be 1x5, day 2 will be basically just warmups, and the third day will be 1x3 at a heavier weight than your 1x5 day.

    2: Run SS for everything else, but use 5/3/1 (or GZCL or some other intermediate programming) for your squats. You could either just squat 1x per week, or have the normal 5/3/1 heavy squats one day, with a lighter-weight, higher-volume (like BBB, 3-5x8-12) day on day 3.

    There are plenty of other options, but those seemed like the two most obvious things - like I said, off the top of my head.
  • AigreDoux
    AigreDoux Posts: 594 Member
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    Any feedback on The Strength Athlete 9 week intermediate program?
    http://thestrengthathlete.com/freebies/
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    AigreDoux wrote: »
    Any feedback on The Strength Athlete 9 week intermediate program?
    http://thestrengthathlete.com/freebies/

    It looks fairly straightforward as far as giving explaination about how to run the program. Lots of info about RPE. (Personally I think it can still take some time to truly understand the RPE system, even though they gave a very thourough explaination. By that I just mean you'll learn it over time through familiarity with the lifts.)
    It's definetly geared towards an intermediate lifter.
    If you haven't exhausted your linear gains yet I would look into something like that first. (I would consider intermediate to be several years of strength training/not able to improve linearly any more.)
  • AigreDoux
    AigreDoux Posts: 594 Member
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    TresaAswegan wrote: »
    AigreDoux wrote: »
    Any feedback on The Strength Athlete 9 week intermediate program?
    http://thestrengthathlete.com/freebies/

    It looks fairly straightforward as far as giving explaination about how to run the program. Lots of info about RPE. (Personally I think it can still take some time to truly understand the RPE system, even though they gave a very thourough explaination. By that I just mean you'll learn it over time through familiarity with the lifts.)
    It's definetly geared towards an intermediate lifter.
    If you haven't exhausted your linear gains yet I would look into something like that first. (I would consider intermediate to be several years of strength training/not able to improve linearly any more.)

    Hmm, not sure how to tell if I have exhausted linear gains or not. I have been lifting 1.25 years, but all gains have been quite hard fought and I often stall.

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