Good intermediate weightlifting program

Titanuim
Titanuim Posts: 331 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am rapidly approaching the end of the Advanced Lifting Program of Strong Curves and am doing some research of what to do next. I have done some of the New Rules for Lifting for Women but it all got too complicated. I know it would be easy to just move into Starting Strength or Strong Lifts but I have concerns that the limited types of lifts would bore me and be difficult to accomodate when I can't get access to certain pieces of equipment at the gym.

I wouldn't consider myself elite and my numbers are probably tiddly compared to some of the other lady lifters on mfp, but I am hoping that people could provide some suggestions on what program to do next so I keep on challenging myself. I have a preference for full body routines rather than spkits due to limited time.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions/advice

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You know, if you enjoyed Strong Curves, you could just rerun it but with higher weights on all of the exercises and you'll continue progressing. As long as you're advancing weight you don't actually have to advance your program
  • Titanuim
    Titanuim Posts: 331 Member
    Dav, good point. I have been enjoying strong curves a lot and would be sad not to have the barbell hipthrust in my lifting repertoire (especially as it is my strongest lift at the moment). I just wanted to explore what other options are out there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You know, if you enjoyed Strong Curves, you could just rerun it but with higher weights on all of the exercises and you'll continue progressing. As long as you're advancing weight you don't actually have to advance your program

    belaboring this point...if you have a good program and you enjoy it, why switch? IMHO, people change up their programs far too often unnecessarily. You should have some other valid reason for changing programs than just having completed a book or something.

    If I were you, I wouldn't see any point in doing SL or SS unless you specifically wanted to train for strength gains which would be slower with your current program as SC isn't programmed for optimal strength gains.

    In RE to your actual question though, I'm really enjoying New Rules Supercharged. It doesn't give you any specific routines, just a number of format templates and a laundry list of lifts that fulfill those at various levels of lifting experience. I like it because you have templates to work with for basically programming your own routine based on whatever goals you have and you can make it as beginner friendly or advanced as you wish. It's nice having the templates to work with because I've tried to program my own routine and inevitably get myself out of balance and miss certain things that are ultimately important...also, I tend to skip on things that I don't particularly like...having the template makes me stay true to good programming while still being able to tailor my own routine in RE to the actual lifts being performed to fulfill the programming.
  • vjflores06
    vjflores06 Posts: 2
    I'm new and don't know if I'm in the right place to ask this but here I go.

    I went to fitness place to join. Mind u and I haven't worked out in a yr. I went for appointment well I thought it was appointment. Ladies there send jump on exercise bike. I said no I'm here for appointment they said I know class first then appointment. I said ok..I'm thinking their going to have me do like a fit test...like insanity does in it videos..oh boy I was wrong. I told them I have knee exercise and my left arm is weak from a old stab wound (long story on that). Any way right off bat trainer had me do jump squats with 40lbs. And lounges with 40lbs. Everything I did was with 40lbs weights. I asked if I can have water by 15 mins I was drenched I'm sweat. I was told not till 45 session is over. I only made it to 30 mins before I saw stars and my lunch was coming up. We'll next day I feel twice cause I'm so sore and my bad knee gave out and now 3rd day I can't even move or even sit on toilet. I have purples bruises on thigh above breast and on arms. Is that normal? Should I have done so much so fast on 1st day. Is it safe to do a 45 min session and no water.
    I told personal trainer about knee arm and I'm diabetic.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I'm doing wendlers 5/3/1 and using some strong curves stuff for accessories. I'd highly recommend it. The book is a good read and I love the programme.

    ETA: just noticed you don't like splits - this is but just an upper/lower one. I do the 4 days but it can be done over 3 (described clearly in the book). It's helped me most with upper body as it's a much slower progression than SS and SL.

    Hip thrust are still part of my programme :)
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    I'm new and don't know if I'm in the right place to ask this but here I go.

    I went to fitness place to join. Mind u and I haven't worked out in a yr. I went for appointment well I thought it was appointment. Ladies there send jump on exercise bike. I said no I'm here for appointment they said I know class first then appointment. I said ok..I'm thinking their going to have me do like a fit test...like insanity does in it videos..oh boy I was wrong. I told them I have knee exercise and my left arm is weak from a old stab wound (long story on that). Any way right off bat trainer had me do jump squats with 40lbs. And lounges with 40lbs. Everything I did was with 40lbs weights. I asked if I can have water by 15 mins I was drenched I'm sweat. I was told not till 45 session is over. I only made it to 30 mins before I saw stars and my lunch was coming up. We'll next day I feel twice cause I'm so sore and my bad knee gave out and now 3rd day I can't even move or even sit on toilet. I have purples bruises on thigh above breast and on arms. Is that normal? Should I have done so much so fast on 1st day. Is it safe to do a 45 min session and no water.
    I told personal trainer about knee arm and I'm diabetic.
    How about starting your own thread instead of hijacking this one.
    Back to OP, if you are progressing on your routine don't change it.
  • vjflores06
    vjflores06 Posts: 2
    Like I said I'm new and didn't now if I was in right place. I thought this was a place u join and ask questions. Sadly I was wrong..it won't happen again.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    You know, if you enjoyed Strong Curves, you could just rerun it but with higher weights on all of the exercises and you'll continue progressing. As long as you're advancing weight you don't actually have to advance your program

    Agreed with this and others that have said to continue the program. You could even start back to the Beginners one if you wanted and make changes. For either program, you could also double the length of each week and just try to either work on progressing your weight, or find harder alternatives to the exercises.

    I.E - crunches change to weighted crunches or/and do them on the swiss ball
    Chin ups/pull ups - change to weighted ones
    Side Lying Hip Abductors - change to Side Lying Hip Thrusts
    Up the tension/band resistance for x-walks and other exercises requiring the use of a band
    Bodyweight Hip thrusts - change to shoulder elevated and feet elevated hip thrusts
    Add weights to the majority of the bodyweight exercises
    (aside from Strong Curves exercise index, you can look on bodybuilding.com for more exercises/alternatives)
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Like I said I'm new and didn't now if I was in right place. I thought this was a place u join and ask questions. Sadly I was wrong..it won't happen again.

    It is a place to ask questions but you need to make your own thread. It's considered rude or hijacking (please refer to the Community Guidelines) if you jump into someone else's thread to ask for help.
  • Beewallows
    Beewallows Posts: 110 Member
    This is the one I'm doing now, and I really enjoy it:

    http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/training/weight-loss-workout-plan-women

    Every day there is a different workout, and it is very straight forward.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Like I said I'm new and didn't now if I was in right place. I thought this was a place u join and ask questions. Sadly I was wrong..it won't happen again.

    Go back out into Fitness and Exercise and click the green button that says "New Topic" :flowerforyou:
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    You know, if you enjoyed Strong Curves, you could just rerun it but with higher weights on all of the exercises and you'll continue progressing. As long as you're advancing weight you don't actually have to advance your program

    belaboring this point...if you have a good program and you enjoy it, why switch? IMHO, people change up their programs far too often unnecessarily. You should have some other valid reason for changing programs than just having completed a book or something.

    If I were you, I wouldn't see any point in doing SL or SS unless you specifically wanted to train for strength gains which would be slower with your current program as SC isn't programmed for optimal strength gains.

    In RE to your actual question though, I'm really enjoying New Rules Supercharged. It doesn't give you any specific routines, just a number of format templates and a laundry list of lifts that fulfill those at various levels of lifting experience. I like it because you have templates to work with for basically programming your own routine based on whatever goals you have and you can make it as beginner friendly or advanced as you wish. It's nice having the templates to work with because I've tried to program my own routine and inevitably get myself out of balance and miss certain things that are ultimately important...also, I tend to skip on things that I don't particularly like...having the template makes me stay true to good programming while still being able to tailor my own routine in RE to the actual lifts being performed to fulfill the programming.

    +1 with both my friends above and also thanks for the info regarding New Rules Supercharged....I was not familiar with the premise of the new one :drinker:
  • Titanuim
    Titanuim Posts: 331 Member
    Thanks for the feedback everyone. I have downloaded the New Rules Supercharged and Wendlers 5-3-1 books to read and give me some new idea's and hopefully there will be something there that appeals to me.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    I'm new and don't know if I'm in the right place to ask this but here I go.

    I went to fitness place to join. Mind u and I haven't worked out in a yr. I went for appointment well I thought it was appointment. Ladies there send jump on exercise bike. I said no I'm here for appointment they said I know class first then appointment. I said ok..I'm thinking their going to have me do like a fit test...like insanity does in it videos..oh boy I was wrong. I told them I have knee exercise and my left arm is weak from a old stab wound (long story on that). Any way right off bat trainer had me do jump squats with 40lbs. And lounges with 40lbs. Everything I did was with 40lbs weights. I asked if I can have water by 15 mins I was drenched I'm sweat. I was told not till 45 session is over. I only made it to 30 mins before I saw stars and my lunch was coming up. We'll next day I feel twice cause I'm so sore and my bad knee gave out and now 3rd day I can't even move or even sit on toilet. I have purples bruises on thigh above breast and on arms. Is that normal? Should I have done so much so fast on 1st day. Is it safe to do a 45 min session and no water.
    I told personal trainer about knee arm and I'm diabetic.

    You should have just started your own thread, BTW.

    Your trainer sounds like an idiot. Do some research and implement your own lifting program.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    I'm new and don't know if I'm in the right place to ask this but here I go.

    I asked if I can have water by 15 mins I was drenched I'm sweat. I was told not till 45 session is over.

    Your 'trainer' is a total dip****, for multiple reasons:
    [1] Not listening to the client's goals
    [2] Not designing a program with the trainee's goals
    [3] ignoring medical issues
    [4] No water?

    Fire him immediately.

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