Critique My Strength Program

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

I based it off strong lifts.com 5x5 program and added my own stuff in. My goal is to condition and gain strength and size. Currently 220lbs at 15% BF. My numbers now are 495 deadlift, 365 squat and a 315 bench. Hoping to up everythin 70-100 pounds by the end of summer. Let me know workouts u would recommend or different ideas on it. (Those are staring numbers, every excersise gets upped 10 pounds per week and Ik I need to warm up hats just not included)

WEEK A

MONDAY- Squat 5x5/195
Bench 5x5/195
Barbell row 5x5/225
Dumbbell pullover
Hamstrings
Farmers walk
Clean and press

Tuesday- Arms, fore arms, cardio

WEDNESDAY- Squat 5x5/205
Standing military5x5/ 65
Deadlift 1x5/ 405
Pull ups
Side Delts
Rear delts
Seated military 5x5

THURSDAY- Cardio, Sled, farmers walk, box jumps

FRIDAY- Squat 5x5/215
Bench 5x5/ 205
Barbell row 5x5/ 235
Chest flys
Incline bench
Abs traps

WEEKENDS- cardio/ off

WEEK B

MONDAY- Squat 5x5/225
Standing military 5x5/ 75
Deadlift 1x5/415
Pull-ups
Side and rear delts
Seated military

TUESDAY- arms, fore arms and cardio

WEDNESDAY- Squat 5x5/235
Bench 5x5/215
Barbell row 5x5/245
Pin press
Hamstrings
Farmers walk

THURSDAY- cardio, sled, farmers walk, box jumps

FRIDAY- Squat 5x5/245
Standing military 5x5/ 85
Deadlift 1x5/415
Upper back
Behind the neck press
Traps abs
Clean and press

2

I would highly recommend doing a round as written before you go adding extra ā€œstuffā€. The goal is to get better not to get tired. Focus your energy on your form on the core lifts, as the weights get heavy your CNS will just get burned out. You do not need more than the first three exercises everyday, if any extra Back/Lat work (Chins) that is about it.

3

Yea thereā€™s some areas Iā€™m lacking that I wana build on such as my ham strings and my side and rear delts thatā€™s why I wana work on them. Ik itā€™s a lot every day and itā€™s going to be tiring and get harder and harder. But also I believe thatā€™s itā€™s no way to get bigger and stronger by doing the same exact thing day after day so I wana change it up. Hit the muscle from different areas and ways as well as the 5x5

4

You dont need to hit the muscle different ways. You need to hit the 5x5 hard.

Once you done 2-3 months, give a try to ICF or anything from the wiki that tickle your fancy.

Or choose a different program.

5

Stronglifts is made to build a base of muscle and strength. Itā€™s not meant to address weaknesses because if youā€™re doing it, you probably donā€™t have any glaring weaknesses yet. I would just do the program as written, then address any weaknesses after several or more months of doing it when progression starts to stall.

6

Guy has a 500lb dead and a 315 bench. How long would you want him to run stronglifts?

7

How did you even get to a 500lb dead in the first place?

8

Just milk it for what its worth. When it stops bringing gains. Or until imbalance becomes so bad that it might lead to injury. I saw ā€œStrength Programā€ so Iā€™m looking at it as a strength program. I just think that by the time you hit those weak areas OP is talking about and shift things around so the training economy is there, you might as well do a different program.

But then again, there is the possibility the OP is one of those lucky guys who could actually recover from the extra work without it impacting strength.

I just know that most people Iā€™ve known and myself who do programs like that will find the weights easy at first, but then get really hard after a few months at which point you have to either reset the weight being used or do a different program.

Another idea I just thought of is that you could do mini training sessions on off days that will hit these weak points. Just start with one a week and go really easy on it. Spend no more than 20 minutes in these mini sessions. Very gradually add volume and eventually add another mini session to the week. Iā€™ve my best gains on a Westside style split doing this.

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9

I just canā€™t imagine that style of programming being terrible beneficial at that level of strength. I imagine utilizing a variety of rep ranges and a more logical/sustainable progression scheme along with some intelligent assistance work would have a better payoff.

I would say the ā€œbase of strengthā€ has already BEEN built.

10

Some people make gains really quickly and easily so their ā€˜beginnerā€™ status will end up with much bigger numbers that would be most peopleā€™s intermediate or even advanced stage. I look at beginner, intermediate, and advanced not so much my numbers, but more by training age in years and rate of progression.

For all we know, OP has only been training for a couple years or less and is still making newb gains, or has spent a decade and has to fight and struggle for 5-10lb in a year on a lift.

Itā€™s not at all unheard of for a person to hit 405 on deadlift after learning halfway decent form and gaining 50 or more lbs in year after that.

Iā€™m not saying your wrong, Iā€™m only saying that we donā€™t know for sure.

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11

I guess what I am asking is how big of a base of strength does one need before they stop peaking strength and start building it.

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