Routine Advice

Hey guys,
To start with I’m sorry if this is a dumb question, I might be missing something obvious and if so, I apologize for that.

I was looking for a strength routine that didn’t have scheduled days. I was looking into Madcow or TM but they have 3 days a week and my schedule is tricky (I don’t suppose I could those 4d a week if I wanted to? Like AB-CA-BC-AB…?). Would like something 3-5d a week depending on my work schedule and where I could squat frequently. Something AB where I could just alternate every time I would go to the gym. Would something like this work?

A
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
OHP 3x8-10 (or 3x5, not sure)

B
Deads/SLDLs 3x5
Pendlay Row 3x5
Weighted Chins 3x8-10

Progress would be done when I hit 3x5 of a certain weight. I would add 2.5kg next workout. When I stall in a certain one, I would rotate the order of the exercises while resetting that particular lift.

Is this stupid?

Thank you

PS: Don’t suggest 5/3/1 please. Doesn’t matter why.

Doing that 5 times a week could be “stupid”, so a upper/lower split would fit your lack of schedule better IMO. ( reason being that your lowback would not get much rest if you did that 4-5 times a week )

Something like this 2-4 times a week:

Workout A: Bench/OHP + upperbody assistance.

Workout B: Squat/DL + lowerbody assistance.

Workout C( for the weeks you have a fifth day ): Weak points aka arms, rear delts, abs/core etc.

Yhea its similar setup wise as a typical 5/3/1 template, but you could do 3x5, a more westside ish approach etc. Whatever floats your boat mate.

Hope that was helpfull.

5/3/1 is a very flexible routine, as is Westside (conjugate method). Between those two, I would go with 5/3/1 if I were you. It’s easy to mess up a Westside type routine without some oversight from someone else.

[quote]florelius wrote:
Doing that 5 times a week could be “stupid”, so a upper/lower split would fit your lack of schedule better IMO. ( reason being that your lowback would not get much rest if you did that 4-5 times a week )

Something like this 2-4 times a week:

Workout A: Bench/OHP + upperbody assistance.

Workout B: Squat/DL + lowerbody assistance.

Workout C( for the weeks you have a fifth day ): Weak points aka arms, rear delts, abs/core etc.

Yhea its similar setup wise as a typical 5/3/1 template, but you could do 3x5, a more westside ish approach etc. Whatever floats your boat mate.

Hope that was helpfull.[/quote]

Yeah man I thought about that but there’s no way I can squat and deadlift in the same day. I don’t really feel the squats in my lower back to be honest but I do know what you mean. And I do love my rows, wouldn’t wanna skip them.
What if, considering what you said, I did the workout I wrote, but on the weeks that I can train 5x, in that 5th day, I would do a light “weak points” day? That would be nice no?
Thanks man

[quote]BCP27 wrote:
5/3/1 is a very flexible routine, as is Westside (conjugate method). Between those two, I would go with 5/3/1 if I were you. It’s easy to mess up a Westside type routine without some oversight from someone else. [/quote]

Thanks man, but as I said in my original post, I don’t want to do 5/3/1. :slight_smile:

[quote]MarceloPCR wrote:

[quote]florelius wrote:
Doing that 5 times a week could be “stupid”, so a upper/lower split would fit your lack of schedule better IMO. ( reason being that your lowback would not get much rest if you did that 4-5 times a week )

Something like this 2-4 times a week:

Workout A: Bench/OHP + upperbody assistance.

Workout B: Squat/DL + lowerbody assistance.

Workout C( for the weeks you have a fifth day ): Weak points aka arms, rear delts, abs/core etc.

Yhea its similar setup wise as a typical 5/3/1 template, but you could do 3x5, a more westside ish approach etc. Whatever floats your boat mate.

Hope that was helpfull.[/quote]

Yeah man I thought about that but there’s no way I can squat and deadlift in the same day. I don’t really feel the squats in my lower back to be honest but I do know what you mean. And I do love my rows, wouldn’t wanna skip them.
What if, considering what you said, I did the workout I wrote, but on the weeks that I can train 5x, in that 5th day, I would do a light “weak points” day? That would be nice no?
Thanks man
[/quote]

If you dont want to train DL and Squats on the same day then dont.

One way you can set this up, is like this:

Workout A.
Bench: 3x5 or similar.
Row variation: 3x5.
Biceps/Triceps.

Workout B.
Squat: 3x5.
RDL: 3x10.
Abs/Core.

Workout C.
DL: 3x5.
Lunges: 3x10.
Abs/Core.

Workout D.
OHP: 3x5.
Chins/Pull ups: a total of 30-50 reps.
Rear delts/Side delts: 3x15 each.

Workut E. ( weak point day for weeks you can train 5 days )

This is just an example, but atleast this set up is flexible and you hit your entire body 1-2 times a week.

Or you could use this classic template.

Upperbody days.
Bench or OHP: 3x5, ME, DE etc.
an additional pressing excercise: a total of 30-50 reps.
Lats.
Upperback.
Biceps/Triceps.

Lowerbody days.
Squat or DL: 3x5, ME, DE etc.
Quads.
Hams/Lowback.
Abs/Core.

Google “Thoughts on the Texas Method Split Template”. It shows the outline of a 4 day TM that might be more of what you’re looking for.

[quote]MightyMouse17 wrote:
Google “Thoughts on the Texas Method Split Template”. It shows the outline of a 4 day TM that might be more of what you’re looking for. [/quote]

This looks nice! Thanks!

What about a c ombination of the 5x and west side. 2 workouts a and b. Twice a week for a total of 4 workouts. A1. Progressive overload. A2. Speed lifts at 60 percent. Same for b1 and b2. Would suit your want to do the same two workouts twice a weak just by changing the method n load.

Try A/B/A/C
So A= OH press, Bench triceps etc
B= Sq, posterior chain, back, Abs
C= DL, posterior chain, back, Abs
Whether you do same back on both days is optional as is abs.

Thanks for the help guys.
I decided to go for Madcow because I don’t even need to think about weights, I just read the paper and do the lifts. Furthermore, I love squatting 3x a week. If indeed I want to go to the gym one more time, I’ll do some core work and that’s it.
Thanks for all the suggestions :slight_smile: