My name is Ian, I just finished high school and I’m planned to ship to Illinois for navy basics around December. Ever since processing I have planned to increase my overall athleticism so I got a gym membership. My current lifts are bench 165x5, squat 185x5, press 110x5, deadlift 285x5. Sad to say I am a program hopper cause I always want to do what I think will be best for me. I’ve finally sat down and planned to just make my own program for what I think is best for me, it looks a little something like this…
Day 1
-Squat 3x5
-Press 3x5
-Power Clean 5x3
-Hanging leg raises 3x12
Day 2
-Squat 3x5
-Bench 3x5
-Chin-ups 50 total
-Weighted sit-ups 3x12
Day 3
-Squat 3x5
-Push press 5x3
-Deadlift 1x5
-Plank Hold 3x45s
I also do box jumps before every workout and hill sprints after every workout, push-ups in the morning. I increase weight on all lifts by 5 lbs but deadlift which I increase by 10 lbs. Im going to stick to this program either way but I wanted to know yalls thoughts on it.
It is a very Starting Strength type routine. For what it is, I think it is good. I would add a touch more volume in the higher rep ranges personally, but it is hard to go very wrong with the program you have here if Starting Strength is the type of thing you want to pursue.
My only real beef is 1 set of deadlift. If you are working up to a top set of 5, fine. If however you are only doing 1 total set of 5…you need more. like 4x8 or something.
I would add a 4th day of accessory work. No barbells, work your back with rows and your obliques. Something along the lines of 10 sets of back work, 3 sets of rear delts, and abs. Also I am a fan of doing rear delts in your warm up on all days, because it keeps your shoulders healthy and everyone skips them if they wait to do it at the end of a workout.
Truth is, there are a LOT of programs that will work. Not just one. The only way you figure out what works best for you is to run a program to completion–no excuses. Set a minimum time, like 12 weeks, and then NEVER stop a program until you have followed it to the letter for 12 weeks.
You could also make a variation of that rule where you never modify a program from its original form (allowing for injuries or not having a piece of gym equipment as exceptions) for 8 weeks. After that you would have enough information to see if the change you want to make on week 9 is beneficial or not.----Like here: since you say you are going to stick with it regardless, GOOD. Do it for 8-10 weeks, then consider adding the 4th day of back and abs. Then see if it helps or not.
The difficulty isnt that there is only 1 program that will work, its that hopping programs does not allow you to learn how to work WITH a program or understand its purpose or organization. You are right that self discipline must be asserted here, so good for deciding to stick with a program.
You did not mention what weights you were going to use for your first session. How long do you plan to add weight every session? What happens when you start missing reps?
If you think that you are gonna walk in the gym Day 1 and squat 185x5 for 3 sets then come in day 2 and squat 190x5 for 3 sets, YOU ARE FAILING BEFORE YOU START!
You have got to start lighter, so you can get some actual Work in. I know people hate “percentages” but picking the right loads is a super important part of a program.
How long to progress, and when to dial it back are important. You have got to think about these things now, to plan your training properly.
I knew what weights I was gonna use and when my squat starts to fail Ima take me 70-80% of my weight used Monday and try to pause at the bottom. My squat is still fairly low so it should go up a bit more before failing
You mention athleticism, however I don’t see anything particularly athletic.
EDIT: missed the hill sprints and box jumps. I still stand by my original post though, and I’m also going to go all Dan John and recommend some loaded carries and groundwork.
Now that I think about it, I think adding a loaded carry would be more beneficial than the core work I picked. I could go trap bar walks the first day, suitcase walks the second day, and overhead walks the last day
You push yourself for more reps, and you add weight to the bar every time you repeat a session in 5/3/1. It just takes 3 weeks before you repeat a session.
It’s just like your plan, only with 9 days intead of 3.
And then after you do each session twice, you change things around. You work harder heavier every week for 6 weeks, but you only have to add weight once. Its set up to always progress and never stall.