3 day or 4 day 5x5 routine

[Madd Hatter]

First, let me say I was going to just post this in NS's monstrous thread on the subject, but since the faggorific platinum search upgrade only allows me 5 results and it wasn't in the 5, I'll just clutter up the board. Good job on that one guys.

I recently came off an upper/lower body 1 on/1off split that I liked. I really should stick to something close to it, as it seemed to work, but reading everything about 5x5 makes me want to try it. I don’t know which would be better:
4 day split close to NS’s (2 on 1 off)

Flat bench 5x5
decline dumbell press 2x8-10
incline flyes 2x8-10
standing calve raises 5x15


military press 5x5
side laterals 3-5x8-10
deads 5x5
chins 2x8-10
shrugs 2x8-10
rows 2x8-10
bent over laterals 2x8-10


close grip bench 5x5
standing barbell curls 5x5
weighted dips 2x8-10
incline dumbell curls 2x8-10
skull crushers 2x8-10
preacher curls 2x8-10


squats 5x5
leg press or hacks 2x8-10
good mornings 2x8-10
leg curls 2x8-10
seated calve raises 5x15
abs - weighted static holds


Or a 3 day split like this (1 on 1 off)

Flat bench 5x5
decline dumbell press 2x8-10
incline flyes 2x8-10
close grip bench 5x5
weighted dips 2x8-10
standing calve raises 5x15

military press 5x5
side laterals 3-5x8-10
deads 5x5
chins 2x8-10
shrugs 2x8-10
standing barbell curls 5x5
incline dumbell curls 2x8-10


squats 5x5
leg press or hacks 2x8-10
good mornings 2x8-10
leg curls 2x8-10
seated calve raises 5x15
abs - weighted static holds

I know NS prefers the 4 day because he needs arms on their own day, I don’t know if I need that. A 3 day split would be closer to what I was doing. My big problem with the 4 day is Day 1 would take me all of 30 mins, and if I’m going to go to the gym, I want to put in close to an hour. So I was thinking if I did that, I’d do 20 mins cardio after that. Which would be a better way to go?

 

[Madd Hatter]

ttt

 

[JollyRogers]

Im gonna be doing this split starting next week. I only changed the flat to inclines. I dunno about the 3 day split, Id like to keep this as close possible to his original program.

bump

 

[Madd Hatter]

TTT, again. ....my big worry here is back/shoulder day will be killer.

Ok, 2 days away from starting and I'm thinking I'll go back to the 4 day split, though I suspect my body prefers a higher body part work to time ratio. On the 3 day I just see Bis/Tris doing too much on their day, and I see Back/Shoulder/Bis taking well over an hour.

But now I'm back to the problem of what to do with my extra 30 mins on Day 1. I'm thinking HIIT cardio (cutting down isn't a goal of mine now, but what the hell, cardio never hurt anyone).

 

[needsize]

you get used to the back shoulder day pretty fast, and it goes quickly if you superset. If your 4th workout would be over that quick, do you have any weak bodyparts that need to be brought up. Me I use the extra time to hit calves again