Frequency and volume question: crit my split

[JohnRobHolmes]

Im running a modified simple 5x5 right now. I like running a split because it fits into my life better, and I can get a bit more work in for each split. I feel that the split is causing too much time between workouts though. The last two workouts:

BW 145lb, all numbers in pounds.

Push day:
Squat 65x5, 85x5, 95x5, 115x5, 140x5
bench 65x5, 85x5, 95x5, 115x5, 130x5
OHP 45x8, 55x5, 65x5, 70x5, 75x3
farmers walks 50lb dbs x1
cable pushdown 60lb 10, 12, 10
abs

OFF

Pull day:
Pullups 5x5 BW +5 lbs
Deadlifts 65x5, 85x5, 95x5, 115x5, 140x5 , 140x2
Nautilus row 90lb x5, 110 x5, 130 x5, 180 x5, 200 x5
a bit of Bi work
Farmers walk 50lb dbs

OFF

And then I start again with push day. This has me hitting each exercise once every four or five days, which seems very infrequent to me.


If I changed the routine and removed one OFF day I would hit each exercise once every three days. My weights are low right now so Im not worried about overtraining, but I would like a bit of input on the matter.

Comments, suggestions, rants? Should I just forget it and start taking supps for lazer like focus?

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Should I just forget it and start taking supps for lazer like focus?

alter?

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

No alter, just trying to get a laugh.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

what better way than to experiment with it...

Give it a shot and see how you do would be my answer here.


If you like it but feel you could progress better without some fluff drop the bi work, ect..

 

[Guinness5.0]

Looks fine to me. Keep your 'ear to the ground' for overreaching symptoms and back off if need be. Other than that just get in there and put more weight on week-by-week.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

question I forgot:

how long have you been on this?

If less than 4 or 5 weeks... personally, I would not change a thing until you're in the PR weeks and ramping properly along the way.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Im not set on changing my rest time, but I do feel that two back to back days of lifting followed by one day off would help me every now and then. I have been lifting since the start of the year (3x8 type), and swtiched back to the 5x5 just a few weeks back once I felt my form was back in the groove. My other lifting experience was back in 05, and other than a bit of high school lifting I have just been breakdancing and biking most of my life. PR's are just 15 pounds away on bench, and just about as close on the squat. 5 pounds away on pullups. Deads and Rows im not sure, as I havent stuck to deads enough and rows on one machine are not like another. For some reason I am progressing much faster this time around than last time I was lifting. Getting back to PR's after only 6 weeks on the 5x5 is very nice though. I can say that repping 5 feels a lot better than repping 8 too. More weight involved!



Im gonna work out with a buddy tomorrow (huge guy that has never deadlifted, and has been working out for a few months) and then see how I feel on thursday. If I feel recovered enough Im gonna lift again. Then I will pay attention to next weeks lifts (5 more pounds to all lifts except deadlift). Should be pretty easy to tell if Im greasing the groove too much, or MO Betta.

So, gonna try this:

push
pull
off
push
pull
off
off

Which will give me 2 workouts per split every 7 days instead of every 8. It will advance my weights 4.3 times per month instead of the 3.75 times per month I am currently jumping. I think I just talked myself into this change. Good thing I started the split on a monday!


If im really feeling crazy, I just might switch the order every week of my workouts so that pushing or pulling isnt always getting a front seat. Too much to think about for my level of fitness though, dont want to go too far with the periodization yet.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Hit up two days straight this week. Pulling seemed a bit harder on pullups (chest and lats kinda sore from bench) but I hit a PR of 200x1 on DL! Never tested my 1rm on dl, so anything would be a pr Im gonna sleep 8 hours tonight and get back into it thursday as planned. Some active recovery tomorrow might be needed, im feeling dang tight in the hips.

 

[Kabeetz]

I don't think there is anything wrong with experimenting or trying different stuff as long as you realize you have to measure progress by the fact that u need to add a little bit more weight to be bar each week.

I could be wrong.. but I think you could actually see some benefit from the 3x5, in other words going for PR's each workout, based on where your lifts are at.

I also would say to you that the madcow 5x5 is extremely effective... and you're not really trying it until you're trying it until you plateau... because the first 4 weeks if done correctly, are just a loading phase... meaning that your first PR isn't until week 5... and then once you hit a PR week after week... how can you NOT fall in love with a program that delivers on that promise.

It just seems very difficult. When i *KNEW* I'd be stronger when i went in the gym the next day, nothing is more motivation that that for me.

Just some thoughts and personale experience. Do what works for you always. Keep it up.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

I screwed up last week by breaking on my push day. This week got screwed up by some muscle spasms so today was super light. It will be one more week before I can really determine if I can take 4 heavy days per week.