Advice for adjusting my workout please?

[alxinya]

I am about 195lbs very little body fat. I did my first cycle in over 10 years 20 weeks ago. It lasted 8 weeks in which week 1-4 I did 250mg test E and 100 mg primo. Week 5-8 I doubled the dose. I gained 25 pounds to 200lbs. I was not surprised cause although I was working out before I decided to cycle. They were very basic to stay in shape. I am about to cycle again and this time, I have Equipoise Test E and Test prop. I am not sure yet of the dose but was thinking of 400mg each of the test E and Eq saving the Test Prop for the end for 12 weeks. I might just do 200mg each but not sure yet. I work out at home and have all the basics but cables. I am losing imagination on workouts and was wondering if I could get some ideas. Here is what I have been doing: Chest and tri's one day, then legs, then shoulders and last, back and bi's. Two days on, one day off. 6 day week. Big warm up then 2 sets of 10 and 3 sets of 6-8 on most exercise's.
Flat bench, incline dumbbell, dips,
squats, lundges
upright rows, overhead presses
deadlifts, bent over rows, pull ups.
I know I need to change it up but I am just not sure what to do. Should I keep doing what I am doing and hope that I break through plateau's? Maybe change it up later into the cycle? Add? change reps? sets?
I am sorry about the long post but I always see people asking for more info so I wanted to give as much as I could.
Thank You

 

[Born2squat]

Personally I'd give the good old 5x5's a go. I am starting my round this coming Monday. I see good gains every single time I have used it in the past.

 

[alxinya]

I am not even sure what that is but I will look it up.. Thank you.

 

[alxinya]

Oh, I got it... I am gonna give 5x5's a try for at least a month.

 

[raysugar1234]

Personally I'd give the good old 5x5's a go. I am starting my round this coming Monday. I see good gains every single time I have used it in the past.

I agree with this, It's a solid routine. Make sure you follow it correctly. You test your 5 rep maxes then work up to them over four weeks. From their you add weight every week until you stall, Then you reset. It works it's based on progression.

 

[Born2squat]

Indeed its one of the best ways to go!! Im in my second week now.

 

[alxinya]

I have been doing a basic 5x5 program since I got the advice, around 3 weeks now. Been on cycle now for 4. I ended my last cycle at 200lbs and went down to 192lbs. I am now 203lbs. Starting the 5x5's was like starting a workout routine after taking a 6 month break. I was super sore for the first week and a half. I think because I did it wrong. I did not progress to my 5 rep max, I started out with it. Either I missed that info when I read about it or it was not on that site where I got the 5x5 from. By now though I have already raised all of my maxes. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Born2squat]

Alxinya-

Its important to set 5 rep max for each workout. Once you have that figured out use a lower % of the weight to start out with. I normally use 80% of my 5 rep max so that around weeks 4-5 I am hitting new records. Like any new workout it will take tome for your body to abjust but done correctly, 5x5's will add mass and strenght.
Good luck bro and keep us updated.

PS- do not forget about deloading

 

[DieYoungStrong]

Oh, I got it... I am gonna give 5x5's a try for at least a month.

5x5 is great program. I'm a firm believer that nobody should be doing high rep programs until they at least Press their bodyweight, bench 1.5x bw, squat 2x bw, and deadlift 2.5. These are rough numbers, but they are the benchmark for being pound for pound strong. If you are strong, your muscles will grow like weeds on a higher rep program, but if you have no strength base, I think you're wasting your time.

It's also my belief that ANY program short of the 6-8 week intense programs like GVT, need a good 3 months to really judge the program. With 5x5 that should put you through 2 deloads before the 12 week. After the 12th week, I would deload again, and assess your progress. Depending on how advanced you are, you should be aiming to add 5 lbs per week to your Bench and Press, 10 to your squat and 15 to your Deadlift. The key is to drop your ego and start at a weight that is reasonable. When you get to a week were you can't finish the 5x5 with the increase, it's time to deload for a week, and then start again with the last weight you made 5x5 across with.

 

[radcon]

5x5 is great program. I'm a firm believer that nobody should be doing high rep programs until they at least Press their bodyweight, bench 1.5x bw, squat 2x bw, and deadlift 2.5. These are rough numbers, but they are the benchmark for being pound for pound strong. If you are strong, your muscles will grow like weeds on a higher rep program, but if you have no strength base, I think you're wasting your time.

It's also my belief that ANY program short of the 6-8 week intense programs like GVT, need a good 3 months to really judge the program. With 5x5 that should put you through 2 deloads before the 12 week. After the 12th week, I would deload again, and assess your progress. Depending on how advanced you are, you should be aiming to add 5 lbs per week to your Bench and Press, 10 to your squat and 15 to your Deadlift. The key is to drop your ego and start at a weight that is reasonable. When you get to a week were you can't finish the 5x5 with the increase, it's time to deload for a week, and then start again with the last weight you made 5x5 across with.

A lot of wisdom in this post. Great advice.

 

[raysugar1234]

I have been doing a basic 5x5 program since I got the advice, around 3 weeks now. Been on cycle now for 4. I ended my last cycle at 200lbs and went down to 192lbs. I am now 203lbs. Starting the 5x5's was like starting a workout routine after taking a 6 month break. I was super sore for the first week and a half. I think because I did it wrong. I did not progress to my 5 rep max, I started out with it. Either I missed that info when I read about it or it was not on that site where I got the 5x5 from. By now though I have already raised all of my maxes. Thanks for the advice.

Being on the cycle def give you larger increases than natural. If you were not you would def not be able to set PR"s as long as if you would have done it right, you would have topped out much lower, their is a reason you dont start on you pr's.. You still should have done it right imo, next time you know.. DId you do the glenn pendlay program? Next time try madcow.. I'm glad you did this your other routine sucked. You still would make more progress if you do it right even on cycle it's more effective run correctly.... REMEBER THIS, important, When you stall on your lift, reset and work back up to your max over 4 weeks like you were suppossed to do in the beggining. You wont break plateau's if you dont. Follow the table for what weight to do, but only reset the exercises you stall on, for example if you stall on bench but continue to make deadlift PR's weekly only reset the bench. You are going stall much sooner than you would have if you would have worked up to the maxes over the 4 weeks. Do it right from now on and you will continue to make progress. It's pretty much guaranteed to get your strengh up and not alot of programs have had as much success as this program.

 

[raysugar1234]

5x5 is great program. I'm a firm believer that nobody should be doing high rep programs until they at least Press their bodyweight, bench 1.5x bw, squat 2x bw, and deadlift 2.5. These are rough numbers, but they are the benchmark for being pound for pound strong. If you are strong, your muscles will grow like weeds on a higher rep program, but if you have no strength base, I think you're wasting your time.

It's also my belief that ANY program short of the 6-8 week intense programs like GVT, need a good 3 months to really judge the program. With 5x5 that should put you through 2 deloads before the 12 week. After the 12th week, I would deload again, and assess your progress. Depending on how advanced you are, you should be aiming to add 5 lbs per week to your Bench and Press, 10 to your squat and 15 to your Deadlift. The key is to drop your ego and start at a weight that is reasonable. When you get to a week were you can't finish the 5x5 with the increase, it's time to deload for a week, and then start again with the last weight you made 5x5 across with.

Yep, follow this advice, don't skip the deloading even if your on cycle. And don't try to do too much, weight that's a big one too many try for and end up spinning their wheels on the 5x5 and not making much progress. Even arnold started out with a 5x5 routine and got strong then he switched to his high volume training. Once he had the stregnth base he could move enough weight to get the most out of the high volume. Dont sell your body short, get yourself as strong as possible, push yourself to the limit, that's what it's all about.

 

[alxinya]

You guys gave me amazing advice. Thank you so much. I have dialed back (de loaded) and am now doing what you guys have said. I see the benefits with my bent over rows and bench presses already.
Thanks again

 

[alxinya]

For Raysugar1234:
I got the workout from the StrongLifts.com website. It was the most basic one I could find because I figured I could always make it more complicated or enhanced once I learn more about it.

 

[raysugar1234]

For Raysugar1234:
I got the workout from the StrongLifts.com website. It was the most basic one I could find because I figured I could always make it more complicated or enhanced once I learn more about it.

That's a solid plan, Similar to the one I used. I always use progressive overload even if I'm not doing a 5x5. I just recently reset(De-Load) my bench press and squats and I am working back up to my maxes now and I'm not even doing a 5x5. It's really great to get your numbers up on the compounds...