Best strength routine?

[Phedder]

Hi guys/gals. I'm looking to utilize all the combined knowledge and experience we have on this forum, and ask you what type of routines you've personally followed that gave you the greatest increases in strength. Going to be finishing up a cut soon and very keen to get into some strength training. Can be as detailed as you like with specific exercises/sets/reps etc, or just naming a program such as one of the sheiko modules, or westside etc. Would be great if you could post a link to a pre-determined program, but if not I'm sure i'll be able to hunt them down.

Interested to see what programs you lot have gotten the best results with, and hopefully find some that should work nicely for me :grin: Should probably add that I'm looking to follow a program for around 6-10 weeks, and I can't train on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays.

A big thanks for any input provided :jive:

[ThePman]

Things that have worked best for me:

* The 5x5 Texas method (squat 5x5 Monday, light day Weds, squat to 5RM on Friday)

* Wendler's 5/3/1 or similar mini-cycles of 3-4 weeks

* Some kind of basic 6-8 week powerlifting cycles using sets of 5 or triples.

The first is more of a "full body" kind of workout, so you'd squat/bench each time you were in the gym. The latter two would have you training each lift once or twice a week, along with a little more assistance work.

Personally I like anything that gets you in the gym and focusing on doing the lifts you're wanting to improve as often as possible. Strength is a skill like anything else, and practice is what improves skill.

[ohjoshua]

I got my best gains (+20kg on squat in eight weeks) doing madcow 5*5

three days a week

squat all 3 days

one day ramping weights eg 50*5, 75*5, 100*5 etc

one day light 70% 5RM

final day 5*5 at top weight

run this for 4 weeks then same but 3*3 for next four weeks.

only problem is you need a spotter.

[Beowulf]

Im finding GVT fairly good for strength

[Phedder]

* The 5x5 Texas method (squat 5x5 Monday, light day Weds, squat to 5RM on Friday)

The first is more of a "full body" kind of workout, so you'd squat/bench each time you were in the gym. The latter two would have you training each lift once or twice a week, along with a little more assistance work.

I've done a bit of reading on the texas method, always quite liked the idea of it. Could do the 5x5 on Saturday, light day Tuesday, and 5RM squat Thursday. Light day Tuesday would be perfect as monday I'm quite active with gymnastics and dance and Wednesday add another 2 hours of tumbling to that. Do you think I could throw in some moderate volume deadlifts on the light day, or are they meant to be included in the other days with squats and bench?

Im finding GVT fairly good for strength

I always thought GVT was more of a hypertrophy program? I know you would get strength gains but I didn't think that was it's purpose?

Thanks for the opinions guys, keep them coming! :clap: I'm sure plenty of people will benefit from this thread if we get enough reviews of different programs in here.

[nate225]

I liked Westside Barbell's original templates with a few mods (dropped a little volume, ditched DE Bench & replace with rep method, deadlifted a little more frequently).

If I was going PLing specific now I'd probably go Sheiko though given the gains I've seen others make.

General strength - Wendlers 5/3/1 looks like a good hit out.

[mung]

http://stronglifts.com/madcow/

Just finished my 9th week of this programme, I found it pretty good, improved my squats and deadlifts considerably, and have gained a stronger back/core, and gained mass in my calves and hammys