Where did you get your workout program?

Since it's January, I have been seeing a lot of new faces at my gym, curling in my squat rack, performing 18 different upper body exercises, and using machines for even the simplest stuff. While it's been entertaining, I have to wonder -- did these guys do even a LITTLE research in to how to train or are they just winging it? Has some psuedo-personal trainer who took a 3 hour class at NYSC given them a bunch of shit? Where did you get your routine?

I researched the shit out of lifting, but I also had a good idea where to start since I had access to a coach for years while an athlete in high school and college. Back then they had me on the "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" program which isn't bad, but in retrospect was too complex for a beginner (workouts rotated on a weekly basis, 4 different set breakdowns)

After my researched, I started into Rippetoe's starting strength to rehabilitate myself after prolonged illness and college life. It worked fantastic, very pleased.

I stepped up to Bill Starr's 5x5 which is working well for me, but I am approaching the limit of what I can get out of a full body workout right now, and will soon need to switch to a 4 day periodization when I am done with my current MAX OT routine (hypertrophy, got it online, referred by friends)

So, what the hell are you people doing and where did you pick it up? I am in the market for an advanced program come summer and I really don't have one.

since kempo karate is my thing now that I'm out of school most of my workouts are focused on cardio and strength exercises that will make me a better martial artist. A lot of the blackbelts are big exercise buffs in addition to training kempo so when I want something new I usually see what they are doing. Most of the stuff I've been doing is based on suggestions by my instructors or off of personal experience from when I was running track.

one of the head instructors is on a 7 day cycle doing a 4 group rotation (chest, legs, shoulders, back) with 5-6 exercises in each group. That sounded sort of interesting to try for a couple of months. He told me the basics but I'll see if he'll write down the specific lifts and program he's using.

years of trying different stuff and now just use ones i make up

Oh god people who curl with the bar at the squat rack annoy the living shit out of me.

our company's physiotherapeutist (not sure of the english word here) usually makes me a routine.
a nutritionist student made me a diet (in which I had to increase my protein intake it just wasn't enough in the diet she gave me).

stretching and stabalizing my core is usually supervised by national gymnastics , I feel I am in good hands. Of course I need to do my own alterrations from time to time, so that the workout I am doing fits my current condition.

Oh god people who curl with the bar at the squat rack annoy the living shit out of me.

yes that is annoying as shit.

no, none of you are so buff that you need to use a freaking squat rack for curls.

Ha I love watching the new years folk. The classic hip thrust bicep curl or 15 set bench press workout never gets old.

So you're the guy at the gym that makes it uncomfortable for beginners...

So you're the guy at the gym that makes it uncomfortable for beginners...I respect people that have the balls to show up, and I know how I felt when I first started, so I would never be a dick to anyone at the gym ... to their face. I can still have a little laugh at their expense though, privately.

A lot of my friends do west side and get great results. I don't like it because my best lift is deadlift. I just finished a modified smolov routine for humans.

wk 1

1: Squat 70% 6x6 + speed deadlift 8x2 @ 50%
2: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Barbell row 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice
3: Squat 75% 7x5 + manual GHR’s OR pullthroughs 3x8
4: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Chins 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice + Cuban rotations

wk2

1: Squat 80% 8x4 + speed deadlift 8x2 @55%
2: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Barbell row 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice
3: Squat 85% 10x3 + weighted sit-ups 3x8
4: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Chins 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice + Cuban rotations


wk3 - volume deload

1: Squat progressive triples upto a max triple, do at least eight sets. After this do some rotator cuff work, grip work, and stretch.
2: Bench OR military press progressive triples upto a max triple, do at least eight sets. After this do some rotator cuff work, grip work, and stretch.

wk4

1: Squat 70%+5kg 6x6 + speed deadlift 8x2 @ 60%
2: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Barbell row 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice
3: Squat 75%+5kg 7x5 + manual GHR’s OR pullthroughs 3x8
4: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Chins 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice + Cuban rotations

wk5

1: Squat 80%+5kg 8x4 + speed deadlift 8x2 @65%
2: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Barbell row 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice
3: Squat 85%+5kg 10x3 + weighted sit-ups 3x8
4: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Chins 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice + Cuban rotations

wk6 - volume deload

1: Squat progressive singles upto a max. After this do some rotator cuff work, grip work, and stretch.
2: Bench OR military press progressive singles upto a max. Rotator cuff work, grip work and stretch.

still not very deadlift intensive but I had to get my squat back up to respectable numbers after rehabbing from knee surgery.
My Smolov Squat Experiment: A Strength Training and Powerlifting article from Dragon Door Publications (http://www.dragondoor.com/cgi-bin/articles.pl?rm=mode3&articleid=81)
thats the normal smolov routine.

what are your lifting goals right now?

This is why I went with a personal trainer to start me off. Mostly it was because I didn't want to waste my time doing exercises incorrectly, but there was also a part of me that was worried I'd look like an idiot.

I can't afford to hire a trainer every time I want to adjust my workout though so I guess I'll be looking around the internet for advice. Maybe check out some magazines and books and shit.

I use a lightened up portion of my football workout, to focus on building more lean muscles and tone.

Just reading other"s splits got me the basic layout, adjusted over time so that muscles don't overlap. I do a 3 day split, a 4 overtrains me. Undulating periodization, 5x5 and 3x8. Keep the three major compound lifts on the 3 seperate days and build around them.

A lot of my friends do west side and get great results. I don't like it because my best lift is deadlift. I just finished a modified smolov routine for humans.

wk 1

1: Squat 70% 6x6 + speed deadlift 8x2 @ 50%
2: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Barbell row 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice
3: Squat 75% 7x5 + manual GHR’s OR pullthroughs 3x8
4: Bench OR military press 3x5 + Chins 3x5 + one assistance exercise to work on weakness of your choice + Cuban rotations
what are your lifting goals right now?

Does this mean you do 1 on day 1 and 2 on day 2? Or you do all these on one day and repeat them X amount of times throughout week 1?

Also, when I started I was doing the WBB1 routine. Then I switched to a 5x5 however I havn't been in the gym since about 6 months ago when I left for ecuador so I think its about time I get off my lazy ass and get to it.

what are your lifting goals right now?Adding lean mass prioritized over adding actual strength. I've been on a strength building workout for over a year and I'm happy with my numbers, I want to achieve better hypertrophy since summer is coming. I am working on a modified MAX OT style program with sets of 4-6 reps that are pretty heavy, 6-9 working sets per muscle group per day, 4-5 day/week split.