Example of a Routine That Will Not Make You Big & Strong
Jan 10th, 2008 by Mehdi Tags: Build Muscle, Strength Training
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Reader JD started his training log October 25th 2007. He used a routine similar to StrongLifts 5×5. JD’s results are no surprise:
Since I started strength training I’ve gained 10lbs already. Now I’m 180lbs. My strength also increased. Thanks for this wonderful site, it really helps me achieved my goals. Keep up the good work, Mehdi.
Six weeks later JD decided to switch routine:
I consulted my cousin and I told him that I’m doing strength training for 2 months. He recommended me to try doing endurance training for shape and size before I switch to strength training.
He gave me a 2 month endurance program. I’ll give it a try. I really want to be muscular (not that muscular as body builders have) but at the same time I want to be strong. By February 2008, I’ll switch again to strength training.
Few days later JD posted his cousin’s endurance program:
My cousin gave me these exercises:
Monday - Chest and Triceps: Incline Bench Press, DB Flies, Flat Bench Press, Decline Bench Press, Dips, Triceps Pulldown, Tricep Extension, Tricep Kickback
Wednesday - Back and Biceps: Pull-ups, Lat pulldown, close grip pulldown, Barbell Rows, one are DB rows, Deadlift, Bicep curl, alternate DB Curl, Preacher Curl, concentration curl
Friday- Shoulder and Legs: Overhead Press, DB press, front raise, side lateral raise, Upright row, shrugs, Squat, Leg Press, Leg Extension, Calf raise
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: Cardio
*All exercise will be 3 sets of 10 reps with moderate weights.
My Goal: To get big and strong.
What do you think of this exercises? Is it really for endurance? Any suggestions and comments?
Why This Routine is Bad. StrongLifts 5×5 improves your cardiovascular fitness. If you need more endurance work, do Ross Enamait’s routines. The routine of JD’s cousin won’t build endurance, neither will it make you big & strong.
- 1 Squat Session/Week. StrongLifts 5×5, Bill Starr & Rippetoe 3×5 give fast muscle & strength gains because of the 3 Squat sessions/week.
- Isolation Exercises. Too many exercises that focus on a single joint. Dips are better than kickbacks, Overhead Presses better than front raises, Squats better than leg extensions, etc.
- More Arm Than Leg Work. 8 exercises for your arms. 4 exercises for your legs. You’re training one of your largest bodyparts with half the volume than your arms.
- High Reps. You don’t get strong using high reps. You can use more weight doing reps of 5 than reps of 10.
- No Rest Days. 3x weight lifting & 4x cardio. No physical, nor mental rest.
JD decided to do StrongLifts 5×5 instead of his cousin’s routine. If someone ever gives you a similar routine: give them StrongLifts 5×5 eBook.
Tired of the way you look? You want to build muscle & lose fat while getting stronger? Click here to download my 52 pages 100% FREE eBook.
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Ross’ stuff is good. If you’re also looking for some muscular endurance type workouts, you might also look at http://www.crossfit.com at the workouts of the day (look for “the girls” workouts). Mark Rippetoe is a contributor there.
I’ve been doing the 5×5 since mid-October (with a 3-week break when traveling in Chile). Without question, it has increased my strength, endurance, and muscularity (my wife has commented on how much stronger I look and feel). However, as I wanted to have a bit more cardiovascular work, I took Mehdi’s advice and added it at the end of each 5×5 session (FYI — this is the ‘old’ 5×5 with 3 exercises a session). Essentially, I added a (relatively short) run after each session.
At first, I started with just a 2 mile run. However, after reading about high-intensity interval training (HIIT), I decided to replace the 2-miler with that. It has gone well, but was getting a bit intense as the overall time went up (I do 30sec./30sec. intervals fast/jog). Thus, I’ve now integrated a ‘normal’ run with HIIT. I’m testing with doing Monday and Friday’s with HIIT, with Wednesday’s with a straight run at a constant speed. I may change that to alternating every workout HIIT and straight run (putting the straight run on my Squat/Press/Pull-Chin-up days, as those tend to tire me more [as I've stalled on the Press at 85 lbs. my last 2 workouts with the Press]).
However, the key I found for me (as I used to workout 3-5 times a week) was the day off after each workout and on the weekends. Although I now work out ‘less’, it is a better, more efficient workout and my body has time to recover and develop on each one. People horribly underestimate not only the utility, but need, for rest.
Anyway, another change I’m considering is the ‘upgrade’ to the updated 5×5 (adding Barbell Rows and Dips). As I want to keep my total workout time around an hour (as I do it at lunch during the workday), I’ll probably not add those for a while as it will bump my total time over an hour (which includes showering).
Thanks again, Mehdi, for the site, the 5×5 program, and inspirational posts.
A really great point you’ve made. Typical bodybuilding programs are for bodybuilders. For the recreational trainer or athlete the 5×5 and similar training programs are much better. Right now I’m experimenting with increasing my volume with the 5×5 program whilst usng the basics: deadlift, push press, and bent-over row. Good stuff!
Great article, Mehdi. It’s amazing how many people do this type of routine that the article is about. I did for about 4 years. This was back when I first got out of high school. I did weighlifting 4 to 5 days a week depending on which “routine” I was on. It changed every few weeks. I know change is needful at times, but I would change just because I was impatient and wanted to try some new exercise I had read about. That is one of the reasons I love strengh training and stronglifts 5×5; there is not all the hassle about which exercises to do. There’s a blue million exercises (especially isolation exercises) for each body part and I was always wanting to try something different. Now I just do the basic, compound, strength building exercises. I’m much happier and getting better results in only 8 weeks so far. I weighed 169 lbs. when I graduated high school and bench pressed about 175 (1RM). I was skinny and weak. After 4 years of this stuff, I weighed 176 lbs and bench pressed 200. I gained a measely 7 pounds and increased my bench 25 lbs. in 4 years! What a waste of time. I was faithful at it too. I didn’t miss workouts. I loved being at the gym and working out. I wish I had done strength training until I got a good core of strenght and muscle and then, if I wanted, I could have switched to something else.
Hi
I like what Mase has said about finding a way to mix his cardio training in with 5×5. I am training for AIDS Life Cycle (because I believe in the cause and I enjoy the experience with my friends), however my main focus is (and always has been) strength training. I like to feel strong! I am trying to find the best way to keep my strength up while building the base mileage for the ride in June. The ride will be average of 100 miles a day for 7 days. So I do need to ride a bit!
My question is, is it better for me to do 5×5 on the same days as the training rides (keep in mind that they are low level aerobic rides not just to build up base) or to do the cardio/rides on opposite days (meaning no or maybe 1 rest day per week)?
I am right now doing 5×5 m/w/f early a.m. and then Spin class t/th p.m. and outdoor rides sat/sun. I am just starting to feel a little tired so this might be not enough recovery!
Do you think that I’d recover better if I did 5×5 a.m. t/th/sat and then Spin t/th p.m. and my easy ride Sat and hard (but still not very) ride Sun? I’d then have m/w/f off totally. Any thoughts on this?!
By the way, I’ve also slowed down my progress on squats to adding 5lbs every other workout instead of every workout.
thanks!
Start off with a 15-30 minute rowing sessions then take a 5 minute break then workout. I did this all summer rowing is a great whole body workout. The machine i used made me use my forearms, chest, abs(to keep my back straight), and my legs. If you are going for strength training this will definitely be a good choice for cardio. I noticed that I couldn’t lift as much as normal after a hard 30 minute session still try your hardest to continue on. I have tried running with my workout. I believe while running in the summer for some reason it caused injury to my abs. I would have a cramp with intense pain on my top left muscle of my ab i believe. Biking is also good cardio but i believe you don’t get as much as you get out of rowing. If I remember correctly pull downs are the same as pull up/chin ups depending on your grip and they have a greater chance for error so do pull ups/chin ups instead.
@Mase
Totally agree that people underestimate you need rest. Not only physical, but mental. Working out is fun, but you have a social life, career, relationships, etc. Try to mix everything when working out 6x/week. I think that’s why a lot of people end up quitting. Thanks for sharing.
@Tony
You’re a big guy, you’re gonna end up strong in a few months if you keep that pace Tony. Looking forward to that 4 plates Squat 
I did similar routines too in my first years
@Tammy
It sounds too much yes. Spinning is HIIT. HIIT is intensive on your central nervous system: you’re constantly training at your max.
When you start losing strength (stalling), lose motivation, have trouble sleeping & get injuries: you’re most likely overtraining.
It would indeed be much better if you take m/w/f off, and do the spinning after strength training.
@Young Athlete
30mins rowing doesn’t build strength like weight lifting. And the cardio will wear you out before you even start lifting weights.
Mehdi,
Thanks. I am at the “start losing strength (stalling), lose motivation, have trouble sleeping” place already! I have not gotten injured though so good I asked before I got that far down the wrong path. Thanks
i use to train with a lot of isolation type exercises and one bodypart per workout and i looked alright, but for the past 7 months i have been doing total body workouts with multijoint excersises and heavy (for me) weight and my size has exploded. i am 205 at 5′ 10, granted i do need to lose some body fat, but i am in pretty good shape. if i drop to 185-190 lbs, i would be shredded.
I used to do similar routines to the one prescribed to that guy. Now I do more multijoint routines.