Acidental Home Strength Training Utopia.

[chris78]

This thread is for everyone who knows there is another way to train but are to scared to make the jump from mainstream bodybuilding routines to basics only. SS forum members who have made the jump or trained in basics all along will just laugh and say 'told you so'!

I recently got forced into training at home by my big named uk fitness gym, due to their piss poor customer service (I was later reimnbursed, due to there mistake might I add).
After 3 years of dedicated full split weight (dominated by isolation movements) and cardio routines, I began to believe that my squat (100kg) and my deadlift (130kg) was as far as my 'genetics' would let me go. I then thought to myself I dont need this rubbish, so, undeterred I invested in a squat rack with pull up bars, olympic rings to hang from said pull up bars (for dips) , olympic weights, and a bench to train at home.
I recieved the kit and unfortunatley no J-hooks were supplied, meaning I had to train every single movement 'from the bottom'....UHH OHH.
Due to my new lack of machines I was also forced into doing only basic routines/movents. Being the brave soul I am, I even decided to omit curls from my routine. I was going to that place where no muscle magazine, or big chain gyms want you to go..THE LAND OF ABBREVIATION. I even decided to omit cardio from my routine, meaning I was gonna get FAT! at least thats what the 'tone you up gyms and muscle magazines' would have you believe. Dammit I even decided to stop using protein shakes and eat a tonne of food instead of the usual 500 calories above maintenance rubbish.
My routine is a follows. Workout A and Workout B. Alternating twice per week. Mon and Thu although if i miss out by a day its no stress.

A Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Weighted pull-up 5x5

B Deadlift 5x5
Seated barbell press (due to low ceiling) 5x5
Weighted olympic ring dips 5x5
Weighted sit ups 1x20-I may even omit sit ups soon!

My rep schemes go as follows. 2x progressively heavier warm up sets (dependant on movements-squats and deads sometimes up to 4 warm ups), followed by 3 work sets, regardless of number of warm up sets.

Every single session has a progression of some sort, most usually a weight increment, even if its just a micro load. If I miss a rep or two, I strive to hit five reps the next session, then move up a weight.

So simple, its too difficult for most people to understand.

Results?unbelievable.After a about 2 years of complete stagnation there has been 30kg on my squat, 30kg on my dead, just to mention 2 movements, in little under 3 months of home training, and still heading skyrocketing every single session!

Moral of the story? Dont let muscle magazines, dominated by drug cheats, that are only interested in selling the next big thing lead you a merry dance.....Dont let mainstream gym culture tell you that you need to hit every single bodypart 3x per week.

Dare to be brave! Dare to go to very basic strength routines with plenty of food and plenty of rest in between sessions!

It works.

Chris

Oh, and the J-hooks for my rack? They turned up and have never been used. I dont need em!

[Gene61]

Since you obviously know the SS approach, any particular reason you didn't use the SS/TM programming?

[chris78]

T M Approach?

[chris78]

pardon my ignorance gene61.the Texas method of course.i have simply picked something as basic as possible.no volume days etc just training as hard as possible looking for progression as much as possible.when things slow down/stop or estimate i know it will be time to take a slightly modified approach then I may look at something a little more advanced like the tm method.until then why fix something that already works.
cheers

[Gene61]

I mentioned TM because of your programming of 5x5, which is used on volume day in TM. However the SS Novice programming just uses 5 reps X 3 sets at working weights after warm ups. I know there are other programs that use 5x5 for novices, but those programs aren't promoted here. I suggest that if you haven't done so, that you order the SS book. Rippetoe makes a good case for his 5x3 programming for best linear progression.