Reg Park 5x5

[Claybear]

http://oldschooltrainer.com/reg-parks-beginner-routine/

Thoughts on this for an intermediate?

[LG1]

Any 5x5 program is a pretty solid option IMO.

[andrewR]

It's a solid routine. As an intermediate you may not be able to handle as frequent heavy loading as a beginner. A beginner can get by with frequent heavy loading (3x a week) because they aren't really strong enough to stress themselves beyond their body's ability to recover. As you start lifting heavier weights, you tend to have to fluctuate intensity somehow or reduce frequency. An easy way to fluctuate intensity in the linked workout would be to simply add a light workout as Workout C. This could still be sets of 5, but at a reduced weight or simply a higher rep pump workout. Take a look at some of the other 5x5 full body intermediate variations and see how they fluctuate intensity from workout to workout.

Also, how strong are you? What's your 1RM on bench, oh press, squat, deadlift, etc.? If you haven't made solid gains in those already, the workout could definitely work well just as is.

[Claybear]

Thanks for the replies and help. I'm 153lbs at 5'5 squat 320 atg, bench 230, deadlift 350, shoulder press 155. A Bill Starr/Madcow program is what I've been using for a long while now. I'm a student so I can eat and sleep as much as needed to help recovery. Even with that though do you think this would be too difficult to recover from?

[LG1]

I personally utilized stronglifts5x5!

[andrewR]

Thanks for the replies and help. I'm 153lbs at 5'5 squat 320 atg, bench 230, deadlift 350, shoulder press 155. A Bill Starr/Madcow program is what I've been using for a long while now. I'm a student so I can eat and sleep as much as needed to help recovery. Even with that though do you think this would be too difficult to recover from?

Have you been making progress on madcow? If so, I'd stick with that. It's a solid routine that I've used in the past with success. The weekly progress works perfectly for an intermediate since they usually aren't going to be able to progress every workout like a beginner would from frequent loading.

[Claybear]

Madcow has done very well for me and really helped to set me on the path of understanding basic programming. I saw that article and really liked the look and feel of it but wanted to get someone else's opinion on it to make sure I wasn't about to spin my wheels for a few months trying to make this work. Thanks for the help