routine recommendation

[vcjha]

After reading a few hundred posts after my most recent post, I realize even the 3/4/5 poundages mean you are far from prepared to handle DC. Thing is all I want is to reach those poundages to at least be able to try DC for myself. After reading some of these posts, I also have found out there is something gratifying about saying you only did 3-6 exercises to build up your body, or possibly even only the big 3. Side laterals, skull crushers, leg extensions, and leg curls just don't seem to have much value to me compared to overhead press, deadlift, row, bench, squat, and dip. But I've heard cautionary tales of people who went on these minimalist programs like bill starr 5*5 and Starting Strength that ended up with no rear delts, small biceps, small calves, no lat width, and gigantic front delts. Anybody have any recommendations as far as programs that focus on strength and a few exercises but still produce balanced body hypertrophy that will set me up well for DC training? I'd like to be able to also take myself from 165 13% bf to 185 6-7% bf on this program before I start shooting to get to 200 using DC training(the largest and most shredded natural bodybuilder in the world to me is 185 4% bf). It's amazing to find out some of DC's trainnes end up 250 but lean: 8-9% bf, and some of them were natural. Thanks for any advice.

[DazeR]

Im doing Max OT at the moment and my strength gains are going up pretty quick..

[shffl]

any program work if you have:

-progression
-lift heavy
-eat
-consistency
-recovery

my recommendation is wendler's 5/3/1. do it for 1-2 years. no jump shipping. AND THEN you can worry about bringing up weak parts

here's for motivation

http://531year.blogspot.com/2012/04/final-post.html

[vcjha]

Im doing Max OT at the moment and my strength gains are going up pretty quick..

I feel honored that you decided to post to me as your first post.

any program work if you have:

-progression
-lift heavy
-eat
-consistency
-recovery

my recommendation is wendler's 5/3/1. do it for 1-2 years. no jump shipping. AND THEN you can worry about bringing up weak parts



here's for motivation

http://531year.blogspot.com/2012/04/final-post.html

Ah. The only reason why I've strayed away from wendler's is because I like how dc is set up: NO NEED TO CALCULATE PERCENTAGES. It's a great program, but calculating percentages is just not my style.


Apart from that, appreciate the answers from people on the same level as me. Now, looking for people who got advice to start a program before DC and have successfully completed DC training for a year, which means their program set them up well for DC. In other words, looking for advice from people with experience. Glad I got advice from people who are roughly at the same level as me though. Puts things into perspective(:

[liftweights]

I enjoyed 5x5 for a few months until the weight on the squats started wrecking my knees. 3x/week heavy ass squats is not for me!

[vcjha]

I enjoyed 5x5 for a few months until the weight on the squats started wrecking my knees. 3x/week heavy ass squats is not for me!

I'll keep that in mind.

[zalex999]

Correct me if I am wrong, your problem with the 5/3/1 program is typing 3, 5-second calculations out 3-4 times a week?

If that is the case I would suggest you take another look at it, don't necessarily think of it as lifting based on a percentage if that bugs you, it's a weight that you need to move. The system he sets up allows you to use a weight you can progress with, consistently.

Also, understand into trying to be a dick, just pointing this concern out.

Finally, a program I have been using for about 21 weeks now is called Big Beyond Belief. High frequency, focus on big movements ect. It also brings alot of the element of DC's focus on pushing failure with progressively heavier weights.

Give it a look, it might be up your alley.

[JohnnyBravo]

At one point, I was pretty close to where you are. Just taller I think.

Some Options:

straight set DC
push/pull/legs
5/3/1
5x5

IMO what it really comes down to is this: Whatever you do, believe in it and go 100%. If your front delts are bigger than your rear delts once you've put on 50lbs of muscle...then its time to fix that if you care. But don't worry about the little things right now because it will bog you down and keep you from reaching your goals

[thedunhill225]

Monday
Squat 2-3 sets of 4-12 post warm up
Any 2 other leg exs you want for a cpl sets of 6-12 each

Wednesday
Bench or incline 2-3 post warm up sets of 4-12
Overhead presses same as above
Any other one or two pushing exs you want for a cpl sets of 6-12

Friday
Pulldowns or pullups 2-3 sets of 6-12 post warm up
A supported rowing ex same as above
Deads 2-3 sets of 4-6 post warm up sets
A curl of some kind if you want for a cpl sets.

Do that and you will get as big as you can get. Strive for more wt, more reps with good form... Sleep and eat.

Peace.

[thedunhill225]

BTW... If you are worried about imbalances... As long as you follow a well rounded routine I believe your genetics will determine that stuff more and more. Whenever I hear about a bodybuilder bringing up a weak bodypart that they have been training regularly and hard... It seems like the body part is "brought up" because their whole body just got bigger (or they have been using seo's). I have seen plenty of guys bring up weak arms for example... Cause they just got bigger everywhere.

Just my observation.

[vcjha]

Correct me if I am wrong, your problem with the 5/3/1 program is typing 3, 5-second calculations out 3-4 times a week?

If that is the case I would suggest you take another look at it, don't necessarily think of it as lifting based on a percentage if that bugs you, it's a weight that you need to move. The system he sets up allows you to use a weight you can progress with, consistently.

Also, understand into trying to be a dick, just pointing this concern out.

Finally, a program I have been using for about 21 weeks now is called Big Beyond Belief. High frequency, focus on big movements ect. It also brings alot of the element of DC's focus on pushing failure with progressively heavier weights.

Give it a look, it might be up your alley.

I've seen it around, never really bothered looking into it, because wherever I looked there was always many posts saying Leo was CRAZY and this kind of workout will promote serious overtraining. But I think I'll take a closer look at it tonight.

At one point, I was pretty close to where you are. Just taller I think.

Some Options:

straight set DC
push/pull/legs
5/3/1
5x5

IMO what it really comes down to is this: Whatever you do, believe in it and go 100%. If your front delts are bigger than your rear delts once you've put on 50lbs of muscle...then its time to fix that if you care. But don't worry about the little things right now because it will bog you down and keep you from reaching your goals

Straight set DC sounds pretty good. How would you suggest I do it? 2 sets each exercise?

Monday
Squat 2-3 sets of 4-12 post warm up
Any 2 other leg exs you want for a cpl sets of 6-12 each

Wednesday
Bench or incline 2-3 post warm up sets of 4-12
Overhead presses same as above
Any other one or two pushing exs you want for a cpl sets of 6-12

Friday
Pulldowns or pullups 2-3 sets of 6-12 post warm up
A supported rowing ex same as above
Deads 2-3 sets of 4-6 post warm up sets
A curl of some kind if you want for a cpl sets.

Do that and you will get as big as you can get. Strive for more wt, more reps with good form... Sleep and eat.

Peace.

The best post so far, no disrespect to anyone else. Laid out very nicely. This will definitely be better than the workout I'm currently doing: 24 sets for push day, not including 8 sets for rear delts because I'm trying to bring up my rear delts. Back and bicep is 17 sets. What a waste of time. It's really eye-opening seeing people who believe that low volume is the way to go. I too believe it when I grasped the concept that Dante and others brought home that each rep you give it your hardest, explosive contracting, and then letting down slowly. I gave it my hardest effort yet two days ago and it took 3 HOURS to finish the whole workout. I now 100% believe without a doubt that any bodypart can only take 4-6 HARD SETS. If you can seriously do more than that for hard sets, you're either an incredible individual or you just didn't workout hard enough. But thanks again for that post, it's really between this and straight set DC.

BTW... If you are worried about imbalances... As long as you follow a well rounded routine I believe your genetics will determine that stuff more and more. Whenever I hear about a bodybuilder bringing up a weak bodypart that they have been training regularly and hard... It seems like the body part is "brought up" because their whole body just got bigger (or they have been using seo's). I have seen plenty of guys bring up weak arms for example... Cause they just got bigger everywhere.

Just my observation.

Duly noted. I probably shouldn't worry about imabalances at 170 lb. Geez, I feel small compared to you guys. Most of you would scare away half the people I know in the gym. 18" arms is the biggest I've seen shredded. There might be 22's but I only know of one guy and he's a friend and the others have fatceps.

Seriously, I would consider this my first real post but my trial post from months ago elicited a at least 15 replies. This is by far the most helpful forum and I see nobody says things like, "Do you even lift?" "retard," "I'm bigger than you so STFU," things like that...yet most of you are probably the biggest bodybuilders in the world naturally or with little gear, which means you have the most credibility to say these things. I respect the hell out of Dante and everybody on this board and hope to set just as good an example when I am no longer a newb a couple of years down the road and I come across a newb who has just discovered the forum and the world of DC training. Also, emailed Dante hoping I could have a consultation with him since I live in San Diego too. It would mean the world to me if he allowed it.

[DCBliever]

I live in San Diego

Go see Heckman, don't talk training, talk about life, mistakes, how to flush your colon, then have him take you to Phil's, again don't talk training. You'll be a better person.

On another note KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid) is the best way too go.

Live
Train Progressively
Eat Smart for YOUR Goals
Sleep & Recover

Easy, took me too long to realize it, and at your stage of the game the gains come quick if you do it right

[Heckman]

Go see Heckman, don't talk training, talk about life, mistakes, how to flush your colon, then have him take you to Phil's, again don't talk training. You'll be a better person.

LMAO....I can talk shit like nobodies mother...

[vcjha]

Go see Heckman, don't talk training, talk about life, mistakes, how to flush your colon, then have him take you to Phil's, again don't talk training. You'll be a better person.

On another note KISS(Keep It Simple Stupid) is the best way too go.

Live
Train Progressively
Eat Smart for YOUR Goals
Sleep & Recover

Easy, took me too long to realize it, and at your stage of the game the gains come quick if you do it right

LMAO....I can talk shit like nobodies mother...

Aha, nice. WHAT? That is incredibly hard to do when all I would want to do is talk about training once met Heckman haha. Heckman knows Phil Hernon? Wow, that was basically Dante's mentor. Yep, I'm learning that more and more as I go, that I truly want to keep it as simple as i can to implement, but works balls to the walls to reach my goal if needed.

[DCBliever]

Aha, nice. WHAT? That is incredibly hard to do when all I would want to do is talk about training once met Heckman haha. Heckman knows Phil Hernon? Wow, that was basically Dante's mentor. Yep, I'm learning that more and more as I go, that I truly want to keep it as simple as i can to implement, but works balls to the walls to reach my goal if needed.

Phil's is BBQ brah, just sayin'