Overwhelmed and confused. Trouble finding a routine.

[Jormungand]

Hi guys, I am fairly new to the boards but got addicated to this place once I found it (thanks Animal Pak). I hope this is the correct place to post this. Anyways....

I am having trouble finding and choosing a proper and effective workout routine for me. I have been researching and there are just so many I don't know what would be best for me. Currently, I want to lift more for strength then for body building. I'd like to build up my overall muscle strength first. I am 22, 6'-3", 190 lbs with 13-15% body fat, except at my gut which is like 25% :( I can max bench press 235 lbs, with an unknown squat and dead lift max.

I've been searching for routines for strength and one that seems to stick out is the stronglifts 5x5 but it seems to "begininer" for me. One of the goals is benching your body weight and I already bench consideribly more then my body weight. Alot of the strength building routines seem to almost be not enough, if you know what I mean? I feel as if I should be doing more. The workouts seem so simple and small. Maybe I just don't know how to effectively work out?

My goals are to build a solid physical physique and formed body, but be strong at the same time. But I don't know where to turn to accomplish these goals, and I mean what workout routines to follow.

I started working out 5 weeks ago, doing a 5 day a week workout out split and taking a bunch of supps (pak,nytrowhey,vapor,myozene). In 5 weeks I went from weighing in at 170 lbs to 190 lbs. I gained 20 lbs in 5 weeks, but I don't know how much of that is water weight. Seems like I shoulding be complaining huh? Thing is, my body really isn't forming, just bloating a bit, specially it seems around my gut and stomach area. Which is what I was trying to avoid in the first place. I haven't been counting calories but I have amped up my caloric intake since I started working out 5 weeks ago.

Please excuse my newbiness, I just am currently lacking the confidence to feel comfortable with a routine. So I guess my question would revolve around the area of what kind of workouts should I be doing for strength and body physique? I am tall, so I can distribute the weight pretty evenly and look good, but I just don't know how to go about it.

I am begining to wonder if I am evening making sense now? Or just rambling. I just don't know what workout out routine to follow to achieve my goals, which would be a combination strength and physique. A long time goal of mine is to bench 315 lbs, I am at 235 right now. Long way, but I have the work ethic to get there. I just want to have good overall body physique while I am getting there.

Is my situation and wants able to be satisfied in a way I don't know about? If anyone could help me, or atleast talk some sense into me that would be great!! I am just so overwhelmed and confused by the countless different workout programs and routines, and what does what, and do this for this, and strength routines, and body building routines, etc etc etc. I don't know what to do.

Thanks guys!

If there is any information I left out or you may want to know ask and I will answer.

[shizz702]

The stronglifts routine is solid bro, and its main goal is to be able to full squat 1.5x your bodyweight. Can you do that? You're a beginner longer than you think, not saying you are one but I can gurantee you will gain more weight and strength on a full body routine like that you will on a 5 day split.

[71bbo455]

The stronglifts routine is solid bro, and its main goal is to be able to full squat 1.5x your bodyweight. Can you do that? You're a beginner longer than you think, not saying you are one but I can gurantee you will gain more weight and strength on a full body routine like that you will on a 5 day split.

I agree. Arnold used his beginner routine for over a year. Your body doesn't even begin to mature at only 1 year of training as a beginner. Stick with it and watch your calories. Keep the protein high and make sure that your fats are good fats and you should be fine.

[prowrestler]

westside barbell

all i gotta say

i gained so much more the just size/strength.

people notice the difference in me.

i went from like 183-200lbs. with 1 month off all upper body and now i dont even train lats or chest due to me bein a dumb body builder before powerlfiting and hurtin myself.

my quads gained nearly 1 inch during my first 3 weeks

[NickSP]

Here's my two cents, the details of a routine aren't really what makes the training. 3-5 day split (4 is ideal IMO) focusing on the basic compound moves - BB and DB bench, BB and DB curls, deadlifts, pull ups, rows, overhead presses, skullcrushers, squats. Those are a lot of important moves in my book. Focus on these types of moves, consistent work, and heavy weight.
Now everyone should vary their reps, 1 up to as high as ya want, but if you're looking for strength plus some size the majority of sets should probably fall somewhere around 1-10. You can change your exact rep scheme up as much as you want, hell I don't even stick to a certain plan. Just try to progress and get more weight on the bar.
For volume you should see what feels comfortable for you. A lot of times I would say people are doing something like 2-4 exercises per muscle group, with a similar number of sets for each exercise...depending on whether it's a large or small muscle.
Variety, like I said change the rep plan up once in a while, change the exercises too, volume, whatever.
EAT. If you want to be big and strong, eat like it. And don't worry about lining up all kinds of supplements, I'm about at my all time best right now and I'm not doing anything fancy, I don't even have creatine right now.

[LiftBig315]

go heavy man...i like to keep most of my workouts in the 6-8 rep range, I sometimes switch up to 10-12 if I feel like I am starting to fatigue out on some sets too early and go from there....or if everything feels good I hit some real heavy sets of 3-5

you just gotta find a split that feels good for you, not any 1 program is designed for the whole human race....otherwise everybody would be huge if it were that easy....

it took a while to start seeing the gains I wanted,,,I did start with a cookie cutter routine and threw out some exercises, and added in some exercises...tweaked it to my liking.

i also like to start with the compound lifts after some warm up stuff too....then hit the isolation exercises and burn em up good....I will quit there....hopefully that will help in addition to what some of the other guys have said..

[shizz702]

Here's a post from my Iron Diary thread that is relavent to this topic:

Everything works!

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As the title says, it all works.

Nevermind Joe bodybuilders routine, or my routine, or anybody's routine for that matter. Just lift some fucking weights! Weight training, in itself, works, and that's all that matters. Sometimes I think where some people make mistakes is worrying too much about the details, and over analyze shit.

Do you honestly think in reality it is going to make that big of a difference if you choose to do sets of 8 on the squats or sets of 10? There are no magic numbers, pick some that appeal to you and give it a fucking go.

The only way to truly learn what your body responds to is to experiment. In order to experiment you have to do the work. Don't sit and deliberate and try to find that perfect routine. Just put something together, using common sense of course, and stick with it.

I see lots of questions, asking about this one's routine, and that one's, and asking if it would work. Well the answer to that question it try it and find out. As long as you have your rest and nutrition dialed in chances are you'll get something out of it.

Now there are other aspects that come into play, not everyone can gain off of super high volume, and most day to day people with jobs and other responsibilities won't be able to train 6 days a week like some of the pros do. But the point I'm trying to get across is there is no need to over analyze.

You don't have to worry or wonder about what someone else is doing, nor is designing a program that difficult. You just have to take the initiative and do something. I think the hardest part for some people is deciding on something, and sticking with it. You can't give fair judgement to a training method if you only stick with it for a few weeks. You need to give something a decent run to truly judge its effectiveness.

Once you move around a bit and experiment with different training styles observe what does, and what doesn't work for you. Eventually you'll compile a wide array of exercises and methods of training and coming up with a training cycle will be like second nature.

You have got to find, and apply what works for you. And regarding the pros routines, remember just cause it works for them, doesn't mean it will work for you. But you never know anything til you try. Sitting around wondering without applying is futile, take action or shut the fuck up!

As the Animal adage goes, shut up and train! And once again, remember weight training in itself works! Everything, within reason works! If you pick up a fucking barbell and apply progressive resistance you will get stronger, and you will get bigger, but you got to simply do it!