Madcow Training Information Site
Go home and tell Mom that you're a man now. - Mark Rippetoe
Now that you have advanced in both conditioning and strength, you require more of a workload each training session to disrupt homeostasis. However, the weight you use and the workload you require is too much for you to recover from in only 24-72 hours.
Progression and planning will no longer be from workout to workout, it will be from week to week. Congratulations, you have advanced to the next stage, that of the intermediate!
There are TONS of different things you can do. Chances are good you will want to branch out and play with a bunch of fancy machines and cable exercises and set up a 5-day bodypart split and give the bicepticons their own day, etc. If you want to do that, then go for it, but you'll need to look elsewhere for that type of info.
In Practical Programming, there is quite a bit of info on intermediate programming, which picks up, in detail, where Starting Strength left off.
Generally, after several months of consistent, hard training with proper rest, nutrition and recovery, progress will eventually stall and daily workout-to-workout progress will no longer be possible. The body is simply conditioned to the point where the amount of stress necessary to disrupt homeostasis is greater than the body's ability to recover in a few days. Additionally, the amount of weight being used is going to be much higher than it was when training first began.
In other words, in order to get the "training effect", you need to pound yourself harder than you can recover from. Your workout abilities have exceeded your recovery abilities.
A simple training period (training period = period of training and recovery whereby homeostasis is disrupted by training, and sufficient time is allowed to recover and progress) no longer is comprised of 1 workout, but of several. By this point, the trainee, now at the intermediate stage, may have some specific direction or specialization they desire, and may have decided that he/she wants to become a powerlifter or a football player or a bodybuilder or a track/field athlete, etc. As such, more complex training protocols are going to be needed.
Rippetoe describes in great detail several methodologies for progression in Practical Programming. I will reproduce a very few of these here so as not to "steal his thunder", as well as give a few of my own that I didn't see him mention. He discusses, at length, 4, 5, and 6-day per week training routines, upper/lower, push/pull, and variations on the Starr model. I will discuss and explain the application of a few here.
What are some very basic intermediate adjustments I can make to the program?
Here are some more examples using substitution semi-core exercises. Some are mentioned in PP, some are of my own design. All are obviously intuitive for the experienced individual or strength coach.
Incorporating front squats, doing more chinups, all sets 3x5, cleans 5x3, deadlifts = 1x5, chinup/pullups = 3x8-15
General guidelines about accessory exercises still apply.
Understand that you should be using heavier weight each time you hit the same specific exercise, in some way or another. The workload must go up consistently until a reset is necessary.
Overall, note that Wednesday is a "recovery" day, where you do a workload that is going to be noticeably lighter than either Friday or Monday's workout. it's not just %age of 1-RM, it is also "effort".
Page 195 of Practical Programming, has a great table which shows %-1RM and how it corresponds with repetitions and difficulty. On Wednesday, you might only use 70% of your 1-RM, but if you do 4x10 with it, that is going to be HARD, even if it is "low intensity". If you only do 3x8 with that same 70%, that would be a "medium" type workout, and 2-3x5 would be a "light" workout. This is VERY VERY important.
The Advanced Novice Program
Week A
Day 1
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Chin-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps
Day 2
Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)
Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Day 3
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Week B
Day 1
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Day 2
Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)
Bench press 3x5
Power clean 5x3
Day 3
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Pull-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps
The Advanced Novice Program w/ Deadlift Variation
Week A
Day 1
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Chin-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps
Day 2
Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)
Press 3x5
Romanian Deadlift 3x5
Day 3
Squat 3x5
Bench press 3x5
Pull-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Week B
Day 1
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Chin-ups: 3 sets to failure, unweighted
Day 2
Front Squat 3x5 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)
Bench press 3x5
SLDL 3x5
Day 3
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Pull-ups: 3 sets, weight added so failure occurs at 5 to 7 reps
Once an increase in volume is possible, adding a single "backoff" set of 8 repetitions after the 3x5 is done can also be useful (not needed for regular deads or cleans)
So, here we have the "Bodybuilder" variation
Intermediate Bodybuilder Variation
Week A
Day 1
Back Squat 3x5, 1x8
Incline Bench press 3x5, 1x8
Chin-ups 4x8-15
Day 2
Front squats 3x5, 1x8 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)
Seated Press 3x5, 1x8
SLDL 3x5, 1x8
Day 3
Squat 3x5, 1x8
Incline Bench press 3x5, 1x8
Row 3x5, 1x8
Week B
Day 1
Squat 3x5, 1x8
Seated Press 3x5, 1x8
Chin-ups 4x8-15
Day 2
Front squats 3x5, 1x8 OR Light Squat 2x5 (80% 5RM)
Incline Bench press 3x5, 1x8
SLDL 3x5, 1x8
Day 3
Squat 3x5, 1x8
Seated Press 3x5, 1x8
Row 3x5, 1x8
**The backoff set of 8 is done with about 75% of the weight that was used for your 3x5 set.**
Adding Days
What are some other ideas for effective training once the novice program has worn its welcome?
What about the Bill Starr/Madcow 5x5 and stuff? Can I do them next?
Sure. They are excellent training programs! Gel lac. (There are dozens of 5x5 related programs).
How do I include speed work in these programs?
Basically Speed Sets consist of high sets and low reps with short rest in between.
Here is one example, but you'll need to read Practical Programming to really understand the hows and whys.
More Programs
Constructing Your Own Workout Routine
How To Construct Your Own Workout Routine
Guidelines to Designing Your Own Routine
Bodybuilding Programs / Physique Competitor
Lyle McDonald's Generic Bulking Routine
Westside for Skinny Bastards
Hypertrophy Specific Training
Max-OT
Zion 5x5 - Strength & Hypertrophy
Layne Norton's Power/Hypertrophy Routine
Push/Pull and Upper/Lower Splits
3 Day Bodypart Splits
20 Rep Squat Routines
Bodybuilding Applied Program
Strength Training Programs / Mass
The Texas Method
4 Day Split for Strength
Bill Starr 5x5
Basic Westside Template
Frankie NY's Mass Building Program
Weightlifting Programs/ Olympic Weightlifting / Power
Dan John's Big 21
Glenn Pendlay's WFW Program
Dr. Mike Stone's Basic Weightlifting Program
Powerlifting Programs
Stephen Korte 3x3
Smolov Squat Cycle
Smolov Squat Cycle Calculator
Smolov Jr. for Bench/Deadlift
Coan/Phillipi 10 Week Deadlift Routine
Coan 10 Week Squat Routine
Coan 12 Week Bench Routine
Pure Power Mag 16-week Squat Routine
Patrik Nyman's Prilepin Bench Program
Russian Squat Program
Strongman Training
Strongman Training for Athletes by Joe Defanco
Fitness Conditioning / Crosstraining / Jack-of-All-Trades
Crossfit
Athletic Programs / Sports Conditioning
Athletic Programs
Boxer's Abdominal Workout Program
Combative Programs / Boxing / Grappling / Martial Arts / MMA
Time Under Tension for MMA Fighters & Grapplers By Zach Even – Esh
Time Under Tension for Grapplers & MMA Fighters Part II By Zach Even – Esh
Strength and Flexibility Exercises for Fighters By Joe DeFranco
Strength Training For Fighters 15 Random Thoughts by Ross Enamait
How Combat Athletes Can Effectively Use Kettlebells and the Grappler By Zach Even-esh
MMA Strength-Endurance Training - Be Stronger...Longer
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