Madcow question

[SirJinks]

Little bit of background, I'm doing SL 5x5, have been for over 3 months now and am probably going to hit my first deload on 3x5 squats very soon. I'm just looking ahead to what's in store after going through the SL programme and the Madcow routine is what is recommended.

My concern is that as it is laid out I would be doing bench twice a week, oh press and deadlifts once a week. I feel my bench is already ahead of my other lifts and my deadlift is definitely in need of work, I'm just feeling it would just promote the imbalance more and not allow me to progress as much on my shoulders and dead's. I like the SL idea of alternating routines so (excepting legs) one week hits an exercise twice and the next it is only once, can I modify madcow to do the same?

I'm thinking of keeping the same exercises as SL 5x5 (a Workout A and a workout B) but the same series of weight increases / number of sets / reps as Madcow. The middle Wednesday would be slightly different at 5x5 (instead of 4x5) and would be the same weights as the one to come on the Monday. This would I think mean that the weights goe up every other week instead of every week but I'm happy with that.

Is this ok? Any glaring errors or do's and don'ts about the routine I'm missing? Any feedback is appreciated

[Mart001]

whats your BW wieght and the wieght of your lifts?

You can alternate the press with bench every week, if your not interested in your bench number you could swap it for Dips even, there is alot of scope, I would suggest that if your not training for a powerlifting competition but just to increase overall strength then the bench can be less of a priority, another similar program that I run is the Texas method, which is VRI (volume -rest- recovery) where madcow is HML (heveay - light -medium) but it doesnt have to be in that order with the HML template, just as long within the week there is a heavy day, medium day, light day. Which can be seperated with reps number, wieght percent or assistance exercice press heavy, push press medium... if your really getting into intermediate programming look at ripptoes and kilgores book practical programming.

DL at a 1x5 per week should be sufficient, if you can add 2.5kg every week keep doing this.

The texas method takes a little while to learn your own limits T NATION | The Texas Method

[Waterfield]

Rule number 1. Don't **** with the routine.
"Substituting Exercises:
Don't **** with this. Every bodybuilder seems to have Attention Deficit Disorder and an overwhelming desire to customize everything. The bottom line is that these are all the most effective exercises and just about anything one does will result in less gains. As a rule those people who want to change it don't know enough to make proper alterations - those who do know enough, don't have much to change. The guy who is responsible for this program is of the best on the planet at bulking lifters and making people stronger. It's kind of like Sesame Street's Elmo offering neurosurgery advice at NYU. Anyway, it's absolutely essential not to screw with the squats, they are the foundation of this program. If you want to sub inclines or push presses for military that's okay. Do not sub machines - don't even think about it, hit yourself with a plate if you must. For arms choose a single biceps and triceps exercise and perform them at the end once per week for 3 sets of whatever - your arms will take a beating from all the pulling and pressing anyway. If you want to chin on Wednesday or do a few sets of pulldowns/ups that's fine (avoid the machines if you can use bodyweight). Core work is always fine. Cardio is fine - interval training is the best for this I'll just throw out. If this is just too much mental strain, take solace in the fact that it's just a few weeks, you'll gain a ton of muscle and strength and then you can spend the next 4 weeks adding the minute detail to refine the gained mass (like most care anyway - I have yet to meet a guy on this board who will trade 20lbs of muscle for a bit of added detail somewhere). In a nutshell, put your trust in some of the better coaches on the planet and enjoy the results."


Seriously though, chances are your bench will slow down and your deadlift will catch up.

[Waterfield]

I'd also like to add that's in the routine.

My opinion on your question is it doesn't matter what you do as long as you increase the work over time and you're happy. Although it sounds as if it'd be easier for you to customise your routine if you worked out 4 times a week instead of 3, meaning you get more time to work on what things you think need done.

[Mart001]

another point may be e.g. whilst your squats are in need of intermediate programming its likely your presses arent and they could still stay on the novice LP.

The madcow 5x5 originates ans is adapted from a Bill Starr method (which is the Heavy medium light concept, this can run upto a 4 day week and even a 6 for oly lifting) if you want to understand the concept more. Madcow was a poster on some board at sometime, its a good program.

[SirJinks]

Thanks for all your input guys.

In response to Mart's first post I'm currently about 100kg and lifts are -
Squat - about to hit first deload at 3x5 - 112.5kg
Bench - about to hit first deload at 5x5 - 105kg
OH Press - 5x5 - 55kg (hit one failure week at that weight)
Barbell rows - 5x5 - 80kg (hit one failure week at that weight)
Deadlift - 1x5 - 100kg (don't laugh )

I have done 110kg on my deads but my form suffered so have come back down to 100kg whilst I build up my strength, especially in my lumbar region which is I feel the cause of the bad form on the heavier weights. I guess with my deads being the obvious week lift I'm dubious that training it once a week for 4 sets will make it catch up! I will read up on the Texas method and see if that might fit me better.

Waterfield, I wouldn't swap the squats around at all so that would remain as the routine dictated. My modified routine would be squats, bench and rows on one day and squats, press and deads on another, then just alternate those routines so one week would be two of the first routine and one of the second, the next week would be the other way round. It would certainly make it simpler doing four workouts a week but I'm not sure I can commit to it.

It will be a while until a get to and finish on 1x5 anyway so I have some time yet to see what is best. Any other ideas or tips are always welcome.