Help me with my training program

[PLer1290]

My best meet was 590/375/600 for a 1565 total in the 275lb class. This was all raw and after my first AAS cycle. I never really had my own training program/routine I just squatted heavy every week and did various different max effort bench exercises.

While that type of training worked for me, I feel a lot of my gains were because of the drugs and not because of the training. I also feel that I have milked my beginner gains and now need to have more structured training.

There are so many different opinions out there on how to train, some say westside, others say 5/3/1, others say block periodization. I don't know which one I should use. My question is what training system would work the best for a raw lifter who is having a hard time making gains?

 

[walker11]

i've used a westside template for both raw and equiped lifting and it worked great for me. i know a lot of guy who use 5/3/1 and they like it, the only problemwith that routine is that some guys complain about not feeling heavy weight often enough. so if you are lifting pro (untested) then i would say go with either westside or a metal militia template. both use 3 week waves, but the main difference is that with the westside method you change up your max effort lifts every week, with the metal militia template you stick with the same lifts for 3-4 weeks. also, westside has speed/dynamic days, metal milita does not, they both use bands and chains just in different ways.
i train at metal milita and the new guys, more expereiced lifters, raw, and equiped lifters all use a variation of the metal militia template and they all like it and make gains; however, even though i train there i do not use that template because i like having dynamic days.
so as you can tell there are pros and cons to every template out there, just choose one and stick with it for your entire meet training and if you like it then use it again, if not then try another method. but my personal recomendation is to do go with some sort of westside method.

 

[PLer1290]

Thanks for the response. What about when not training for a meet, how do you train to maintain strength when off cycle?

 

[walker11]

for the first 4-6 weeks after a meet i drop all heavy lifting and go to a 10-12 rep range to allow my body to recover from the past meet and training leading up to it. afetr that i go back to a westside template but instead of doing ME lifts i do heavy doubles and triples and add more accessory lifts to work on my weak points.

 

[scraper009]

Everything works, nothing works forever. I train with a lot of ex westsiders and i can tell you hardly any of them are using a traditional DE ME training cycle. ME work remains constant and the DE days are used for weaknesses. most of these guys seperate back work into its own day and some do a small amount every work out. Being a raw lifter i would avoid a lot of band tension and stick with basic movements.

 

[Iceman1800]

Just my opinion here. Westside is where I made my best gains but I was part of a large training group. I feel that is important to really train it right. If you train alone or just with one person, I would go with the 5/3/1

 

[lc]

I agree with both scrapper and Iceman. Training partners and environment are two essenstial parts, sometimes more important than the program itself. Train hard and smart and you will get stronger

 

[frankanator]

PROGAM

I agree with iceman and scraper on westside traing Ithinks its best!!! but as far as traning partners I train alone!!! I have a free spotter so I have no fear in the SQ. or bench once you get use to it its the bomb! I guess if I was to meet some kool dudes had to same goals and dreams as I! I whould probley try it again but my exp. has been most pepole get in to it 6m maybe a year them they start missin W/Os make excuses and genral bullshit!!! I have no time for slackers lames limps I'm on a misschion to be as strong as I can and at 52 I dont think I'm running out time just dont have time to waste!!IF YOU CANT MODAVATE YOUR SELF why whould think others whould do that for you ?MY # arent great yet but they keep going up 500 SQ. 350 bench 520 deads a t 198# hell I just switched to PL 2 years ago after 18yr BB (all nat ) much kooler sport!!! YOU GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN!!! work hard stay strong FRANKANATOR