So I have been doing two workout days for a while, and each one takes nearly an hour, and it becomes hard to get myself to be motivated to do it, it isn't a daily routine, and trying to fit in that big of a time block can be challenging during the day.
I thought about it a bunch, as this is the new year, and it seems to be a good time to have new plans, and considered cutting out a lot of exercises to the standard 5x5 stronglifts routine, but after reading more on advanced routines, I still wanted to cover a number of accessory lifts.
With 14 total exercises, I decided to split it down into 5 days (squats are on 2 days) so that I have just 3 exercises to do each day, which are often able to be done in less than 20 minutes.
The core full major lifts that are in 5x5 I do on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and accessories are on Tues/Thurs.
I have it so there is a week A and week B for alternating the repeating of some workouts.
Monday Bench Press / Overhead Press (Week A/B) Curls Squats
Tuesday Pullup Dips Hip Thrust
Wednesday Overhead Press / Bench Press Dead Lift Cable Row
Thursday Lat Pulldown Tricep Pull Cable Fly
Friday Dumbbell Bench / Arnold Press Barbell Row Squats (again)
The pattern for this is slightly derived from Graysckulls LP for the MWF. On Tuesdays I make it about bands for pullups and dips, and on Thursdays it is all about cables because both of those things are a pain to setup, so I make the days all about one of them, so it isn't so much about muscle groups as it is about laziness and speed.
With all things now I try to get to 20 reps in a single exercise.
- If I make it, I up the weight the next time by 2.5 lbs.
- If I don't make it, I rest for 20 seconds, squeeze out more reps, and keep doing it until I get to the 20. I write down the number of reps, and keep the weight the same for the next workout.
This all lends to the speed of the routine. You grind your way to 20, preferably in one set, and then you move on to the next exercise. Eventually you get to 20 in one set and keep progressing.
As someone who got lots of minor injuries lifting heavy (muscle pulls that take me out for weeks), this method has led to continual safe weight progression without every stopping for weightlifting injuries - very much a slow and steady wins the race sort of thing.
Also, the speed and brevity of it all, makes it so it is easy to have part of my daily routine, which is better than being inconsistant.
I want to add more exercises to it:
- Neck related lifts recommended by the graysckulls author
- KB swings as they seem to produce great results
- Farmers carry
- Jumprope
- Sprinting
But I am trying to keep myself in check and not fill the schedule and make it harder to commit to. Instead, I am going to make it so I have earn my upgrades, video game style, and figure I can add one ever time I complete 4 weeks of completing all exercises.