There is SO many free and easy solutions online. I think the best is the app "Boostcamp". It has a great library, helps you choose a program that will work with the type of gym you have and your goals. Also has some of the most famous programs like nSuns, 5/3/1, starting strength etc...

Rich

Wow thanks for posting... do you know anywhere that has a link to his Fundamentals guide?

The problem with full body days is that you really aren't able to put in enough good working sets to break the muscle down entirely. With full body days you also really need to track what you're doing and know when to leave the gym (as opposed to ramming tons of sets in), I find it eventually becomes either too complicated, or you just burn out.

I'm usually in the gym 5 days a week, but if you can do 3-4, I always prefer a hybrid-bro split.

Day 1: Chest/Biceps
Day 2: Legs
Day 3: Back/Triceps
Day 4: Shoulders/Abs
Day 5: Repeat Day 1 and forward.

In any of the 4 days you can add in any weak point additional training (say throwing in some extra leg work on Shoulder/Abs day).

This way you can keep in simple and know exactly what you're doing that particular day.

You don't want to be like one of those scrawny dorks walking around the gym with a pen and notebook having to track all your sets and crap. Been lifting consistently 5 days a week on average for the last damn near 20 years now.

It wouldn't be the same enjoyable hobby for me anymore if I had to commit that much mental energy to tracking sets and workout plans each time I entered the gym.

I agree that it's too complicated. But for inter/advanced lifters it's perfect for when you picked up 1 - 2 other sports, have 2 jobs, kids, new small business.

I find that it has enough volume to hit all the body parts at least 2 - 3x a week at moderate intensity. Doesn't fry to CNS. In and out of the gym in under 75 - 90 minutes, even in peak 5-7pm gym hours.

Probably not good for novice lifters that doesn't have a strong strength base to work on. You also hardly make much gains on full body, progressively overloading seems really slow and difficult but if your goal is holding onto what you already have, it's pretty good.

This discussion making me look at my routine at the moment. It's been working for me in terms of maintaining and actually slowly increasing strength. Especially since I reworked my squat form the past year or so (I discovered was not effectively triggering my glutes at all previously, causing back/knee pain), I feel I've been squatting better/more than I did 10 years ago. But not sure if it could be even more effective with my limited time.

But essentially 2 days a week is what I am able to really fit in my schedule. Same full body routine each time:

Squat - 5 x 5 at about 80% 1RM (plus ~3 warm up/cool-down sets increasing/decreasing in weight).

Bench or DB press - 3 sets / 8-10 reps

Deadlift - 2 sets/5 reps warm up, then 1 or 2 sets of 1RM.

Plus random DB shoulder press, or cable bi-curls/tri-extensions to close it off. Maybe some bulgarian split squats depending on what I feel like.

Personally, I feel like the above isn't enough volume to make significant strength gains beyond the "noobie gains" of 1 plate bench / 2 plate squat / 3 plate deadlift. But it would be enough to preserve it.

I am a bit above the noobie gains (admittedly not a whole ton), if all I can do with 2 days is maintenance, I am ok with it. Any gradual gains is a bonus (which I have been seeing, slowly).

That said if I can change up the sets/reps to make better use of 2 days, I am open to suggestions.

Can I offer a trick for you for squatting which changed my life?

I was getting the same knee pain when squatting, I wasn't engaging my glutes properly so even 225lbs was hurting my knees bad.

Buy a set of these:

https://www.amazon.ca/CFX-Resistance...929661738&th=1

I squat entirely now with a band around my upper quads.

It feels hella awkward at first until you get used to it, but it literally forces you to engage your glutes/hams taking all that pain off your knees.

It's changed my squat entirely, I can easily go back to doing 315 without a single pain in my knee. I'm not kidding you, it was life chanigng.

Thanks for the tip. It's amazing having learned about glute activation and being mindful of it, the lingering lower back QL pain I've had for years completely went away. Even just walking and going up and down steps with proper glute and outer-quad/hamstring activation has been a game changer in loosening up my back and knee.

I had tried using bands for squats at the advise of a physio similarly, but this was before the mind-muscle connection clicked for me and didn't do much. I should try it again now that I know how to target and activate my glutes.

Anyone able to OHP 1RM 185 / 205 / 225 lbs? How long did it take ya from 135lbs?

Highest I've gone was 185.

To go beyond that is above me, not really interested in doing so anyways.

Risk/Reward ratio isn't there for a hypertrophy guy like me.

Are you powerlifting?

Heavy OHP is so fun but kind of risky and not the best for shoulder hypertrophy... Most old schoolers say don't bother, but it's too fun.

I never did 1RM but used to rep up to 75kg 5x5. According to calculators that's 85kg but no thanks, fucked myself trying 1RMs too much in the past lol.

Favourite lift though totally, at least it was before I fucked my shoulder doing bench press 1RM attempts

Nope, always wanted to hit a 225 OHP because I thought it was cool when I first joined this thread at around 120 - 140lb soaking wet. Realized it may actually be possible for me if I go hard for the next 12 - 18 months on OHP. Had zero issues with that lift overall as long as I wasn't lifting beyond what my stabilizers could do. Hit 175lb 15 months ago before I quit the gym for an easy single. To be fair, I never had injuries either so body feels pretty primed.

You just need to follow a powerlifting progression plan, and eat lots of food

How much do you weigh GERBS?

I’ve done 265x1, and 225x5 split leg OHP without pushing off with knees. At higher weights I noticed that a wider stand without splitting legs was very risky for lower back. For me, incorporating lots of heavy triceps and incline bench was key in increasing OHP. I did 265x1 while I weighed 265 myself, honestly never got to 275 because mentally it was too scary to even try.

265 strict press eh? No incorporation of legs whatsoever?

You're a big dude though, that's really impressive.

I stopped working out for 1.5 years to pick up golf and gained 30 lbs of fat to 236lbs @ 6'2. I just returned 10 weeks ago and started cutting, weighing close to 213 atm. I think my 1RM is around 175lb for OHP. I did 155 for 5 with full pauses at the bottom today. So I would have to add 50lbs to my OHP over 2 years.

Jesus 265lbs. I tried unracking 225lbs once and it felt like my entire back was going to bust. A split stance is pretty weird, I find it not stable. I always preferred narrow for stability. I changed my routine to only do OHP / Incline, no more flat benching.

How does someone 6'2" and 236 fit into a S2000? I remember driving one at 6' and 180 and feelings like I'd need to be cut out of the thing after

For the longest time I was around 190 - 205lbs. I'm cutting right now so I can fit inside again FeelsBadMan

Update down to 207lbs, I think I might've plateaued on my cut. I've been at 1,900 - 2,100 calories for the last 3 weeks. Weight is stuck around 207 - 209. But to be fair lots of birthdays on the Friday so more drinks + food.

Debating if I should try to push my cut to 1,750-1,900 calories, to venture from 15% BF to 10% @ 195 - 200lbs?

I'm also doing 100 - 300 calories of LISS cardio a day + 300 - 450 calories from HIIT weightlifting for an hour.

HISS Sports that burn 600-1,200 + calories 2x a week as well.

Ended up finishing my cut at 197lbs. None of my clothes fit me again, waist is too small!

Is this the maintain at 190 - 205lbs forever once I hit 30?

I tend to fluctuate between 5lbs at age 38, 188-193lbs. Been like that for years now.

It all depends on your goals, really.

I feel like I should add muscles to the frame for aesthetics, but it sucks having to stick to a strict 180gram+ protein diet forever to maintain it.

Unless you don't need that much to maintain it?

I think you'd be surprised how little you really need in terms of protein to be efficient. I believe people way overestimate their caloric needs to build/maintain muscle, your job also makes a big difference, for example if you're working a sedentary job, the calories you need day to day are much lower in general.

My job is sedentary, so I'm able to intermittent fast and skip quite a number of meals and still maintain a substantial amount of muscle, I might only eat 2000 calories a day, usually 1-2 meals only.

If you're working in construction for example, your needs are going to be completely different. You also need to take your body composition into account. Are those high grams of protein intake also translating into accumulated fat as well?