I recently decided to get back into weight training, it's been 2 months now, and quit the whole drinking and college partying thing, time to get serious. I started out just doing upper body one day and lower body another day, focusing on diet, only training twice a week. I've put on about 6-7 pretty good pounds, but I feel like i'm ready to up my work. My lower body needs the most work, playing catch up, so i'll focus my question on that.

I started out just doing leg presses, a little hamstring work and calf work those 2 months, but just started squatting at a moderate to heavy weight. I'm also doing heavy barbell rows and my lower back is taking a beating (my technique is solid). Should I either:

A)Squat once a week
B)Squat heavy once, wait 4-5 days squad light
C)Squat Heavy, wait 2-5 days and do leg presses

*I alternate leg curls/SLDL for hammies, and so standing calf raises. Please pick on option, thanks in advance!

post your routine

(The days change, depending on recovery). Sunday (lower body)- 2x warmup, 2 heavy sets 7-9 reps for squats, 2x walking lunges, 2x lying leg curls 10-12 reps, 2 or 3 sets of standing calf raises....
Monday- Off
Tues-Upper body, 2x warmup bench, 2 heavy working sets 6-8 reps, Barbell Rows, warmup set, 2-3 hard sets, 2-3 sets of standing Barbell military press, 1-2 sets for dips and dumbell curls....
-Ab work every workout

>this usually leaves me pretty sore through like Thursday, so i'm trying to plan out stuff for friday and saturday. I was thinking about maybe just doing a full body workout for friday or saturday, scratch the curls, dips, leg curls, calf raises, do some basics for a higher rep scheme. or would you recc. i jump right back into another heavy 2 days on friday and saturday?

>in the 8-10 weeks i've started, i've went from 154-161.5, the extra recovery time has been helping, and less sets, more focus on food.
>Currently taking omega oils, fish oil, stuff for joints, pro complex gainer upon waking up and before sleep (1500 calories), about 3000 cals on non workout days, 3500 or more on workout days, over a gallon of water, and just started creatine and ZMA.
---Thanks in advance, let me know your thoughts on my overall WO scheme, and what you think i should incorporate on the weekend, without going too overboard cutting into my heavy days early the next week...

Check out the Smolov squat cycle

Interesting find, thanks for the input. Anyone else?

Have a repetition day, and a maximal effort day.

It's tough to beat a 3x week full-body routine centered around the squat, deadlift, and standing overhead press.

I've found sprinting to be very beneficial for lower body development.

example...


Monday - squat, bench, pullup
Tuesday - cardio/rest/core/abs
Wednesday - overhead press, sprints, rows
Thursday - cardio/rest/core/abs
Friday - deadlift, dips, upright row

You would benefit from throwing some power movements in, as well. Like power/hang cleans, DB jump squats, etc.

If you want some isolation work, like arms or other lagging areas, you could thow a couple extra sets in on rest days.

Well i dont know exactly what you are trying to do but it seems like powerlifting maybe.

2 sets of squats??? You're training should really revolve around compound exercises with assistance/isolation work as the "icing on the cake".

Thanks guys, that helps a lot. Shakes- I think I'll try that routine out starting Monday, I'll post up how it goes. Any other suggestions are more than appreciated and welcomed. Now go smash some weights and eat!

Dude, All i did was add the product ICE (BCAA's/Glutamine) around my workout and my delayed muscle soreness wasn't half as bad, problem solved, duh. lol