I’m 1.8 m tall, currently 76 kg at 12-13% body fat.

Goal weight 80-85 kg, 8-10% body fat.

This is my training program. I've been on this for 3 months, after a 5 month hiatus from working out while living abroad. I trained for 5 months last year on a slightly different program with 5 sets rather than 3, and with push ups instead of dips. I gained a lot of muscle but it was hard to progress with so much volume. With this current program I've already surpassed my achievements of last year in a mere 3 months.

Workout A

Squat 3x5
Dumbbell bench press 3x5
One arm dumbbell rows 3x5
Triceps dips 3xF
Weighted crunch 3x15 (done holding a weight above my head)

Workout B

Standing press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Pullups 3xF
Weighted crunch 3x15

I lift 3 days a week, alternating between these. On the last workout day each week I also add 2x10 dumbbell curls and triceps extensions.

If I complete all the sets for a particular exercise, I increase the weight next time – progressive overload.

Goal lifts in kg

Squat 160
Bench 120
Deadlift 200
Press 80

Though I primarily lift for strength, the muscle is a nice side benefit. I’ve put on substantial muscle since I started lifting. More than that, my posture and movements have changed, before they were like that of the typical average guy, stiff and awkward, now my movements are graceful, smooth and powerful, perhaps a side benefit of the strengthened stabiliser muscles that result from training with heavy free weights.

Last Saturday's workout was funny. Though I'd progressed easily from using the 20 kg dumbbells to 32 kg (in each hand) on the dumbbell bench press over the last few months, when I tried the 34s I was flailing my arms around like a madman, I did 4 shitty reps with terrible form but on the 5th I couldn't lock my arms out, when I tried to lower it my left arm lost control and I had to throw it away with a loud bang when it landed. Luckily nobody seemed to have saw me.

Yesterday was a lot better, I overhead pressed 50 kg for 3 decent sets, something I'd struggled with before. I also deadlifted 135 kg for an easy set of 5. At this rate, I should reach some of my goals quickly in a few months.

That’s quite a comprehensive workout you got there, and it sounds like it's really working for you. However aside from the obvious physical changes, have you noticed any mental or personality changes in addition?

I ask as I too have started to work out a lot more recently, however not to your level I must say. Recently I have noticed a few small physical enhancements (really enjoying them I must say!), however my confidence levels have increased and my tension levels have decreased substantially. Not wanting to sound too Freudian here, but how do you feel?

The effect on me has been similar, increased confidence and elevated mood, especially post-workout. I feel more aggressive since I started, more eager to seek thrills and take risks. I suspect this is caused in part by the testosterone boost due to heavy, compound lifts.

I will admit I haven't worked out this week because I am super busy on school work and have no time to workout. Though it is always in the back of my head that I am going to go back after I get done with test week. I can't wait to go back to the weights.

Raskolnikov, why do weighted crunch both days? Do have enough time to recuperate? Also, I was surprised you mixed different groups of muscles (e.g. do back, check and legs together).

The crunches aren't that taxing yet, I only recently had the idea of increasing the weight by holding plates or dumbbells (before I just used a 6 kg medicine ball for months), it's already paying off though, my abs have never looked and felt this good before. As for training many muscle groups on the same day, that's because it's a strength training program rather than a bodybuilding split. Nevertheless I dropped the squats from workout B, if I'd stuck to the original Starting Strength program I would have been squatting three days a week!

How long do you wait between sets?

As long as I need to, it varies. On average around 2 to 4 minutes.

Raskolnikov, how old are you?

Are you doing cardio in addition to weight-lifting?

I'm 30. My main source of cardio is a long walk. I may get back into martial arts again though.

Abs are kind of a strange muscle group. They seem to heal quicker. You can do abs every 2nd day once you get the base level of strength up high enough. With other muscles, this is blasphemy, but abs can take a hell of a lot of training.

Some strength standards in lbs here: I'm currently intermediate on most all of these based upon a 1 rep max calculation, apart from the power clean which I replaced with rows. I'll be content when I reach advanced.

http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifti ... ndards.htm

When you reach novice you'll be noticeably more muscular than when you started, and when you reach intermediate most regular people who do not workout will perceive you as "athletic" so long as you have sufficiently low body fat.

Since I started lifting my standards of what is a good, muscular body have become much more exacting. Bodies that I used to aspire to having now look very very ordinary.

Many beginners programs recommend squatting every workout, I was doing that for a while at first but I just find it unnecessary. If you try to question the wisdom of 45 (Rippetoe) to 75 (Stronglifts) squats a week at work weight you get all kinds of abuse thrown at you from enraged broscientists, almost as if you had committed blasphemy.

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