Best way to add strength/size?

If you want just strength w/ little size then Pavel Tsatsouline's 3-5 routine is the ticket. I did this for 3 months and I got strong quick and no size gain, and I'm the type who was a solid 190 in High school. Now I'm bigger and not wanting to get any bigger, and this is a winner.

3-5 Routine
- 3-5 exercise
- 3-5 reps
- 3-5 sets
- 3-5 minutes rest (crazy talk!!!)
- 3-5 week cycle, w/ a week off.
- 80% or more of your max rep

Now the 3 have to be compound exercise or power lifting, and not even have to be weights: clean and press, 1-armed push-ups, split squat, the pistol(1-legged squat), chin up, etc. The other 2 can be classic muscle beach exercises: bicep curls, triceps extension, hamstring curls, lateral raises, crunches, etc.

The key to this is to get the most contraction out of each rep thats the real magic. The easiest way to accomplish this is to tense every muscle in your body when performing a rep, and most importantly the abs and glutes, so don't worry about the abs not getting worked they will get plenty

Here is my 3 month routine:
All these under the same restriction
- 5 reps for 3 sets at 3 minutes rest for the 1st week.
- 5 reps for 4 sets at 3 minutes rest for the 2nd week.
- 5 reps for 5 sets at 3 minutes rest for the 3rd week.
1st month
- 1 arm dumbbell snatches
- split squat (Kind of like a stationary lunge w/ barbell)
- elevated push-ups (or bench press)
- crunches
- lateral raises
2nd month
- bent over row(one arm bent over row)
- 1-arm push-up
- Squats
3nd month (non-weight month)
- the pistol (no weight, 1-legged squat; one leg extended forward and squat down w/ the other leg, making a "L" shape or "pistol")
- handstand push-ups
- 1-arm push-up

The review. The negative is that it's lengthy, especially when you go for 4 or 5 sets. This is mostly b/c of the rest time, which is the real gem of the program. The rest time is to insure that the muscles get back to a "normal" state, and in turn be able to lift w/ full strength through the routine. Now the positive that came from the rest was extremely tight compact muscles, and a cock-diesel strength. Now I didn't really rest totally for those 3 minutes, instead I flexed and posed, held handstands, or did leg calisthenics. I wish I would of did those after or later on, yet I can say that even w/ those minor rest I still got great results. Those are my little wisdom cubes for your drink of knowledge.

P.S. Penuinsfan I didn't forget you. I will have the butt-tightening routine up and running soon. You know how it is when around this time of year.

Mackinevil,

How many days a week is that routine?

Hey bigbutnottoo,

I did a 3 week on and and one week off cycle, and I did that for the 3 months. The best thing about the routine was that it was easy to follow being that it is all about 3-5 of just about everything. You could follow my routine instead w/ 5 weeks on and 1 week off, or 4 weeks on and 1 week off. The rest week is important, not resting the cardio or other usual activities, just resistance exercises, so don't abuse it. Another good thing about this routine is that it has tons of combinations, and possibly could be done all year round. :bottumsup

P.S. A heads up... I'm going to be contributing to the Health, Fitness, Diet & Supplement section all next year w/ personally tested routines, culinary life style( I hate the word diet), and supplement combinations.

DUUUUUHHHH!!!
Hey bigbutnottoo,
I read it wrong, sorry its been a busy day!
You are so right I forgot to add how many days. Truth be told the weeks blend together, I can't really say how many days a week b/c following the 3-5 rule then I trained every 3rd day, and I would do 3 sessions of the particular cycle(3 sets, 4 sets, or 5 sets). So if I started on Mon. then next session is on thurs. and the final session is on Sun. and would continue from there. Sorry for the confusion.