Help choosing between 4 (L/U 2x) and 5 (L/U/L/P/P) day programs

[brendan3248]

I'd consider myself a mid to upper intermediate lifter with ten years of lifting experience (3-4 years with non-garbage programs) I am having some difficulty choosing my next program that I will stick with until the end of the year, if not longer.

I am torn between

Lyle McDonald's Generic Bulking Routine w/lateral raises and rear delt work (Lower/Upper/Off/Lower/Upper/Off/Off) with 40 minutes of LISS on off days. Progression model is mostly double progression. Deload after 6-8 weeks for 2 weeks.

VS

The intermediate program from Eric Helms Muscle and Strength Pyramids book. (Lower/Upper/Off/Lower/Push/Pull/Off) with 40 minutes of LISS on one off day plus the push and pull days. Progression is wave loading on compounds and double progression on isolations. Deload after 3 weeks for 1 week.

I'm not sure which I would progress quicker with. The volume is near identical for both. Same with exercise selection. The main difference would be the additional rest day with Lyle's program, but if I went with Eric's, I wouldn't be forced to jam everything into longer workouts.

Am I just overthinking things and I should just pick one and go with it? Or does one program have an advantage over the other that I am missing?

 

[ablooeyedangel]

@brendan3248 End of the day, its up to you, frequency is the same so its more about what you want.

Do you only wanna work out 4 days, or have you got time for 5?

Do you want more volume on individual muscles (ie 5 day means more volume for shoulders and arms etc) or are you fine?

The reason i do 5 day ULPPL (PHAT) is cause i want that bit more volume on my shoulders and arms like i said, i can do one or two more exercises for these bits, but with a 4 day id have to choose more between chest/back or shoulders.

If i were to do a 4 day split with only like 2 hrs to workout each day, id do the first Upper day focused on push muscles (ie 2 exercises for chest, 2 for shoulders etc. And only 1 exercise for each pull muscle) and the second one reversed

 

[micah111]

@brendan3248 Adherence is everything so pick what you think you'll enjoy the most and be able to stick to with your schedule. There are some pros/cons between the two, but in the long run I don't think one would be superior to the other.

 

[bolu1]

@brendan3248 Mind sharing the 5 day Helms split? I've heard it mentioned a few times but the only split of his that I can find is his 4 day U/L

 

[taskid2]

@bolu1 screenshot of the plan