Use the preserved linear write-up for the intermediate routine, which Madcow documented from a Bill Starr-derived approach.
Download the intermediate and advanced workbooks below. They are separate routines and should not be combined.
Primary historical documentation of the linear version.
The linear three-day version covered by this article.
Use a recent five-rep performance and work backward so you reach it around Week 4, rather than chasing a record immediately.
Check the first week before training. A unit error or inflated max can make a sensible buildup look impossible.
For example, Monday’s 100 kg × 5 leads to Friday’s 102.5 kg × 3, then a target of 102.5 kg × 5 the next Monday, provided you complete the prescribed work. Round for your available plates and log the load actually lifted.
Hold or reset the stalled lift as the source directs; other lifts can continue progressing.
Check that you kept recovery days, Wednesday’s lighter squat and the ramping sets before blaming the program.
Keep failed attempts in the log. Repeated unsuccessful rebuilds may mean this progression model no longer fits.
The source includes limited assistance work after the main lifts. Treat it as assistance, not an invitation to add a second bodybuilding workout to every session.
Wednesday’s squat is deliberately lighter. Replacing it with another heavy lower-body session changes the fatigue pattern that connects Monday and Friday.
The original Wednesday press allows incline or military press. Record other substitutions and keep the loading logic consistent.
The intermediate version advances weekly with the recurring three-day structure above. The advanced version uses loading and subsequent deload/intensification phases.
Choose the progression structure you need—not the “advanced” label or a squat-weight threshold.
Keep the advanced resource separate. This page is not a full explanation of that distinct template.
A separate routine with loading and intensification phases.
Choose the intermediate version when you know the lifts, can train three days consistently, and need a measured weekly progression. It is less suitable when you still benefit from simpler workout-to-workout increases or primarily want a high-variety bodybuilding plan.
Use Madcow Intermediate for weekly progression. Keep its units and inputs accurate, follow the schedule and continue while progress remains productive.
