Name the top 3 lifting programs you have used

[mike0292]

1. Starting Strength

perfect for a lifting noob. made huge gains on it.

2. Madcow 5x5 http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...Linear_5x5.htm

Similar to Starting Strength but slower progress and periodization for when you can't increase the weight every workout.

3. Hypertrophy Whatever Training http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...rophy+whatever

A 4 day upper/lower split. More volume and different exercises than I was used to, so it really started bringing out different parts of my physique. My chest finally started to develop on this program. I switched BB Bench for DB Bench on the first upper day and did Incline DB and BB Bench on the second upper day. A good change of pace after doing the above two programs.

those are actually the only programs I've ever used but I liked them all and made big gains.

[Thremp]

I'll go with Mike and throw in TBT in the 3 hole.

[teddyFBI]

What's TBT?

[thirddan]

total body training - chad waterbury...

[teddyFBI]

Just tried Waterbury's 10x3 for fat loss and had easily one of the top 1 or 2 workouts of my life. I can tell this is going to be very, very good. He (and Thibedeau sp?) are easily my 2 favorite authors there. (Just wish TC wouldn't edit every single article to give it his unmistakably lame 15-yr old weaksauce "humor".)