workout programming

my weights keep outpacing my core strength, and i have so far sucked at adding core exercises regularly, so if i want to continue to lift while prioritizing form over weight without stagnating, i need to do something different. such as deloading the weights and doing core exercises as an integral part of my workout instead of tacking them on if i am not too wiped. i don't like core exercises, ergo i am trying to find a way to still mostly lift weights, but work more on my core without getting demotivated and sloughing off. i already have to be careful about sloughing off because the paramour is often asleep when i want to work out, and trying to be vewwy vewwy kwiet doesn't work with 45 lb plates on the bar, so i push my workouts later and later and... yeah. that's not going so well.

wherever we're moving to will have to have a space that's separate enough from the sleep and work spaces so either of us can work out at any time day or night without worrying about disturbing the other. i really want to grunt out loud too. and play heavy metal. i have it on "good" authority that heavy metal raises testosterone even if you don't work out at all. ;)

pondering where i've gotten so far and where i want to go is also leading me to believe i should shift to a regimen that includes some fast movement, and something twisty or at least unilateral. i do not want to become a powerlifter, after all, i want to become more all-around adept at various forms of human movement. also, habit-forming works much better if i work out every day. but on a 5x5 program every second day is needed for recovery; i am now lifting almost 5 short tons per workout (that sounds amazing, *heh*).

what i need to do is lower the weights, push less volume each day, but lift enough to keep weekly volume up, and add extra exercises that are not necessarily pure assistance. if i have fewer sets i also hope i'll be able to concentrate more on creating as much muscle tension as possible, which matters a lot -- and i am not doing enough of it now because i am always worried whether i can complete the sets; my mind kidna rabbits around instead of staying in the "here, this rep is all you care about" mode. that's not the right attitude, so lightening the load per workout might get me into a better mindset.

maybe something like this:
upper body push (OHP)
posterior chain (deadlift)
upper body pull (row)
fast, dynamic whole body (kettlebell/dumbbell swing)
core (planks, leg raises, sliding rollout; vary this to stave off hatred)
twisty/unilateral (lunges, twist lunges, bulgarian split squat, get-up)

i'm gonna stick with 5 reps per set, but how many sets? 2 or 3? what weights would i start with? when would i add weight? maybe have some pyramid sets? i think i might be making this too complicated, *heh*. add weights once a week, 2x5 sets for everything, work out 6 days and rest 1. that's kinda minimalist but could work. wonder whether it will provide enough progressive overload.

i think dan john has an interesting program for switching things up like this; gotta see whether i can find that again. all that stuff is usually meant for experienced lifters who have trouble making gains. oh well, i am not experienced, but i like experimenting on myself. as long as i won't stop getting stronger, maximizing gains is not that important, and the best exercise is the exercise i actually do.

the other program i like is jim wendler's 5-3-1, but that's also on alternating days. maybe i am off my rocker to work out every day, but i am feeling too close to the edge of slipping right back out of this newly minted habit, and i know how easily that happens. especially in winter. i need to do something to stop the drift. so i'll do a week of it and if it doesn't work, i can try something else.