Full Body workout balancing act.

[irothste]

Hi! Thanks for taking the time to read. I have been doing full body routines for a few months now. One of my goals right now is to improve my pull-ups. As such my routine has transformed to this:
Week1
M W F
Squats 2x5 light 2x5 heavy | Deadlifts 3x5 light 1x5 heavy | Squats 1x5 light 3x5 heavy
Pullups 5xfailure superset with | Bench 2x5 light 2x5 heavy | Chins/Dips superset 5xfailure
Overhead press 2x5 light 2x5 heavy | Neutral Grip Pullups 5xfailure |

Week2 is just like week1 except I switch the squats and deadlifts. I am doing bastardized 5x5 with 1 warmup set and then my light sets being slightly
lighter than last weeks heavy sets. (squats and deadlifts are on a 2 week cycle) On pullup variations and dips I add weight when my first set is more than 10. I found doing straight 5x5 was just too hard on my body. Forget about squatting every day. I could complete the lifts but I actually was getting physically sick and having to deload every 3 weeks or so once I got closer to my 5 rep max. It happened 3 times each time it happened at lighter weight.
I actually have/had a serious health issue that I suspect may have been exasperated by stress on my CNS. I started lifting again after I got cleared by the Dr and after 3 weeks back started this 5x5 version last week. So far it seems better. I am less exhausted.

My questions:
1) Should I concern myself with adding bent over rows to balance out the benching? I feel like the neutral grip pull up works similar muscles and since pull-ups are a goal . . The balance question has to do with injury. Should I add bent over rows to prevent muscle imbalances and injury?
2) Should I concern myself with following a similar rep protocol for pulling and pressing movements? Right now it isn't an issue because I am barely at 5 pullups but I don't feel comfortable adding weight at just 5 pullups. Again, I am mostly concerned about preventing injury and muscle imbalances.

I am not really concerned about size or thickness of my back. I am trying to get stronger and lose some weight.I do some HIIT swimming Tuesday Thursdays and one day on the weekend also I commute 3-7 miles daily on my bicycle. I started the cycling and swimming after my health concerns. Before I was just lifting and cycling 2 miles to and from gym on workout days.

Thanks for taking the time to read and for any advice you can give.

 

[Goldfish]

Deadlifts, pull ups and chin ups should do a pretty good job of getting all the upper back and posterior shoulder muscles to balance out bench press, although doing rows once a week probably wouldn't hurt. The way you've written up your program, it's hard to figure out exactly what the layout is. Would you be able to rewrite it, in a format like the following so that it's easier to be clear on what's going on?

Mon
Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Pull Ups 5x5

Wed
Deadlift 5x5
Press 5x5
Rows 5x5

etc.

For your second question, it's hard to say. I try to go more by RPE across the work sets and fatigue than getting the exact same volume, because it doesn't always fit to do the same volume or intensity (%1RM) on different exercises.

 

[irothste]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry about the format: Here goes though I think you answered my questions.
Week 1
Monday:
Squat 1x5 warmup 3x5 light 1x5 heavy
Pullups 5xfailure
Overhead press 1x5 warmup 2x5 heavy 2x5 light

Wednesday
Deadlift 1x5 warmup 3x5 light 1x5 heavy
Bench 1x5 warmup 2x5 light 2x5 heavy
neutral grip pullups 5xfailure

Friday
Squats 1x5 warmup 1x5 light 3x5 heavy
Chinups/Dips superset 5xfailure

For the bodyweight exercises I add weight when I get to 10 reps on the first set. Also my "light weight" is about 90% of last cycle's "heavy weight" and week 2 is just like week 1 with Squats and Deadlifts changing places.

Todays squat I am going for 1x5x135+1x5x155+3x5x175. If I get the three sets, next Wednesday I will go 1x5x135+3x5x165+1x5x185.
(pounds not kg)