5x5

[stargazer30]

I've been on SL since late March. Current stats;

Male chasing 40, 86kg weight

Squats 3x5 100kg
Deads 1x5 110kg
Row 5x5 60kg
Bench 5x5 70kg
OHP 5x5 40kg

So far I've struggled on the squats and injured my back at one point, getting form right and keeping it right is hard. I found my form gradually collapses way before my legs do, so I have to be strict on failed reps.

OHP and Bench simply refused to go up for over 6 weeks. Just broke both records last week after upping my food intake closer to 3000 cals a day.

Love the SL program and can recommend it, just the constant squats that can be brutal really.

[didelydoo]

chris watton said:

Yeah, but the weight that you row, most can't even Deadlift!

How's training going, BTW, steady I assume?

Going well thanks, cutting just now as I allowed myself to get too fat, funny how it creeps up. need to drop off a kg or two, get my belt down a notch or two, then back to growing again.

[stargazer30]

DervVW said:

Getting so depressed with this - I've been doing it all year near enough. I seem to peak, get ill or have time away, but then never get higher than my level, if that makes sense.

I have max squatted 100kg and that seems to be it, then I go down, come back up and then struggle have to go down and this is the same with almost every exercise.

I'm in my early 30s, 6ft tall and around 13 stone, i've ramped up the protien and im watching what I eat with macros to put on weight, but I just dont seem to have changed....

Perhaps I need a new program, but I love the simplicity of this program.

I bet you're not eating enough. Up your cals to 2800 to 3000 a day. I stalled the same at weight 13st (I'm 39 years old and 6ft 2). Once I upped my cals and my weight started to go up, so did my lifts. Also you could try creatine.

[HootersGsy]

TheGreatSoprendo said:

I find liquid chalk helps with this.

Probably would be worth me trying, I'm quite a sweaty individual at the best of times, let alone when hauling 150kg!

[Tall_Paul]

Mr. H said:

I would love to reset back to those weights so I'm not stuck in the misery of plateaus and failures.

Currently 68kg, eating loads (as much as I can afford) but not gaining weight.

SQ 77.5kg - failed x1 (5 5 2 0 0)
OHP - 32.5kg - failed x2 (5 5 5 4 5) and (5 5 5 5 4)
DL - 80kg - failed x1 (4)
BP - 55kg - that was really heavy so will fail soon
ROW - 50kg

As you can see I had a pretty tough day yesterday failing on everything but my head really wasn't in it.
I'm going to drop back to 75kg on squats and I know I can get the OHP next time but I think I'll be stuck at this weight for some time. My deadlift is suffering because I don't have the grip and the bar is slipping into the tips of my fingers.

Edit: I failed on the first set of deadlifts, it just felt like more when I was recounting the pain in my mind.

Edited by Mr. H on Tuesday 5th July 14:52

How tall are you? Just to get an idea of your build. I'm 6ft 3 and about 82kg, so skinny. I've just come back from a weeks holiday so I'm on a 10% deload but before that I had done 80kg squat, 35kg OHP, 112.5 DL, 50kg BP and 60KG row - Don't drop back your squats, have you deloaded on them yet? You find that the next attempt at 77.5 you'll get 55320 and then the third attempt will be slight better, then you'll deload to 67.5kg, which will feel like bliss Then you'll probably power through to 80+ kg without much effort. My latest deload on squats was at 77.5kg, I did 44220, 55532 and 55533, dropped down to 67.5kg then 3 weeks later completed 80kg on the 2nd attempt. Deloading really does work, but only if you only deload after 3 failed attempts.

You'll get your OHP next time, but the jump up to 35kg will be a big one, I chose to stay on 35kg for a couple of weeks before moving up to 37.5kg as I was barely able to complete 4 reps on the first set.

stargazer30 said:

I've been on SL since late March. Current stats;

Male chasing 40, 86kg weight

Squats 3x5 100kg
Deads 1x5 110kg
Row 5x5 60kg
Bench 5x5 70kg
OHP 5x5 40kg

So far I've struggled on the squats and injured my back at one point, getting form right and keeping it right is hard. I found my form gradually collapses way before my legs do, so I have to be strict on failed reps.

OHP and Bench simply refused to go up for over 6 weeks. Just broke both records last week after upping my food intake closer to 3000 cals a day.

Love the SL program and can recommend it, just the constant squats that can be brutal really.

When did the app put you onto 3x5 for the squats? I started in February and should be back to 80kg+ in the next week or so, and after deloading at 55kg and 77.5 I hoping to get to 100kg before deloading again, I'm also hoping that this is when the app reccomends 3x5. Squatting heavy (for us) 3x a week can be brutal.

Oh and at 35 and 82kg I'm hitting 3000 cals a day minimum, 3200 some days. I had though I'd put on a lot of fat, but after a week of no bulking or creatine (and the 3-4lb water weight loss that comes with stopping creatine) I realised most of it was bloat and I've only gained a tiny bit of fat around my belly. I've gone from 12 stone 0lbs to 12 stone 11lbs, I was over 13 stone before I went on holiday, so a decent, slow gain.

[stargazer30]

Tall_Paul said:

When did the app put you onto 3x5 for the squats? I started in February and should be back to 80kg+ in the next week or so, and after deloading at 55kg and 77.5 I hoping to get to 100kg before deloading again, I'm also hoping that this is when the app reccomends 3x5. Squatting heavy (for us) 3x a week can be brutal.

I manually put the app to 3x5 at about 95kg. I was finding 5x5 squats at the weight too much. Ironically my legs were fine but my knees, back, cardio were getting killed by it. Final straw was finishing the 5th set going light headed and my wife saying I looked like I was about to pass out. Also I was so wiped out by the squats it was affecting my other lifts. I must admit since I went 3x5 its been a lot easier. I think the app only goes 3x5 after several fail/deload cycles.

[DervVW]

stargazer30 said:

DervVW said:

Getting so depressed with this - I've been doing it all year near enough. I seem to peak, get ill or have time away, but then never get higher than my level, if that makes sense.

I have max squatted 100kg and that seems to be it, then I go down, come back up and then struggle have to go down and this is the same with almost every exercise.

I'm in my early 30s, 6ft tall and around 13 stone, i've ramped up the protien and im watching what I eat with macros to put on weight, but I just dont seem to have changed....

Perhaps I need a new program, but I love the simplicity of this program.

I bet you're not eating enough. Up your cals to 2800 to 3000 a day. I stalled the same at weight 13st (I'm 39 years old and 6ft 2). Once I upped my cals and my weight started to go up, so did my lifts. Also you could try creatine.

Thank you - I have moved away and tried other things, but I am not really progressing too well. Just working on being able to bench body weight, back squat 1.5 body weight and deadlift 2.0 body weight. So far only bench is close...
Creatine bloated me last time, perhaps time for a revist.

[Mr. H]

Tall_Paul said:

How tall are you? Just to get an idea of your build. I'm 6ft 3 and about 82kg, so skinny. I've just come back from a weeks holiday so I'm on a 10% deload but before that I had done 80kg squat, 35kg OHP, 112.5 DL, 50kg BP and 60KG row - Don't drop back your squats, have you deloaded on them yet?

You'll get your OHP next time, but the jump up to 35kg will be a big one, I chose to stay on 35kg for a couple of weeks before moving up to 37.5kg as I was barely able to complete 4 reps on the first set.

I'm 5ft 10 so probably a similar build to you.
I dropped my squat back to 75kg on Wednesday and today I'll attempt 77.5kg which I should be able to get ok. If I don't get it today then I know I'll hit it on Monday with a couple of days rest. Fridays are always difficult as it's the end of the week and my whole body is tired. I'll be so excited to hit 80kg next week as it's another 10kg milestone. I remember being happy at getting 60kg and amazed at 70kg.

I fully agree about the OHP. I'll be stuck at 35kg for a while.

Your deadlifts seem to be much stronger than any other lift. Any reason why it's soaring ahead while your squats and BP are less than bodyweight?

[chris watton]

My step son is really enjoying his (modified) 5x5 routine, and is making some good progress (20 years old and 6'1")

For Squats/Box Squats he's up to 70kg
Bench Press - 55kg (has managed a rep with 60kg)
Deadlift - 100kg for 5 reps (I told him that 3x5 is plenty, rather than 5x5, as the weight has increased - when it increases more, he shall do 1x5 once per week.
Clean and Press - 35kg (has managed 40kg for 1 rep)
BB BOR - 52.5kg (he does 3x5 with overhand grip, and 3x5 with underhand grip)

At the rate he's improving, it won't be too long before he overtakes me!

[Tall_Paul]

Mr. H said:

Tall_Paul said:

How tall are you? Just to get an idea of your build. I'm 6ft 3 and about 82kg, so skinny. I've just come back from a weeks holiday so I'm on a 10% deload but before that I had done 80kg squat, 35kg OHP, 112.5 DL, 50kg BP and 60KG row - Don't drop back your squats, have you deloaded on them yet?

You'll get your OHP next time, but the jump up to 35kg will be a big one, I chose to stay on 35kg for a couple of weeks before moving up to 37.5kg as I was barely able to complete 4 reps on the first set.

I'm 5ft 10 so probably a similar build to you.
I dropped my squat back to 75kg on Wednesday and today I'll attempt 77.5kg which I should be able to get ok. If I don't get it today then I know I'll hit it on Monday with a couple of days rest. Fridays are always difficult as it's the end of the week and my whole body is tired. I'll be so excited to hit 80kg next week as it's another 10kg milestone. I remember being happy at getting 60kg and amazed at 70kg.

I fully agree about the OHP. I'll be stuck at 35kg for a while.

Your deadlifts seem to be much stronger than any other lift. Any reason why it's soaring ahead while your squats and BP are less than bodyweight?

Not sure TBH, 110kg was damn hard though, I missed a couple of deadlift sessions over the past couple of weeks and with the deload becuase of the week away it's put me back down to 90kg DL, which TBH wasn't hard at all. I haven't failed a DL yet, although after you hit 100kg the app suggests going up in 2.5kg increments rather than 5kg, which slows things down a little. My squats were just at bodyweight, although in this mornings session I did the first 5, then got to the bottom of rep 2 on ther second set and was feeling some lower back pain/uncomfort, so rolled the bar off my back and said 'nope, not worth the risk'. Whether it was that I'm still recovering from squatting again after a week off, or I've slept funny, not sure. i'll go back in on Monday and smash out 75kg.

Looking back though, I had to deload at 55kg on the squat back in March, makes me laugh now Once I get back up to 80kg squats, 100kg will be my next target, I don't want to deload before hitting 100kg as I think the app will suggest 3x5 at that point.

[Desiato]

I've been doing this on and off for a while now. Tend to be strict with it for five or six weeks then mix it up with other stuff.
Currently at
130 squats, 85 BP, 135 DL, 62.5 OHP, 75 row, but have just reloaded my squats as I felt my form was slipping. Similarly with the OHP I have dropped back to 50 and started doing behind the neck presses instead.
I'm happy for my age and at 82kg and 5' 7

[axel1990chp]

Im using stronglifts after my 2 sets of 1RM, hell of a lot of fatigue in the sets but the last 6 weeks my strength has shot through,
Before my stats were pretty weak,
Squat (ATG) - 70
DL (Conv) - 120
Bench - 70
OHP (Strict) - 40

6 weeks of SL
Squat - 110
Deadlift 155
Bench - 90
OHP - 55

As others have mentioned, previous diet was strict and in a deficit, moved on to the "See Food" diet and I am absolutely loving it, feel more healthy than ever before. Ive gained weight granted, but its lean mass and I'm still under 10% which is exactly how I want to keep it!

Happy lifting guys/gals


Edit: Oops! put my 1RM's instead of 5's!

Edited by axel1990chp on Tuesday 12th July 23:37

[Tall_Paul]

I've been getting really bad numbness/aching in my left bicep/arm when doing heavy (low bar) squats, anyone else get this?

Doing a 77.5kg squat this morning (which I've done before), on lighter squats my biceps (left in particular) are always 'working' a bit to stabilise the weight, but today (and Monday at 75kg to a lesser degree), after racking the weight after the 4th and 5th sets I had a major numbness/dull ache, in my bicep with a tingling down my arm to my little finger - but the main issue was the intense numbness in my bicep and a little in my tricep, like I'd just done 30 reps of bicep curls, like a really big pump but not the good feeling.

Stopped me from doing the rest of the workout, the soreness has taken about 2 hours to go away.

I messed around with an empty bar with wider and narrower hand positions but just resting the empty bar on my back I could feel the tightness in my bicep building up.

[axel1990chp]

Not to alarm you, but a colleague of mine had the same issue when swimming, he went to the doctors casually and was referred to A&E for ultrasound/x-ray and a clot was found, and ultimately removed within 24hrs. Full recovery and no alarms, but it shows how nothing can become something, check it out bud.

[V8mate]

When I tore my rotator cuff, that 'reported' through my biceps.

[shakotan]

Had my first rep failure last night, second set of 50Kg squats I couldn't squeeze out number 5.

Rested the suggested 5 mins and then repped 5 on Set 3, and did 5 reps on Set 4 & 5 leaving 3 mins rest instead of 90 seconds.

Got to do the 50Kg again on Friday to see if I can achieve 5x5.

[DervVW]

You'll do it... minor blip!

[V8mate]

While you're building up, I wouldn't worry too much about the length of rest periods. Engage with the weights when you're ready.

An early focus on good form is what delivers the big results as you progress.

[stargazer30]

Stalled for 3rd time on OHP today at 42.5kg. Got 5 reps for 4 sets and last set I failed the last rep. Balls Balls Balls

The SL App is telling me I've stalled too much, I suck and need to get some fractional plates. Anyone used these? Its either that or I try to increase my reps on a lighter weight.

[shakotan]

stargazer30 said:

Stalled for 3rd time on OHP today at 42.5kg. Got 5 reps for 4 sets and last set I failed the last rep. Balls Balls Balls

The SL App is telling me I've stalled too much, I suck and need to get some fractional plates. Anyone used these? Its either that or I try to increase my reps on a lighter weight.

If you've stalled its time to deload isn't it?