5x5

[anonymous-user]

Just started weights again in Jan after a year or so off from any real exercise, partly due to de-laminating my bicep tendon ( I don't recommend it - 24 months for full recovery...).

Weights are progressing ok, but I'm a little concerned at strain levels when deadlifting - It appears I burst some blood vessels in my forehead at the last session... Any tips on reducing strain would be welcome. Simple one would be reducing weight and increasing reps of course.

Deadlift 205kg
Squat 165kg
Bench 100kg
Row 90kg
Inc Bench 95kg

[CrouchingWayne]

Chris - will he be working out with you each time? If not, using Starting Strength/Stronglifts app might be good to keep him organised when away from you?

[chris watton]

CrouchingWayne said:

Chris - will he be working out with you each time? If not, using Starting Strength/Stronglifts app might be good to keep him organised when away from you?

I shall do my workout first, and then stay with him as he does his - shouldn't be any longer than 30-40 minutes for the 3x5's. If we did it together, it would be a bit of a nightmare changing the weights every set.

I am doing a 3 day, twice weekly split right now, so by the time my step son starts, I may take it easier for 4-5 weeks and do something similar for three days per week, an old Reg Park power routine probably..

[Lynch91]

chris watton said:

He wants some meat on his bones, and I believe the main compounds and eating a lot will help a 20 year old. Am hoping he'll see results after a couple of months and then stick at it when back at uni..

As for BOR's, I like doing both one arm DB and BB variants - but am only doing the BB BOR in the program I'm using now..

Just make sure he eats loads too!

[Tall_Paul]

Started this a few weeks back, I'd done it a year or so ago for a short while at a different gym but stopped for some reason, can't remember why. The new gym is 2 minutes walk away so I'm able to go in my lunch hour, no getting home and thinking 'ahh, I'm too tired today' excuses

6ft 3in, 77kg (12st 2lbs), 34. Yep, tall and skinny, always have been.

Currently on this after todays session:

Squat 47.5kg (first deload day after 3x fails at 55kg)
OHP 25kg (first deload after 3x fails at 30kg)
DL 85kg
BP 40kg
Rows 45kg

Squats - I so nearly completed 55kg last time, 5/5/5/4/3 but today at 47.5kg felt good - not too easy but not too hard. OHP again so nearly at 5/5/5/5/4 at 30kg, but in a way I'm glad I had to deload as 32.5kg would have been fking impossible.

I'm also doing 25-30 mins of low intensity cardo 2x a week, only burnng 200 kcals each time so nothing major, just need to get my general fitness levels up a notch too.

BP and rows I'm starting to feel but nowhere near failing 5x5 yet, deadlifts are starting to kill me though! But I reckon I'll do 100kg before stalling on them. 85kg today felt good - tough, but good. I started at 30kg for squat/BP/row, 20kg OHP and 50kg for DL.

[anonymous-user]

Tall_Paul said:

Started this a few weeks back, I'd done it a year or so ago for a short while at a different gym but stopped for some reason, can't remember why. The new gym is 2 minutes walk away so I'm able to go in my lunch hour, no getting home and thinking 'ahh, I'm too tired today' excuses

6ft 3in, 77kg (12st 2lbs), 34. Yep, tall and skinny, always have been.

Currently on this after todays session:

Squat 47.5kg (first deload day after 3x fails at 55kg)
OHP 25kg (first deload after 3x fails at 30kg)
DL 85kg
BP 40kg
Rows 45kg

Squats - I so nearly completed 55kg last time, 5/5/5/4/3 but today at 47.5kg felt good - not too easy but not too hard. OHP again so nearly at 5/5/5/5/4 at 30kg, but in a way I'm gladt I had to deload as 32.5kg would have been fking impossible.

I'm also doing 25-30 mins of low intensity cardo 2x a week, only burnng 200 kcals each time so nothing major, just need to get my general fitness levels up a notch too.

BP and rows I'm starting to feel but nowhere near failing 5x5 yet, deadlifts are starting to kill me though! But I reckon I'll do 100kg before stalling on them. 85kg today felt good - tough, but good. I started at 30kg for squat/BP/row, 20kg OHP and 50kg for DL.

Good work.

I was a skinny build when younger (11 stone when 18 playing rugby as a forward was educational) and struggled to put weight on for rugby until I started compound lifts. I ended up at 15 stone (DL 250kg +) when still young enough to play well with low bodyfat.

I got a lot heavier (17stone) but a lot was lard

As a fat 40+ I started again this year, and whilst hard work, have started to really enjoy it. Week off this week, which meant I lifted on Monday, had curry Wed and beer now. Lifting on Monday will not be pleasant I feel.

[Tall_Paul]

OK, so I'm 8 weeks into this now, but with the 3 minutes rest I'm needing between sets it's taking too long - I have an hour lunch and on OHP/DL days I can just squeeze it into an hour with 5 minutes walking to the gym and back, but row/BP days are taking too long, any suggestions? I love SL beacause of the app and the simplicity, and I'm seeing some decent progress, today was DL day and I completed everything:

Squat 57.5kg (deloaded at 55kg, completed first attempt at 55kg and 57.5kg today)
OHP 30kg (deloaded at 30kg, first attempt after the deload)
DL 95kg
BP 42.5kg
Row 47.5kg

I'm at the stage now where if I don't rest for 2.5-3 minutes between each set I'll fail on the next set. Any suggestions for getting the time down? Switch to 3x10/3x8, or something completely different?

[LordGrover]

Any number of different workouts but 5x5 is one of the best beginner routines. It really works, for pretty much everyone.
I'd stick to 5x5 for a while yet. There are no shortcuts if you want to get bigger and stronger. If you can't fit it into your lunch break do It before or after work.

[_bryan_]

If there's no way you can change the time you workout, I'd be looking at moving to either Starting Strength, or GSLP. Both are a very similar setup to 5x5 in terms of exercises and days, just that you do 3x5 or 3x5+. That should knock an easy 10-15mins off your workout and you'll still make good progress if you're consistent and eat right.

[Tall_Paul]

Hadn't heard of greyskull LP (I presume that's what you meant), so I'll read up on that. TBH I'd looked at SS before but didn't fancy it because of the power cleans, don't think it's something I'd feel comfortable doing...

I'm gonna go in the morning before work, I'm really not a morning person though, but if I can get into a routine then it'll be easier. After work isn't an option - the gym is 500m away from work but I'd have to put on all my bike gear to leave work (can't get back in after I leave), ride 30 seconds down the road, take all my bike gear off again, do the workout, repeat process to ride home. I wouldn't leave the gym until 7pm, and wouldn't be home until 7:45pm, and the whole point of having a gym just around the corner from work was that I'd have no excuse not to go

Mornings are just easier, if I can drag myself out of bed early enough.

Edit: I was also looking at Wendler 5/3/1

Edited by Tall_Paul on Sunday 3rd April 23:25

[LordGrover]

Tall_Paul said:

...

Edit: I was also looking at Wendler 5/3/1

You may find the volume and intensity lacking and progress slow. It's more for those who've reached their limit with SS or SL5x5 and progress has slowed or stalled via other methods.

Hope you got in early and nailed todays session.

[Tall_Paul]

LordGrover said:

You may find the volume and intensity lacking and progress slow. It's more for those who've reached their limit with SS or SL5x5 and progress has slowed or stalled via other methods.

Hope you got in early and nailed todays session.

I did

It was nice and quiet in there too which was a bonus, managed 5x5 60kg squat which is a big deal considering I failed at 55kg 3x times 2 weeks ago. Not a lot compared to some on here but it's a lot for a 12 stone, tall lanky weakling like me

100kg DL on Wednesday, that fker is going to hurt...

[hajaba123]

Tall_Paul said:

I did

It was nice and quiet in there too which was a bonus, managed 5x5 60kg squat which is a big deal considering I failed at 55kg 3x times 2 weeks ago. Not a lot compared to some on here but it's a lot for a 12 stone, tall lanky weakling like me

100kg DL on Wednesday, that fker is going to hurt...

Good work, get rally positive though, don't think ' that's gonna hurt' think 'I'm going to tear it off the floor!' Pick it, grip it, and rip it!
Get aggressive and get the weights lifted, you'll be fine!

[TurboHatchback]

Tall_Paul said:

OK, so I'm 8 weeks into this now, but with the 3 minutes rest I'm needing between sets it's taking too long - I have an hour lunch and on OHP/DL days I can just squeeze it into an hour with 5 minutes walking to the gym and back, but row/BP days are taking too long, any suggestions? I love SL beacause of the app and the simplicity, and I'm seeing some decent progress, today was DL day and I completed everything:

Squat 57.5kg (deloaded at 55kg, completed first attempt at 55kg and 57.5kg today)
OHP 30kg (deloaded at 30kg, first attempt after the deload)
DL 95kg
BP 42.5kg
Row 47.5kg

I'm at the stage now where if I don't rest for 2.5-3 minutes between each set I'll fail on the next set. Any suggestions for getting the time down? Switch to 3x10/3x8, or something completely different?

Do you do all your sets of one exercise then move on to the next or do you superset them? I find that the rest periods I need between heavy sets are too long like you say so I like to alternate sets of opposing exercises, that way you keep the heart rate up, get more done in the time yet are fully recovered for the next set every time. For example I'll alternate overhead press with pullups, bench press with rows etc, basically exercises that use none of the same muscles.

[Tall_Paul]

TurboHatchback said:

Do you do all your sets of one exercise then move on to the next or do you superset them? I find that the rest periods I need between heavy sets are too long like you say so I like to alternate sets of opposing exercises, that way you keep the heart rate up, get more done in the time yet are fully recovered for the next set every time. For example I'll alternate overhead press with pullups, bench press with rows etc, basically exercises that use none of the same muscles.

I don't, I'd only be able to do that with the row/bench press anyway, squats I need that 3 minute rest at the moment, plus a few seconds of psyching myself up before lifting the bar

Warm ups are getting long now too, more warm up sets.

[Tall_Paul]

Some good, a lot bad on my morning session today, failed miserably at 65kg squats, 5/3/2/3/3, even though 2 days ago I managed 62.5kg 5x5 without that much issue. I can feel a deload coming on for my squat soon, but if it's like the last one which I powered through I'll be happy. Nailed my bench of 45kg 5x5, the pressure was on for that one as it was my third attemt at 45kg so would have meant a deload if I'd failed

Rows, pretty pathetic at 50kg, 5/5/3/3/3, I did better on Monday for some reason. Pretty crappy workout TBH, didn't help that the squat rack was in use when I got there so I have to do bench press -> squat -> rows instead of my normal routine.

I'm working up in London all next week so won't get to the gym at all, and will come back to a 65kg squat and 102.5kg DL, should be fun!

[Ken Sington]

Having a second go at this programme as first time round I didn't appreciate some of the nuances, and I have to say doing it properly and following Mehdi's spreadsheet diligently it is a lot tougher than you might think at first despite the limited number of exercises, if off day soreness and stiffness is anything to judge by. I am starting to get to the top end of my comfort zone in terms of what I can comfortably lift, and have cut right back on cardio, so will be interesting to see how far I can get.

[Mr. H]

I'm a few weeks into this now and today I'm psyching myself up for my first attempt at 100% bodyweight squat. I'm 5' 10", 68kg and on my last workout I struggled to squat 65kg with good form throughout. I felt my knees wanting to move inwards on the lift and I had to concentrate not to hinge on my way up. I think on two reps out of the 35 I didn't go down far enough which annoyed me a bit as I know I'm only cheating myself.

My OHP today will be 30kg which I know I can do but anymore than this will be a real struggle. After my 5x5 routine I'm putting in a bit of arm work (alternating between triceps and biceps) which will hopefully give me the strength to benefit my OHP.

[chris watton]

My step son started the 5x5 proper this week, as he is at home for the next three months and then, when back at uni, he has the use of a gym. He wants a bit of a head start, so no-one takes the piss out of him. He is 6'1" and around 56kg right now. Let's see where we can get him in the next 12 or so weeks...

Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 18th May 10:17

[LordGrover]

I'd get him tied down with guy lines before he blows away.