liftin heavy

[Gstyle24]

i've been doing light sets for 1 minute rest after each set, doin 3-4 sets, 10-12 reps, for awhile now, and i've kinda read about the whole 5x5 thing, but it seems too complicating so i'm just wanderin if i should switch up to just doin heavy weights, 5-6 reps, with about 2-4 minute rest between sets? maybe for 6 weeks or so? i'm lookin to gain size

 

[suncloud]

you won't get much size doing 5-6 reps, though your strength will improve dramatically. stick with the compound moves and 8-12 reps for mass.

alternately, you could do 1-2 heavy sets of 5-6 reps, then a lighter "back off" set or two of 8-12 which may help give you the best of both worlds.

 

[Gstyle24]

you won't get much size doing 5-6 reps, though your strength will improve dramatically. stick with the compound moves and 8-12 reps for mass.

alternately, you could do 1-2 heavy sets of 5-6 reps, then a lighter "back off" set or two of 8-12 which may help give you the best of both worlds.

well i'm just lookin to change it up a little u know... so ur sayin do like 4 sets per exercise, and do like a half and half of heavy and light for each exercise..hmm that'd be a trip

so should i at least switch the time between sets instead of 1 minute, do about 3 minutes? throught the whole routine, or go with the heavy, 3 minute rest, then with the light sets, 1 minute rest?..

 

[jasonschaffin]

How much experience do you have and what is your strength level? Cuz it is possible to get size AND strength out of a 5x5 if you've never lifted heavy before.

 

[suncloud]

How much experience do you have and what is your strength level? Cuz it is possible to get size AND strength out of a 5x5 if you've never lifted heavy before.

diet would have to be locked down to a "T" to pull that off IMO.

i would go with one set of 5-6 reps, then 1-2 sets of 8-12, but that's my opinion.

2 minute rest between heavy set/sets, 1-1.5 minutes between sets of 8-12.

 

[jasonschaffin]

diet would have to be locked down to a "T" to pull that off IMO.

i would go with one set of 5-6 reps, then 1-2 sets of 8-12, but that's my opinion.

2 minute rest between heavy set/sets, 1-1.5 minutes between sets of 8-12.

Again, would have to say it depends on current level. If, just throwing random numbers out there, say he isn't yet benching 315, squatting 405, and deadlifting 455 I think that getting these big lifts up, while keeping just a normal CLEAN diet in a slight surplus will most definitely add some size. I don't know many "little" guys with numbers here or higher.
Definitely not the only way, but I fail to see how it won't work.

 

[jasonschaffin]

Also, once that strength is there it will be easier to to add more size as you will be able to use a heavier load for your hypertrophy routines.

 

[jasonschaffin]

And one last thing. This is a tried and true routine that will give him a template. I love having a template to go off of when trying to make serious progress as it keeps me on track and lets me clearly see my progression. Doing Sheiko now, 4x week, love the structure I have every day I know exactly what to do.
Though sometimes its also nice to just go a few weeks just lifting as you feel fit for the day.

 

[BoyFromAus]

5x5 did me wonders for Strength, but not size.

if a person is an amateur with only lightweight experience (and limited experience at that), he can't become like arnold schwarzneggar in 6 weeks, even if he takes steroids or other anabolic/enhancement drugs. It doesn't matter if he's doing 5x5 or 8x8 routine on a 10 000 calorie diet.

routines like 8x8 and Squats and Milk, and all these other mass gain routines are for people with years of heavy weight experience. And the reason that such people get great results from these routines is because their body (as well as their mind;mental power) is already conditioned for (and therefore responsive to) such tough training.

I say focus on strength training first and then size training.

 

[Gstyle24]

5x5 did me wonders for Strength, but not size.

if a person is an amateur with only lightweight experience (and limited experience at that), he can't become like arnold schwarzneggar in 6 weeks, even if he takes steroids or other anabolic/enhancement drugs. It doesn't matter if he's doing 5x5 or 8x8 routine on a 10 000 calorie diet.

routines like 8x8 and Squats and Milk, and all these other mass gain routines are for people with years of heavy weight experience. And the reason that such people get great results from these routines is because their body (as well as their mind;mental power) is already conditioned for (and therefore responsive to) such tough training.

I say focus on strength training first and then size training.

actually i've been lifting weights for about 6 years now on and off.... and the first like 4 years, was purely lifting heavy, i was strong, but never gaining much size, but granted i didn't know **** back then... i wasn't eating good, didn't care about sleep, water, no protein shakes, drank alcohol a lot, and didn't switch up routines much either... but for the last year or so i've been doin light weight with 1 minute rest...

but my strength is kinda low right now, i took about 7 months off, i've been back for about 4 weeks now

 

[BoyFromAus]

actually i've been lifting weights for about 6 years now on and off.... and the first like 4 years, was purely lifting heavy, i was strong, but never gaining much size, but granted i didn't know **** back then... i wasn't eating good, didn't care about sleep, water, no protein shakes, drank alcohol a lot, and didn't switch up routines much either... but for the last year or so i've been doin light weight with 1 minute rest...

but my strength is kinda low right now, i took about 7 months off, i've been back for about 4 weeks now

I see. Well i'm no expert like some of the others on here but if i were you, i'd cycle into it using a plan like what Hugo Rivera uses.

That is, starting off on a 4 week conditioning phase, then doing a 4 week loading phase (very high volume) and then the growth phase. Then after that, i'd probably give 8x8 a try (despite this being a damn hard routine).

His info and routines are available all over google.

And the other thing which is very important is adequate rest and clean diet of calorie surplus.

 

[fightbackhxc]

the 5x5 will gain you more strength than size. strength however is valuable to gaining size. Here is what I have been doing. Example: If i am working Chest, i will pick one heavy movement like BB Bench and then do a 5X5 on that, and then the rest of my workout i will do high rep chest movements, that way im gaining strength in my main movement and accenting it with some hypertrophy. you dont just wanna lift high reps otherwise you will find a quick plateau.

 

[pistonpump]

the 5x5 will gain you more strength than size. strength however is valuable to gaining size. Here is what I have been doing. Example: If i am working Chest, i will pick one heavy movement like BB Bench and then do a 5X5 on that, and then the rest of my workout i will do high rep chest movements, that way im gaining strength in my main movement and accenting it with some hypertrophy. you dont just wanna lift high reps otherwise you will find a quick plateau.

I was doing pretty much the exact same thing for awhile and i loved it. I would do a compound movement excercise for 5x5 first.
Example:
Chest Bi day..... 5x5 flat bench, 2x12 incline db, 2x12 machine fly, 5x5 bb curl, 3x12 db alt curl
Back...... 5x5 deadlift, 2x10 lat pulldown, 3x10 bb row
etc....

This way you keep gaining strength with the core lifts and you can build size too.