Has anyone gained size through 5x5

[BigCityLife]

ok i am not talking about rippletoe 5x5.. you can say linear progression 5x5

I believe the rep range induces more strength than hypertrophy. Has anyone gained good size in terms of lean muscle mass throughout using 5x5.

Personally i love this rep range due to the fact that it allows me to lift to my maximum. I am only concerned about hypertrophy. Can i induce enough hypertrophy in this rep range to increase muscle size?

Please suggest. Thanks.

 

[MrBrightside]

I went 5x5 for a while on chest days. My observation was moderately increased strength and explosiveness when compared to the higher rep ranges, but no explicit changes in mass.

 

[SureShot]

5x5 made my shoulder girdle ache like crazy. 12-15 rep ranges have worked better for me for hypertrophy, and 15-20 rep ranges for legs.

 

[1HP]

I have made crazy mass gains on 5x5, probably like 25 lbs in 6 months or so naturally, more then on anything else with the exception of DC, but DC I can keep up for 4 weeks or so, then I start to overtrain.

 

[KgTomCat]

ok i am not talking about rippletoe 5x5.. you can say linear progression 5x5

I believe the rep range induces more strength than hypertrophy. Has anyone gained good size in terms of lean muscle mass throughout using 5x5.

Personally i love this rep range due to the fact that it allows me to lift to my maximum. I am only concerned about hypertrophy. Can i induce enough hypertrophy in this rep range to increase muscle size?

Please suggest. Thanks.

with my experience 5x5 is good for strength, but if u want more vascularity & hypertrophy then go for the 10-15 rep range. 5x5 will get u the strength to handle more weight so when u cut u can get in more reps of more weight, theres a difference between bulking and cutting...

 

[KgTomCat]

I went 5x5 for a while on chest days. My observation was moderately increased strength and explosiveness when compared to the higher rep ranges, but no explicit changes in mass.

if you hit your chest heavy then do your legs light, you'll be unproportioned, this is the typical wannabe gym guy, big upper body, no legs:rofl:

 

[SureShot]

if you hit your chest heavy then do your legs light, you'll be unproportioned, this is the typical wannabe gym guy, big upper body, no legs:rofl:

I don't think that is what he meant. You can still train heavy using higher rep ranges.

 

[The Batman]

Too light too elicit maximal strength gains and not enough volume to elicit relevant size gains. It's a fine range for beginners but for intermediate and advanced I don't like it.

 

[SureShot]

Too light too elicit maximal strength gains and not enough volume to elicit relevant size gains. It's a fine range for beginners but for intermediate and advanced I don't like it.

Agreed. I remember my 5x5 chest workout taking like 12min to complete, it felt like i did nothing.

 

[KgTomCat]

I don't think that is what he meant. You can still train heavy using higher rep ranges.

yes but without proper overload u cant break down the muscle fibers, for further growth...doing high reps without the proper amount of resistance will only fatigue them, am I wrong?

 

[MrBrightside]

if you hit your chest heavy then do your legs light, you'll be unproportioned, this is the typical wannabe gym guy, big upper body, no legs:rofl:

Uhm, no. I did so because my legs are OBVIOUSLY bigger than the rest of my body. I'm a shitty bencher and a pretty good squatter & a great leg-curler. Before insulting me on a public forum, send me a PM to get your facts straight.

 

[SureShot]

yes but without proper overload u cant break down the muscle fibers, for further growth...doing high reps without the proper amount of resistance will only fatigue them, am I wrong?

Ok. If Johnny does 15-20 reps for 16 weeks, and starts with a bench press of 185lbs for 15, and ends the 16 weeks with 235lbs for 17, will his chest be bigger? Yes, because of progressive overload. Training with higher reps does not mean training light.

 

[KgTomCat]

haha sorry big boys...lets calm down

 

[BigCityLife]

Agreed. I remember my 5x5 chest workout taking like 12min to complete, it felt like i did nothing.

Dont take me wrong but if it took 12 minutes to complete, that might imply two things

a) You werent at your maximal load, else your recovery period must have been longer. Sometimes till even 5 minutes depending as each case is individual

b) You didnt have much of body exercises for chest.

I am not debating on 12-15 or above range.
Looking at the example as listed above in the thread:

Ok. If Johnny does 15-20 reps for 16 weeks, and starts with a bench press of 185lbs for 15, and ends the 16 weeks with 235lbs for 17, will his chest be bigger? Yes, because of progressive overload. Training with higher reps does not mean training light.

Yes it will increase the chest size but it will depend on which stage Johnny is in.Johnny could have also focused on increasing his strength where he could bench press over 250 lbs and more going by 5x5 and combine it with an excellent diet, the results could have been decent as well.

For instance I wont say i am untrained but yes i am a novice.
I think i need to learn first how to lift heavy weights before focusing on hypertrophy.Personally, not out of an ego boost but by the balance and strength heavy weights involve i like lifting heavier compared to comparatively lighter weights with higher reps.

Will it be a good strategy?

a) 12 weeks 5x5
b) One week deloading
c) Change in workout routine involving 8-12 reps.

If you want i can post my workout.

 

[SureShot]

Dont take me wrong but if it took 12 minutes to complete, that might imply two things

a) You werent at your maximal load, else your recovery period must have been longer. Sometimes till even 5 minutes depending as each case is individual

b) You didnt have much of body exercises for chest.

I am not debating on 12-15 or above range.
Looking at the example as listed above in the thread:

Ok. If Johnny does 15-20 reps for 16 weeks, and starts with a bench press of 185lbs for 15, and ends the 16 weeks with 235lbs for 17, will his chest be bigger? Yes, because of progressive overload. Training with higher reps does not mean training light.

Yes it will increase the chest size but it will depend on which stage Johnny is in.Johnny could have also focused on increasing his strength where he could bench press over 250 lbs and more going by 5x5 and combine it with an excellent diet, the results could have been decent as well.

For instance I wont say i am untrained but yes i am a novice.
I think i need to learn first how to lift heavy weights before focusing on hypertrophy.Personally, not out of an ego boost but by the balance and strength heavy weights involve i like lifting heavier compared to comparatively lighter weights with higher reps.

Will it be a good strategy?

a) 12 weeks 5x5
b) One week deloading
c) Change in workout routine involving 8-12 reps.

If you want i can post my workout.

When doing a 5x5, you are not supposed to be at your maximal load. so if i comfortably bench say 255 for 5, and i start my 5x5 routine at 185 5x5, then do incline dbs for 2-3 sets and then flyes for 2-3 sets, i would not have to recover that much between sets. That workout (not counting warm-ups) barely took 20min.

I think your strategy is good, and I am not discounting 5x5 in anyway, as any program built on progressively getting stronger will yield results. I am just saying I personally did not like it.

 

[BigCityLife]

I have made crazy mass gains on 5x5, probably like 25 lbs in 6 months or so naturally, more then on anything else with the exception of DC, but DC I can keep up for 4 weeks or so, then I start to overtrain.

Thanks for your inputs on the thread. Like you mentioned that 5x5 has worked for you..can you please share the following at your convenience?

a) How long have you been on 5x5
b) What routine did you follow ( exercises, rest days)
c) What has been your diet ( caloric intake)
d) Supplementations that you went for.
5) Has 5x5 worked for you on thighs and arms as well

 

[phaeton66]

I didn't gain 25lbs in 6 months naturally on 5x5, but it was very productive for me, both in strength and mass, altered and natural. I think DC is better for mass though. DC is extremely clever.
I've tried other programs; for mass it would go something like
DC > 5x5 > 20 rep squats > singles + high reps (hybrid program where you do doubles and triples, then pump the muscle up with blood) > standard aaaarnold kind of stuff. > GVT (which didn't do a thing for me except make me tired). Probably lots depends on the individual, and how their nervous system adjusts to the workload.

 

[DreamWeaver]

How about this ... 5.5.5.8 and 12 works wonderfully... a combination of rep ranges works well. I only recommend something like this for 4 week. Oh and it's meant for compound movements. I assume most of you know that already though. I do a 2 day split then miror day 1 with 8.8.12 rep range on day 3. Anyhow food for thought.

 

[bkoguy07]

*raises hand*

 

[brk_nemesis]

I do 5x5 as part of Dc training, which are my warmup sets, followed by a 6th workset that is 20+(rest pause), and then the dc stretching. Im loving it,.... seeing awesome gains and not even on cycle. But doing 5x5 alone, that would do nothing for me, as ive "mostly" acceptable to higher reps for both strength and mass gains. Even in my old routine a few months ago i never went under 6 reps except here and there to shock myself.

 

[nparisi]

I've got my little brother doing the 5x5 and he has gained a good amount of size and strenght, but he's a beginner so take it for what it's worth...