Strong lifts 5x5

Machwon1

Active member
Has anyone heard of the strong lifts 5x5 rountine. I am a begginer and it says that this is a great routine for a begginer. I would do it for three months. Does anyone know how well this works or ever hear of it?
 
Not sure what the 5x5 is but 3 months is a long time to go without switching up the workout, I think the usual is around 6 weeks, correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Its a great program. I haven't done it personally, but have read up on it. Do it like it is layed out and don't add or subtract anything. You will be pleased with the results.
 
As long as your have good form, there really isn't a bad program to start out with. You'll get great gains regardless. Just keep focusing on the form. The rest will come.
 
It worked great for me for leg development, but not so much for arm and shoulder development. I did it for about four months. I've lost alot of muscle since then though, so I have to start from scratch and learn form again once my back heals up.
 
Not sure about squatting 3x a week, but if your legs grow so will everything else. It's mostly a core strength program.

I printed out the PDF file after putting in my numbers so I have all the weights to use when ramping, etc.

I just started it myself, and if I don't like it I'll change it up a bit and see what'll happen. I think I might change the lower weight wed. squats with extensions or something, and add a few isolations to finish of a day in the gym.

But 5x5 has been around I think since the 70's.
 
waynaferd said:
Not sure about squatting 3x a week, but if your legs grow so will everything else. It's mostly a core strength program.

I printed out the PDF file after putting in my numbers so I have all the weights to use when ramping, etc.

I just started it myself, and if I don't like it I'll change it up a bit and see what'll happen. I think I might change the lower weight wed. squats with extensions or something, and add a few isolations to finish of a day in the gym.

But 5x5 has been around I think since the 70's.
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I absolutely hated it when it came to everything else but squats. I stalled like crazy on that program on everything but my legs. That being said, my legs grew like crazy.
 
Just do the program and DELOAD (which I haven't seen a single recommendation to do!) every 4th or 6th week. And go up by small increments of ~5lbs. a week. Do that, and you won't stall.
 
deload, not deadload. It means take a week off and do light maintenance lifting, about 50% effort or even less. Give your body a rest.
 
Google it, DVD!! It explains the whole she-bang.

I'm going to throw in M-drol to P-plex at the end of week 4 and see if I can't keep ramping up, then do the de-load. Hopefully all will work out well and I can "cruise'' through PCT and be humungo.

Probably not, but its good to have dreams :D
 
i think its overrrated. 5 sets of 5 reps will take a ton of endurance. squats and deads doing 25 reps total sounds brutal, like overtraining.. it might work for you but when our football team used it i hated it..
 
brownstown89 said:
i think its overrrated. 5 sets of 5 reps will take a ton of endurance. squats and deads doing 25 reps total sounds brutal, like overtraining.. it might work for you but when our football team used it i hated it..
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I hope your joking... If you don't have the endurance to do 25 reps of a lift you should probably work on that. IMO 20-25 reps is the absolute lowest someone should go that's serious about build muscle, and anything less than that will just not be challenging your muscles enough. When I do low rep workouts like the 5x5, with medium to heavy weight I almost always start with a high rep-low weight warm-up set to at least get one set that challenges my muscles and their endurance, then go into packin' on the meat. A high rep workout is also a healthier way to work out in general, it incorporates building muscle, increasing endurance and stamina, and aerobic activity.
 
With these sorts of programs I like to use a journal. Write down all the amounts of weight you use on every exercise and the next week try to increase the weight on every exercise, not just squats.
 
immaboss9 said:
I hope your joking... If you don't have the endurance to do 25 reps of a lift you should probably work on that. IMO 20-25 reps is the absolute lowest someone should go that's serious about build muscle, and anything less than that will just not be challenging your muscles enough. When I do low rep workouts like the 5x5, with medium to heavy weight I almost always start with a high rep-low weight warm-up set to at least get one set that challenges my muscles and their endurance, then go into packin' on the meat. A high rep workout is also a healthier way to work out in general, it incorporates building muscle, increasing endurance and stamina, and aerobic activity.
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i should have specified that for PURE STRENGTH purposes you make better gains on different programs other than 5 x 5.. for endurance,moderate strength gains. stamina all that stuff id agree 5 x 5 is a complete package.. but me id rather do a power pump type workout where i work on strength first then cycle there some sets for hytrophy and do added cardio.. each person got there own way
 
brownstown89 said:
i should have specified that for PURE STRENGTH purposes you make better gains on different programs other than 5 x 5.. for endurance,moderate strength gains. stamina all that stuff id agree 5 x 5 is a complete package.. but me id rather do a power pump type workout where i work on strength first then cycle there some sets for hytrophy and do added cardio.. each person got there own way
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Gotcha, and I agree...
 
It depends on what your goal as far as lifting is? (i.e. strength etc...) Strength wise you need a lower rep higher wieght routine! Even as a starter, get use to this because you will do this a lot for strength gaining! Now I say that for the first six weeks you could do a 5x5 or something like that in order to tackle technique and muscle stamina which is highly important for your max effort lifts.

After you become custom to your technique and form on all your lifts 6 average to switch your routine. Sometimes I do a 4-6-8 week cycle trying to plateau at a max on a lift!
 
5x5 work preety good for me for breaking platues i switj it up
once I break into higher weight super sets is cool to good
luck train hard shoots
 
I'm almost halfway thru week 4 and beat my bench and squat PR's.....barely!!

Bench went like so....5 reps for 4 sets.....the last set I got 3 up, then 1, then 1 more, with just a brief 4-5 second pause between reps. Squats I almost got stuck on the last rep, but rocked it up there, thank God!!

The first week was brutal, the second not so bad, the 3rd worse, and this week here is just plain hellish!!! It was a fairly quick 45 min workout the first 2 weeks, but now I'm up a little over an hour, just because the rests in between sets is growing with the big increases in weight.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with it. Next week the 3x3's start, and I may either

A: hold the same weight and keep it at 5x5, or

B: up the weight and start adding in a bunch of isolations, since the 3x3's will free up some time. I'll hafta to feel it out....

Anyway, I definately recommend trying it at least for the first 4 week loading phase. It'll make a regular "one body part a week" routine seem like doing tap-dancing!!!
 
Are you training full intensity 3 x per week - to failure for each exercise??

I hope not, cos thats some serious over training don't you think?
 
TGD said:
Are you training full intensity 3 x per week - to failure for each exercise??

I hope not, cos thats some serious over training don't you think?
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Sorta...not really to failure....Were I did my 5 rep max for 5 sets I got pretty pooped out, so the last reps were a bit difficult, to say the least. But I put in my 5RM in the PDF file chart thingie, and those were set at week 3, so the first 2 weeks were lower weight and worked up to, and now past, my 5RM.

I do squats 3x a week, but only monday is a "heavy" set, I bench 2x a week, and incline once, but like squats, only 1 day is a heavy set.

Deadlifts are wednesday and heavy, but mon and fri back workouts are rows and pull ups/downs.

Now that the the 4 weeks "loading phase" is done, the next 4 weeks are 3sets of 5 reps instead of 5 sets, and squats on wednesday are dropped.

It'll be a welcome relief, fo sho'!!
 
Seriously people?

Has anyone here actually read the SL5x5 program? What is with all this "imm'a train for 3 weeks then switch it up blah blah blah"

The program is simple:

Three workouts a week.
Alternate between:

Squat, Bench and Pendlay rows one workout
Squat, OHP and DL the next

All sets are 5x5 except for the DL, which is 1x5
All sets are work sets, so you can add a few warm up sets at lighter weights.

Start with the bar on Squat, OHP, Bench and add 5 lb each time you do the workout.

Start with 95 lb on DL and add 10lb each time you do it.
Start with 65 lb on Row, add 5 each time you do it.

Go from there.

If you have not read the complete program, much less done it then why the fark are you guys commenting on it?
 
rankbull said:
I hope your joking... If you don't have the endurance to do 25 reps of a lift you should probably work on that. IMO 20-25 reps is the absolute lowest someone should go that's serious about build muscle, and anything less than that will just not be challenging your muscles enough. When I do low rep workouts like the 5x5, with medium to heavy weight I almost always start with a high rep-low weight warm-up set to at least get one set that challenges my muscles and their endurance, then go into packin' on the meat. A high rep workout is also a healthier way to work out in general, it incorporates building muscle, increasing endurance and stamina, and aerobic activity.
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this. not only is it not many reps but, I think it's key to make sure that when on a routine like this, that you're not trying to cut. These beginner/starting strength routines where you doing heavy sets and adding weight next week need FOOOD. haha. And I also agree this is probably MOST beneficial for leg growth. I know for me, Squatting 2 sometimes 3 times a week works very well for maintaining strength and good form. I usually go for 8-12 reps a set as well.
 
agree with Tardyon.... sounds like you didnt even read the whole program... it even talks about deload and everything in it.

It's a good program for a beginner.
 
The StrongLifts iPhone app has one of the smartest UI's I have seen in an exercise tracking app.

It will manage the deloads for you too so you don't have to. It's free so check it.
 
I did stronglifts 5x5 when i started lifting....i liked it, it got my squat up to 315 5x5 and then i changed routines after that.
 
Tonycfh said:
I did stronglifts 5x5 when i started lifting....i liked it, it got my squat up to 315 5x5 and then i changed routines after that.
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Nice, I have to check the site out. I've only looked at it on my phone and it was just a video.
 
soul0wner said:
Nice, I have to check the site out. I've only looked at it on my phone and it was just a video.
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There is an app for SL as mentioned earlier in the thread. It really is a well done app and takes all guess work out. Well worth it if you are going to follow SL. Especially since it is Free.99

Also, don't listen to folks who say you have to change your routine every 6 weeks or so etc etc. This program is meant for the long haul and is a great strength program, especially for beginners. Many folks out there who say you have to change your routine up often do not know what they are talking about. If you ask them why they will say to things like "to keep you muscles guessing" or to "confuse" your muscles for growth. If you ask them to explain those statements they can't. Because simply those statements are wrong. What they are eluding to actually is periodization and progressive overload, but in the wrong manner. You can achieve the latter with weight increments, deload periods, rep changes, etc etc.

Have fun man.
 
CopyCat said:
There is an app for SL as mentioned earlier in the thread. It really is a well done app and takes all guess work out. Well worth it if you are going to follow SL. Especially since it is Free.99

Also, don't listen to folks who say you have to change your routine every 6 weeks or so etc etc. This program is meant for the long haul and is a great strength program, especially for beginners. Many folks out there who say you have to change your routine up often do not know what they are talking about. If you ask them why they will say to things like "to keep you muscles guessing" or to "confuse" your muscles for growth. If you ask them to explain those statements they can't. Because simply those statements are wrong. What they are eluding to actually is periodization and progressive overload, but in the wrong manner. You can achieve the latter with weight increments, deload periods, rep changes, etc etc.

Have fun man.
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Thanks man! I did download the app and I am looking forward to starting today!
 
Love strong lifts. But im more i.to a high volume rutine . It ur starting out dont do it. U realy have to keep ur form in check. U go up in weight realy quick. Tweaking ur back becuase a false movement sux. U should cycle:
high volume 2.5 months
Rest 1 week
Then strong lifts or pyrimid. SL takes a lot of gym time up to.

But SL unmodified is awsome, modded is good to, well 5x5 is the sh!t
 
PS
changing routine every few months breaks platues and keeps it intresting. But it all depends on goals and joint stress
 
murk01 said:
Love strong lifts. But im more i.to a high volume rutine . It ur starting out dont do it. U realy have to keep ur form in check. U go up in weight realy quick. Tweaking ur back becuase a false movement sux. U should cycle:
high volume 2.5 months
Rest 1 week
Then strong lifts or pyrimid. SL takes a lot of gym time up to.

But SL unmodified is awsome, modded is good to, well 5x5 is the sh!t
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Not new, just saw it on YouTube and it seemed interesting. I'll try it out and see what happens. Even though I am cutting.
 
running it right now, going on nearly 3 months. the app is a lifesaver as well
 
I started it today, and I don't have an Olympic bar but I have a home gym with squat and chest press machine, so the weight I was a little unsure of. And I have to so the overhead press with dumbbells. But I hope to see some good results from it.
 
There is no need to change routines every few months, thats broscience. If your routine is still working keep doing it. And if your programs routinely fail after a few weeks/months, than the program sucked to begin with or something else is wrong (diet, rest, loads ect.)
 
soul0wner said:
I started it today, and I don't have an Olympic bar but I have a home gym with squat and chest press machine, so the weight I was a little unsure of. And I have to so the overhead press with dumbbells. But I hope to see some good results from it.
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Stronglifts, Starting strength, Bill Starrs 5x5 or the many variations of it, are all made to be done emphasizing heavy compound barbell movements, and focus on lots of freeweight squatting. Your not going to have a ton of results beyond newbie gains using a universal machine.
 
I just finished a 5x5 variation (Madcows) and it definitely made me stronger in the big lifts. My hamstring and chest development both improved, and my back got significantly stronger. I'm interested to see what the carry over will be once I get a few weeks into my current programming.

I think 5x5 would be a good foundation, but make sure you're using proper form and lifting safely - lifting heavy with poor form is a recipe for injury (duh) but I think it's a solid program.
 
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