Strong lifts 5x5

[saleson]

A little over a month into my journey back to full strength I am really happy with my new regime, recommended by my bro in Poland, taken from the strong-lifts.com website. Having done my fair share of programs over the years this strong lifts 5x5 has to be the best I have done to date. The primary reason I rate it so highly is the time factor. Excluding the warm up (whatever type I choose for however long I choose) the program which consists of 3 exercises, and requires commitment 3 days a week, takes just over 30 mins. And so it looks like this:

Mon: Squat, Overhead press, Dead-lift.

Wed: Squat, Bench-press, Bent over barbell Row.

Fri: Repeat Monday.

5 sets of 5 reps is the requirement for each exercise, with correct technique, being the factor underpinning success and gradual strength gains.

Keeping in mind that everyone's goals differ, this is something for those, men and women, steering toward the power/strength lifting path, to play around with if you haven't got anything in terms of a program sorted. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but give it a go if you want, and if you like it you like it, if you don't you don't.

I am feeling stronger anyway.

Cheers and happy lifting.

[Hitro]

Good stuff mate.

I see you are doing the deadlifts / OH press day twice a week rather than the benchpress day twice a week. Is this just to focus on deadlifts and OH press?

Am about to start a 5x5 myself but not sure whether to go with the standard stronglifts with or try the madcow variation which ramps up to the max weight and has a few other variations.

[bang_bang]

^ he will be alternating a and b workouts so 1 week dead twice next week bench twice.

Strong lifts was my introduction to weight lifting. I was losing fat at the time which was a bit counter productive but I still gained heaps of strength. Squats went from about 50kg 5x5 to 90 5x5 and bench 40kg 5x5 to 77.5 5x5. Also went from 97kg to 75 coupled with a good diet, extra assistance work (chin ups, pull ups, dips etc) and a bit of cardio. Then I decided selling my home set up and joining a commercial gym was a good idea :doh:

Anyways would def recommend it to anyone looking to get into lifting.

[Phedder]

Just moved this to the strength training forum.

Stronglifts are good, simple programs that keep progress as the focus. Perfect for someone who's been away from lifting for a while to get back into it and establish a good base again :nod:

Do you have a plan for your next program once you stall? Move to the 3x5, or a program with more assistance exercises?

[Hitro]

ahhh makes sense bang bang - hadnt thought of approaching it that way myself but not a bad idea at all.

[saleson]

I plan to do this strong-lifts 5x5 program until I reach the personal goals I have set for myself in each exercise, which I estimate will take at least a year. A year will see me build a solid foundation upon which to build on. After that I will move to the strong-lifts 5, 3, 1 program.

Cheers.

[Phedder]

I plan to do this strong-lifts 5x5 program until I reach the personal goals I have set for myself in each exercise, which I estimate will take at least a year. A year will see me build a solid foundation upon which to build on. After that I will move to the strong-lifts 5, 3, 1 program.

Cheers.

So every time you stall, you just plan to drop the weights back a little and work up again until you've reached those goals? You may very well need to include some assistance exercises to address any weakpoints you may come across. Upper back work is always recommended :nod: Or you could begin 5-3-1 earlier, more realistic progressions once the weights get higher, and endless choices of how to program your assistance exercises.

Just a note, 5-3-1 is not a stronglifts program. It's hosted on their website, but was created by Jim Wendler of EliteFTS. Great program nonetheless, just give credit where it's due :wink:

[saleson]

Yes, pretty much spot on phedder. Every-time I stall I plan to break from the program for a week or so and focus on body weight exercises only,wide grip pull-ups, dips, press-ups, rope climbs etc, and then get back into the 5x5 routine.

Apart from that, thank-you for sharing your knowledge and all the best with your own training.

Cheers.