Stronglifts 5X5 coupled with C25K

530roman

I'm in week 5 of Couch to 5K and in my third full week of the Stronglifts 5x5 program. I'm not really new to running or lifting, just swallowed my pride and gave myself a starting point to try and see some improvement down the road. Both are going very well and I'm happy with progress so far.

I guess my reason for creating a thread was to get some opinions/feedback/science on what to truly expect from doing both. My reasoning for doing both was to lose weight while keeping strength. Cardio for weight loss and strength lifting for muscle retention/gain. I'm eating at a deficit (to lose weight of course) to lose 2 pounds a week. I have a total of 70 pounds to lose overall so that's why I'm aggressive with 2 lbs a week right now.

What are your thoughts on doing this much cardio with strength training? I've done a search of the threads for something similar but didn't see much. Can I expect significant strength gains while eating at a deficit and doing so much cardio? For those unfamiliar, C25K is roughly 25-35 minutes of steady state cardio, either running or walking for different intervals of time.

I've seen a lot of knowledgeable posters around here, so thanks in advance for your input.

hbortel

Well you will lose inches and possibly gain a little weight at first since muscle ways much more than fat. Depending on how much you work out you need to eat at least 1,200 or else you are just going to burn out as it take energy to actually make the muscles. For example I do at least 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights everyday and eat about 1,400 calories a day in healthy food.

Just remember that you actually do need to eat quite a bit of (healthy) food to lose weight especially if you are going to workout a lot.

McCloud33

You'll be fine especially at first, but as the weights get heavier in SL5x5 it will be more difficult to keep it all up when on a deficit. I'm currently on a bigger cut myself (1.5-1.75lbs/wk) and it's all I can do to lift twice a week, coach soccer and play basketball one night a week and go for a long run on the weekend with two days of rest mixed in. I've only got another 15ish to lose though.

You said you're not new to lifting, so did you start with just the bar, or some other weight on there? That'll make a difference to you gaining strength. I'm still adding weight to the bar, but not every time.

530roman

Thanks McCloud - I started with:
- 185# squats
- 115# bench
- 185# deadlift
- 95# press
- 95# BO rows

I know there are warnings against starting with heavier weights but I've got good form from past experience. I hope to get stronger eventually. My primary focus is to lose weight (reasons are in my profile, but it's for a kidney donation for my little brother). I just want to make sure I'm not spinning my wheels by doing both. I read a lot on here about people lifting while in a deficit and the reviews seem to be mixed. I guess results will come one way or the other just from working out, period. Just looking for other members with similar experiences, maybe?

McCloud33

@530roman‌, I don't think those are bad #'s to start at in and of themselves. It's more what is their relation to your previous maximums. I had never lifted before I started SL and I think I started at like 135# for squats and dead, and maybe 95# or 115# for bench/rows.

I'll tell you that you're probably going to stall out on OH press pretty quick starting that high unless you're just naturally gifted in that. But even saying that, you're fine. Just keep deloading by 10-20% after 3 consecutive failed sessions and keep working at it like the rest of us.

You say that your primary focus is to lose weight, and like most ppl on here I'm assuming that you mean fat when you say weight. That's the reason to lift while in a deficit. It ques your body to keep as much of it's muscle as possible since you "need" it every week to lift. The running and cardio has other benefits to your health and helps give you a bigger deficit to lose the fat you're looking for.

I know from my experience that when the squats started getting heavy I went to 3x5 instead of 5x5 and like I said, I've also dropped from 3 days/wk to 2 days/wk. Just listen to your body though and if you feel like you're tired all the time, or don't feel completely recovered from workout to workout, at least look at lessening how much weights you're doing.

Good luck!

subversive99

I'm early on in trying to do both and so far it's been fine, but I do mean really early on. I do 5x5 Sunday Tues Thursday and run on the treadmill Monday Wednesday Saturday, usually taking Friday off. We'll see how it goes as I progress up the weights, I'm still below all the weights you started at as I started with just the bar.

luis702702

Dude my kind of thread
1# When you think you have good form you don't, practice, practice and record yourself ....
I thought I was going parallel on squats not even close lol ..
#2 when I was at a body weight of 200 and squatting 225 x reps I thought I was strong, NOT!!! . I am squatting 420 lbs at 178 body weight and 315 x 10 reps x 5 sets on a caloric deficit and getting stronger but not gaining too much muscle ....
Finish as many programs as you can... I did Strong lifts 5x5 . The bulgarian style squatting every day , The Texas Method, Muscle explosion progressive overloading 5 minutes of squats with 30 second rests one day next day was 10 minutes and so on .... starting Smolov pretty soon.......... I do about 40 minutes of fast bicycling 3 times a week but starting to jog 30 minutes every day

530roman

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen.

mkakids

I do both right now. Week 5 of each.

I dont think c25k is "so much" cardio? Its only 30 minutes and a portion of yhat (esp in the beginning) is just walking.

My routine in MWF....C25K & SL5x5. T Th sometimes Saturday 30minutes bike, elliptical or stair master and then accessory lifting.

Th3Ph03n1x

I am not experienced enough to offer any tips but I'm about to start week 4 of SL and just finished week 1 of C25K.

ETA: I do them on alternate days and then take Sunday off.