5x5 workouts: How have they worked for you

Graceious1

Hello All,

I have read posts on here that have talked about 5x5 workouts. I have just started doing them today because I want to tone up and be in the best shape for my Taekwondo black belt grading at the end of next month. As well as training in Taekwondo twice a week I jog and skip once a week. I would like to know how it has worked for you and have some questions:

1. When did you notice changes in your body?
2. What changes did you notice in you body and life?
3. How long did you do the programme for?
4. What other exercises did you do, if any, while doing this programme?

I welcome responses from people who are doing it or have done it. I am particularly interested in responses from people in their late 40s to early 50s because that is around my age group. Before and after pics would be nice to see too.

Thanks people

sjp_511

The is a Stronglifts 5x5 for Women group on here. They even have a thread with result photos. Go check it out.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

patrickblo13

Changes in your body will differ for everyone and there are a lot of variables (eg. what your current body composition is like, what is your diet like ect..)

When I did SL5x5 I ran it for 12 weeks. I got a bit bored so I switched to Wendler 5/3/1 for some more variation. I ran the program as intended and didn't add too many other exercises. If I did add anything I would do a quick 15 min. HIIT routine at the end of the workout

AllanMisner

For me, it was quite dramatic. I’d always lifted in the 8 - 12 rep range and did a lot more isolation work then. My deadlift and bench press strength shot up very quickly. Mobility and technique issues held back my squat and overhead press, but they also improved.

Like most people, I was concerned I wouldn’t get enough stimulus on my arms and calves. But after about three weeks, my arms started thickening. That’s when the light came on for me. When you do isolation work, you tend to focus on a single muscle (or a small set of them) and because the weights aren’t as heavy, you never really work the musculature as a whole. Heavy, compound movements do.

Being a man, the 5x5 also allowed me to put on some good muscle mass over time.

I also like that I can get in a full body workout in an hour and do that two to three times a week. I used to lift five to six times a week and not get nearly the same coverage.

Topsking2010

Bump

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

38 here. I run and lift.
5x5 was a great starter program. It really is a linear progression plan, so your lifts increase quickly.

I quickly switched to a 5x3 plan, because time. It also allowed me to go up a little bit higher in weight. I did this for almost a year.

During this whole time I had to take a break from running because the squats are just killer on your legs. Now I do more of a 5/3/1 program twice a week and run during my "run season" So I only do squats once a week, and try to give myself a day or two between that and my long run.

Changes? My libido has gone up 9000% so you kinda have to be ready for that. I look better, I feel better.

Peacefulkancer

I did the Madcow 5x5 program with microweights. I loved it. If I did it again I might try the Stronglifts 5x5 and then switch over to the Madcow 5x5.

1. When did you notice changes in your body?
Took a while

2. What changes did you notice in you body and life?
Since I did microweight loading paired with the 5x5, I always was changing my weights not only during the set but also from workout to workout. So I always felt like I was improving and moving up. I strongly suggest microweight loading. Overall I felt stronger and more lean.

3. How long did you do the programme for?
About a year (would still be doing it, but got injuried out of the gym that made it so I couldn't do squats). Now that I'm healed, I plan to start it again soon.

4. What other exercises did you do, if any, while doing this programme?
No formal workouts - just yard work and other "manual labor"

ar9179

I'm female, 45, and have been doing SL 2-3x/week for 2 weeks. I was really out of shape at the beginning of January. Along with the calorie deficit, I started walking, yoga, a 28 day squat challenge, then SL. I've already seen a big difference in inches lost with those two weeks and the scale has started to move, as well. My arm muscles are peeking out from behind the pudge, I feel my core muscles engage on the lifts (especially bench press), and my quads are so firm! I don't attribute all of this to SL, but I didn't start noticing the shrinking body until after I started the program. Last week a pair of jeans were cutting me in half when I tried them on and today I'm wearing them comfortably. It's amazing.

I highly recommend progressive lifting.

dbmata

When I did it, I got stronger.

Much stronger.

Graceious1

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my questions. This has been very useful and I am going to have a go. What I find interesting is the progressive increase in weights. I am doing the Strong Lifts because I have downloaded the app on my phone, but I didn't know there was a different type. It is very useful and tells you how much weight to start with and how long to have a break before you start the next set.

I will have a look at the 5x5 women's group sjp_511. I want to strengthen my arms because next month I will have to do 70 push ups as part of my black belt grading. It seems like this will help with all over body strength.

Thanks everyone!