Do 5x5 programs work?? Want to increase Bench & DL

DaddieCat

I highly recommend a progressive overload, no matter what your program. If you can't continually add 5lbs, add 2.5, if you can't add 2.5 go to the hardware store and get some big washers that fit the bar and stack 1lb of those until you get to higher increments. Progressive overload and adaptation are key in strength programming.

DaddieCat

arditarose wrote: »

BecomingBane wrote: »

He added it into the android app about a year ago, but I think maybe you had to pay extra for it. I haven't used it in a while so I'm not even sure how the app is laid out any longer. I know that he was changing the program to add accessory exercises such as pull ups, dips and other things like that pretty frequently for a while there. I think he may have even added in some optional "finishers" at one point. His program is pretty fluid as his clientele and experience with training others grows.

I kind of glanced over that stuff but I was just starting so didn't really need it at the time. I also cut out all accessory work so wasn't concerned with that either. Glad I ran the program though, wish I had done it before Wendler's. Whoops.

Meh, you started and kept going, right? That's the important part. Doesn't matter how you started or what you started with.

eatgoodeat

@BecomingBane good advice here, thank you.

I wanted to ask you what your recommendation would be for this situation:
I'm a complete noob and following mehdi's 5x5 and am in month 5, I was reading that when your squat gets to x1.5 bw it's time to switch to madcow 5x5.

I don't want to be presumptuous and will be in a deficit for quite some time still but my progress has been linear thus far for squats and deadlifts and am about 40lbs away from that bench mark of x1.5

problem is my bench is lagging and progress there has been a tougher fight

my questions is do I run 2 programs simultaneously for the lagging upper body?

DaddieCat

No.... rest and recovery is just as important as the work you are putting in. You can pretty much expect one lift to always lag and be "harder" ... that's pretty much genetics.

But, I would look at a few different things.
A) How is your bench form? do you arch or not arch? do you have good leg-drive and placement? Do you stall in the top or bottom of the motion? and How wide is your grip?

B ) Have you actually stalled and or de-loaded as instructed in the program? If so, how many times?


Based on those two things I would see what I could offer to assist, but my first suggestion is going to be push-ups. If you can handle them, I'd superset them in between bench sets, and just do one set to failure. If you can do more than 20, add some weight, just 5 lbs, and progress as if it were a normal lift. You could also do any variation of a chest dip, but I'd not superset that in. I'd use chest dips as a "finisher" ... do 3-5 sets to failure, once you can do 20, add weight.

Doing arm work might be beneficial, but I'd more likely recommend the above as I think Bench should be a pec driven exercise and work the arms secondarily, this is the benefit of the arch in form, it shifts the motion into your pecs more effectively, leaving the bones in your arms to bear the weight and providing a more effective lever arm for moving the load.

Personally, for a complete n00b, I'd run Medhi's program until you completely stalled out on all three lifts. A beginner 5x5 is a great tool, especially when you have at least a years worth of n00b gainz to get through. Odds are you've still got some time in you before you truly plateau that program. but Madcow would be a good intermediate program as well as the ones I listed earlier. I'm a fan of beginners being patient in the beginning and not program hopping.. it might not feel as rewarding now, but it will later on in your development.

*edited to get rid of an accidental emoji. edited again to add the last paragraph

eatgoodeat

A) the actual first training video I watched was the one that you posted for form advice, cheers on that one. Following that is what I've been using as a form guide. Arch and a little bit wider than shoulder width to balance the bar. The stalling gets the most intensive in the 4th rep at the bottom. I struggle in the 4th+5th reps in each set.

B ) I guess I haven't stalled to the point where the program has deloaded me for these current sessions, there was an initial deload in my first couple months but I pushed through those. My bench is at 106lb for this week. I have 2 more tries at this weight before it deloads me.

I started adding some push-ups to my regime but nothing structured. I will try your training suggestions. I was reading through a thread where @Iron_Miss_Canada posted about doing isometric inverted rows to help with proper form, I'd like to try those as well.

I think Mehdi's app automatically switches you a 3x5 after you hit a certain point, I can't remember if it had to do with weight progression or times deloaded or both. I'll have to see again what that's about.

I think my main concern is with the acceleration on squats and deads is that I want to continue to keep developing those lifts to their potential and if programming needs to be changed to accommodate that, I'd like to know the options and know when to consider them.

BecomingBane wrote: »

Personally, for a complete n00b, I'd run Medhi's program until you completely stalled out on all three lifts. A beginner 5x5 is a great tool, especially when you have at least a years worth of n00b gainz to get through. Odds are you've still got some time in you before you truly plateau that program. but Madcow would be a good intermediate program as well as the ones I listed earlier. I'm a fan of beginners being patient in the beginning and not program hopping.. it might not feel as rewarding now, but it will later on in your development.

I feel the same way about not program hopping and is not something I want to do. It will be cool to get to a 300lb squat my first year lifting, here's to good efforts and grinding away at it!

Thanks again for your help much appreciated.