If you do Stronglifts or 5x5...

adriennemarieb

I started Stronglifts yesterday and I'm curious what else others do for additional exercise or cardio.

Do you do any additional isolated lifting like bicep curls on days off or after you do all your 5x5 lifts?

What do you do for cardio and how much/often?

Has this been a successful routine for you for weightloss?

I am having a hard time accepting the less is more idea. I did feel like my butt was totally kicked after my workout yesterday, but I'm also still adjusting to my lower calorie diet and I think that added to my tired-ness. I only did 30 lbs instead of 45 because I'm not sure I can bench the bar at my gym, so I worked out at home the first day with 2x15 lb dumbbells. I know I can squat at least 75 or 80, but I'm nervous about the bench, row and overhead press suggested starting weights. For cardio, I like to row and do Cathe Friedrich kickboxing videos, as well as run on the treadmill when my shin splints aren't a problem (which they usually are, it seems, so I've turned to alternative cardio options). I have really weak ab muscles after having 2 children and I've been working on them for a while, but they still need attention.

Any advice, suggestions or positive words would be helpful!

DavPul

I'm not exactly the biggest 5x5 proponent on this board, but the program works if you let it. If you're busy starting out, let it do what it do. It gets plenty challenging pretty quickly so don't muck it up with a lot of extra lifts. After you've spent some time with it (4 to 12 months, depending on......stuff) then consider augmenting things that you feel are lagging.

Add cardio as you like, more or less.

arditarose

Personally, when I was doing 5x5 in a deficit I really didn't want the added assistance work. I wasn't eating to gain mass anyway, and higher volume just made me hungry and messed up my deficit. Also, 5x5 gets quite a bit harder after your first 3-4 weeks. As for your cardio-do how much you want. I never did any. Abs-your compound lifts should address your core strength issues.

ultrahoon

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 3+Times a week. I tried treadmills, elipticals, interval stuff etc, but I found it incredibly boring. For me I gotta have some fun while I am doing my cardio!

nordlead2005

I've been playing ultimate once per week long before lifting and kept doing that. Outside of that I occasionally run.

As for resistance training, I do SL5x5 and pull ups. Been doing that since February 2015 (started the pull ups around 1.5 months ago) and will continue until I can't get more out of the program. Mind you, I've lost 40lb since June, so I still haven't seen what I can do at maintenance or even bulking. I don't see the point in isolation exercises at the time since SL5x5 is still working for me.

rileyes

I add circuit blocks into the strength day. Agility drills help me with my sport as well as keep me on my toes in daily life. Lunges, step-ups and rotations are different movements that may compliment the compound lifts.

Taking quicker shorter steps help prevent shin pain for me. Also rolling out the calves before a run helps.

sistrsprkl

I've been doing SL since the summer and try to follow the program as designed. I do very little cardio, maybe an occasional run. If you're following the program, you need those rest days. SL has really increased my strength and muscle mass. I haven't really lost weight, I'm more in recomp mode. You don't need additional ab work, the compound lifts are enough. For the first time in my life, I'm actually starting to see ab definition (& my 2nd child was 10lbs!).

rick_po

In the beginning of SL, when you're still practicing good form with relatively light weights, you can do whatever cardio you want on your off days. In a month or so, when the weights start getting more challenging, you may need more recovery time. Be prepared to cut back on the cardio if you need to.

RoseTheWarrior

I just do 10 minutes of rowing and 10 on the elliptical after the 5 x 5 to burn some extra calories. I'm giving the program a proper run as it's intended to be done.

DopeItUp

DavPul wrote: »

I'm not exactly the biggest 5x5 proponent on this board, but the program works if you let it. If you're busy starting out, let it do what it do. It gets plenty challenging pretty quickly so don't muck it up with a lot of extra lifts. After you've spent some time with it (4 to 12 months, depending on......stuff) then consider augmenting things that you feel are lagging.

Add cardio as you like, more or less.

/thread

adriennemarieb

Thank you all for your insight! I was in and out today in 30. I did the suggested starting weight for deadlifts (95 lbs) and I'm not sure I can increase it next time. Wowza! I think I might lighten it a bit to work on my form more before going that heavy again.

kshama2001

adriennemarieb wrote: »

Thank you all for your insight! I was in and out today in 30. I did the suggested starting weight for deadlifts (95 lbs) and I'm not sure I can increase it next time. Wowza! I think I might lighten it a bit to work on my form more before going that heavy again.

Peeps more familiar with the program will correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read, you need to start very, very light as you will be adding weights each week.

knittnponder

When I started lifting I tried another program first but was overwhelmed so I switched to 5x5. For me it was an excellent beginner program because it was so simple and only five lifts to learn. As I gained proficiency I began to add different accessory lifts that complemented what I wanted to do. I have always done some cardio just because I like bike riding, hiking, swimming, etc and I also want to keep my heart/lungs strong. Doing cardio also helps me manage my blood pressure. This is about overall health and fitness for me so I tailor what I'm doing to meet my goals and fit my lifestyle, not just to lose some pounds or look a certain way.

DavPul

adriennemarieb wrote: »

Thank you all for your insight! I was in and out today in 30. I did the suggested starting weight for deadlifts (95 lbs) and I'm not sure I can increase it next time. Wowza! I think I might lighten it a bit to work on my form more before going that heavy again.

95 is the suggested starting weight for females? What do you weigh?

jemhh

I would lower the weight for deadlifts to start. I didn't do Stronglifts but when I started deadlifting, I used 65 pounds. I have a 15 lb bar and a set of those sand-filled 25 pound plates that are a bit bigger in circumference than iron plates so the height was good. I'm assuming you're using real plates so you might have to put a couple on the floor on each end of the bar and then set the bar-loaded plates on top of them in order to get a good height. If you use smaller plates on an Olympic bar, your form would be affected because of it being so low to the ground. (Here's an article that talks a bit about what I'm talking about.)

Anyway, I would lower the weight for now. Your first few workouts are supposed to be about getting the form down and you should be able to feel the weight but not struggle with it. Once you start feeling the form better the weight will go up easily.

adriennemarieb

I didn't see a women's version, so I'm self-interpreting it as a men's and lowered the weight for all other exercises. I didn't lower the weight for deadlifts because you put the weight on the floor and the size of the plates matters, not just their weight. I think I'll lower and just not put the weight on the floor at the bottom. Is that acceptable to do? Is there a problem with bearing the load the entire set?

adriennemarieb

I weigh 169 as of this morning. (down 5 lbs since last week! Woohoo!)

jemhh

adriennemarieb wrote: »

I didn't see a women's version, so I'm self-interpreting it as a men's and lowered the weight for all other exercises. I didn't lower the weight for deadlifts because you put the weight on the floor and the size of the plates matters, not just their weight. I think I'll lower and just not put the weight on the floor at the bottom. Is that acceptable to do? Is there a problem with bearing the load the entire set?

Yeah, you don't want to do that. A deadlift is called "dead lift" because you are supposed to lift it from a dead stop. As I described above, I would suggest setting plates on the floor under each of the plates that are on the bar in order to raise it up a bit.

DavPul

adriennemarieb wrote: »

I didn't see a women's version, so I'm self-interpreting it as a men's and lowered the weight for all other exercises. I didn't lower the weight for deadlifts because you put the weight on the floor and the size of the plates matters, not just their weight. I think I'll lower and just not put the weight on the floor at the bottom. Is that acceptable to do? Is there a problem with bearing the load the entire set?

adriennemarieb wrote: »

I weigh 169 as of this morning. (down 5 lbs since last week! Woohoo!)

so you're already starting out at well over half your bodyweight. not impossible, but that doesn't give you any leeway to develop solid form as you progress each week. Lower the weight. Start with 65 pounds or so and get comfortable with the mechanics. Since your gym doesn't have bumper plates (most don't) build yourself a little platform to set the smaller diameter plates down at a height that leaves the bar close to the height it would be if you had 45s on it. Stacking a couple of plates horizontally under the plates usually works.

adriennemarieb

Ah ok. Thanks! I will do that next time and lower the weight.

yungbrah

Ok, strong lifts, starting strength, etc are all pretty good programs for strength gains and are a great start but if you want to look good and enjoy doing higher rep work, do it! I personally don't like the whole mindset that surrounds these programs on forums of how these are the best programs and that you NEED to do them. Run it for like 6 months and then I would move on.

jemhh

pkulagin12 wrote: »

Ok, strong lifts, starting strength, etc are all pretty good programs for strength gains and are a great start but if you want to look good and enjoy doing higher rep work, do it! I personally don't like the whole mindset that surrounds these programs on forums of how these are the best programs and that you NEED to do them. Run it for like 6 months and then I would move on.

I don't think anybody in this thread has said you need to do SL or SS. I've never done either, likely never will, but if the OP wants to do one I'm not going to try to dissuade her.