Is stronglifts 5x5 only for beginners?

spingirl605

I have posted in the past that last year I did Wendler 5/3/1 had great success with it. Because of schedules and new changes in my life, I've decided to go with Stronglifts this year. I like that it's fast and intense. But I'm told it's more for beginners, and apparently I'm not a beginner (I'm not expert, I only started last fall, and took a break over summer). So my question is a 2-part question...

1. Is Stronglifts really for beginners? Are there people here that have been doing for a long time?
2. Those doing stronglifts, do you do assisted lifts, or follow this program to the T.

Currently I have the app on my phone, and I'm only doing what they tell me to do...

Thanks for your feedback!

SonyaCele

its a beginning program, but anyone can do it for any reason at any time. If i'm at a place in life where i can't be heavily training and i just need to coast for a few months ore more and maintain , i'll do stronglifts or something like it. just so i'm still using my muscles and doing the movements. I dont expect to make any gains or PR's from it, but i'm happy to just be in the gym doing some lifts. I dont follow the program with the way they increase each workout, i just do a 5x5 of the lifts with whatever working weight is good that day for me.

cwolfman13

spingirl605 wrote: »

I have posted in the past that last year I did Wendler 5/3/1 had great success with it. Because of schedules and new changes in my life, I've decided to go with Stronglifts this year. I like that it's fast and intense. But I'm told it's more for beginners, and apparently I'm not a beginner (I'm not expert, I only started last fall, and took a break over summer). So my question is a 2-part question...

1. Is Stronglifts really for beginners? Are there people here that have been doing for a long time?
2. Those doing stronglifts, do you do assisted lifts, or follow this program to the T.

Currently I have the app on my phone, and I'm only doing what they tell me to do...

Thanks for your feedback!

It is a beginner program...most beginner programs aren't going to incorporate assistance and isolation work because it is generally unnecessary for a beginner to do those things and can make strength gains without them.

I believe there is a 5x5 for intermediates called mad cow...someone correct me if I'm wrong...

The only other thing I would say is that I personally don't believe in "specializing" or living in one rep range all of the time unless it is necessary ...i.e. you're a power lifter, etc. As a matter of general fitness I think people are doing themselves a disservice by only living in one rep range and not branching out to variations of those same compound lifts in different rep ranges and yes...doing some isolation work can also be beneficial, particularly where physique is concerned.

I do like SL as well as SS for beginners though...a beginner can do these for quite awhile and build a nice foundation of strength...it just seems to me that people get way to wrapped up into these programs being the be all and end all of lifting when, as a matter of general fitness, they are somewhat lacking.

sammyliftsandeats

http://stronglifts.com/madcow-5x5-training-programs/

Here is a link to the Madcow training program, if you're interested.

AliceDark

I think the issue with running SL as a non-beginner is that it's more difficult to keep up with the progression/weight increases if you're running the program strictly as written. If you can keep up with the program, it's fine to do. If you struggle with the progression, Madcow might be a better fit because the weights increase at a slower pace.

piperdown44

If you're switching from 531 because you want a 3 day program you don't need to move to another program. There is a template for 531 for a 3 day workout schedule. Halfway down the page on blackironbeast.com you'll see an option for 3 or 4 days a week.

To your question about SL5x5. It's marketed as a beginner program and starts off that way. That being said, I have run it a couple times over the past couple years during bulking and had good strength and mass gains. I can't progress the full amount time so the weights go up slower. For example I was only able to move up 10lbs on squats in a 2 week period. It did however, make for a nice change of pace.

About the only assistance work that should be in SL5x5 IMO is pullups or lat pulldowns.

spingirl605

I was originally doing the 3-day on Wendler...I took so much time off (May to the end of August), I didn't know how to get back into it, without going back to square 1. I thought maybe introducing a new program altogether would help with this.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. Very much appreciated. Oh, and I plan on throwing in pullups, and a maybe some tricep dips, and medicine ball pushups. One of these exercises at the end of each workout...Just to spice it up a bit.

canadianlbs

spingirl605 wrote: »

I was originally doing the 3-day on Wendler...I took so much time off (May to the end of August), I didn't know how to get back into it, without going back to square 1.

well, square 1 is going to be square 1 in terms of your strength, no matter what program you're on. if square one is actually what you're back to after time off. but i can see how with wendler, you can end up extremely confused about where to pick back up - it's nice and steady and trustworthy, but it is kind of like being on a slow treadmill that way. step off and you can get kind of lost.

you could look at it as: in the sense of knowing what my physical condition is, i'm back to being a beginner right now.' in which case, sl is definitely a faster way to ramp up from just-the-bar to wherever your limits are atm. and then once you find them, you can make any programme selection you like.