NROLW vs SL 5x5

lorrpb

For those familiar with both programs, how would you compare the differences/similarities of NROLW vs SL 5x5. I've looked at NROLW and am considering it, just wondered how it compares to SL 5x5 which is also frequently mentioned here.

My goals are overall functional fitness for life, general strength and endurance for leisure activities, nothing special.

61 yo female in maintenance range after 148 lb loss. I've worked with a personal trainer for a couple of years and have used mostly dumbbells (not Barbies!). I now need a program I can do on my own. Thx.

Oops! I thought I was in the Fitness forum, but I'll leave it here since I already have helpful replies.

coleg04

I love the SL 5X5. LOVE IT.

cwolfman13

Completely different with completely different objectives.

SL 5x5 is basically a beginners introduction to power lifting...it's only true purpose is to make you really strong in pretty short order...your reps are low and weight at a high % of your max...given the weight, rest between sets is longer as well.

New Rules has you doing compound movements and variations of compound movements in addition to other assistance work as well as working on things like balance, flexibility, etc. It's more of an all around fitness lifting routine and you'll work in higher rep ranges...it does get a little convoluted at the very end.

New Rules of Lifting for Life would be another option...it is geared towards the 40+ crowd...what I really like about it is that it provides for variations of movements if you have certain things you just can't do.

I also like New Rules of Lifting Supercharged which is basically what I used when I wasn't working with my trainer because it provides templates for various rep ranges...it doesn't tell you what specific exercise to do, only the type of lift and then you can select from the myriad of lifts that fit the bill and go for it...it has much more of a feel like you're making your own routine except you still have a template to follow so you don't shirk anything off.

TR0berts

SL 5x5:

5 lifts to learn
Tells you where to start on each lift and when/how to progress
Because of 5 lifts, may seem boring/repetitive to some
Mehdi (the guy who "wrote" it) can often come across as an *kitten*

NROL4W:

Many lifts to learn (I don't remember off the top of my head the exact number)
Doesn't tell you where to start - just gives a basic idea of how to figure it out
Changes lifts every 4 (or was it 6?) weeks, so now you learn many more lifts
Doesn't really tell you how to progress
Lou Schuler (the guy who did the write-up) seems to me to be fairly encouraging in his writing style
NROL is fine, but unnecessarily complicated, IMO.


For most new people, I'd recommend SL, simply for the simplistic and direct start/progression instructions. That said, NROL4W is fine - it just gets a little overly complicated, IMO.

lorrpb

coleg04 wrote: »

I love the SL 5X5. LOVE IT.

What do you like about it?

butterfli7o

I personally went for SL 5X5 because it was, well...simple. There are two sets of three different exercises, and you do five sets of five reps of each. Increase weight and repeat. I was interested in lifting and wanted to read a few pages (and watch a few videos to learn form) and jump right in. I didn't want to read a book or make it complicated.

butterfli7o

@lorrpb I have a 2-page "Cliff Notes" version of SL 5X5 that simplifies things if you are interested.

cwolfman13

I didn't do SL 5x5, but I started out with Starting Strength which is similar, but runs in a 3x5 format. I've been lifting on and off since I was about 14/15 and SS was a nice way to get back into things...very simple format...basically five movements and they're all core/foundation compound movements.

I worked the program for a handful of months before moving on to Wendler's 5/3/1 and then ultimately to New Rules Supercharged and then finally onto a trainer....

The pros like I said were that it was an easy and efficient way to get back into things. The cons for me were a) boring; b) squatting every single workout didn't leave me with much in the way of legs to do other things (i.e. run, cycle, etc).

5/3/1 was good and I liked the fact that I could run it with more assistance work and while it was still geared towards power lifting, I felt like there was a little more general fitness practicality to it...there are a lot of variations to that program.

I like New Rules Supercharged in that it provided templates that didn't dictate a specific exercise, only the type of movement...from there I could select from a variety of exercises to fit the movement...I also liked that it provided for working in cycles of various rep ranges rather than just living in one rep range...I found this to be more beneficial from an overall fitness standpoint, and it's much the way my trainer sets me up today.