New to 5x5

annaclaireblack

Hey ladies! I am looking to get started on 5x5. I have a few questions. Ive been lifting for about 4 months without a program, should I still start on the light weights? Does anybody do cardio/abs while doing this lifting program? Does anybody incorporate other lifts into worksouts A and B?

canadianlbs

i'd say yes, start with the bar. you can increase every new time you do the same lift so it moves really fast, and the time spent is well worth it.

you can do cardio if you want to . . . it's just a thing where your body has so much in terms of resources and you make your own calls about where/how to spend those. personally i got to a point where i sort of had to chose which to prioritize, but it took a while.

edit: forgot to say hi

i saw your question in the general forum which i guess brought you here. the answer about doing extra is: yes, those 5 lifts really do cover most of the ground, in the sense if you do them all you're pretty much working out all the muscles you have - both in push movements and pulling movements. so you're going to get stronger even if you never do anything else.

however, it's also true that you're only as strong in a given lift as your 'weakest' muscle group used for that lift. so for me once i got comfortable with the basics i did start to notice specific things that were holding me back in each lift. i added accessory/warmup work on the basis of those weaknesses.

so for instance, i started doing planks and negative pullups to activate my abs more before trying to squat. added overhead carries to help me get stronger at stabilizing my shoulders for overhead press. added broomstick dislocates and the band pulls to make me better at bench. that kind of thing. right now i'm obsessed with glute activation so it's all monster walks and theraband stuff.

i think for the first month or so though, it's enough to just work the programme and get used to the actual lifts. accessory work is more rewarding when you've got enough information about your own body to pick the ones you want to do.