3x5...5x5? What the what?

BeeerRunner

CranstonJ2016 wrote: »

SonyaCele wrote: »

CranstonJ2016 wrote: »

So is this not proper then? Am I doing more work than I need to?

Why couldnt the internet be this clear? Now I feel stupid lol

what are you goals? Dont feel stupid. you pick your programing based on your goals. 5x12 is more endurance than it is strength. Sure its good for you , but if you are trying to get strong, you could drop down into a lower rep range .

Oh ok...so...if I want to see more muscle definition I'd see it better doing a lower rep but slightly heavier weights?

Not necessarily. I run and do Body Pump, which is a class using barbells, but you do high reps and lower weight. I'm a female with a lot of muscle definition in my arms, shoulders, and legs, but I'm also on the low end of my BMI which is probably why they show. There are some ladies in the class that are stronger and do the exercises with heavier weights on the barbell but probably have about 40 lbs or more bodyweight than me, so their muscles don't show.

natasor1

Why to do so many? Your last rep has to feel really fatigued (burning to high degree of pain). If u do 3X12 it will be so hard and enough for female. Remember, your weight has to be such that your 12th one is really burning and u can not repeat that move anymore time. It takes little time to determine what weight u need for each move. But when u determine it u can continue every workout without taking time for guissing.

JohnnyPenso

CranstonJ2016 wrote: »

Ohhhhh *kitten*...i didnt see that part...so should I manually change the stats then?

I don't really know what my 1RM is. I squatted 60lbs 4 days ago at 5x12...

The idea of Stronglifts is to start doing the routines with much lower weights than you can handle in order to perfect your form, and then increase the weights on a regular basis until you get up to where you start to struggle doing 5 sets of 5. Start with an empty bar when squatting for example, which is 45 lbs. Form is everything when it comes to strength training because it helps you get the most out of each exercise and helps avoid injury. You can't build good form starting out near your max weights because you don't yet have a good base of strength to work with. Start slow, follow the program and you will see progress that will astonish you. It really works. If you are a real beginner I'd suggest not adding weight every workout as is usually suggested but perhaps every other workout, especially when you get closer to your max. I'd also suggest getting a personal trainer for a few sessions to work on your form, preferably someone who is into strength training and not a cardio specialist.

Keep at it and you will shock and amaze yourself and your friends with your progress in 3 or 4 months. It's a great program.

ninerbuff

CranstonJ2016 wrote: »

SonyaCele wrote: »

CranstonJ2016 wrote: »

So is this not proper then? Am I doing more work than I need to?

Why couldnt the internet be this clear? Now I feel stupid lol

what are you goals? Dont feel stupid. you pick your programing based on your goals. 5x12 is more endurance than it is strength. Sure its good for you , but if you are trying to get strong, you could drop down into a lower rep range .

Oh ok...so...if I want to see more muscle definition I'd see it better doing a lower rep but slightly heavier weights?

Actually if you want to see muscle definition, you just need to lose body fat. And lifting weights will help with a calorie deficit, but won't target an area to lose fat.
I clients that try to combine both strength and reps, so I might have them do 1 set of 10 reps, the next set 8 reps and the last set 6 reps of course increasing the resistance for each set.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Scotty2HotPie

CranstonJ2016 wrote: »

People at the gym probably thought I was ridiculous lol

No they weren't. Most people aren't even paying attention.

If I happen to notice someone who looks new to gym and maybe a little lost, I always think to myself "Good for them, I hope they stick with it."

Now those guys who are doing curls in the squat rack....