New to Weight Lifting (Stronglifts 5x5)

Chieflrg

kenzienal wrote: »

kenzienal wrote: »

_dracarys_ wrote: »

How are you able to run with a knee injury but not squat any weight? Not trying to be a douche, just trying to understand.

Its not that I cant squat, its that I wont. Injury happened in 2009 or 2010. Tore my meniscus and never got it looked at. Lots of yoga and home remedies helped it eventually heal. It wasn't until these past two years that I have been able to build up the muscle around my knee to get rid of the daily aches and pains. I always ran in intervals with a brace, and my last 5k was the first time I didnt use a brace and experienced no pain or swelling. Its taken a long time to get this knee functioning again. I tried adding weights with a barbell last fall during a body pump class and it resulted in immediate swelling that lasted for days. I had an MRI done finally, and was told I had tendinitis, along with a lot of cartilage damage. Had to go to PT. I just can't bring myself to risk injuring the knee again after the years I put into getting it usable again.

I do normal squats with little issue now. Occasionally with light dumbells. But i wont ever add weights again. I jst don't want to risk it.

You didnt sound douchey at all

Chieflrg wrote: »

Curious what your knee injury is.

If you can poop and walk, you can squat. You might have to work at it with a experienced training coach around your needs.

If you just rather not squat, then it's best just to find a program that is designed as such.

Bastardizing a program shouldn't be done by someone without the knowledge how the program actually works. There is quite a bit of reasoning to squatting three times a week not twice and why not make what time you do have invested worth the payout?

Since you didnt read the thread, I will quote it again for you.

Thanks appreciate it, I usually don't read through entire threads because too time consuming. I rather address the O.P. first.

Yes, I can see your concern but 5x5 is not a body pump class and will have way less impact on your knees.

Im not sure what you consider "normal squats" since you didnt address it specifically. Doing low bar squats will also be much more forgiving on knees then high bar. I would suggest to read Starting Strength 3rd addition and to learn the proper way to low bar. Better form along with some tweaks for the individual will go a long way.

I have tendonitis in every joint in my body and it literally takes me 30-45min just to walk in mornings and even hold a coffee cup without dropping it so I have some experience with it . The trick to helping with tendonitis is to concentrate on the essentrics of the movement. Of course using a weight that doesnt break form. Sounds ideal for your situation if coached properly.

kenzienal

Chieflrg wrote: »

kenzienal wrote: »

kenzienal wrote: »

_dracarys_ wrote: »

How are you able to run with a knee injury but not squat any weight? Not trying to be a douche, just trying to understand.

Its not that I cant squat, its that I wont. Injury happened in 2009 or 2010. Tore my meniscus and never got it looked at. Lots of yoga and home remedies helped it eventually heal. It wasn't until these past two years that I have been able to build up the muscle around my knee to get rid of the daily aches and pains. I always ran in intervals with a brace, and my last 5k was the first time I didnt use a brace and experienced no pain or swelling. Its taken a long time to get this knee functioning again. I tried adding weights with a barbell last fall during a body pump class and it resulted in immediate swelling that lasted for days. I had an MRI done finally, and was told I had tendinitis, along with a lot of cartilage damage. Had to go to PT. I just can't bring myself to risk injuring the knee again after the years I put into getting it usable again.

I do normal squats with little issue now. Occasionally with light dumbells. But i wont ever add weights again. I jst don't want to risk it.

You didnt sound douchey at all

Chieflrg wrote: »

Curious what your knee injury is.

If you can poop and walk, you can squat. You might have to work at it with a experienced training coach around your needs.

If you just rather not squat, then it's best just to find a program that is designed as such.

Bastardizing a program shouldn't be done by someone without the knowledge how the program actually works. There is quite a bit of reasoning to squatting three times a week not twice and why not make what time you do have invested worth the payout?

Since you didnt read the thread, I will quote it again for you.

Thanks appreciate it, I usually don't read through entire threads because too time consuming. I rather address the O.P. first.

Yes, I can see your concern but 5x5 is not a body pump class and will have way less impact on your knees.

Im not sure what you consider "normal squats" since you didnt address it specifically. Doing low bar squats will also be much more forgiving on knees then high bar. I would suggest to read Starting Strength 3rd addition and to learn the proper way to low bar. Better form along with some tweaks for the individual will go a long way.

I have tendonitis in every joint in my body and it literally takes me 30-45min just to walk in mornings and even hold a coffee cup without dropping it so I have some experience with it . The trick to helping with tendonitis is to concentrate on the essentrics of the movement. Of course using a weight that doesnt break form. Sounds ideal for your situation if coached properly.

Your reply has a lot of good info. Thank you!

Slow and steady sounds like it will win the race in this one. Perhaps if I can nail form, I can nail weighted squats again. I think I may give it a shot, but with LIGHT weight and progress pretty slowly there.

2bassets

How should a person warm up before doing the 5x5??

stanmann571

I would suggest Dumbell front squats, or Kettlebell Goblet Squats(with a box or bench) at first.

That way, the worst you end up with is a little bit of embarrassment from dropping the weights.

If you can do leg press, you should be able to squat(since it's your knees you're worried about. If it was another joint or body part it might be different.

Obviously work the form without weight before you dive into loaded... but honestly, There's so much benefit from squats, that they're worth doing... but if you're never going to compete, there's no reason to ever do a back squat.

Katiebear_81

2bassets wrote: »

How should a person warm up before doing the 5x5??

I sit in the sauna for a few minutes, walk for a few minutes, then do the lift that I am going to do in a progressive fashion. So, if I'm set to deadlift 145 lbs that day, I'll start at 65 lbs, do 1 set of 5, increase it to 95 lbs, do a set, increase to 125 lbs and do a set. Then I do my one set at 145. I do this for all the lifts, right before I do them. So I warm up for squats, perform squats, warm up for overhead press, perform the overhead press, warm up for deadlifts, perform deadlift set. Then I am done.

Chieflrg

2bassets wrote: »

How should a person warm up before doing the 5x5??

A couple empty bar sets and depending on how much weight you are working...3-4 sets progressing the weight up to to yout working sets is all you need. The best warm up is the actually lift itself. Just keep in mind the warm up should start a sweat and should not tax your body from strength by doing to much.

Example if I'm squatting 350x5x5
I would...
Empty bar 2x5-8
135×5
200x3
275x2
315x1

Then my working sets.

If you meant to warm the body up because it's actually cold where you are training. A row machine is optimal for a couple minutes. Though just about any movement that just brings your body temp up is fine.