StrongLifts 5x5 and adding core to the mix

CarlydogsMom

@brtgl I also find my back feels more stabilized when I deadlift using the hex bar rather than the regular bar. My form is better and I don't have to mentally force my back to NOT be overused by the nature of how I'm set up with that bar. Hard to explain, as I know the form basics, but it seems like the hex bar gives me one less thing to concentrate on so heavily.

Also, in the meantime as your back heals, maybe rack pulls will help you maintain strength if you don't want to go full deadlift (or just use lighter weight on your DL?).

brtgl

CarlydogsMom wrote: »

@brtgl I also find my back feels more stabilized when I deadlift using the hex bar rather than the regular bar. My form is better and I don't have to mentally force my back to NOT be overused by the nature of how I'm set up with that bar. Hard to explain, as I know the form basics, but it seems like the hex bar gives me one less thing to concentrate on so heavily.

Also, in the meantime as your back heals, maybe rack pulls will help you maintain strength if you don't want to go full deadlift (or just use lighter weight on your DL?).

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you know how I can identify the "rack pulls" at LA Fitness? I might just go that route.

sarahjen92

brtgl wrote: »

sarahjen92 wrote: »

If you pay the $10 for the SL app versus using the free version, you can customize your workouts. There's an option for timed plank on workout A, and I add my own as well (reverse incline crunches, bicycle abs, crunches, etc).

I love the app. It makes working out more simplified and hits all the major stuff. I do always add core, as well as push ups and pull ups to all the workouts as well.

Thanks for the suggestion. I just might do that. Do people do SL 5x5 as a beginner type workout or do they do it indefinitely? I'm a few weeks into it and can already feel it getting more challenging.

Honestly, I've heard people into serious weight lifting that said it was geared more for beginners. In my humble opinion (and I'm not into lifting for aesthetics), it's a solid workout for anyone who's main goal is to be fit for everyday life. My jobs require me to be physically fit, but I also don't have a lot of time for working out always. I love that this program takes relatively little time, but like I said, I customize it a bit, and I also add cardio (cycling or running).

Play around with it to see if you need/want more

jfan175

It's considered a beginners program due to the fact that you just can't keep adding 5lbs to the bar indefinitely...and heavy squatting 3x per week will eventually take it's toll when you're moving really heavy weights.

DevilsFan1

SL 5x5 is a linear progression program (you add the same amount of weight every session). Eventually, you won't be able to do this and you'll plateau. At that point, you should look at moving to an intermediate program with periodization. 5/3/1 is probably the most popular intermediate programming template out there. You have a ways to go before you need to consider that though. Just squeeze as much out of SL as you can.

I will say that SL is very squat-heavy though, and it neglects upper body to some extent. Bench press in particular benefits from more volume than SL programs for. A beginner should probably be benching twice a week to see fastest progression. If you really love working out and have 90 minutes to kill in the gym, you might check out the reddit r/fitness program called nSuns 531 LP. It's a linear program that has a LOT more volume than SL. I ran it a couple of times last year and saw my best results of any linear program. You lift M-F and hit each of the big four lifts twice per week. You need to be eating a surplus to progress though and it is best to run it for six-eight weeks. It's taxing and you'll probably need to deload after being on it for a couple of months. It's an awesome program for building strength though.

brtgl

Last night was the "bench" workout for my SL 5x5. I had finally had enough of not feeling tested with benching, that I upped the weight by 10 pounds to 65 pounds and ended up doing the following six sets:

1. 5 reps at 60
2. 10 reps at 65
3. 5 reps at 65
4. 5 reps at 65
5. 20 reps at 65
6. 10 reps at 65

After that, I finally felt like I was getting somewhere. I might go straight to 75 next time and do the first four sets of five and a fifth set as far as I can go.

So now I need to digest the above suggestions and figure out how I want to customize. I hate having to stray from the handy StrongLifts app, but need more upper body.

DevilsFan1

brtgl wrote: »

Last night was the "bench" workout for my SL 5x5. I had finally had enough of not feeling tested with benching, that I upped the weight by 10 pounds to 65 pounds and ended up doing the following six sets:

1. 5 reps at 60
2. 10 reps at 65
3. 5 reps at 65
4. 5 reps at 65
5. 20 reps at 65
6. 10 reps at 65

After that, I finally felt like I was getting somewhere. I might go straight to 75 next time and do the first four sets of five and a fifth set as far as I can go.

So now I need to digest the above suggestions and figure out how I want to customize. I hate having to stray from the handy StrongLifts app, but need more upper body.

If you're confident in your form, you're better off upping the weight to a point where 5x5 feels challenging. If you're getting 20 reps, you need to up the weights big time. In fact, if you can do ten reps, the weight is too light. But ONLY if you're confident you're using good form.

When I ran SL a year ago, I jumped from 65 straight to 95 and never looked back.

brtgl

DevilsFan1 wrote: »

brtgl wrote: »

Last night was the "bench" workout for my SL 5x5. I had finally had enough of not feeling tested with benching, that I upped the weight by 10 pounds to 65 pounds and ended up doing the following six sets:

1. 5 reps at 60
2. 10 reps at 65
3. 5 reps at 65
4. 5 reps at 65
5. 20 reps at 65
6. 10 reps at 65

After that, I finally felt like I was getting somewhere. I might go straight to 75 next time and do the first four sets of five and a fifth set as far as I can go.

So now I need to digest the above suggestions and figure out how I want to customize. I hate having to stray from the handy StrongLifts app, but need more upper body.

If you're confident in your form, you're better off upping the weight to a point where 5x5 feels challenging. If you're getting 20 reps, you need to up the weights big time. In fact, if you can do ten reps, the weight is too light. But ONLY if you're confident you're using good form.

When I ran SL a year ago, I jumped from 65 straight to 95 and never looked back.

With the weight going up five pounds for each workout, and the fact that I haven't lifted since college, I might make a leap to 85, not quite as much as you, and see how that feels. Thanks for the reply. Every lit bit of advice helps.

brtgl

Update: Going on week three of StrongLifts 5x5. I increased the bench press by 20 pounds and decreased the deadlift by 20 pounds (concerned about lower back injury from five months ago) and am finally feeling as though I'm getting a productive workout. I will continue along this course for the foreseeable future and then will eventually decide where to go from there.

Deacap

Hello all,
I dont want to hijack this thread but I am doing ICF now going on 2 months. Could I replace barbell rows with pull ups?