Starting stronglifts 5x5 tomorrow
jyvonne27
Posts: 91 Member
Hi, I am planning start the stronglifts 5x5 program tomorrow. I've downloaded the app and watched the workout A and B videos on YouTube.
I am nervous about using the power rack (hope I got the terminology right) as it is always all guys in that area of my gym and I'm not confident I'm doing the moves correctly to start. Also not sure I can lift a 45 lb bar to start.
Any women start off with like a 10 or 15 lb dumbbell and work up to the bar? Last week I was doing exercises with a 5 lb weight and I was challenged.
Any other tips for a total noob?
I am nervous about using the power rack (hope I got the terminology right) as it is always all guys in that area of my gym and I'm not confident I'm doing the moves correctly to start. Also not sure I can lift a 45 lb bar to start.
Any women start off with like a 10 or 15 lb dumbbell and work up to the bar? Last week I was doing exercises with a 5 lb weight and I was challenged.
Any other tips for a total noob?
1
Replies
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I started with the 45lb bar. I also started at a gym with a lot of very supportive girls(high school power lifting team). I could bench a 1 rep Max of 90-95 my first try, and deadlift 135. Don't compare what you can do with a dumbbell to the bar, it's just different. If you have access to smaller bars, sure, try the lifts with each one as a warm-up before the 45lb. See what feels comfortable but challenging and progress from there. You might surprise yourself with what you are capable of. The guys at the gym may also be helpful, give them a chance.0
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Don't psych yourself out. Weights at the gym aren't any different than any number of other things you lift, carry and set down again in your life. Can you get your suitcase from the floor of your garage into your car? Take out the trash? Carry four or five grocery bags inside in one trip? If anything, lifting weights is easier--gym weights are made to be able to hold onto them....unlike grocery bags! Give yourself a little credit and I bet you'll find you're much stronger than you think!3
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Don't psych yourself out. Weights at the gym aren't any different than any number of other things you lift, carry and set down again in your life. Can you get your suitcase from the floor of your garage into your car? Take out the trash? Carry four or five grocery bags inside in one trip? If anything, lifting weights is easier--gym weights are made to be able to hold onto them....unlike grocery bags! Give yourself a little credit and I bet you'll find you're much stronger than you think!
Yes, I do all of those things, gotta get my confidence up. Thanks!1 -
DancingMoosie wrote: »I started with the 45lb bar. I also started at a gym with a lot of very supportive girls(high school power lifting team). I could bench a 1 rep Max of 90-95 my first try, and deadlift 135. Don't compare what you can do with a dumbbell to the bar, it's just different. If you have access to smaller bars, sure, try the lifts with each one as a warm-up before the 45lb. See what feels comfortable but challenging and progress from there. You might surprise yourself with what you are capable of. The guys at the gym may also be helpful, give them a chance.
Ok I'll try not to compare. Not sure if they have smaller bars there or not but if so I may try warming up with that. Thanks!0 -
When I lifted weights the first time, the gym I went to had a “women’s bar” (lol how sexist) that I used to do bench press until I could do the full 45 lbs. i also think dumbbells are a perfect substitute if you can’t do 45lbs. don’t worry about it, everyone starts somewhere. And honestly nobody cares what you’re doing anyway
they Are only focused on themselves. 2 -
When I lifted weights the first time, the gym I went to had a “women’s bar” (lol how sexist) that I used to do bench press until I could do the full 45 lbs. don’t worry about it, everyone starts somewhere. And honestly nobody cares what you’re doing anyway they Are only focused on themselves.
My gym calls it the "training bar" - a much better name than the Women's bar. lol2 -
Will_Workout_for_food wrote: »all i can say is good luck! i actually just started this program a month ago and love it!
dont skip weights either! i made that mistake and i jumped weights and while i was able to do it at that time, i couldnt lift anything near that anymore. progressively improve. take rests, recover and go at it. patience!
Thanks! Now skipping weights is one thing I don't think I'll have to worry about lol0 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »When I lifted weights the first time, the gym I went to had a “women’s bar” (lol how sexist) that I used to do bench press until I could do the full 45 lbs. don’t worry about it, everyone starts somewhere. And honestly nobody cares what you’re doing anyway they Are only focused on themselves.
My gym calls it the "training bar" - a much better name than the Women's bar. lol
Ha I like that name better too1 -
When I lifted weights the first time, the gym I went to had a “women’s bar” (lol how sexist) that I used to do bench press until I could do the full 45 lbs. i also think dumbbells are a perfect substitute if you can’t do 45lbs. don’t worry about it, everyone starts somewhere. And honestly nobody cares what you’re doing anyway they Are only focused on themselves.
Trying to drill that into my head- the only one watching me is me0 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »When I lifted weights the first time, the gym I went to had a “women’s bar” (lol how sexist) that I used to do bench press until I could do the full 45 lbs. don’t worry about it, everyone starts somewhere. And honestly nobody cares what you’re doing anyway they Are only focused on themselves.
My gym calls it the "training bar" - a much better name than the Women's bar. lol
Ha I like that name better too
FYI - it is called that because that is the sized bar that women use in Olympic lifting competitions. It was designed smaller so that women with smaller hands can grip better when doing dynamic Olympic lifts like clean and jerk. They are made that way so that you can lift MORE weight and not be limited by your grip on a bar that is too thick for your hands.4 -
Congrats!
When I first started out I hired a professional trainer to ensure my form was perfect - best money ever spent. She had me working with a broom stick for the first week as bad form can often be hidden by weight. I've been lifting my whole life, but never hit PRs like I do now and injury free.1 -
Congrats!
When I first started out I hired a professional trainer to ensure my form was perfect - best money ever spent. She had me working with a broom stick for the first week as bad form can often be hidden by weight. I've been lifting my whole life, but never hit PRs like I do now and injury free.
Thanks, I do have a free session with a trainer at the gym, I should use it for that!1 -
If you're so scared, just start at 0 lbs.
45 lbs is too heavy for me anyways. I wouldn't be able to maintain good squat form if I started lifting today with an empty barbell.
Body weight -> light dumbbells -> barbell
Time is your friend, not your enemy.
If you injure yourself, or implement bad form, you'll be wishing you spent more time lifting light.3 -
You might find the gym has lighter bars. Or, some people have 'broke in' to squatting with a $5 CLOSET ROD from Lowe's or Home Depot - basically doing g body weight squats but getting used to the position.
Stay up and at it -- you are 'the man' (sorta 😎)1 -
jls1leather wrote: »You might find the gym has lighter bars. Or, some people have 'broke in' to squatting with a $5 CLOSET ROD from Lowe's or Home Depot - basically doing g body weight squats but getting used to the position.
Stay up and at it -- you are 'the man' (sorta 😎)
I love this idea- and I could start off at home in front of my own mirror. Genius!0 -
Good for you for committing to this! I do SL 5x5 with DB and a lighter bar, it's perfectly ok. It's also OK if you don't progress by 5lb every week. 5 lb is a much higher percentage of 20 lb than of 100 or whatever, so you are unlikely to increase as fast. You should progress at the rate that works for your body, just so you are challenging yourself a little bit each time.
"Small daily improvements are the key to staggering long term results."--Robin Sharma.5 -
The hardest bit of 5x5 find is the mindset of taking 5 mins rest between sets of you don’t hit the 5 reps. Seems so much wasted time but I can confirm it works. Also the deloads were strange at first but when you power thru a previously impossible weight it’s amazing. I’m up to 27.5kg OHP (4,5,4,4,3 at last try) where as at first the bar was a struggle for 5x53
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You might consider video from the side as well. Easily show you how "deep" you're squatting, how straight your back is, if your toes it heels are coming off the floor....0
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Nah. I started with the bar. I did have a trainer though.0
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And don't worry about the guys or assume they know any better than you too.0
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And don't worry about the guys or assume they know any better than you too.
This!
Pretty much everyone has their own reason for doing what they do. Form is one thing. Bad form can cause injuries, but you don't know what the goal and purpose of other people working out is unless you ask.1 -
Our gym has a broomstick people can start with until they learn the form. It can be a good thing to do a warm up set with it just to get the feel of the movement.
Hoping you check back and let us know how it went! Have a good time!0
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