Is 5x5 enough?

LannyM74

I've been doing cardio to lose weight and now find myself in the 'skinny fat' catagory. I have started doing the 5x5 program three times per week...but is it enough? Should I be doing more isolation work or are compound exercises enough to firm me up (particularly my core).

jpierc

Initially, it seems too easy doing the 5x5 stuff, but wait until you get more weight on the bar. When you're squatting 300+ lbs 25 times, overhead pressing 185 lbs 25 times and deadlifting 400 lbs 5 times in a single day, that is more than enough. You won't want any more.

Stick with it. It works. It just takes time.

_Moose51_

Agreed, it works. Just keep increasing your weight. Do core work on days that you don't do the 5x5.

LannyM74

Well...I'm a 128 lb, 39 year old woman...so I'm not sure if I'll ever be squatting 300lbs x 25! LOL! But I thank you for your response.

quellybelly

It starts off easy but the real work comes once you work your way to the heavier weights!

jacksonpt

Initially, it seems too easy doing the 5x5 stuff, but wait until you get more weight on the bar. When you're squatting 300+ lbs 25 times, overhead pressing 185 lbs 25 times and deadlifting 400 lbs 5 times in a single day, that is more than enough. You won't want any more.

Stick with it. It works. It just takes time.

Agreed.

grimendale

It definitely gets harder. I'm on week 7 now, and it's reaching a point where I am sweaty and spent at the end of the workout. The first few weeks, I didn't feel like I was really getting a workout, but as the weight creeps up, it starts to really work you.

fatboymax1

Once you are challenged to the point that when u are on ur 4th and 5th set and you can only do 3-4 reps (of whatever weight works for u)...that is when u will be seeing and feeling the results.

cmsmj1

Well...I'm a 128 lb, 39 year old woman...so I'm not sure if I'll ever be squatting 300lbs x 25! LOL! But I thank you for your response.

he point of it is to aim to be lifting more weight each week. It is not a "routine" to just follow and do some exercises - you are aiming to lift more and more...and I bet you'd be surprised at what you can do after 12 weeks...

scottb81

If you want to add more do bodyweight chinups and dips.

Snow3y

It's a program designed by professionals, of course it's enough. This kinda stuff takes time.

LannyM74

It's a program designed by professionals, of course it's enough. This kinda stuff takes time.

I'm not looking for a quick fix. I simply want to choose the right program from the start and not overestimate its value. There are many programs design by 'professionals' that claim to be "all you need for a full body work-out". But I think it's fair to say that a lot of these programs have ambitious claims.

_benjammin

It definitely gets harder. I'm on week 7 now, and it's reaching a point where I am sweaty and spent at the end of the workout. The first few weeks, I didn't feel like I was really getting a workout, but as the weight creeps up, it starts to really work you.

Yep.
I'm in week 7 too. I've been steady at it every other day since Aug 1. I made some 10 lb jumps early on because it was easy, 60 sec rests and done in less than 40 minutes. Now I'm taking about 2 minutes to rest and feeling spent afterwards.

chuckyp

It's enough because the program uses compound movements that train almost everything. I add pull-ups and dips just because I want to get better at those also, but they are also compound movements. I still do some running too, just because I want to be comfortable running those 5ks and obstacle races.