Weights and 5x5

rumple2014

Hey guys!

I started the 5x5 program and I like it as I can track my progress! But does any1 else like me who is a bit neurotic and thinks about the next workout and worries at all? I mean Im 66 kg and my last squat sesh was 60kg and I managed it just! So increasing again by 2.5 kg in the morning has me worried lol! How can u constantly increase all the time when your body has only 48 hours to recoup and grow potentially!

Hope I manage it but hey ho!

Won't quit ! Will persevere!

wonderwoman234

I just started a modified 5x5 and I am quite a bit older than you. I would just do what you can and avoid getting injured (I just did). If you can add on a small amount of weight each workout, great. If at first you can only add on weight each week, instead of each workout, so be it. Nobody can be perfect and Mehdi, who designed Stronglifts, has said that form is more important than weight in the beginning, so just do what you can. I also think he has a method if you can't do all 5 reps with a certain weight, you unload and then work back up.

rick_po

Most of your early strength gains come from neurological improvements. Your nervous system gets more efficient activating your muscles, more muscles get used, you get more coordinated making your muscles work together, things like that. The CNS improvements happen pretty fast.

The muscles are getting bigger and stronger, too, but that's a longer, slower process.

That said, be prepared for failure - it will happen. Read what your program tells you to do on failure. It probably has a de-load process when you fail multiple days in a row.

MagnumBurrito

Hey guys!

I started the 5x5 program and I like it as I can track my progress! But does any1 else like me who is a bit neurotic and thinks about the next workout and worries at all? I mean Im 66 kg and my last squat sesh was 60kg and I managed it just! So increasing again by 2.5 kg in the morning has me worried lol! How can u constantly increase all the time when your body has only 48 hours to recoup and grow potentially!

Hope I manage it but hey ho!

Won't quit ! Will persevere!

haha yea bud, I still worry about the squatting heavy all the time. It's always in the back of my mind. I don't think it ever goes away.

Just keep owning that weight until your form goes. Once your form goes, that set is done.

mikelphone

The 5x5 program I am doing, you increase the poundage only on the last workout of the week.

So Monday say you do, 60kg. Wednesday, you do a little less (the program says you do the 3rd set and 4th set at the same weight, I always do a little less than Mondays), then Friday Is your heavier day, when you add weight.
So Friday 4x5, 1x3,1x8 (the 1x3 set is the heavy set, so you'd use 62.5kg.

Then on the next Monday you end with 62.5kg and the friday would be 65kg.


Here is the program I am using currently.

Monday:
Squat - 5X5 - Ramping up the weight to a top set of 5 - Equal to Friday's Heavy Triple
Bench - 5X5 - Ramping up the weight to a top set of 5 - Equal to Friday's Heavy Triple
Barbell Row - 5X5 - Ramping up the weight to a top set of 5 - Equal to Friday's Heavy Triple

Wednesday:
Squat - 4X5 - First 3 sets the same as Monday, and the 4th set is the same as the 3rd.
Military Press - 5X5 - Ramping up the weight to a top set of 5
Deadlift - 5X5 - Ramping up the weight to a top set of 5

Friday:
Squat - 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 - The first 4 sets are the same as Monday. The 5th set - Heavy Triple is 2.5% more than Monday's final set of five. The 6th set uses the weight from the 3rd set for 8 reps.

Bench - 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 - The first 4 sets are the same as Monday. The 5th set - Heavy Triple is 2.5% more than Monday's final set of five. The 6th set uses the weight from the 3rd set for 8 reps.

Barbell Row - 4x5, 1x3, 1x8 - The first 4 sets are the same as Monday. The 5th set - Heavy Triple is 2.5% more than Monday's final set of five. The 6th set uses the weight from the 3rd set for 8 reps.

Rinse and repeat!

I love doing squats, probably my favourite exercise, second probably deadlifts.

SezxyStef

I saw this somewhere...if the weight doesn't scare you...you aren't lifting heavy enough.

When I deloaded (due to an injury causing issues) I was squatting my body weight + 20lbs...180lbs

It was intimidating and I tried to talk myself out of it...but I didn't..and yup I failed on rep 5 of set 5 it was epic to...I was using a box to ensure I got parallel...my butt touched it and stayed right there..

...got it in next workout and failed on 200lbs on set 3,4 and 5...on reps 4 & 5...

It's scary, intimidating but imagine how you feel when you get it (which I am sure you can)

DavPul

Most of your early strength gains come from neurological improvements. Your nervous system gets more efficient activating your muscles, more muscles get used, you get more coordinated making your muscles work together, things like that. The CNS improvements happen pretty fast.

The muscles are getting bigger and stronger, too, but that's a longer, slower process.

That said, be prepared for failure - it will happen. Read what your program tells you to do on failure. It probably has a de-load process when you fail multiple days in a row.

Pretty much sums it up