StrongLifts 5x5

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  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    My workouts were never over 40 minutes with this and I was going pretty heavy (350+ squat/400+ DL at the end).

    One thing I like about this Wendler 5/3/1, as someone mentioned above, is that I can superset the assistance exercises to get them done fairly quickly. Concentrate big time on the "major" (bench, squat, dead, OHP) lifts.

    You can superset your assistance work with SL, I would just not recommend supersetting your core lifts, at least not for very long.
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
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    You can superset your assistance work with SL.

    This is an interesting idea. Is this effective. Can you do as many sets / reps of the assistance exercises without rest?
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    You can superset your assistance work with SL.

    This is an interesting idea. Is this effective. Can you do as many sets / reps of the assistance exercises without rest?


    Since the assistance work is broken up as push-ups/dips and reverse crunches in workout A and then pull/chin-ups and bridges in workout B the muscle fatigue should not carry over to the other exercise much at all allowing you to complete as many, or close to as many, reps as you normally would. The caveat is whether or not your CNS can handle it. Under light (bodyweight) load you should have no problems but if your dips or pull/chin-ups are heavily weighted, this will become more taxing. Everyone would be different in this regard though, it would be best just to experiment if you wanted to try it, rather than over-analyze it.

    Although supersetting your assistance work will only buy you roughly 10 minutes or so in the gym.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    You can superset your assistance work with SL.

    This is an interesting idea. Is this effective. Can you do as many sets / reps of the assistance exercises without rest?

    Everyone's work capacity will be different. I've found that it brings your fitness/cardio levels into play moreso than just muscular strength and endurance. I like this as I like to get huffing and puffing and test fitness levels as well. As said though, the heavier you go the harder it will be to make your allocated reps.

    I'm not doing SL 5x5 as this stage but yesterday e.g. I did OH press 105lbs x 8 x 4 SS with wide grip pullups with 30lbs x 10 x 4
    Took about 20mins all up including warm up time.
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
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    An article that might be interesting regarding the knee "popping/cracking" we discussed earlier in the thread...

    http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=4661225
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
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    An article that might be interesting regarding the knee "popping/cracking" we discussed earlier in the thread...

    http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=4661225

    Good article, thanks. Don't know if I will stop hitting parallel though, but I will try the stretches. Also, they describe a symptom of outer thigh tightness, but if anything my tightness is inner thigh...
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
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    I'm sure that most of you get the e-mails updates from SL5X5 but Mehdi posted a nice instructional bench press video from Andy Bolton this morning on proper technique/increasing poundages. Yesterday he had a video on squats from Bolton. Good stuff !
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    I'm sure that most of you get the e-mails updates from SL5X5 but Mehdi posted a nice instructional bench press video from Andy Bolton this morning on proper technique/increasing poundages. Yesterday he had a video on squats from Bolton. Good stuff !

    Nice post. Did you see his deadlift video? He's a beast.
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
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    I'm sure that most of you get the e-mails updates from SL5X5 but Mehdi posted a nice instructional bench press video from Andy Bolton this morning on proper technique/increasing poundages. Yesterday he had a video on squats from Bolton. Good stuff !

    Nice post. Did you see his deadlift video? He's a beast.

    Just got it this morning. Will watch it later today. Bolton is a beast.

    Started the Wendler 5/3/1 this morning. Think I'm gonna like this making constant progress. So far, so good on the bench (left shoulder). Concentrated on keeping the upper back tensed, butt clenched and elbows tucked. Got 10 reps on my last set of 5.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    I'm sure that most of you get the e-mails updates from SL5X5 but Mehdi posted a nice instructional bench press video from Andy Bolton this morning on proper technique/increasing poundages. Yesterday he had a video on squats from Bolton. Good stuff !

    Nice post. Did you see his deadlift video? He's a beast.

    Just got it this morning. Will watch it later today. Bolton is a beast.

    Started the Wendler 5/3/1 this morning. Think I'm gonna like this making constant progress. So far, so good on the bench (left shoulder). Concentrated on keeping the upper back tensed, butt clenched and elbows tucked. Got 10 reps on my last set of 5.

    Have you ever tried the Decline Press? Supposidely it's better for folks with shoulder issues.
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
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    I'm sure that most of you get the e-mails updates from SL5X5 but Mehdi posted a nice instructional bench press video from Andy Bolton this morning on proper technique/increasing poundages. Yesterday he had a video on squats from Bolton. Good stuff !

    Nice post. Did you see his deadlift video? He's a beast.

    Just got it this morning. Will watch it later today. Bolton is a beast.

    Started the Wendler 5/3/1 this morning. Think I'm gonna like this making constant progress. So far, so good on the bench (left shoulder). Concentrated on keeping the upper back tensed, butt clenched and elbows tucked. Got 10 reps on my last set of 5.

    Have you ever tried the Decline Press? Supposidely it's better for folks with shoulder issues.

    Not a fan of the decline. Actually seems to put more stress on my front delt.
  • BR1986FB
    BR1986FB Posts: 1,515 Member
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    First week of Wendler's 5/3/1 is done. Liking this program in that I can see breaking PR's on a regular basis yet not killing myself squatting 3x's a week.
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    So I started out using dumbells cause I knew 45lbs would be more than I could handle. When I switched to proper SL5x5 I started w/what I had been doing w/dumbells. I'm actually starting to see where I'll have biceps when all this fat is gone, and I actually feel like when I sit I'm sitting on butt muscle (though glute size has never been an issue for me) :bigsmile:

    First I shall list my goals, then my stats and a brief overview of what I've been doing.

    Goals:
    1! get off all forms of Insulin. I'm down to 5 units of long acting a day.
    2. Be strong enough to carry my boy and/or have the strength to hold him if we get caught in a flood or something else, or he's just trying to escape. He's 6, super strong, weighs around 60lbs.
    3. Be able to catch him if he gets away at least until puberty hits. Then he'll have hormonal assistance.:wink:
    4. I really want Michelle Obama's arms. Okay I know she needs them and all but...
    5. Be capable of doing the crazy back and side bend moves in belly dance that girls half my age even have to give much thought about.
    6. I still have hope to be able to do the splits someday.
    7. Do dance moves on the balls of my feet for a resonable amt of time (I'll explain that one later)
    8. Enjoy sports with my family without getting wiped out including at least 1 length of butterfly stroke in an apt size pool. And possibly try some new ones including kyaking, snow skiing and maybe sailboarding.
    9. Reach somewhere around 130 lbs. That was my normal weight as a teen but I had no upper body strength and lots of hip and thigh fat so somewhere in there with muscle instead of fat.

    Stats: 5'4"
    50yrs old
    191 lbs
    I have been numb from right hip to little toe since 2002. At the time I could only do 3 BW calf raises on the right to failure but could go 16 reps on the left. Doc didn't find anything wrong. I suspect piriformitis and had made no progress until I got a good PT (physical therapist) who was Pilates centric and they also did some massage and gave me some exercises. which of course I quit in depression when we couldn't afford sessions anymore. I also have ITB syndrome on that leg as well and currently have a problem w/my left psoas that I've just started gentle cardio yesterday. Was going to do some today but a little sore last night so decided I should do complete rest today unless I visit the hottub tonight and I've been icing it.
    I don't know if there is any hope for my right leg regaining full strength since it has been so long. But since I've started HIIT over the last cople months, and added SL5x5 over the last month or so, I can do 5x5 reps on my right, barely but I can do it.

    current stats:
    squat:60
    bench: stalled @ 80 3x2 then 2x3 (I think I just got mad, lol)
    row: 50
    OHP: stalled @ 55 2x5
    Dead: 80

    Any exercises for psoas, ideas about HITT, swimming etc greatly appricieated. Before I injured my psoas (moving a plate from the bar, rested it on my hip and twisted DOH!) I had decided I needed to HIIT on weight days and do yoga on off days... thoughts. Also should I stick w/no cardio and only 30ish of gentle walking (3mph no hills) on weight days?

    thanks for any thoughts you have as well as any ideas on how best to use SL 5x5 for Glucose control, currently I lift in the morning after having half a whey shake and then eat oatmeal plus the other half of the whey to slow down the carb uptake.

    Thanks again! NO PINK Dumbells!!! Go Hard or GO HOME!:drinker:
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    squeezed out 3 sets of 5 on OHP.. yay ramstien for inspiration. Still really hard and it was grinding, but hey, improvment is improvment right?
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    squeezed out 3 sets of 5 on OHP.. yay ramstien for inspiration. Still really hard and it was grinding, but hey, improvment is improvment right?

    How's your form on the BP and OHP? That might be part of the issue and is a common flaw. The pressing movement pattern is similar for both except for the obvious difference in angles. Certain things with the BP in particular are how you are or aren't arching your back, leg positioning, and elbow positioning. You can YouTube plenty of videos on this stuff.
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    I tend toward Lordosis, and I'm too short to put my feet on the floor for BP so I keep my back flat against the bench with my knees bent and feet flat on the bench. I cranked out 5 sets of 5 today and only the last one wasn't slow, no grinding at all. ;-)

    OHP to break next! Oh and the psoas pain seems to pretty much be gone but I'm still going to avoid running stairs for another week but I think I can start yoga on my off days next week.

    Squats are still going well, I'd be happier if I had a rack before it starts getting really difficult.
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    So has anyone here doing SL (or variations) actually gotten a "ripped" look from it? I started a few weeks ago at 10% bf. My main goal is to gain size & strength.

    My personal trainer (which I only had for 3 sessions) had me start the equivalent of Wendler's 5/3/1 and basically said if I stick to the 12 week plan I should expect to gain about 10-14 lbs of lean mass and keep the bf to within 10-12%. that seems a little optimistic to me, gains that big I mean, but I'm sticking with it. Since my primary goal is to gain size & strength I've gone to much more of a calorie surplus. I can tell I've gained a couple percents of bf back and am hoping it doesn't continue.

    Anyone had this kind of gain in 12 weeks? or any significant gains while keeping bf low? I kinda think since I started already lean that I have to just expect to gain some fat, idk.
  • thkelly
    thkelly Posts: 466 Member
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    So has anyone here doing SL (or variations) actually gotten a "ripped" look from it? I started a few weeks ago at 10% bf. My main goal is to gain size & strength.

    My personal trainer (which I only had for 3 sessions) had me start the equivalent of Wendler's 5/3/1 and basically said if I stick to the 12 week plan I should expect to gain about 10-14 lbs of lean mass and keep the bf to within 10-12%. that seems a little optimistic to me, gains that big I mean, but I'm sticking with it. Since my primary goal is to gain size & strength I've gone to much more of a calorie surplus. I can tell I've gained a couple percents of bf back and am hoping it doesn't continue.

    Anyone had this kind of gain in 12 weeks? or any significant gains while keeping bf low? I kinda think since I started already lean that I have to just expect to gain some fat, idk.

    i'm no expert, but there's no way in hell you're gaining 10-14 lbs of "lean mass" (however you want to define that) in 12 weeks. your trainer is blowing smoke up your *kitten*.
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    So has anyone here doing SL (or variations) actually gotten a "ripped" look from it? I started a few weeks ago at 10% bf. My main goal is to gain size & strength.

    My personal trainer (which I only had for 3 sessions) had me start the equivalent of Wendler's 5/3/1 and basically said if I stick to the 12 week plan I should expect to gain about 10-14 lbs of lean mass and keep the bf to within 10-12%. that seems a little optimistic to me, gains that big I mean, but I'm sticking with it. Since my primary goal is to gain size & strength I've gone to much more of a calorie surplus. I can tell I've gained a couple percents of bf back and am hoping it doesn't continue.

    Anyone had this kind of gain in 12 weeks? or any significant gains while keeping bf low? I kinda think since I started already lean that I have to just expect to gain some fat, idk.

    i'm no expert, but there's no way in hell you're gaining 10-14 lbs of "lean mass" (however you want to define that) in 12 weeks. your trainer is blowing smoke up your *kitten*.
    Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking. Gains like that only happen if you're juiced or a teenage guy. I'm just hoping I can get some decent gains without much more fat.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    So has anyone here doing SL (or variations) actually gotten a "ripped" look from it? I started a few weeks ago at 10% bf. My main goal is to gain size & strength.

    My personal trainer (which I only had for 3 sessions) had me start the equivalent of Wendler's 5/3/1 and basically said if I stick to the 12 week plan I should expect to gain about 10-14 lbs of lean mass and keep the bf to within 10-12%. that seems a little optimistic to me, gains that big I mean, but I'm sticking with it. Since my primary goal is to gain size & strength I've gone to much more of a calorie surplus. I can tell I've gained a couple percents of bf back and am hoping it doesn't continue.

    Anyone had this kind of gain in 12 weeks? or any significant gains while keeping bf low? I kinda think since I started already lean that I have to just expect to gain some fat, idk.

    i'm no expert, but there's no way in hell you're gaining 10-14 lbs of "lean mass" (however you want to define that) in 12 weeks. your trainer is blowing smoke up your *kitten*.

    ^^^
    This

    You might be able to put 10 - 14 pounds on your main lifts in 12 weeks but not lean body mass.

    If you're concerned about calorie surplus and fat gain versus LBM gain I recommeng Googling the Anabolic Diet PDF. Dr. Di'Pasquale lays out a good diet plan for gaining LBM while minimizing fat gain.

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