StrongLifts 5x5

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Starting today 2/19/13

Rivmage
Rivmage Posts: 48 Member
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Hi all,

I've decided to try Stronglift 5x5 for the first time today. I've never used free weights before or considered strength training before.

Any tips or helpful hints for a lifting beginner?

Thank you,
Scott

Replies

  • moosegt35
    moosegt35 Posts: 1,296 Member
    Start really light so that you get your form down perfect. You will feel like you aren't really lifting anything just using the bar but this program adds weight fast so don't try to start out too heavy. I just started yesterday but have been lifting for quite some time now.
  • oldernotwiser
    oldernotwiser Posts: 175 Member
    Watch the youtube videos showing proper form regularly. It takes a while for all that to sink in. Good form makes a huge difference in your progression. Mehdi has some but you should also check out Mark Rippetoe, Dave Tate and Elliot Hulse.
  • Cognito1025
    Cognito1025 Posts: 323 Member
    Everything stated above AND don't bring your ego in the gym! Do the progressions as recommended and don't add weight unless you complete 5x5 WITH GOOD FORM. I injured my neck on squats because I was more concerned with adding weight every workout than getting form right and was out of commission for 3 weeks. Do this, in memory of me.....
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Hi all,

    I've decided to try Stronglift 5x5 for the first time today. I've never used free weights before or considered strength training before.

    Any tips or helpful hints for a lifting beginner?

    Thank you,
    Scott

    Just going to second the above advice. Light weights and perfect form are the key. See if you can get the trainer just to watch you doing a few reps to see if your form needs correcting. He/she should be happy to do it. Good luck.
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
    The advice above has all been spot-on. My one addition would be to video yourself with the light weight recommended above. Then post to Youtube (you can do it relatively privately...with a link required, for example) and post the link here for people to offer criticism of your form. The advice I got from doing this was amazing and very helpful.

    Good luck!
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
    The advice above has all been spot-on. My one addition would be to video yourself with the light weight recommended above. Then post to Youtube (you can do it relatively privately...with a link required, for example) and post the link here for people to offer criticism of your form. The advice I got from doing this was amazing and very helpful.

    Good luck!

    I would love to do this too. But I dont have any one to. I would feel weird asking some random person at the gym to record me.
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member


    I would love to do this too. But I dont have any one to. I would feel weird asking some random person at the gym to record me.

    I agree. I'm lucky in that my gym is actually at the high school where I teach, so I've got people that are friends that can video. But for mine I actually just set my video camera up on a tripod and filmed that way, without even having to ask anybody.

    Just a thought...
  • kyedo
    kyedo Posts: 83 Member
    I am on week 6, and the best thing I did was get the book Starting Strength. It goes into a lot of detail about form (although lacking on the bent over rows)
  • winf
    winf Posts: 764 Member
    Listen to your body. I, like a previous poster, got too caught up in adding weight every single time. I started the program 10 mos ago and had a major setback due to a hip injury. No matter how "essential" stronglifts makes you believe the squat is, keep in mind that squatting 3x a week is a lot of squatting by anyones standards. for a lot of people its no problem, but stronglifts fails to caution that for some people it is too much. I didnt listen to my body and ended up with tendonitis in my hip because I kept pushing through the pain. That was over 6 mos ago. I am back to squatting, but the hip is still not 100% and may not be for a very long time. Just remember, not matter how important you think it is to add weight to the bar, there no shame in taking a deload, it is always a lot easier to work your weight back up from a deload than it is from an inury. BTW. I am still doing the program, but after about 6 weeks of laying off lower body, not doing bent over rows because the position hurt my hip, and taking it easy on deads I deloaded all the way to the bar on squats and started over. I also deloaded deads to 225 and started pulling my deads sumo style because it was easier to keep my back straight. I am back up to 215 on squats (was at 240 when I inured myself), up to 315 work weight on deads (pulled a 355 single dead last fri), up to 215 on bench, 145 rows, and 135 overhead press (about to deload here, I have stalled on 140 the last 2 attempts). I am on 3x5 on most lifts now. I hope I can keep on 3x5 untill my squats hit 315, my deads hit 405 and my bench goes over 250, but if 3x5 is too much stress I will swap to 1x5 or another intermediate program when the time comes.
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    Sorry to hear that, Winf. I had a similar issue, but I strained my SI joint. I started back up, but I'm lifting every 3rd day to give my 52yo joints more recovery time. I've surpassed where I was the last time, and I actually feel stronger. I'm in this for the long haul, and I'll even take an extra day off here or there if it doesn't feel right. Your statement that it's easier to work your way up from a deload vs an injury couln't be more true.

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