Help me design my SL5x5 / cardio workout schedule

Calliope610

I will start 5x5 tomorrow with a T-Th-S schedule. I do C25K on M-W-F. Sunday is off. I want to incorporate arms & back/chest work (bicep curls, tricep pull downs, lat pull down and seated chest row) and some leg work (leg press, etc) but don't know when to do them. I plan to do planks, situps and other core exercises on cardio days.

Am I trying to pack in too much to start? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

DaniH826

Am I trying to pack in too much to start?

I definitely think so (judging from a quick glance at your profile).

If you're a beginner, focus on SL, go easy on the cardio (some walking/jogging on off days should be fine, basically ez mode C2K stuff), and definitely skip all the extra lifting/isolation work because the compound lifts will work all those areas already and you'll be wearing yourself out for absolutely no reason at all.

You'll thank me later. :bigsmile:

Especially on Wednesday when you'll be sore like nobody's business and your abs will tell you to go jump off a cliff if you even try and get one single situp in.

I remember my first week of lifting heavy. It was fun.















Not. It was mostly pain. Like, sitting down to go pee hurt all over kind of pain. But then it gets better. By a lot.

:laugh:

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

Honestly if you are a beginner to lifting all of that isloation/extra exercises really are not required and I would even venture to say are counter-productive. SL is a program with all of the big compound exercises which really is all that you need for quite some time. Do the first 12 weeks the way the program is designed and then decide after that what you want. You will also know how you recover from lifting and know your body better after that time.....then make changes/adjustments. You will also find that SL works your core like no one's business so additional ab work is not required.

I now do you cardio and yoga along with the program but I am on my second cycle. I tried doing additional stuff in the beginning/middle of the first cycle and learned quickly not to lol

Sometimes more is not always better.

Calliope610

thanks so much for the input. Like they say "keep it simple sister".

BikerGirlElaine

Just want to say hello and welcome!