Need some motivation myself! Glad to see this thread. Work has been so hectic lately, I get even more tired just THINKING about training, but I made myself train anyway last night and was so glad I did. Sore and heck today tho...

I started the program yesterday!! I'm not exactly a beginner - I've been using dumbbells and kettlebell workouts all year - but the barbell seemed new and scary for me. I had to make some adjustments. We have a fitness room at work, but the barbell isn't olympic, it weighs only 20 pounds, so I did have to add weight. Strange thing is, I couldn't start with the weight that the olympic bar alone would be. I could only manage the bar with 2-10 pound plates. Oh well, have to start somewhere!

It only took about 15 mins to complete, which seemed way too short, and I did hop on the elliptical after. I don't think you're supposed to do cardio and lifting on the same day?

Another problem I had was the bench press hurt my back. I think it's because I can't reach flat footed on the floor, so I arched a little. The bench isn't adjustable, so I need to find a way to fix that.

Anyway - I'm very excited to be starting, and looking forward to making quick progress. Any tips you'd like to share with a newbie will be appreciated!

I'm on week 2 and loving it. I made some adjustments to my form on overhead press and it feels much better. Yay! Had an awful squat day yesterday, but such is life.

Kiki: I think regarding cardio, the idea is that if you do cardio before lifting, your lifting performance will be diminished, and vice versa. Some suggest if you want to do both in the same day, do them quite far apart, like 8 hours or so, I think? Anyhoo, I don't really worry about it too much. I don't do a lot of cardio right before lifting, and sometimes after lifting I am way too wobbly-legged anyways. But if I still have the energy I sometimes do some cardio after lifting, and I'm not worried about my cardio performance, I'm essentially just trying to burn a few extra calories. Like last night, I rode on my stationary bike for a bit after lifting. No biggie.

Oh, and also, for the bench press, you can stick something under your feet to rest them on. Extra plates, or if they have any step-bench risers, that kind of thing.

Thanks for the feedback! Plates under the feet - not sure I would have thought of that! I am sore today, even after thinking it was too easy. I like this kind of sore!

I feel like I've improved a lot this month though I still have a bit of trouble with my lower back (issues from pregnancy- my "babies" are 1 and 3) so I haven't increased my squats as much.

Thanks for whoever gave the tip about doing deadlifts with a mixed grip- I tried it last night and it helped so much!

squats- 105
OHP- 55 (I think I'm finally ready to go up to 60 next time! It seems to have taken me forever to progress)
deadlift- 125 (more than my body weight- yeah!)
Bench- 70
Rows- 65

Hi all! I've been doing new rules since May, but my life just doesn't allow for me to spend that kind of time in the gym right now. I work full time and am working on my Masters degree, so I'm in class two nights a week, and reading (sitting on my butt) for about 20 hours a week. Anyway, I'm not a lifting-only kind of girl. I adore gaining strength and looking and feeling powerful. But I also love running. Like, LOVE running. So new rules workouts (1.5 hour workouts) plus 45 minute runs just don't compute in my world right now. As a result, I started looking around and decided to give 5x5 a try.

I've done one of each workout. And although I started with just the bar (whereas I was squatting 3x15 at 120lb in stage 1 of nrol4w), focusing on form has been good...I watched his video of squatting and realized I've been slacking. So far, I'm liking the minimal time commitment and the focus on compound exercises. I guess time will tell if it yields results.

In terms of overall goals, I'm looking to gain strength but also slowly shed a few more pounds of body weight. I'm 5'7 and 148lb right now. For running purposes, I'd like to be closer to 140lb...easier on the joints. I did have success slowly losing while doing new rules (I used a 300 calorie deficit per day and did cardio and mostly, focused on ensuring I got 1g of protein per pound of body weight in per day), and hope to continue losing slowly while doing 5x5.

Anyway, I thought I'd say hello as I've been lurking in the community for a while.

Just curious - are there other former new rules followers that have happily made the switch?

Just curious - are there other former new rules followers that have happily made the switch?

I did new rules for a couple of months last year.. but then I moved and focused on just doing strength training! I actually haven't lifted weights seriously since about January, so when I start SL5x5 next Monday it should be interesting. I'm excited, though! :bigsmile:

What is mad cow?

I ditched the baby plates this week on my squats! Up to 100lbs! The rest... not so hot. I am terrible at overhead press!

As for the calorie question I posted last week, I've been eating at maintenance for the past week instead of the 500 calorie a day deficit I've been on for a year. It doesn't feel any different- but I am a lot happier to wake up in the morning and see I have 1700 to eat instead of 1200!

I failed on bench today at 75 and I'm happy about it. I'm happy to know that I'm definitely pushing myself to failure.

I lift at home, and I don't have and can't find any 1.25 lb plates* but I might try just sticking my little D-shaped one pound weights on each end of the bar if going up by 5 lbs each time gets too hard.

*Seriously... those suckers are like $11 each after shipping! Those little one pound weights were a dollar. I don't care if it looks stupid. :laugh:

I failed on bench today at 75 and I'm happy about it. I'm happy to know that I'm definitely pushing myself to failure.

I lift at home, and I don't have and can't find any 1.25 lb plates* but I might try just sticking my little D-shaped one pound weights on each end of the bar if going up by 5 lbs each time gets too hard.

*Seriously... those suckers are like $11 each after shipping! Those little one pound weights were a dollar. I don't care if it looks stupid. :laugh:

I found them on Amazon.. $7 for a pair of them plus 10 shipping.. sooo $17 for two. 8.50 each is better than 11 each!

Here is the link explaining madcow: http://stronglifts.com/madcow-5x5-training-programs/

I really like it. If you are eating at a deficit like me, I highly recommend it.

I was wondering what that was as well!!

I did SL on Tuesday and again tomorrow will go to the gym again. I only do it 2x per week.
Sooo tuesday results

squats 110 5x5
bench 75 it think, did not do 5x5, 5x5x4x4x3
I did deadlifts instead of row because I missed the deads last week, and I did 110 5x2 (2 sets of five)

Sounds like everyone is off to a great start in October! I'm a month in to the program (also converted from NROL4W) and running 3 to 4x per week.

I want to share my NSV today but first give major kudos to all of you that lift in a gym. I typically workout at home but I travel Tues - Thur most weeks and I'm just not willing to compromise my Wed workout any longer. So I found a gym that's a mile from my hotel, jogged there, paid the guest fee and did my 5x5 workout. It is really intimidating to start in a gym but I'm glad I did it. Now I haven't figured out how I will keep this up when it snows this winter but I'll cross that bridge when I need to.

that is great!

Morning!!!

Today, I definitely struggled, as usual, with OHP. Why is it so hard??
ANyhow:


squats: 115 5x5
OHP 55 5x5
dead: 115 1x5

@jackie/re: cardio/converse: I do SL just 2 days per week. One of those days, (the days I do OHP and deads) I usually wear my converse, do 10 min on elliptical, and then lift, then 10 min on elliptical. I do notice the difference with the converse. no pain in feet, but not nec. comfortable. On the other day when i do bench/rows, I usually run 4 miles prior to lifting, usually outside or at home on treadmill in regular sneaks, then go to gym and use converse for lifting. I have tried to do a mile or two on treadmill at gym in converse and its just no bueno. Too hard on the feet.
Also re: cardio prior to lifting: I am not too interested in building muscle mass at this point. Right now I am cutting and trying to lose some lbs and basically just lifting so I dont lose to much muscle mass during cut, so I am not worried about cario affecting my lifting. I do notice if I do cardio right after lifting, my legs are jelly!

Sounds like everyone is off to a great start in October! I'm a month in to the program (also converted from NROL4W) and running 3 to 4x per week.

I want to share my NSV today but first give major kudos to all of you that lift in a gym. I typically workout at home but I travel Tues - Thur most weeks and I'm just not willing to compromise my Wed workout any longer. So I found a gym that's a mile from my hotel, jogged there, paid the guest fee and did my 5x5 workout. It is really intimidating to start in a gym but I'm glad I did it. Now I haven't figured out how I will keep this up when it snows this winter but I'll cross that bridge when I need to.

I am a little worried about working out at my gym again and having to share equipment! Ugh, lol.

After several weeks of working up to just being able to use the empty bar for squats (short arm issue, not weight), I am SO glad to finally be adding weights

Squats 55 5x5
OHP 60 5x5
Dead 155 1x5