Strong Lifts Question
ewdesign85
Posts: 28
How many would agree that Strong Lifts is the best approach for someone looking to add muscle to a generally skinny frame. Obviously with a caloric surplus as well as maintained macros.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thank you, E-dizzle.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thank you, E-dizzle.
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Replies
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Strong lifts? Are you talking about heavy compound movements? The best way to add mass to an ectomorphic frame is by combining squats, incline bench press, deadlifts, pull ups, overhead presses, and some sort of rowing movements (this applies to anyone). Add 300 grams of carbs and 200 grams of protein a day you should be able to make noticeable results in three months if the effort is put forth.0
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Strong lifts? Are you talking about heavy compound movements? The best way to add mass to an ectomorphic frame is by combining squats, incline bench press, deadlifts, pull ups, overhead presses, and some sort of rowing movements (this applies to anyone). Add 300 grams of carbs and 200 grams of protein a day you should be able to make noticeable results in three months if the effort is put forth.
My guess is that he was talking about stronglifts.com, the stronglifts 5x5 program.
OP, it's hard to say what the BEST program is. But I will tell you this: I'm 4 weeks into Stronglifts 5x5. I look forward to going to the gym every other day. It's EASY to stick to, it's FUN, and I can feel myself getting stronger. I've never lifted weights before.
Download the app to track your workouts, it's great!
And the above poster is basically describing the stronglifts program... so yeah, it should be effective.0 -
I've been doing StrongLifts for 21 weeks and its by far the easiest strength program to follow in my opinion. The program calls for the main compound exercises of squats, bench press, overhead press, rows, and deadlifts. These are your core exercises, but you can add accessory lifts like incline bench press, dips, pull ups, ab work, etc... even though the program does not call for them. The spreadsheet will calculate your weights to use and unless you have been lifting for a few months, I would start off with the standard 45lb bar as the program calls for. The weight will be of no consequence, but its the first few weeks of this light weight that you will practice form. The accessory exercises would then be good to make you feel like you "did something". Further into the program, when the weight gets heavy, you might need to back off the accessory exercises to help with faster recovery since your squatting 3 times a week, and triceps and shoulders are getting pretty good workouts every other day.
But keep in mind, this is a good program to build strength more that increase muscle size. Body building is more in the 8-10 rep range, while strength training normally is in the 3-6 rep range. Spend the time to build strength first, then decide later on if you want to shift to body building. My two cents.0 -
If your goal is bodybuilding, why would you do a program that isn't a hypertrophy program?0
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If your goal is bodybuilding, why would you do a program that isn't a hypertrophy program?
Because as Medhi puts it: "StrongLifts 5×5 is proven to pack on more real-world strength and solid muscle in 12 weeks than most lifters (including the steroid-drenched jerks) achieve in 12 years of hard work."
Hyperbole, much?0 -
If your goal is bodybuilding, why would you do a program that isn't a hypertrophy program?
Because as Medhi puts it: "StrongLifts 5×5 is proven to pack on more real-world strength and solid muscle in 12 weeks than most lifters (including the steroid-drenched jerks) achieve in 12 years of hard work."
Hyperbole, much?
Plus if you're only strong enough to bench press pink weights you're not going to pack on a lot of muscle with a hypertrophy program.
Gain strength to move heavier weight and then switch to hypertrophy and it'll be much more effective.0 -
If 5x5 produced more muscle than hypertrophy training bodybuilders would be doing 5x5 which they do not.
You still move up in weight with hypertrophy training (progressive resistance), and do compound lifts, but not only compound.0 -
If your goal is bodybuilding, why would you do a program that isn't a hypertrophy program?
Because as Medhi puts it: "StrongLifts 5×5 is proven to pack on more real-world strength and solid muscle in 12 weeks than most lifters (including the steroid-drenched jerks) achieve in 12 years of hard work."
Hyperbole, much?
Plus if you're only strong enough to bench press pink weights you're not going to pack on a lot of muscle with a hypertrophy program.
Gain strength to move heavier weight and then switch to hypertrophy and it'll be much more effective.
There was sarcasm in my quoting of Medhi...0 -
Oh....... I can't even tell anymore I hear the same thing over and over.0
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Hey all, yes I meant Stronglifts 5x5.
My starting weights are
180lb -Squat
75lb - OVHD Press
225lb - Deadlifts
135lb - Flat Bench
135lb - Bent Over Row0 -
Hey all, yes I meant Stronglifts 5x5.
My starting weights are
180lb -Squat
75lb - OVHD Press
225lb - Deadlifts
135lb - Flat Bench
135lb - Bent Over Row
Will SL5x5 put muscle on a thin frame? Yes. Is it the best program to accomplish this? Not particularly, though you will definitely be stronger.0 -
If your goal is bodybuilding, why would you do a program that isn't a hypertrophy program?
Because as Medhi puts it: "StrongLifts 5×5 is proven to pack on more real-world strength and solid muscle in 12 weeks than most lifters (including the steroid-drenched jerks) achieve in 12 years of hard work."
Hyperbole, much?
Plus if you're only strong enough to bench press pink weights you're not going to pack on a lot of muscle with a hypertrophy program.
Gain strength to move heavier weight and then switch to hypertrophy and it'll be much more effective.
There was sarcasm in my quoting of Medhi...
I realize this. I wasn't actually agreeing with the quote.
IMO someone with a 135 lb bench and 180 lbs squat would benefit more from a "strength" program to increase the amount of weight they can move before switching to a hypertrophy program.
1 year of strength followed by a year of hypertrophy will give you more muscle than 2 years of hypertrophy at a lower weight.0 -
If your goal is bodybuilding, why would you do a program that isn't a hypertrophy program?
Because as Medhi puts it: "StrongLifts 5×5 is proven to pack on more real-world strength and solid muscle in 12 weeks than most lifters (including the steroid-drenched jerks) achieve in 12 years of hard work."
Hyperbole, much?
Plus if you're only strong enough to bench press pink weights you're not going to pack on a lot of muscle with a hypertrophy program.
Gain strength to move heavier weight and then switch to hypertrophy and it'll be much more effective.
There was sarcasm in my quoting of Medhi...
I realize this. I wasn't actually agreeing with the quote.
IMO someone with a 135 lb bench and 180 lbs squat would benefit more from a "strength" program to increase the amount of weight they can move before switching to a hypertrophy program.
1 year of strength followed by a year of hypertrophy will give you more muscle than 2 years of hypertrophy at a lower weight.
Sorry, you're right, I misunderstood what you were saying. Yes, hypertrophy training would be severely limited without building a strength base first. Benching 225 lbs for reps is totally different than benching 135 lbs for reps.0 -
Are you starting with the empty bar when doing squats or going straight into 180lbs 5x5 adding weight every workout?
It is slightly difficult to do Pendlay rows (the type of rows in SL) with weight lower than 135.0 -
I had been doing just 175lb squats whenever I did them before, I know I can do them fairly easy, thought it would be a good place to start.
I could see how the the rows would be harder below 135, smaller weights = more bending over.0 -
It seems kind of useless for someone who can already do the exercise to start off with an empty barbell, the empty barbell suggestion may be for absolute beginners who never squatted before, so using little weight would allow them to work on form better. Yet if you use too much weight, adding 5lbs to your squat every workout would probably make you plateau pretty fast and move onto to 3x5.
Pendlay rows are not that popular in gyms, most people do the Yates Row or bent over barbell row which are bodybuilding exercises. I think Pendlay works more of the upper back and a general back exercise as opposed to the other rows which work more lats. The Pendlay row is one exercise I never seemed to move up on when I did Stronglifts.0 -
I realize this. I wasn't actually agreeing with the quote.
IMO someone with a 135 lb bench and 180 lbs squat would benefit more from a "strength" program to increase the amount of weight they can move before switching to a hypertrophy program.
1 year of strength followed by a year of hypertrophy will give you more muscle than 2 years of hypertrophy at a lower weight.
That's the theory, but I have seen many scrawny guys including Mehdi push and pull a lot more weight than the big boys. I think for the sake of balance, strength training may be performed to get lifts up to reputable numbers, though. Or you could take the strength/hypertrophy route and do a program like PHAT. 5/3/1 has some high volume lower weight hypertrophy training in it too. Wendler has some respect for bodybuilding, he deigned a 5/3/1 for bodybuilidng, and even integrated Doggcrapp training into it.0
