Experience's with StrongLift 5x5

mommabenefield
mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Women's, heck why not, Men too! Please give me your tips/experiences

What you learned, how you felt about your weight through the process, what victories did you achieve, how did you not get discouraged, etc...

Replies

  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    went from beginner to 110/90/140 (kg) SQ/B/DL. Worked well for me.
  • shortkaik
    shortkaik Posts: 1 Member
    I did it for several months, then took a break (it got kinda repetitive and boring) and have started it back up for now.

    I felt great while I was doing it, making progress every week, and I was in the best shape I've ever been in! I've lost weight before, but it wasn't until I started lifting that I started looking 'fit'. And it's nice and straight forward to follow.

    I've now added some extra exercises and modifications to it for specific goals.
  • ze_hombre
    ze_hombre Posts: 377 Member
    I only did it for a few weeks before changing my mind of weight lifting, but I did notice increases in ability as graphed. I think its a good framework for those who want to lift.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    I started lifting with the NROLFW program. I worked it through the end o stage 4 but got bored so I switched to Stronglifts about a month ago. Either program is excellent in my opinion.

    I prefer the 5x5 for now because it is squats in every workout and I LOVE those. I feel the burn everywhere and am continuing to lose inches (especially around my midsection). I started squats with just the bar (45#) and now I squat 110# 5x5 and am still increasing every workout. Deadlifts are a tougher progression or me because I have some nerve damage that affects my grip strength, but even so I am deadlifting 105# (up from just the bar). My bench press progresses the slowest because of my weak upper body strength but I am still working on that too (up to 65# from 30#).

    I love what lifting is doing for my body and my strength!
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Running the program right now. Brilliant.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    I've really enjoyed it. I noticed gains in strength, and it's a great base for any workout. I do the same now, but add in other lifts to the core program.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    It's a great beginner's program. I graduated to Madcow 5x5 and am working on that now. Also a great program, similar but with slower progress for the intermediate lifter.
  • thebowhunter
    thebowhunter Posts: 173
    I love it and have been at it for 22 weeks.
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,035 Member
    bump to save :)
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
    I'm not doing it right now but I have done and I plan on getting back into it very soon.

    I love it, but I wish Mehdi would realise that women use his program as well, and it's not all about bros and dudes. I had to unsunscribe from his emails because that fact annoyed me so much. But it's a great program and you'll make good progress if you stick with it.
  • mikejholmes
    mikejholmes Posts: 291 Member
    I started on that, since it was easily available, and simple.
    But I found Mehdi's emails annoying.
    And I found he was lacking on the details of good form.

    Then I discovered Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. 70 pages on the squat alone. LOTS of detail on EVERY exercise, and almost the same exercises. I switched over to that, and haven't looked back.

    And I even find him funny, in spite of the occasional homophobic or misogynist sounding statement. I assume he doesn't mean it, and is just doing it for effect.
  • doty0815
    doty0815 Posts: 68
    I started NROLFW and I love it Ive been at it for a few weeks and all of my stats have improved greatly I love the fact that Im starting to feel the results already. Being a girl in a weight room full of men and being able to hold your own NOTHING FEELS BETTER!!!
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    I've been doing it for about a month now. I like the simplicity of it, and that you only have to be there 3 days/week.
    I'm not progressing at the rate Medhi "Says" I should be, but I'm eating at a moderate deficit, so I can't expect to. That being said, I'm making good strength gains and I've been getting compliments on slimming down. Overall a win :smile:
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I started in January, and I'm really enjoying making strength gains and what it's doing to my body.

    I started at the recommended start weights and this is where I'm at now:
    Squats: 45-->115 (just deloaded from 135 after a failure)
    Bench: 45-->82.5 (failed @85, so about to deload)
    Rows: 65-->77.5 (I've had lots of problems with form on this and have switched to bent over rows recently)
    OHP: 45-->52.5 (recent deload from 57.5, but it's the bane of my existence as a lifter)
    DL: 95-->180 (will have to deload soon since I'm getting stuck)

    And my progress since January eating anywhere from 1800 (TDEE-20%)-2400 (TDEE) calories, strong lifts, and two days of cardio:

    Julycomparisonside_zps15cabbeb.jpg

    Julycomparisonfront_zps0fb2ddcc.jpg

    (the recent slow down in my progress is due to my lack of ability to eat anywhere near my cut goal...)
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    I started on that, since it was easily available, and simple.
    But I found Mehdi's emails annoying.
    And I found he was lacking on the details of good form.

    Then I discovered Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. 70 pages on the squat alone. LOTS of detail on EVERY exercise, and almost the same exercises. I switched over to that, and haven't looked back.

    And I even find him funny, in spite of the occasional homophobic or misogynist sounding statement. I assume he doesn't mean it, and is just doing it for effect.

    Very true, emails are hella annoying (OP you can unsubscribe from them at any time) and the lack of videos on form is also true. Best thing to do is worth with a trainer in the gym who knows how to lift and follow the program once you've got the form right.
  • mommabenefield
    mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member
    I started in January, and I'm really enjoying making strength gains and what it's doing to my body.

    I started at the recommended start weights and this is where I'm at now:
    Squats: 45-->115 (just deloaded from 135 after a failure)
    Bench: 45-->82.5 (failed @85, so about to deload)
    Rows: 65-->77.5 (I've had lots of problems with form on this and have switched to bent over rows recently)
    OHP: 45-->52.5 (recent deload from 57.5, but it's the bane of my existence as a lifter)
    DL: 95-->180 (will have to deload soon since I'm getting stuck)

    And my progress since January eating anywhere from 1800 (TDEE-20%)-2400 (TDEE) calories, strong lifts, and two days of cardio:

    (the recent slow down in my progress is due to my lack of ability to eat anywhere near my cut goal...)

    Thanks for ALL the responses... keep it rolling... ... @auddii - Did you incorporate alot of cardio? or is your weight loss just from a deficit and the strength training?

    Thats the other thing i have a very short attention span when it comes to reading info on deficits and cutting etc... can i get someone to explain "cutting" plain and simple and how to figure it?

    Thanks!!! :)
  • mommabenefield
    mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member
    I started on that, since it was easily available, and simple.
    But I found Mehdi's emails annoying.
    And I found he was lacking on the details of good form.

    Then I discovered Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. 70 pages on the squat alone. LOTS of detail on EVERY exercise, and almost the same exercises. I switched over to that, and haven't looked back.

    And I even find him funny, in spite of the occasional homophobic or misogynist sounding statement. I assume he doesn't mean it, and is just doing it for effect.

    Very true, emails are hella annoying (OP you can unsubscribe from them at any time) and the lack of videos on form is also true. Best thing to do is worth with a trainer in the gym who knows how to lift and follow the program once you've got the form right.

    Yes they are!! and the videos he does have i cant understand cause of his accent ... he doesnt even look at the camera :noway:
  • mommabenefield
    mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member
    I started on that, since it was easily available, and simple.
    But I found Mehdi's emails annoying.
    And I found he was lacking on the details of good form.

    Then I discovered Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. 70 pages on the squat alone. LOTS of detail on EVERY exercise, and almost the same exercises. I switched over to that, and haven't looked back.

    And I even find him funny, in spite of the occasional homophobic or misogynist sounding statement. I assume he doesn't mean it, and is just doing it for effect.

    Thanks!
    im gonna go check that out :)
  • mommabenefield
    mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member
    I'm not doing it right now but I have done and I plan on getting back into it very soon.

    I love it, but I wish Mehdi would realise that women use his program as well, and it's not all about bros and dudes. I had to unsunscribe from his emails because that fact annoyed me so much. But it's a great program and you'll make good progress if you stick with it.

    ^^^ this i even looked up and i came across something he said that he really didn't care that women used it because he has mostly male clients - i thought to myself so what - i don't have to acknowledge his existence anyway lolol
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member

    Thats the other thing i have a very short attention span when it comes to reading info on deficits and cutting etc... can i get someone to explain "cutting" plain and simple and how to figure it?

    Thanks!!! :)

    Cutting == calorie deficit, dieting, losing weight, whatever you want to call it.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I've really enjoyed it. I noticed gains in strength, and it's a great base for any workout. I do the same now, but add in other lifts to the core program.

    I also really enjoyed it. It helped me feel comfortable with lifting while sticking to basic techniques. It's a good beginner program. I also saw a lot of strength gains. I transitioned to another program, but I still focus on compound lifts.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I started in January, and I'm really enjoying making strength gains and what it's doing to my body.

    I started at the recommended start weights and this is where I'm at now:
    Squats: 45-->115 (just deloaded from 135 after a failure)
    Bench: 45-->82.5 (failed @85, so about to deload)
    Rows: 65-->77.5 (I've had lots of problems with form on this and have switched to bent over rows recently)
    OHP: 45-->52.5 (recent deload from 57.5, but it's the bane of my existence as a lifter)
    DL: 95-->180 (will have to deload soon since I'm getting stuck)

    And my progress since January eating anywhere from 1800 (TDEE-20%)-2400 (TDEE) calories, strong lifts, and two days of cardio:

    (the recent slow down in my progress is due to my lack of ability to eat anywhere near my cut goal...)

    Thanks for ALL the responses... keep it rolling... ... @auddii - Did you incorporate alot of cardio? or is your weight loss just from a deficit and the strength training?

    Thats the other thing i have a very short attention span when it comes to reading info on deficits and cutting etc... can i get someone to explain "cutting" plain and simple and how to figure it?

    Thanks!!! :)

    I currently am doing 2 hours cardio a week spread over two days (non-lifting days). I just do an arc trainer on a high level for an hour. However, I'm taking a rowing class starting this week, so I'm hoping that I'll enjoy it and maybe I can use rowing as my cardio instead. We'll see how it goes.

    I'm not a huge cardio fan, so my cardio is pretty limited. I do cardio so I can eat more. :laugh:

    As for how I calculate how much to eat, I took the easy way out. One of the users (Heybales) created a spreadsheet that incorporates some of the popular TDEE methods and does the work for you. You just have to enter height, weight, measurements and exercise, and it tells you what to eat at. The thing I like about it is that you can say on a given week I do x number hours of blah, and it picks the right activity level for you (most people choose the wrong one).

    The spreadsheet is explained here, and the link to download it is at the bottom: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm

    So far it's working for me.
  • mommabenefield
    mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member

    Thats the other thing i have a very short attention span when it comes to reading info on deficits and cutting etc... can i get someone to explain "cutting" plain and simple and how to figure it?

    Thanks!!! :)

    Cutting == calorie deficit, dieting, losing weight, whatever you want to call it.

    lol oh *facepalm* - see maybe thats the problem theres 50 different words for "eat less and exercise"

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