StrongLifts 5x5 - cost?

TheBitSlinger
TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I'm looking into StrongLifts 5x5. (I lifted heavy early on in life, so I believe in the approach.) Mehdi's website says he's not selling anything, but there is a gold membership (fee not posted). So, does the membership get you anything beyond the basics of what you need for the program?
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Replies

  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    I do see what other benefits you could possibly get. I mean the routine is pretty straight forward. Im my opinion the membership is not necessary.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    The program is free to download and use. There is also a free app for tracking sets.

    The membership geis you entrance to his forum.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Okay, so I'm looking into StrongLifts 5x5. (I lifted heavy early on in life, so I believe in the approach.) Mehdi's website says he's not selling anything, but there is a gold membership (fee not posted). So, does the membership get you anything beyond the basics of what you need for the program?

    The program is pretty solid. He pretty much stole it from Reg Park. I doubt the gold membership would provide anything except motivation. If you need that, it might be worth it.

    I found Mehdi to be such a misogynistic douche that I had to unlike the FB page and unsubscribe from the emails. He is also, despite claiming that the program is not about putting up numbers but about making progress, obsessed with putting up big squat and deadlift numbers to the point that he defends bouncing at the bottom of a squat a legitimate practice.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
    The program is pretty solid. He pretty much stole it from Reg Park. I doubt the gold membership would provide anything except motivation. If you need that, it might be worth it.

    I found Mehdi to be such a misogynistic douche that I had to unlike the FB page and unsubscribe from the emails. He is also, despite claiming that the program is not about putting up numbers but about making progress, obsessed with putting up big squat and deadlift numbers to the point that he defends bouncing at the bottom of a squat a legitimate practice.

    I felt a bit like being sprayed with a douche nozzle after reading his webpage. But, yeah, the program seems solid. QFT about Reg Park.
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    Working for me :)
  • EDollah
    EDollah Posts: 464 Member
    Oddly enough, he happened to send me info about his "Inner Circle" today. Rates were $200/year or $55/90 days or $20/month.

    The high level douchery is definitely dissuading me from sending him my USD.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    The program is pretty solid. He pretty much stole it from Reg Park. I doubt the gold membership would provide anything except motivation. If you need that, it might be worth it.

    I found Mehdi to be such a misogynistic douche that I had to unlike the FB page and unsubscribe from the emails. He is also, despite claiming that the program is not about putting up numbers but about making progress, obsessed with putting up big squat and deadlift numbers to the point that he defends bouncing at the bottom of a squat a legitimate practice.

    I felt a bit like being sprayed with a douche nozzle after reading his webpage. But, yeah, the program seems solid. QFT about Reg Park.

    Yup.

    Here is a program that is just as good and less focused on squats which I cannot do 3 times a week at age 43. I got excellent results from it. Dropped it when I decided to give Crossfit a try.

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/forget-steroids-5-fullbody-workouts-for-serious-gains.html#2

    Great program and you can finish it in an hour if some bro isn't hogging the squat rack to do shrugs.

    The only modification I would suggest is do standing shoulder presses instead of seated.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Working for me :)

    You have Gold membership? Is it as testosterone filled as one would expect?
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Yeah, he's a douche that is monetizing work from Reg Park and Bill Starr. Put it this way, Brandon Lily and Jim Wendler don't charge for access to their Facebook sites and they are above and beyond this fool.
  • lorigem
    lorigem Posts: 446 Member
    The program is pretty solid. He pretty much stole it from Reg Park. I doubt the gold membership would provide anything except motivation. If you need that, it might be worth it.

    I found Mehdi to be such a misogynistic douche that I had to unlike the FB page and unsubscribe from the emails. He is also, despite claiming that the program is not about putting up numbers but about making progress, obsessed with putting up big squat and deadlift numbers to the point that he defends bouncing at the bottom of a squat a legitimate practice.

    I felt a bit like being sprayed with a douche nozzle after reading his webpage. But, yeah, the program seems solid. QFT about Reg Park.

    Yup.

    Here is a program that is just as good and less focused on squats which I cannot do 3 times a week at age 43. I got excellent results from it. Dropped it when I decided to give Crossfit a try.

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/forget-steroids-5-fullbody-workouts-for-serious-gains.html#2

    Great program and you can finish it in an hour if some bro isn't hogging the squat rack to do shrugs.

    The only modification I would suggest is do standing shoulder presses instead of seated.

    I'm doing that M&S program and it's awesome. Both my husband and I really enjoy it. Good stuff.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
    The douche is strong with Mehdi... already getting emails about buying his plateau breaking program. Sheesh..
  • michaelmadonna
    michaelmadonna Posts: 105 Member
    Oddly enough, he happened to send me info about his "Inner Circle" today. Rates were $200/year or $55/90 days or $20/month.

    The high level douchery is definitely dissuading me from sending him my USD.

    This ^ ... I also started doing the program a couple of months ago and have been incessantly indundated with my "limited time offer" to join his inner circle yesterday and once that day passed without me ponying up the $$ I got another email today with a 30 day free trial offer. At this point I don't think it's anything I need especially with all the people here willing to give up their time and offer information and answer questions. I'm also not sure how long I'm going to continue his program, I'm using primarily now bc I'm in a calorie deficit and trying to hold onto as much LBM and strength that I can. Once I reach my goal .. and if all goes as planned I may do a bulk cycle and go back to my split routines which incorporate isolation excercises.
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    Agreeing with others here. I recently was searching for a defined lifting program to replace my haphazard ways. After spending 5 minutes reviewing this tool's website I chose to go with Starting Strength. Yes, lots of bro-type speak there as well, but Medhi is such a total schmuck that, even with his free info and app I just couldnt bring myself to use his program.

    Edit to add: Thank you to bostonwolf for that link, good stuff there
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    When Medhi is a qualified, accomplished lifter and trainer, I might be interested.
    Until then, there's plenty of free information from better lifters or trainers around.
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    Working for me :)

    You have Gold membership? Is it as testosterone filled as one would expect?

    lol, nvm...read that wrong

    No, I agree with the douchebaggery-vibe others have commented on. I don't need that....
  • EricCowperthwaite
    EricCowperthwaite Posts: 450
    I was going to us SL5x5 to start lifting when I moved from high intensity fitness workouts (Insanity and the like). My attraction was the simplicity of squats, bench, row & squat, ohp, deadlift on alternating A & B days was very attractive as a beginner to lifting. Unfortunately, as someone else said, the douche is strong with Mehdi. I just couldn't get past his jerkery to be willing to do even the free program, let alone join SLIC so I could get access to things like SL3x3.

    Instead, I paid the money for Shuler and Cosgrove's New Rules of Lifting and it's been worth all the $10 I spent for it. No broscience in NRoL, some of the best non-technical explanations of how the body works I've ever read, and an easy, straight forward, year long program to follow.

    I say spend $10 for NRoL. Shuler has some humility, too, and that is a huge factor to me. He's not convinced he knows it all, he's always trying new stuff and the NRoL program is easy to understand and follow.
  • halleymw
    halleymw Posts: 246 Member
    Ehh, everyone wants to make money. Rippetoe isn't giving away his starting strength book. The price of Mehdi's basic program is still free, and his emails are occassionally entertaining and/or informative, so I actually read them, even though I am no longer doing stronglifts The "inner circle" is more for people that have exhausted all their gains from the 5x5 program, if you want to post on a forum there are plenty of weight training ones out there.
    Mike
  • wordstill
    wordstill Posts: 16 Member
    From what I've read about Mhedi is that he does come off as a tool. I still like the program though. But took what he said with a grain of salt.

    I didn't want to sign up so that he can email **** that I don't care for so i just type "stronglifts 5x5 pdf" in google and the pdf came up
  • PAFC84
    PAFC84 Posts: 1,871 Member
    Wow. Quite a lot of negativity towards Mehdi on here....he never states that he developed the 5x5 method....Infact he clearly sats that Reg Park was more than likely it's creator. And he does supply a free detailed report. As for his "douchery", he's effectively a salesman and that's how it chooses to market it. Again, the e-mails are free and there's some good advice in them.He's quite hardcore because he's very serious about his training and thinks that those who aren't, won't get the best results because they won't train with the same intensity. I wouldn't take it personally. You can unsubscribe from the e-mails. It's a shame that some people have been put off from trying SL 5x5 because of their view of him. It's a great program, IMO and great fun.
  • MrsK20141004
    MrsK20141004 Posts: 489 Member
    Wow. Quite a lot of negativity towards Mehdi on here....he never states that he developed the 5x5 method....Infact he clearly sats that Reg Park was more than likely it's creator. And he does supply a free detailed report. As for his "douchery", he's effectively a salesman and that's how it chooses to market it. Again, the e-mails are free and there's some good advice in them.He's quite hardcore because he's very serious about his training and thinks that those who aren't, won't get the best results because they won't train with the same intensity. I wouldn't take it personally. You can unsubscribe from the e-mails. It's a shame that some people have been put off from trying SL 5x5 because of their view of him. It's a great program, IMO and great fun.

    Exactly. Well put.

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