Stronglifts 5x5 ~ super confused...

If you tap a circle twice on the app, it changes the number of reps recorded for that set. So the app thinks you couldn't finish all 5, and tells you to keep working on that weight. Check to see that all the circles have the number 5 as you tap them, if not keep tapping until it gets back to 5.

Whatever weight you start at is a good weight. I started out 2 weeks ago with only a 40 lb row, now I'm up to 60 lbs. Keep going and you'll see lots of improvements

forget and app!

choose a weight you can only just complete the 5 reps on the first set, all with good from. Start the sets, by the forth set you should be struggling to complete the 5th rep. If you are doing it right you should only just about be able to complete the 4th rep on the 5th set.

i would recommend 5x5 once per week per muscle group and increase the weight every time you train

^^^ this isn't how the programme they're doing works... it's a beginner's programme where it's necessary to start significantly lighter, i.e. not the heaviest weight you can manage, to work on form in the early stages, and also make consistent linear progress as you go through the programme. It's a full body programme, 3x a week, to make the best of "noob gains" - you do this programme for as long as you see consistent linear gains, then you switch to something designed for intermediate lifters.

OP:

start with the weights you have, if 30lb is the lightest weight you can manage to complete the reps then start even lighter to begin with. maybe start with just 25lb. This is because you're supposed to start with weights that are easy to handle to get the form right. the standard starting weights are for men, many women start lighter, especially if they've never done any kind of strength training before, and especially the upper body lifts. (but even men should start lighter than these weights if they don't currently have the strength to handle them well enough to learn correct form).

When you can do 5x5 on the lift with good form, the following workout you add 5lb. Even if you can do 5x5 with the weight, make sure your form is good before you start adding the weight. Once you've nailed the form, then every time you complete 5x5 you add more weight for the following workout that has that exercise. If you can't do 5x5 or if you can only do 5x5 with bad form, then use the same weight again at the following workout. If you use the same weight for 3 workouts in a row (other than at the very beginning when you're still learning form) you deload 10%... i.e. subtract 10% from the weight and use that one for the next workout and work your way up again. Also, even if you're just starting nothing wrong with deloading to help you get the form right. There's no such thing as starting too light, because once you've nailed the form, you're adding weight to the bar every workout until you reach a weight when you can no longer do 5x5.

You can consider adding only 2.5lb or even only 1-2lb per week for the upper body lifts, because if you're starting at low weights, e.g. 25lb or 30lb then 5lb is a 20% increase in the weight... so you succeed at 5x5 then the weight goes up 20% and that's too big a jump so you fail 3x and go down to a deload weight that's actually heavier than the last weight you succeeded at..........going up in smaller intervals gets over this problem. The important thing is to be adding weight to the bar every workout, unless you didn't make 5x5, and if you don't make the 5x5 three times in a row you deload 10%. There's info in the programme about what do do after the 3rd deload for each exercise.

The same applies for the upper body lifts if necessary, i.e. you don't have to add 10lb to the deadlift each time. You can add just 5lb. It depends on how well you're progressing... if you're doing fine adding 10lb each time then go for it, but if you're finding that the jump to the next weight is too big, then switch to adding 5lb each time. I mentioned the upper body lifts specifically because women tend to be weaker in the upper body compared to men, but in all aspects of lifting and whether you're male or female, you need to be working with weights that are appropriate to your current level of strength, and in this programme that means increasing the weight by an appropriate amount each time.

Don't be put off or discouraged by the low starting weights, 1. everyone starts somewhere and you'll be surprised at just how much stronger you can get and 2. your focus in the early days is on correct form, and you need light enough weights to handle easily for that and 3. the weight on the bar increases rapidly once you get going!

The 5x5 are your working sets. Generally there are a number of warm up sets before you get to the 5x5

So a body part routine will look something like this-:

2sets of 5reps with a light weight
1 set of 5 reps slightly heavier
1 x set of 3 reps slightly heavier again
1 set of two reps slightly heavier
Then 5 x5 of your working weight

So once you develop a bit of strength you should add the warm up sets, that will make the workouts substantially longer.

I haven't done this routine in its written form for sometime, but I think you start with 5x5 with just the bar and add the warm- up sets when you hit the 65lb mark or thereabouts. I am sure someone will correct me if I have it wrong but the info isn't that far off the mark