Stronglifts 5x5 not for beginner females?

Rachifloon
Rachifloon Posts: 129 Member
edited November 7 in Fitness and Exercise
I'll finally be in a position where I can join a gym next month and am hoping to start weights but I'm still a little confused about some things... I was looking into the Stronglifts 5x5 program and was planning to start that but was told by a friend who's been lifting for a couple of years that SL is the wrong program for a female beginner like myself** and should just focus more on smaller weight ("5lb dumbbells in each hand") exercises, which leaves me a bit disheartened... He didn't offer an alternative program so, asking here, are there any programs out there better suited to a beginner or was he just talking a load of crock?

I'm also confused of how I should warm up before weights as I do not want to injure myself, which I can imagine is far easier with weights than just bodyweight exercises.

Any help from anyone would be much appreciated!

**For a bit of background, my current exercise has been a mix of beginners/moderate level pilates and light cardio which has given some strength in my legs and core, but upper body strength is still fairly non-existent, I think.
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Replies

  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I think SL 5x5 is a great program for beginners...male or female.

    Do it and good luck,
    Take the time to learn techniques and get form right.

    As far as warming up goes....
    You can do light cardio for a few min....
    or
    Just go through the various exercises of StrongLifts, with very little/light weight....
    Just to take your body/joints through the various range of motions......
  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
    Can't answer your question but am anxious to see what is said. I got a similar response when I asked a friend with a weight room, if he would help me, spot me, correct my form etc to see where I might be at to start.
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I started with SL 5x5, no injuries and I have been doing it consistently for more than half a year. Start at low weights and increase when you feel comfortable and you are confident in your form. Focus on form, not increasing weights. As long as your form is good then you will be fine.
    There is a stronglifts 5x5 group as well. Super helpful.

    ETA the link to the Stronglifts womens group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women
  • skippygirlsmom
    skippygirlsmom Posts: 4,433 Member
    I started with Stronglifts too, the only negative comment I got was from my stepson who said "you know you'll get bulky because it's heavy weight and low reps". Funny in 6 weeks I've lost lots of inches and can't seem to find that "bulky" anywhere. You'll love the program, like Llamapants86 mention focus on form, not increasing the weight.

    Enjoy!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I started with SL 5x5, no injuries and I have been doing it consistently for more than half a year. Start at low weights and increase when you feel comfortable and you are confident in your form. Focus on form, not increasing weights. As long as your form is good then you will be fine.
    There is a stronglifts 5x5 group as well. Super helpful.

    ETA the link to the Stronglifts womens group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    This I started it almost a year ago...stuck with it consistently to the point I am squatting 180lbs...I started at 60lbs...and I weigh 150.

    Your friend is mis-informed...there I said that nicely enough.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
    Someone else just said that a trainer friend said to start with a beginner program. Makes me mad, SL is a beginner program. You start with very manageable weights and work up at a good pace. If you use the app on your smart phone it makes it almost completely thought free. All you have to concentrate on is putting down and picking up heavy things.

    I started the last week of April:
    Squats-45lbs to 160lbs
    OHP-45lbs to 80lbs
    Bench-45lbs to 105lbs
    Row-65lbs to 105lbs
    Deadlift-95lbs to 175lbs
  • driii123
    driii123 Posts: 39 Member
    I also went from cardio workout videos to SL5x5 and found it wonderful. I will be starting again after I have my baby in a few months. Good luck!
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    Your friend doesn't know what they are talking about. Do stronglifts 5x5 and profit.
  • elgray26
    elgray26 Posts: 212 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women.
    Its a book and has a workout program.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Someone else just said that a trainer friend said to start with a beginner program. Makes me mad, SL is a beginner program. You start with very manageable weights and work up at a good pace. If you use the app on your smart phone it makes it almost completely thought free. All you have to concentrate on is putting down and picking up heavy things.

    I started the last week of April:
    Squats-45lbs to 160lbs
    OHP-45lbs to 80lbs
    Bench-45lbs to 105lbs
    Row-65lbs to 105lbs
    Deadlift-95lbs to 175lbs

    Nice bum :love: :love: :love:
    Keep doing your squats....as I want to continue to admire the view.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    I don't think he's right at all.

    I started too, as suggested, with empty bar, no friends to help me, all solo. I'm still doing it, since technically I'm a newbie, even though I've been giving this a go for the last 7 months or so.

    Don't go into something thinking you will get hurt. Listen to your body, contract your abs, squeeze your butt, watch your form and do it, grrl!

    Lofteren was right, listen to him.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    I started with SL 5x5, no injuries and I have been doing it consistently for more than half a year. Start at low weights and increase when you feel comfortable and you are confident in your form. Focus on form, not increasing weights. As long as your form is good then you will be fine.
    There is a stronglifts 5x5 group as well. Super helpful.

    ETA the link to the Stronglifts womens group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    ESSACKLY!
  • hig17
    hig17 Posts: 159 Member
    . If you use the app on your smart phone it makes it almost completely thought free.


    How did I not know that there was an app for your smartphone, downloading this immediately!
  • CindyRip
    CindyRip Posts: 166 Member
    I do not see a problem with SL 5x5, but if you are worried you could check out these 2 books to learn a little more about women lifting. Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training for Women by Mark Vella ~~ The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler M.S., Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove
  • rachface1234
    rachface1234 Posts: 227 Member
    Beginner here, a few months into the program (with a week or two of f'in around), feels amazing, only strength training I've ever stuck to and enjoy doing, ignore the unintelligent advice you were given, get out there, and be awesome! Listen to all these strong ladies above you, and look into success "female lifting" threads on mfp, you will be so inspired you'll want to start and never look back! :tongue:
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    Someone else just said that a trainer friend said to start with a beginner program. Makes me mad, SL is a beginner program. You start with very manageable weights and work up at a good pace. If you use the app on your smart phone it makes it almost completely thought free. All you have to concentrate on is putting down and picking up heavy things.

    I started the last week of April:
    Squats-45lbs to 160lbs
    OHP-45lbs to 80lbs
    Bench-45lbs to 105lbs
    Row-65lbs to 105lbs
    Deadlift-95lbs to 175lbs

    I have a question....do you do ONE set of deadlifts, as recommended? I was doing 5 sets until I read it again and saw my mistake.
  • nopotofgold
    nopotofgold Posts: 164 Member
    I started with Stronglifts too, the only negative comment I got was from my stepson who said "you know you'll get bulky because it's heavy weight and low reps". Funny in 6 weeks I've lost lots of inches and can't seem to find that "bulky" anywhere. You'll love the program, like Llamapants86 mention focus on form, not increasing the weight.

    Enjoy!
    You can't bulk like a guy. You have estrogen as your main chemical. Thats what a lot of guys and even girls don't understand when it come to weights. Just like if you are a younger female (Before the change happens) your bone will dense faster than males would because of said chemical. So make sure you have enough calcium and vit D.
  • workout_ninja
    workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
    ive been doing stronglifts 5x5 as I am a beginner, but to be honest, Im really struggling, the weight is added so quickly that I am really struggling to keep up with it and its suddenly extremely hard, extremely quickly. I have spoken to my gym and the instructor is going to give me another programme to follow. I specified I wanted to use free weights and lift heavier weights. Stronglifts 5x5 just got too heavy, too quickly
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    I started with SL. Your friend is a tad clueless and I would not listen to him.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    I started with SL. Your friend is a tad clueless and I would not listen to him.

    nice gunzzz
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Someone else just said that a trainer friend said to start with a beginner program. Makes me mad, SL is a beginner program. You start with very manageable weights and work up at a good pace. If you use the app on your smart phone it makes it almost completely thought free. All you have to concentrate on is putting down and picking up heavy things.

    I started the last week of April:
    Squats-45lbs to 160lbs
    OHP-45lbs to 80lbs
    Bench-45lbs to 105lbs
    Row-65lbs to 105lbs
    Deadlift-95lbs to 175lbs

    I have a question....do you do ONE set of deadlifts, as recommended? I was doing 5 sets until I read it again and saw my mistake.

    Should only do one set at the "working weight" but warm up doing a few sets with much lighter weights.
  • rachface1234
    rachface1234 Posts: 227 Member
    If the weights are added too quickly either invest in smaller plates or stick to the same weight until you can do all 5 rounds of 5 reps and then move up. Its part of the game ;) At a certain point your lifts look more like 5,4,4,3,1 or whatever and it means you need to add in more rest, try again, and just repeat that weight. The program gives you advice on when to deload when you have more then three rounds of failures and then you go back up again. I deloaded when I took a week and a half off because it didn't feel right, progressing again, no big deal.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    Your friend doesn't know what they are talking about. Do stronglifts 5x5 and profit.
  • christiann03
    christiann03 Posts: 4 Member
    Is there an APP or something that can show me the lifts and weights for Stronglift 5x5. I have plateaued and think it's mainly because my only form of exercise is cardio. I desperately want to get some tone and definition but am intimidated in a gym or elsewhere because of my lack of upper body strength.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Is there an APP or something that can show me the lifts and weights for Stronglift 5x5. I have plateaued and think it's mainly because my only form of exercise is cardio. I desperately want to get some tone and definition but am intimidated in a gym or elsewhere because of my lack of upper body strength.

    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
  • dpandori
    dpandori Posts: 19 Member
    I think SL 5x5 is a great program for beginners...male or female.

    Do it and good luck,
    Take the time to learn techniques and get form right.

    As far as warming up goes....
    You can do light cardio for a few min....
    or
    Just go through the various exercises of StrongLifts, with very little/light weight....
    Just to take your body/joints through the various range of motions......

    ^^^^ This. If you look on the StrongLifts site (http://stronglifts.com/) there is advice there for warming up as well.
  • sarvalfon
    sarvalfon Posts: 53 Member
    Your friend doesn't know what they are talking about. Do stronglifts 5x5 and profit.

    This is my sentiment, exactly. 5x5 is a great training program. Go nuts. Lift heavy.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
    I have a question....do you do ONE set of deadlifts, as recommended? I was doing 5 sets until I read it again and saw my mistake.

    Yep, just one set. Plus my warmup sets.
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
    SL is a beginner program as others have said. Your friend is misinformed but don't worry, the trainer at the gym I joined 3 weeks ago said the same thing to me ("its an advanced program, I'll design you something better"). This was after I'd shown him my notebook with the exercises because he'd never even heard of it before...
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Your friend doesn't know what they are talking about. Do stronglifts 5x5 and profit.

    secondededededed

    Friend is an idiot.

    lift.
    be fabulous
    .
    Huge profits?
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