Stronglifts 5x5 not for beginner females?

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  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    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
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    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
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    Your friend doesn't know what they are talking about. Do stronglifts 5x5 and profit.
  • christiann03
    christiann03 Posts: 4 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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: 58 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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?
  • iRun_Butterfly
    iRun_Butterfly Posts: 483 Member
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    As noted, your friend is misinformed.

    I started SL 5x5 in mid March, a total lifting noob and totally freaked out by the weight room. Best decision I ever made as far as my fitness goes. This is a great beginner program as it is not overly complicated, and if you stick with it you will see results in both your body composition and strength. Learn form (I'm still working on this 5 months later) and progress slowly. I've found that I cannot always progress by the recommended weight, and honestly, I don't mind. I progress as I feel I'm able.

    Stats
    Squat 45lb to 100lb
    BP 45lb to 80lbs
    Row 45lb to 85lbs
    Dead Lift 95lb to 165lb
    Over head press 45lb to 60lb (this one frustrates me so bad)

    As far as warm up goes, I do a little cardio to start, depending on how I feel. Then will do warm up lifts with just the bar to get my body used to the motion and loosened up a bit.
  • Cheeseburger85
    Cheeseburger85 Posts: 63 Member
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    SL is a great beginner program. Your friend shouldn't be giving advice.
    A lot of personal trainers also say it isn't a good beginner program. I personally believe they have alterier motives. They don't get paid if you just use a free lifting program available on the internet.
  • 1911JR
    1911JR Posts: 276
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    My money says, the percentages of people (male or female) sticking with lifting, after STARTING with 5x5 strong lifts will be extremely low. That is, if you going heavy enough where you are fighting rep number 5! Most will be so sore out of the gate, they will be done with it.

    Its bad advise telling a beginner to push that hard. Learn how to lift and develop form and control first.

    The 5 core exercises are exactly what you need. BUT, do more reps. And cycle your workouts based on your recovery and the way you feel, and not what day it is.

    My advise is, learn to have fun with it vs trying to 5 rep "kill it" out of the gate.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    My money says, the percentages of people (male or female) sticking with lifting, after STARTING with 5x5 strong lifts will be extremely low. That is, if you going heavy enough where you are fighting rep number 5! Most will be so sore out of the gate, they will be done with it.

    Its bad advise telling a beginner to push that hard. Learn how to lift and develop form and control first.

    The 5 core exercises are exactly what you need. BUT, do more reps. And cycle your workouts based on your recovery and the way you feel, and not what day it is.

    My advise is, learn to have fun with it vs trying to 5 rep "kill it" out of the gate.

    Usually more reps is what leads to soreness.....
    Where as the 3 - 5 rep range should not result in a lot of DOMS.....

    Except for newbies....where doing the exercises for the first time will be sore regardless of reps
  • christiann03
    christiann03 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks! Just downloaded it.
  • salemsaberhagen
    salemsaberhagen Posts: 54 Member
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    Reiterate what others of stated- Stronglifts 5x5 is perfect for a beginner; start with no weight on the bar, focus on learning the movements, then add weight to it. I recommend adding 5 pound total increments (2.5 lbs per side). It will keep you going longer.
    No you won't bulk up and you will not look like a man- as others have stated, you will look slimmer due to building compact muscle (myofibilar hypertrophy). 5x5 is not a sarcoplasmic hypertrophy program.

    For learning the compound movements, I recommend the book Starting Strength (and the DVD). Also, please check out Omar Isuf's youtube channel- he has some great vids on technique.
    Have fun! You will shoot up real fast and gain some terrific strength (and NOT mass).
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
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    Stronglifts is great for beginners. That's what did and am still doing. Don't listen to your friend lol.
  • Cheeseburger85
    Cheeseburger85 Posts: 63 Member
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    My money says, the percentages of people (male or female) sticking with lifting, after STARTING with 5x5 strong lifts will be extremely low. That is, if you going heavy enough where you are fighting rep number 5! Most will be so sore out of the gate, they will be done with it.

    Its bad advise telling a beginner to push that hard. Learn how to lift and develop form and control first.

    The 5 core exercises are exactly what you need. BUT, do more reps. And cycle your workouts based on your recovery and the way you feel, and not what day it is.

    My advise is, learn to have fun with it vs trying to 5 rep "kill it" out of the gate.

    I disagree, I have had some of my worst DOMS from high rep exercises (just me, obviously it will depend on the person).

    I do however completely agree that a beginner should focus on developing form and control first and start at a lower managable weight.

    The SL program has a very reasonably weight progression for each exercise. So by starting low the beginner will get stronger at a reasonable rate and reduce the risk of injury.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
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    My money says, the percentages of people (male or female) sticking with lifting, after STARTING with 5x5 strong lifts will be extremely low. That is, if you going heavy enough where you are fighting rep number 5! Most will be so sore out of the gate, they will be done with it.

    Its bad advise telling a beginner to push that hard. Learn how to lift and develop form and control first.

    The 5 core exercises are exactly what you need. BUT, do more reps. And cycle your workouts based on your recovery and the way you feel, and not what day it is.

    My advise is, learn to have fun with it vs trying to 5 rep "kill it" out of the gate.

    Usually more reps is what leads to soreness.....
    Where as the 3 - 5 rep range should not result in a lot of DOMS.....

    Except for newbies....where doing the exercises for the first time will be sore regardless of reps

    Yeah I only had DOMS the first week or so maybe. You don't "kill it" out of the gate with an empty bar. I carried groceries heavier than that.
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
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    My money says, the percentages of people (male or female) sticking with lifting, after STARTING with 5x5 strong lifts will be extremely low. That is, if you going heavy enough where you are fighting rep number 5! Most will be so sore out of the gate, they will be done with it.

    Its bad advise telling a beginner to push that hard. Learn how to lift and develop form and control first.

    The 5 core exercises are exactly what you need. BUT, do more reps. And cycle your workouts based on your recovery and the way you feel, and not what day it is.

    My advise is, learn to have fun with it vs trying to 5 rep "kill it" out of the gate.

    SL 5x5 starts with just the bar to ensure correct form is learnt before the weight is increased. Very few people will be too sore at the outset from this to just quit.

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