Stronglifts 5x5 results... really that good?

My husband and I have been doing it for about 4 weeks now and it is going really well. I have lost a good bit of weight before this but no one really said much until i started this program and I now have people commenting almost daily. The SL isn't so much about looks but more about strength. We are now getting into heavier weights and starting to be more challenged I feel. We also took measurements to monitor progress. While I am trying to loose weight my hubby is trying to gain so we are watching two ends of the spectrum. We did a lot of research and found tons of good reviews of this program. It is good for beginners and usually produces great results. I went to google images and searched 5x5 Stronglifts results and found a lot of before and after pictures.

Good luck!

Yes. It's an extremely good program. But the clue is in the title. It's called strong-lifts, not sixpack lifts.
'Looking good' might be a lovely side effect, but it's not the goal.

There's a very free app to use on your phone too. It's a solid, simple program to follow for lifting noobs and former slobs like me. I've been doing the program since July and although I don't think I look drastically different, I FEEL very different. My back feels... muscular? My thighs are solid. My *kitten* is a rock. I've almost developed an actual manly looking chest. My biceps probably are bigger. I have a road map of veins on my forearms. A random student saw me in the hall and asked if I was working out. So yeah, it works.

That being said, I don't want to say that there are "issues" with it, but here are some things to consider if you decide to follow it:

- Equipment! You WILL be spending money. Join a gym with a power rack and olympic weights or spend a small fortune for home equipment. You could get lucky on craigslist, garage sales, whatever, but you could be spending $600 to do this program at home.
- Weights get heavy fast. Be careful.
- Research, research, research. Form is more important than lifting heavy. I've spent a lot of free time watching youtube videos of men squat. Take that as you will. Spend the time reading the site. Almost every time I lift, I read a little more - from info on grips to buying the right shoes to changing my diet.

I did Stronglifts for a few months then moved into the Madcow 5x5 version and made lots of good progress. http://stronglifts.com/madcow-5x5-training-programs/ I highly recommend 5x5.

I've been on it for about 2 years. I've actually gained about 5 lbs but lost tons of fat and gained tons of muscle.

Before 5'9" 180 lbs with 22% body fat.
Currently 5'9" 185 lbs with 10% body fat.

Believe me when I say that you will not make good progress without a solid diet. I worked out for years making little to no progress because I didn't have my diet right, I just ate whatever I felt like. Once I got dedicated on my diet I started making amazing progress. Lifting is easy, diet is the hard part. You might have to try a few different diets to figure out what works for you. I found that the Intermittent Fasting Diet worked best for me. It's complicated, learn more here: http://www.leangains.com

I work out 3 days per week for 30-45 minutes per day and I never do cardio or any exercise not on the 5x5 plan. For me it's the best workout strategy. I don't have time to spend doing hours of exercise. It works for me. I like what I see when I look in the mirror and I feel very strong.

When I started 5x5:
Squat 5x200
Bench 5x155
Deadlift 5x215

Current PR's
Squat 1x345 / 5x305
Bench 1x265 / 5x235
Deadlift 1x 390 / 5x345

To add to what the guy above said about equipment. Get a good weight lifting belt. I don't use gloves, I use chalk. I didn't buy weight lifting shoes, I lift barefoot or in my socks if it's cold.

Edit: spelling.

Just saying thank you to the experienced people for the feedback. I am starting stronglifts 5x5 to recapture strength beyond bodyweight resistance. It is good to validate that is the purpose of the program. My ultimate goal to is cycle long and hard, but I can't do that if I can't push the pedals, esp. up the many hills.

I eat 2.5 to 3 grams of protein per KG of bodyweight per day. 30-40 grams of fat per day, ~80 grams of carbs on off days and ~200 grams of carbs per day on workout days. That way I have energy for workouts. I eat more carbs BEFORE I work out, not after.

It works out to be about +20% maintenance calories on workout days and -20% maintenance calories on off days.

I believe that balancing the macros (protein, fat, and carbs) is what really gave me the best results.

Once I got dedicated on my diet I started making amazing progress. Lifting is easy, diet is the hard part. You might have to try a few different diets to figure out what works for you. I found that the Intermittent Fasting Diet worked best for me. It's complicated, learn more here: http://www.leangains.com

Could you give more details? I'm wondering since I think that this is the part that I am struggling with.

I personally follow IIFYM so I set my macros based on body weight...0.8grams of protien per lb of bodyweight, or 1 gram per lb of LBM, 0.35 grams of fat per Lb of LBM and the rest carbs.

When I was starting my lifts I was such a noob with the nutrition and it wasn't until I hit goal weight and started adding in carbs that I realized how important they were for the lifts...it is not just food in general...but that comes into play as well. If you are trying to lose fat you will find lifts do fail at some point.

Often times once you stall out and you are still trying to lose fat you have to make a choice...do you want to lose fat (stay in a deficit) and accept that your lifts won't get as heavy as maybe you would like or....

Do you want your lifts to be priority and fat loss 2nd....in which case you up your deficit to something smaller (losing weight slower) or go to maitenance and stop weight loss...

and depending on where you are in relation to your goal that is a personal choice.

I chose goal weight and when I hit maitenance saw some great gains in my lifts, now at a deficit again (not big but about 10-15%) I know I won't be making big strength gains...and I am okay with that still.

So here's my progress...Picture on left was me at my heaviest, middle was after losing close to 50 lbs doing mostly cardio, right picture was 9 weeks into stronglifts. There's only a 3 lb difference between the 2nd/3rd picture.

SL5x5 results after 1 12 week session - never lifted weights before in my life other than p90x, but no "heavy" weights...nothing over 10-20 lb dumbells usually.
Squat - 60# => 365# (1RM)
DL - 135# => 385# (1RM)
BP - 70# => 235# (1RM)
OP - 85# => 130# (working weight)
Row - 85# => 185# (working weight)

I also did weighted pull-ups 185# bodyweight + 35# hanging => 182# bodyweight + 75# hanging

I think it's a great program and can't wait to start my second round on Monday. Hoping to get into the "1,000 lb club" before Christmas with the three power-lifting moves!

NICE!!!! Great job man.

OP, a friend of mine squatted 565lbs at a powerlifting meet using only stronglifts 5x5

Depending on how seasoned you are I guess. The design of the routine will cater more towards building strength. It's not really designed for bulking/toning or burning significant calories.


EDIT: I say depending on how seasoned because the program is designed around doing compound movements. Movements that can be complex and potentially dangerous to someone that is new to lifting.

Stronglifts 5x5 is actually designed FOR beginners with no experience. That kind of periodization would not work for an intermediate or advanced lifter.

Ive heard wonders about this routin but i would like to hear your experiencies with it and if is possible to see before/after pictures!
Greetings!

what results are you looking for? It is an awesome beginners strength routine and you make good linear strength gains...it is very similar to Starting Strength, Bill Starr's program, etc. This kind of lifting has been around for ages and is nothing new.

It is a strength program...it is not a hypertrophy program or a muscular endurance program or a weight loss program. That's not to say that you can't gain size from the program...but that's not the primary emphasis of the program...it's not to say that you can't lose weight on the program...but that's going to be largely about your diet, not your lifting routine.

I did Starting Strength which, as I mentioned, is very similar. I found it to be a great program for building an awesome foundation of strength. I now do more of a hybrid, general fitness routine which allows me to lift "heavy" (in the strength rep range) as well as doing some assistance lifts in the hypertrophy range and some exercises in the muscular endurance rep range. I also have included more explosive exercises into my current routine like box jumps, kettle bell swings, weighted squat jumps, etc. All that said, you really can't go wrong getting into the game with Stronglifts or Starting Strength.

So here's my progress...Picture on left was me at my heaviest, middle was after losing close to 50 lbs doing mostly cardio, right picture was 9 weeks into stronglifts. There's only a 3 lb difference between the 2nd/3rd picture.

SL5x5 results after 1 12 week session - never lifted weights before in my life other than p90x, but no "heavy" weights...nothing over 10-20 lb dumbells usually.
Squat - 60# => 365# (1RM)
DL - 135# => 385# (1RM)
BP - 70# => 235# (1RM)
OP - 85# => 130# (working weight)
Row - 85# => 185# (working weight)

I also did weighted pull-ups 185# bodyweight + 35# hanging => 182# bodyweight + 75# hanging

I think it's a great program and can't wait to start my second round on Monday. Hoping to get into the "1,000 lb club" before Christmas with the three power-lifting moves!

NICE!!!! Great job man.

OP, a friend of mine squatted 565lbs at a powerlifting meet using only stronglifts 5x5

Thanks! 565 squat is sick. How long did it take him to get to that and at what BW did he compete? My last working weight in the program was 280#. According to the 1RM calculators my max should have been around 315-325. I tried for my max 3 times 315, 345 and then finally 365. If I would have started at a higher weight I think I might have been able to do 385 on the squat. Lessons learned I guess. I've also been doing the whole program on a slight (5-10%) cut.

I'm not sure how long he used it before the meet but he was a super heavyweight.