Stronglifts 5x5 - thoughts?

JDthe3rd
JDthe3rd Posts: 16 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
Just stumbled upon this workout today. I like the concept, but based on the spacing of the sets and the weekly routine, the program is designed to get strong, and nothing else... even though they advertise that you can get lean, lose weight, etc.

Anybody using this to lose weight? I need to drop about 25lbs and this is appealing to try since my schedule only allows me to go to the gym for a half hour per day and these workouts look like they can be completed within 30 minutes.

Here's the website if you're unfamiliar: www.stronglifts.com/5x5

Replies

  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    You lose weight by achieving a caloric deficit, regardless of weight training routine.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    ^^^That
    I use this routine to keep strong and it has completely re- compositioned my body.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
    ^^^ I second and third what Mycophilia said. I follow stronglifts to be strong , I eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight / fat.
  • FitnessFreak_69
    FitnessFreak_69 Posts: 5
    5X5 training is great for strength gains. What's unique about it is that your in the rep range for limit strength, but because you are doing 5 sets you have a good amount of time under tension. So you will actually see some mass come from this as well.

    ISSA certified Fitness trainer
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    JDthe3rd wrote: »
    Just stumbled upon this workout today. I like the concept, but based on the spacing of the sets and the weekly routine, the program is designed to get strong, and nothing else... even though they advertise that you can get lean, lose weight, etc.

    Anybody using this to lose weight? I need to drop about 25lbs and this is appealing to try since my schedule only allows me to go to the gym for a half hour per day and these workouts look like they can be completed within 30 minutes.

    Here's the website if you're unfamiliar: www.stronglifts.com/5x5

    Stronglifts is designed to get you stronger and add muscle. Followed as programmed I doubt you'd lose much weight at all, though you'd get much stronger.

    I found the squatting 3 times a week to be too much for me, but I'm a bit older (44)

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited January 2015
    JDthe3rd wrote: »
    Just stumbled upon this workout today. I like the concept, but based on the spacing of the sets and the weekly routine, the program is designed to get strong, and nothing else... even though they advertise that you can get lean, lose weight, etc.

    Anybody using this to lose weight? I need to drop about 25lbs and this is appealing to try since my schedule only allows me to go to the gym for a half hour per day and these workouts look like they can be completed within 30 minutes.

    Here's the website if you're unfamiliar: www.stronglifts.com/5x5

    Think of it this way, your nutrition is primary for managing your weight-loss goals and exercise will help augment the process. You can lose weight while doing this assuming your nutrition allows that to happen. Try to diet / lose weight on as many calories as possible, don't go for a drastic calorie restriction; start with 5% to 10% (max). Honestly, you may consider starting at maintenance and see how the strength training and any other cardio you do affects your weight loss and then go from there as your weight loss plateau's.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    bostonwolf wrote: »
    I found the squatting 3 times a week to be too much for me, but I'm a bit older (44)

    Ha, yes it can be for sure. There's nothing wrong with perhaps swapping one day for 2 or 3 sets of DB lunges because squatting can be rough on the joints. Follow a mobility program like Joe DeFranco's Agile 8 or Limber 11 and that will help a ton.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Strong lifts is a great program for strength and mass. And it does help with body composition if you’re eating well.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited January 2015
    It's a very popular program here...it's outstanding for gaining pure, raw strength. I personally had issues with the 5x5 format and recovery while dieting, but a lot of people do just fine.

    I did far better with a 3x5 format while I was dieting and do well with 5x5 in maintenance and surplus. That said, I still train in that rep range but I try to mix it up quite a bit too...going heavy every time out takes it's toll on my in general...but I'm also oldish.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    As already stated it is a good novice program which I myself am doing there is also starting strength, Ice Cream Fitness basically same with more accessory work Google it. And also as stated earlier you loose weight by a deficit which is achieved by consuming less calories than your body uses during the day. Which i am sure you know.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    edited January 2015
    +++ RE: "weight loss is from calorie deficit".

    And once you're out of the initial easy weights (usually within the first month, depending on the person), you're looking at something closer to 45 minutes to an hour once you factor in warm-up sets, recovery between your working weight sets, and racking / unracking / searching for the other &*%* plate / collar that some dumbass walked off with.
  • dinerroll
    dinerroll Posts: 12 Member
    hill8570 wrote: »
    you're looking at something closer to 45 minutes to an hour once you factor in warm-up sets, recovery between your working weight sets, and racking / unracking / searching for the other &*%* plate / collar that some dumbass walked off with.

    This. Unless I get to the gym at 5 in the morning, factoring in all the BS (waiting for a rack to be free) plus warming up and rest periods cause my similarly programmed workouts to take 60-90 mins. Then again, I'm at the 2/3/4 plate range on bench, squat, dead.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    I did Stronglifts for a while, and I definitely recommend it as a good starter program for newbs, but I got very, very bored after a while. Currently I'm doing Athlean X at home instead and seeing more progress.
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