5x5 lifting questions plus activity?

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deup
deup Posts: 129 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hi i am thinkng about starting the 5x5 lifting, however, i am currently active in the rewired 9 week program through bodybuilding.com. i am wondering would it be safe to do both? and if not, stopping the one program to pick up the other would that also be safe?

my other questioon would be activity level.. i sit for most of the day but i spend 1-1 1/2 hours in the gym and 1 hour doing other stuff. would i still be under sedatary level or lightly active?

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  • watto1980
    watto1980 Posts: 155 Member
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    Take a look at stronglifts 5x5 or ICF 5x5. You don't want to be doing any other lifting routine while doing either of these. It would be safe to switch and more beneficial to do a full body routine as a beginner, rather than a body part split.

    As for the MFP settings - I have no idea!
  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
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    If you're logging your exercise but your job is sedentary, then you leave the settings on sedentary. If you don't want to bother with adding in your exercise use one of the many online calculators to figure out your TDEE and just manually input that minus whatever deficit/surplus you're looking for into MFP.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
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    Take this as my opinion only. But I would get off that 9 week program immediately. I looked at it briefly and its a bodybuilding, super low frequency program that is useless except for making you sore every week. No structure in adding weight, no frequency on the major muscle groups to speak of, and you don't squat on leg day or deadlift on back day??? :'( It's not even a good bodybuilding program.

    @watto1980 mentioned 2 good 5x5 ones, but there are others as well. Just really depends on what your goals are. In regards to your activity level, since you have a deskjob, I would count it as sedentary unless you find yourself losing (on average...not a one time blip/anomaly) more than .5-1% bodyweight weekly (this is the sweetspot of weightloss to maximize fat loss and maximize muscle retention). Then you could bump it up one to up your calories some.

    If you are trying to lose some weight, then a good strength program (like ones mentioned) is the way to go to maximize muscle retention and maybe even grow a little if you are a newbie.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited January 2015
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    From what I could tell of the rewired program, you're hitting each body part once a week, which is pretty inefficient for a beginner, assuming you are a beginner. I'd get off that program... but if you really wanted to stick with it, it probably wouldn't impact you all that much, especially if you start your 5x5 program with really light weights, as most suggest. In this case, you'll be done with the rewired program before the 5x5 programmed weight got very heavy. Though, I'm making some assumptions about ability here, so you might have to feel it out as you go.

    Ultimately, I suggest you pick a routine and stick with it. Flip flopping will put you on the fast track for a whole lot of wheel spinning.

    As for activity level... It's largely trial and error. Pick a reasonable setting, go conservative if you aren't sure, and try it for a month or so. If your expected results are close to your actual results, then keep going as is. If not, then make a small change and go for another month, then re-evaluate.

    .
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Also, if you are picking a beginning program, keep in mind the gym time requirements. If you're used to lifting for 1.5 hours (not sure if you also cardio during gym time), strong lifts will be very short; I can do it in 30 minutes when the weight is low. I believe ICF has more accessory work and so will take longer in the gym (I think the blog post regarding it says it takes about an hour).

    I love the short, simple program, so I ran strong lifts, but definitely something to consider when you select a program.
  • deup
    deup Posts: 129 Member
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    thank you everyone for all the great advice.
    the rewired i have done good with staying on track, whats making me wonder if its good enough is thta i not increased any weight since i started it 6 weeks ago.
    bench 50
    squat 50
    and i am sore usually every day depending on what workout i am doing. so i been thinking it may not be the best for me.. and yes i am a newbie when it comes to weights and still losing weight *lots*.
    currently spending 1 hour plus at the gym and shortening it up slightly would be godly lol.

    i am tryign to stick with a program, but without much help va trainer or what not i am experimenting on whats best for me. Trainers not available where i live :(

    my current goals are to still loss weight current 210, goal 170 however i know if i grow dence muscle i will weight more. but wil have less fat.
    i would like to when i hit my goal to already be on my way to toneing and shapeing, with some noticed bulk.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Are you using weight machines? And if you are using a barbell, is that the bar+5lbs (total of 50lbs) or the bar+50lbs?

    I really enjoy stronglifts and it has a clear linear progression. Adding 5lbs every time you do an exercise can sound difficult, but I often surprise myself. As for form, I also did not use a trainer (I saw trainers teaching improper form, so it seemed like a waste of time), so I watched a lot of videos on youtube. Mark Rippetoe is a great resourch, and there are a lot of others. You can also video yourself and post for critique and pointers.
  • deup
    deup Posts: 129 Member
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    free weights, bar plus 25's on each side. so bar + 50 lbs.
    yeah form i been much better at since i started. but for programs i am hit and missing to what i would like to progress to. i think ideas trainers could help me with but since non available it's a hit and miss. and i think the rewired is a miss :(
  • klwells08
    klwells08 Posts: 158 Member
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    So, first, your bench and squat are 95 pounds, assuming you are using a regular barbell. Take credit for those other 45 pounds!

    You have received good advice here and I just wanted to give some more love to Stronglifts. It is a simple program to follow and I've seen encouraging progression with it.
  • Th3Ph03n1x
    Th3Ph03n1x Posts: 275 Member
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    klwells08 wrote: »
    So, first, your bench and squat are 95 pounds, assuming you are using a regular barbell. Take credit for those other 45 pounds!

    You have received good advice here and I just wanted to give some more love to Stronglifts. It is a simple program to follow and I've seen encouraging progression with it.

    Third the love for Stronglifts. I just started it and I actually look forward to workout day. You would have to know me to really get the full implication of that but there it is.
  • xMrBunglex
    xMrBunglex Posts: 1,121 Member
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    Damn, I saw 5x5 & immediately thought "Average or OPS?"

    I am so ready for baseball season

  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    deup wrote: »
    hi i am thinkng about starting the 5x5 lifting, however, i am currently active in the rewired 9 week program through bodybuilding.com. i am wondering would it be safe to do both? and if not, stopping the one program to pick up the other would that also be safe?

    my other questioon would be activity level.. i sit for most of the day but i spend 1-1 1/2 hours in the gym and 1 hour doing other stuff. would i still be under sedatary level or lightly active?

    You aren't going to be doing 5x5 with anything else, it's a very intense workout. I'd wrap up your 9 week program then jump in.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    Also, if you are picking a beginning program, keep in mind the gym time requirements. If you're used to lifting for 1.5 hours (not sure if you also cardio during gym time), strong lifts will be very short; I can do it in 30 minutes when the weight is low. I believe ICF has more accessory work and so will take longer in the gym (I think the blog post regarding it says it takes about an hour).

    I love the short, simple program, so I ran strong lifts, but definitely something to consider when you select a program.

    ICF takes 1-1.5hours.
    I've dropped most of the 5x5 to 3x5 and still takes me an hour (I dropped due to time and my running).
    But I prefer ICF to SL because of the accessory work
  • deup
    deup Posts: 129 Member
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    thanks guys i will be making the switch just need to figure out if icf is what i want or just the basic..
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    Rewired might be a good body-building type program, but it looks like a rather poor strength program. I would recommend something like Starting Strength or StrongLifts and just add chin-ups, dips, back raises, and light Core work.
  • BklynFitGuy
    BklynFitGuy Posts: 712 Member
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    Going to be starting Stronglifts myself. I'm a newbie and it definitely seems like a good full body starting routine.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    deup wrote: »
    thanks guys i will be making the switch just need to figure out if icf is what i want or just the basic..

    FWIW, for a relative beginner, I'd recommend going with the basics -- either Stronglifts or Starting Strength, and move on to accessory work when you start stalling out on a regular basis (both programs have accessory additions when need be). Until then, accessories are just distractions from getting good at the basics.

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