can stronglift be reduced to 3x5?

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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Reefboy1980 wrote: »
    Must admit haven't read the whole thread just wanted to throw my SL5x5 experience into the mix

    Ah, ok. There it is.
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    Reefboy1980 wrote: »
    It is but you could super set some of exercises to reduce time
    Imo it's far superior to SL

    While I agree ICF is "better" than SL (I like it a lot more than SL).
    I already addressed this with you and had you read the thread, you would have realized that the OP is a reluctant lifter already and doesn't like the time suck of SL. Even with supersetting ICF, it's still going to take more time than SL. And you'll be the DB in the gym taking over a lot of equipment.
  • Reefboy1980
    Reefboy1980 Posts: 133 Member
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    Just wanted to throw my SL experience into the mix
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    Reefboy1980 wrote: »
    Just wanted to throw my SL experience into the mix
    That's fine but you really should read the thread first.
  • Reefboy1980
    Reefboy1980 Posts: 133 Member
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    Yeah sorry guys, I should have read the whole thread. I was reading but when using a mobile I must of skipped out page 2
  • neaneacc
    neaneacc Posts: 224 Member
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    I think it is possible to gain strength at 3 to 5 reps, but you would need really focus on making both form and weight. To ensure that you are working hard enough that last set should be a struggle. I think that it might be more realistic to due 3 x 5 to 7 reps with adding cardio between sets. The easy way to do this is to add jumping jacks, mountain climbers or any jumping type motion to really amp up your heart rate.

    I hope this helps.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
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    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Robbnva wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Robbnva wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Do you want to maintain your current strength levels?

    Basically yes. I don't care how much I can press, or squat, or even deadlift. Being fat all my life. I just want to be a healthy weight, close to the bmi range as I can (my range is unobtainable IMO)

    Then I would say go ahead and try the P90x or other alternatives that you mentioned or a different lifting program (like the All Pro's I mentioned above.) For me, right now, I am at a spot where my main focus is losing fat. Eventually, I want to build muscle and I'd like to gain strength but I'm at the point where, as long as I am eating in a deficit, my strength is pretty much just going nowhere. So I'm lifting to maintain right now and I am perfectly fine with that and it sounds like you are the same. Your goals and focus may change down the road, when you are at or closer to your ideal weight/weight range. That is completely normal and to be expected. Any of those programs will be fine for you for your current focus.

    Yeah once I'm in maintenance phase, ill worry about building strength, all I know is I'll never want to be one of those guys who live to lift and has huge muscles. Nothing wrong with those guys, just isn't me.

    Thanks
    With your plan, you'll ensure you have very little in the way of muscle, so then with that in mind.

    You have a good plan. Keep it up, consistency is key.

    @Robbnva, the poster is in timeout so he's got bars across his profile pic in the forums. There is a bug in the app/mobile version where the bars cover the entire post.
    If you use the desktop version, you can read what dbmata said.
    it's a known issue with MFP.

    I've quoted the post here for you.

    LMAO
  • Ilikelamps
    Ilikelamps Posts: 482 Member
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    DopeItUp wrote: »
    SL is specifically designed to go down to 3x5 and then 1x5 as you progress. So yes, 3x5 is fine assuming intensity is there. Worst case, progress may be slower. Not the end of the world.

    yeah^...also, starting strength is 3x5..Progress may even be quicker in terms of weight because you may be able to add weight quicker while only doing 3 sets.
  • Robbnva
    Robbnva Posts: 590 Member
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    Ilikelamps wrote: »
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    SL is specifically designed to go down to 3x5 and then 1x5 as you progress. So yes, 3x5 is fine assuming intensity is there. Worst case, progress may be slower. Not the end of the world.

    yeah^...also, starting strength is 3x5..Progress may even be quicker in terms of weight because you may be able to add weight quicker while only doing 3 sets.

    But SS is slightly different right?
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
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    Robbnva wrote: »
    Ilikelamps wrote: »
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    SL is specifically designed to go down to 3x5 and then 1x5 as you progress. So yes, 3x5 is fine assuming intensity is there. Worst case, progress may be slower. Not the end of the world.

    yeah^...also, starting strength is 3x5..Progress may even be quicker in terms of weight because you may be able to add weight quicker while only doing 3 sets.

    But SS is slightly different right?

    It is.
    I believe it has cleans?
    I'm not as familiar with the program as I should be.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Robbnva wrote: »
    Ilikelamps wrote: »
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    SL is specifically designed to go down to 3x5 and then 1x5 as you progress. So yes, 3x5 is fine assuming intensity is there. Worst case, progress may be slower. Not the end of the world.

    yeah^...also, starting strength is 3x5..Progress may even be quicker in terms of weight because you may be able to add weight quicker while only doing 3 sets.

    But SS is slightly different right?
    Different program, but very similar (I believe the big difference is cleans instead of OHP?). The overall point being 3x5 is fine...
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
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    Robbnva wrote: »
    Yeah I get that but how do you find the right balance? I'm fine lifting weights if I can still lose weight. I was getting up at 4:30 to get to the gym by 5 to lift, I have to be home by 6:30 cause that's when the wife leaves for work. I can go on a walk at lunch time to get my cardio in. Its the weekends that are more of a time constraint for me. On the days I lift and walk I probably eat over 1800 to 2k calories (net is about 1340 because I burned 600+ calories). Is that enough? But on days I don't have time to get a walk in, I want to be able to shorten my lift and get my cardio in without spending more than an hour to an hour and 15 minutes (cause wife is usually doing a class and we go together)

    That's why I was asking about going to 3 sets.


    Almost the exact same boat I'm in timewise. gym opens at 5 and I need to be home by 6:30 to get in the shower and make it to work. I really can't get to the gym during my 30 minute lunch and generally am solo childcare more evenings than not.

    I dropped all cardio to focus more on strength over Nov-Jan because of time and as of Feb 1st switched to 3x5 to save time and reinstate cardio for dropping fat. As others have said 3x5 is plenty to maintain strength and muscle.

    The thing many folks find from doing all cardio/ calorie deficit is that you stay pretty close to the same shape just smaller. Many folks get to their life time "goal" weight and are still unhappy with the way they look. Those who lift the whole time see their shape change more as well due to holding onto muscle while losing fat.

    And you gotta make your own decisions on calories. You are a grown man. I ate in the 1200 calorie range myself because that's what MFP told me to do initially to lose 2 lbs a week. I was pretty miserable. For comparison, right now I do 3x5 3x a week and then put in a mile alternating between 4 mph 1 minute and 8mph 2 minutes. I eat around 1700 calories at a towering 5 foot 8 inch 155# dude.
  • spulia1
    spulia1 Posts: 51 Member
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    SL 5x5 should only take 45min and cardio on those days is kind of dangerous in terms of over training. Cardio on off days should be fine. If you're doing 5x5 with 2 min btwn exercises and 30 sec btwn sets, you'll get the heart pumping anyway.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited February 2015
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    spulia1 wrote: »
    SL 5x5 should only take 45min and cardio on those days is kind of dangerous in terms of over training. Cardio on off days should be fine. If you're doing 5x5 with 2 min btwn exercises and 30 sec btwn sets, you'll get the heart pumping anyway.

    Dangerous???

    You can be that specific with rest periods. Early on in SL's yeah getting 30-60 sec's is probably plenty but when it starts to get heavy, you'll need the 2 to 4 min's to replenish ATP stores. This isn't CrossFit, doesn't matter how fast you finish (*not a knock against CF).
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
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    The dude that promotes SL recommends you not to do cardio on your off days but states it is OK to do it directly after. Now I don't think Mehdi is the world's leading source on lifting wisdom, but there's nothing wrong with cardio post lifting and I actually think it helps loosen my quads and lower back to run a mid paced mile afterwards.

    And I would say if you are doing 30 seconds between sets that you must be early in the program. Even when I get a set and programming says 3 minutes I sometimes need 5 to actually get 5 of the next set. 30 sec rests and I would probably squatting 50 lbs less.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Mehdi isn't the world's leading source on anything. He did well in marketing an old lifting protocol. Which he uses to claim expert quals, but I'd like to see his educational pedigree and his body of original research contribution.
  • kdt2013
    kdt2013 Posts: 5 Member
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    You can do what you want, however stronglifts doesn't reccomend moving to 3x5 until yiu have failed 3 times after deload. and for those questioning the time, if you are working hard at stronglifts the workouts will take near an hour with 3 minute breaks becoming more common. When you reach the top end of your strength, like me squatting 2x body weight you need the rest, especially if you add warm ups. If its a time thing, really I would try my best to keep up with stronglifts. Cardio isn't all that necessary with the stronglifts program as you will burn quite a few calories in one session. I would clock a good session at 400 calories over the next 24 hours. And honestly if you want to get strong, I'd eat much more calories. I eat 2560 calories a day whether I workout or not and I have gained no weight back. It all about the fuel you put in your body and less about the calories. More muscle requires more calories. But not crap food. 90% single ingredient items.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    How precisely did you arrive at this "400 calorie burn" number?
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    dbmata wrote: »
    Mehdi isn't the world's leading source on anything. He did well in marketing an old lifting protocol. Which he uses to claim expert quals, but I'd like to see his educational pedigree and his body of original research contribution.

    How dare you speak about the god of MFP that way, blasphemous. You know there is nothing better than StrongLifts don't you? :s
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Sam_I_Am77 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Mehdi isn't the world's leading source on anything. He did well in marketing an old lifting protocol. Which he uses to claim expert quals, but I'd like to see his educational pedigree and his body of original research contribution.

    How dare you speak about the god of MFP that way, blasphemous. You know there is nothing better than StrongLifts don't you? :s
    Starting Strength, heretic.

    I'll now burn you after I eat your heart to steal your strength.

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