Any 5x5 Success Stories?

Definitely. Never lifted before last summer. Here is a picture of me after my first three months of lifting. I had previously gone from 235-185lbs(picture on the left) and then went from 185-182 doing SL 5x5. I kept it up and was able to joint the 1000# club in my first 6 months with a 405lb squat, 245lb bench and 405lb deadlift.

One year difference. SL 5x5 on and off (mostly off due to injury and surgery) but all together probably about 4 months of it.

I just started last week, so hopefully I'll be a success story eventually... I should take some "before" pics.

McCloud33 wrote: »

I "started" with the bar, but upped most of the weights within the first couple weeks. I would say my actual starting weights were closer to 135 dead, 95 squat, 85 bench/row, and 65 oh press.

what's your OH Press now? Just curious, as your shoulders got quite a bit bigger!

I have been incorporating SL5x5 three days a week since day one (I also include yoga one day and a hiit-style step class another day). Here's my progress thus far:



I've lost around 22 lbs. Many, many inches.

My current main lifts: 155 squat, 205 deadlift, 65 overhead press, 80 bench, 90 row. I love it and find it very effective.

powerpuffgirl66 wrote: »

I have been incorporating SL5x5 three days a week since day one (I also include yoga one day and a hiit-style step class another day). Here's my progress thus far:



I've lost around 22 lbs. Many, many inches.

My current main lifts: 155 squat, 205 deadlift, 65 overhead press, 80 bench, 90 row. I love it and find it very effective.

WOWZA!

I don't have any specific pre-lift to "what I lift right now", but I've been doing it for a bit now. I only was able to use the bar, essentially.
125 squat. 155 deadlift. 100 row. 80 bench.
and I have to deload to 60 OH because I kept failing my last set of 70.

either way, I use their app and I love it.

I just started 2 weeks ago. Haven't lifted before so starting very light. Squats getting easier but still struggling with bench press and overhead press.
Looking forward to seeing other people's progress. Thanks to those who posted pics, very motivating!

Let's keep this up guys. OP I'm in ny too and Monday I will start my 4th week of stronglifts. The OHP is the one difficult to up in weight so far... but I feel great

IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »

Don't be embarrassed. We all start somewhere. I just started with the empty bar.

I can't even do the bar on some things (bench press) but I am ok with that for now, I guess. I just downloaded the app so I am looking forward to making that happen real soon!!!!

Exactly, we all start somewhere. I did stronglifts for 12 weeks and could barely bench press the bar and had to go to below 45 for overhead press to get the form right when I first started. By the end, however, I was up to failing at 90 lbs on bench and 70 for overhead press. My max on bench now is 100 for 3 reps, which I tested just for fun between stages in current program. (I'm doing new rules of lifting for women at the moment so working on different lifts and rep counts currently.)

Just keep on lifting.

bump

krissyreminisce wrote: »

I'm interested in starting to lift, but I'm super paranoid I'm going to do something wrong and hurt myself. I figure, after my whirlwind month of half marathons, I'll start. I'm trying not to be so intimidated by the free weight area of the gym.

I hurt myself twice:

Once when I got bored of stronglifts and tried experimenting with fancy, technical Olympic stuff and overtrained it and hurt my shoulder.

Again, doing stronglifts but not eating enough. I was stuck with the "5 lbs. a week" progression and I let my form suffer instead of deloading or upping my calories.

So basically I chalk those up to poor decision making on my part. Listen to your body, make sure you're eating enough to match your work output. You'll be astounded.

Nice reviews. I kind of jumped the gun when I picked my programming and went for Wendler's 5/3/1...now wondering if I should switch to SL. Everyone seems to like it.