stronglifts

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tarheelboy
tarheelboy Posts: 74 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I understand how the stronglifts 5x5 program works, that by adding weight every time you force your muscles to grow and get stronger. Is this a good program to do while on a calorie deficit trying to burn fat as I lose weight? If you cant really build muscle and lose fat at the same time could this program still be a benefit?

Replies

  • Sutnak
    Sutnak Posts: 227 Member
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    If you're obese, you might get a little muscle while you lose fat, but...

    Anyway, just do it. You'll still learn the patterns and get better at the lifts (a lot of getting stronger is your mind-muscle connection.)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Still a benefit. It's a nice program to help you save LBM while you're in a deficit.
  • Kelamb10
    Kelamb10 Posts: 26 Member
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    Wait...you can't build muscle and lose body fat at the same time? Was there a new research study out I don't know about?
  • tarheelboy
    tarheelboy Posts: 74 Member
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    Kelamb10 wrote: »
    Wait...you can't build muscle and lose body fat at the same time? Was there a new research study out I don't know about?

    The way I understand it you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight and a calorie surplus to build muscle. Cant be in a deficit and surplus at the same time.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    tarheelboy wrote: »
    Kelamb10 wrote: »
    Wait...you can't build muscle and lose body fat at the same time? Was there a new research study out I don't know about?

    The way I understand it you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight and a calorie surplus to build muscle. Cant be in a deficit and surplus at the same time.

    For the most part. Obese or untrained beginners can have some luck building a bit of muscle at first. Regardless, I'm still going to try a recomp even though I might not get results.
  • levon518
    levon518 Posts: 3 Member
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    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    levon518 wrote: »
    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.

    Huh?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    levon518 wrote: »
    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.

    I'm sure some can have decent aesthetic results, especially when adding an appropriate amount of hypertrophy work.
  • BraveNewdGirl
    BraveNewdGirl Posts: 937 Member
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    levon518 wrote: »
    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.
    lkrwtf.gif
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    if your goal is fat loss that comes to CICO. This is your chance to retain retain retain as much muscle mass as you possible can.

    I think it's a pretty good program for starting out, but i would probably add some more accessory work as time goes by. Play it by ear.
  • neilmonaco
    neilmonaco Posts: 13 Member
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    As I understand it, It is not a body building program. It is strength training. IMHO much better all around for retaining muscle and core strength.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited April 2015
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    levon518 wrote: »
    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.

    Not true for me. I've been doing Stronglifts 5X5 since reading about it a few months ago and since then my muscles are already more defined than they were before and others have noticed it as well. I was thin when I started Stronglifts, though.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    tarheelboy wrote: »
    I understand how the stronglifts 5x5 program works, that by adding weight every time you force your muscles to grow and get stronger. Is this a good program to do while on a calorie deficit trying to burn fat as I lose weight? If you cant really build muscle and lose fat at the same time could this program still be a benefit?

    It is very, very difficult to build muscle while on a calorie deficit, but not impossible. But I’m not going to go there for this, it is too hard and rare. What this program will do is help you get stronger. Strength comes from two things. 1) The muscle gets bigger (which isn’t likely on a calorie deficit) and/or 2) The muscle gets more efficient. As you can imagine, for a new lifter, the efficiency gain is going to be your big thing. As you lift, you’re going to learn to fire more muscle fibers. The more muscle fibers you fire, the stronger the contraction, and the more weight you can move.

    If you find yourself on a plateau, you may want to up your calories a little so you can add some muscle mass and get over that hump. But you’ll be able to wring efficiency gains for quite a while.
  • Sweet_Heresy
    Sweet_Heresy Posts: 411 Member
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    levon518 wrote: »
    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.

    My progress pictures beg to differ. I'm looking damn sexy. Lol.

    You won't progress as fast on a deficit, but it's definately possible to make some strength gains as you lose fat...especially if you are a beginner.
  • MalineVD
    MalineVD Posts: 649 Member
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    levon518 wrote: »
    Terrible program if you want to look good. It will get you strong and you will lift a lot of weight but aesthetics wise its not good.

    Dafuq?
  • tarheelboy
    tarheelboy Posts: 74 Member
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    Thanks for the inputs. My goal is to reduce my BF% to 12-15 and then ramp up the calories to put on come muscle. I despise cardio so thought the 5x5 would work.

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