StrongLifts 5x5

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Alrighty! I think it will be an awesome challenge only question do i have to start at the 45lbs, right know I do 30lbs squats not sure if I can do 45., lol or can I just start working my way up from 30, and I am way lower on my dead lifts I do 20lbs, 30-35 bench press... lol i suck at rows like bent rows and stand row, maybe 15lbs the most... and I have never done over the head press before so thats something new ^-^

And I'll probly start this in august or spetmeber, just because I promised some people I would do some other programs with them. till about then ^^ but Iam all ready exicted about this! I stilll have lots to read so Iam going to get to it!

That's great! Just do yourself a huge favor, just in case you're not already there, watch videos on good form for the exercises I mentioned. These programs are great but nothing will F you up faster than screwing up on one of them.

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It will give you a detailed outline of how this works.

Alrighty! I think it will be an awesome challenge only question do i have to start at the 45lbs, right know I do 30lbs squats not sure if I can do 45., lol or can I just start working my way up from 30, and I am way lower on my dead lifts I do 20lbs, 30-35 bench press... lol i suck at rows like bent rows and stand row, maybe 15lbs the most... and I have never done over the head press before so thats something new ^-^

And I'll probly start this in august or spetmeber, just because I promised some people I would do some other programs with them. till about then ^^ but Iam all ready exicted about this! I stilll have lots to read so Iam going to get to it!

You could start your squats without any weight, no bar, just your body weight. And for the other exercises you could use a non-Olympic bar to start with. The idea is to start very light and work your way up slowly but consistently. You also might want to look into getting fractional weights, (they come in ¼, ½, ¾, and 1 pound increments, or something along those lines) that way you can increase your weight by ½ pound each time instead of 5 pounds each time.

Fractionals are great latter on to break plateaus. In the beginning I would stick to the 5lb increments. Once you get to bodyweight squats it should start to become significantly harder and the fractionals will be more beneficial then. The low weight is simply to get you used to the technique and to give you a starting point, the real benefit comes in the weight increases. Now, I am not downplaying technique, it is the most important part, but you also need increases large enough to facilitate muscular adaptation, and in the beginning, farcationals are not enough.

Another thing that I would add to this is that it's so easy to cheat with light weights. When you add weight to the bar, then you really start to focus more on form and technique, at least it was this way for me.

Sign up for the free 5x5 report here http://stronglifts.com/free-stronglifts-5x5-report/

It will give you a detailed outline of how this works.

Alrighty! I think it will be an awesome challenge only question do i have to start at the 45lbs, right know I do 30lbs squats not sure if I can do 45., lol or can I just start working my way up from 30, and I am way lower on my dead lifts I do 20lbs, 30-35 bench press... lol i suck at rows like bent rows and stand row, maybe 15lbs the most... and I have never done over the head press before so thats something new ^-^

And I'll probly start this in august or spetmeber, just because I promised some people I would do some other programs with them. till about then ^^ but Iam all ready exicted about this! I stilll have lots to read so Iam going to get to it!

You could start your squats without any weight, no bar, just your body weight. And for the other exercises you could use a non-Olympic bar to start with. The idea is to start very light and work your way up slowly but consistently. You also might want to look into getting fractional weights, (they come in ¼, ½, ¾, and 1 pound increments, or something along those lines) that way you can increase your weight by ½ pound each time instead of 5 pounds each time.

First, i really don't believe you'll need fractional weights for anything, they're not that good in the first place and really only effective for Dumbells but for programs like this you should focus on bilateral versus unilateral movements.

Yes and no. The point of this is to move heavier weights but you'll start your exercise off lighter. We can use me for example on the Bench Press and for a 5x5 I would probably use 195lbs on the Bench Press. This may not follow the StrongLifts version exactly but this is what I do to get myself prepped for the lifting.
The coach I learned this from calls this, "Neural Ramping". It's like warming up but it's meant to get your muscles "in the zone" and ready for the lifts. Take these sets seriously even though they won't be strenuous.
Me:
Feeler set: 90lbs x 3 reps (remember the reps should be fairly explosive, move the weight with some momentum, no grinding)
Set 1: 135 x 3
Set 2: 155 x 3
Set 3: 175 x 3
Set 4: 195 x 3 (this is my training weight)
I jump 20lbs at a time because my 1RM is above 200lbs, if you're 1RM is below 200lbs then ramp up 10lbs at a time, if less than 100lbs, 5lbs at a time.

Then go about doing your Bench Pressing, 5sets of 5

Make sense?

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It will give you a detailed outline of how this works.

Alrighty! I think it will be an awesome challenge only question do i have to start at the 45lbs, right know I do 30lbs squats not sure if I can do 45., lol or can I just start working my way up from 30, and I am way lower on my dead lifts I do 20lbs, 30-35 bench press... lol i suck at rows like bent rows and stand row, maybe 15lbs the most... and I have never done over the head press before so thats something new ^-^

And I'll probly start this in august or spetmeber, just because I promised some people I would do some other programs with them. till about then ^^ but Iam all ready exicted about this! I stilll have lots to read so Iam going to get to it!

You could start your squats without any weight, no bar, just your body weight. And for the other exercises you could use a non-Olympic bar to start with. The idea is to start very light and work your way up slowly but consistently. You also might want to look into getting fractional weights, (they come in ¼, ½, ¾, and 1 pound increments, or something along those lines) that way you can increase your weight by ½ pound each time instead of 5 pounds each time.

First, i really don't believe you'll need fractional weights for anything, they're not that good in the first place and really only effective for Dumbells but for programs like this you should focus on bilateral versus unilateral movements.

Yes and no. The point of this is to move heavier weights but you'll start your exercise off lighter. We can use me for example on the Bench Press and for a 5x5 I would probably use 195lbs on the Bench Press. This may not follow the StrongLifts version exactly but this is what I do to get myself prepped for the lifting.
The coach I learned this from calls this, "Neural Ramping". It's like warming up but it's meant to get your muscles "in the zone" and ready for the lifts. Take these sets seriously even though they won't be strenuous.
Me:
Feeler set: 90lbs x 3 reps (remember the reps should be fairly explosive, move the weight with some momentum, no grinding)
Set 1: 135 x 3
Set 2: 155 x 3
Set 3: 175 x 3
Set 4: 195 x 3 (this is my training weight)
I jump 20lbs at a time because my 1RM is above 200lbs, if you're 1RM is below 200lbs then ramp up 10lbs at a time, if less than 100lbs, 5lbs at a time.

Then go about doing your Bench Pressing, 5sets of 5

Make sense?

Yes warm-up sets are important once the weight gets heavier. But in the beginning, no one needs to really warm-up much for just the bar a few bw squats would suffice. Once you pass the bar, I would start all sets with 1-2 warm-up sets with just the bar. Then once you get to 95lbs, start adding some weight to your warm-up sets (just the bar, 65lbs, then 95lbs for example)

And fractionals ARE beneficial past the 1 to 1.5x body weight range.

Most professional strength coaches teaching modern trends would disagree with you.

Which part? About warm-up sets or fractionals? In either case, let them, my experience and research suggest otherwise.

I have gone toe-to-toe in debates with many “professionals” and “certified” people on these forums alone with plenty of evidence backing my points of view. I don’t care who agrees with me and their credentials, I care about what works.

LOL, k

Sign up for the free 5x5 report here http://stronglifts.com/free-stronglifts-5x5-report/

It will give you a detailed outline of how this works.

Alrighty! I think it will be an awesome challenge only question do i have to start at the 45lbs, right know I do 30lbs squats not sure if I can do 45., lol or can I just start working my way up from 30, and I am way lower on my dead lifts I do 20lbs, 30-35 bench press... lol i suck at rows like bent rows and stand row, maybe 15lbs the most... and I have never done over the head press before so thats something new ^-^

And I'll probly start this in august or spetmeber, just because I promised some people I would do some other programs with them. till about then ^^ but Iam all ready exicted about this! I stilll have lots to read so Iam going to get to it!

You could start your squats without any weight, no bar, just your body weight. And for the other exercises you could use a non-Olympic bar to start with. The idea is to start very light and work your way up slowly but consistently. You also might want to look into getting fractional weights, (they come in ¼, ½, ¾, and 1 pound increments, or something along those lines) that way you can increase your weight by ½ pound each time instead of 5 pounds each time.

First, i really don't believe you'll need fractional weights for anything, they're not that good in the first place and really only effective for Dumbells but for programs like this you should focus on bilateral versus unilateral movements.

Yes and no. The point of this is to move heavier weights but you'll start your exercise off lighter. We can use me for example on the Bench Press and for a 5x5 I would probably use 195lbs on the Bench Press. This may not follow the StrongLifts version exactly but this is what I do to get myself prepped for the lifting.
The coach I learned this from calls this, "Neural Ramping". It's like warming up but it's meant to get your muscles "in the zone" and ready for the lifts. Take these sets seriously even though they won't be strenuous.
Me:
Feeler set: 90lbs x 3 reps (remember the reps should be fairly explosive, move the weight with some momentum, no grinding)
Set 1: 135 x 3
Set 2: 155 x 3
Set 3: 175 x 3
Set 4: 195 x 3 (this is my training weight)
I jump 20lbs at a time because my 1RM is above 200lbs, if you're 1RM is below 200lbs then ramp up 10lbs at a time, if less than 100lbs, 5lbs at a time.

Then go about doing your Bench Pressing, 5sets of 5

Make sense?

Yes! I was reading that last night and didnt really get it ..

Only question is how do you start the program... example, so i can squats 30lbs right know, how do i know what to work up too? the first time I go into it do I just go...?
As for feeler sets, how much lower then the 5x5[set] should it be? [if that made sence]
set1: 15x3
set2: 20x3
set3: 25x3
set4 30..x3
Or do I just go to 35 cuz I can already squat 30. and then do 5x5 at 35lbs? sorry the anwser seem so simple but for some reason my brain cant process this, this morning... S:

@ Grglandr: Ok So first round I would work up to 45 like day A, then day B 50lbs extra...? ok cool ill aim to start at 45lbs I deffently do like 15 reps 2sets of 30lbs right at the moment i thought maybe I was a little light but sometimes Iam still a little unsure !

^-^! again thanks every one so so so!!! much I am learning alot about this. I need the process hard to sometimes just read the plan and get it lol!

Ok one more question "Deadlift 1x5 115lbs" i dont get the whole 1x5 reps deadlifts thing, do you do that every time or lol that threw me out the window for sure! the stalling lifts? or do i just not worry about that till I get to the heavy lbs lol.? sorry i dont mean to be a head ace! I just am a visual learner and sometimes need things explained diferently then how they are writen.

For day A you do the following (example monday):
squat: 45
bench: 45
row: 65 (45 lb bar + 2 10 lb weights, if too much, see below)

next workout B (example wednesday):
squat: 50
overhead press: 45
deadlift: 65 (again if too much, see below)

next workout A (example friday):
squat: 55
bench: 50
row: 70

next workout B (following monday):
squat: 60
overhead press: 50
deadlift: 75 (increase by 10)

If the row and deadlift is too high to start, use an empty bar and then put plates down to increase the bar height to where it would be with plates on. For deadlift, you only do it B days, add 10 lbs instead of 5 (so it keeps up with squat), and do 2 warm up sets followed by your lifting set. To be honest, I still do 5x5 deadlift as I knew I had a weak back and I wanted to give it some extra lifts. I did 5x5 225 deadlift yesterday with no problems.

I can see that a couple of them would add up over time. But what about the bench press? I guess I just don't understand how lifting 45lbs of the bar 5 times is helping me at all when I could realistically do it 40-50 times.

remember this is a beginner program so i think the 'start with the bar' thing is more for people that have never done these lifts before and need to learn the proper technique.
if you can bench press 225 pounds then obviously you wouldn't start by doing 5 X 5 with just the bar.

It is mentioned in the guide that if you have already been lifting and want to start with more than the bar, a good number is 50% of your max weight you could do 5x5.

Deadlifts are just 1 set of 5 reps because they hit most of the same muscles as squats do, so doing both squats and deads 5x5 would be way too much. You can also do some warm-up sets to get more deadlift practice in.

Maybe I'm "off" here but I was under the impression, for instance, on the Madcow program that he had you doing 4x5 on deadlift days. With the rampup I have been doing 135 x5, 225 x5, 315 x5 (as warmups) and my heavy set of 405-425 x5. Is this incorrect? Also thought it was strange on the Madcow that day 1 is 5x5, day 2 is 4x5 and day 3 is 4x5, 1x3, 1x8.

So on the SL5X5 after doing 5x5 on squats & OHP, it's only one set of 5 reps for deads? That's where he's not very clear because I was lead to believe that in SL5X5 there was one heavy set of 5 on deads and 4 ramp up sets to get there.

I don't know about the madcow program, but I believe that deadlifts in the SL5x5 are two warm up sets followed by the full lift. Another way I've seen mentioned to do all the second warm up sets is to split it into a 1x3 1/3 weight and 1x2 2/3 weight, but i just do 1x5 1/2 weight.

Question for you guys, once you pretty much find your max in a lift, how often do you have to repeat a day? For example, I'm struggling with my OHP, I repeated at 115, broke it, repeated 120, and broke through again today. I found adding a little longer rest helped today, so I will be continuing with 3 minute rests.

I just downloaded the 5x5 program and looked it over. Have you found what your true 5RM is? I think if I were to try this I would do a session where I started at a low weight and do 5reps then ramp up 10lbs each set until I found a weight that I could no longer move 5 times. Then I would take the last weight that I could move 5 times and probably take 80% of that weight and use that as my training weight. That should give a light enough weight to begin working with. I'm just suggesting this because it sounds like you might be using weight that is too heavy.