SL 5x5 with free weights?

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ydyms
ydyms Posts: 266 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it possible to do Stronglifts with free weights only? If yes, any advice?

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  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    You are supposed to do strong lifts with free weights
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
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    Oh. Don't know why I thought it was lifting heavy with barbells b
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    Barbells are a form of free weights. Do you mean dumbbells?
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
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    Gosh yeah I meant Dumbbells lol. 'Dumb' of me to confuse it lol
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    Are you looking at the correct program?

    http://stronglifts.com/exercises/

    Squat
    Deadlift
    Bench Press
    Overhead Press
    Barbell Row
    Pullups
    Dips

    Above is the list of exercises in stronglifts. The only two that are not free-weight are the bottom two because they are body weight (although you can add weight to them)

    Sorry if that sounds snarky or anything, I was legitimately confused by your question.
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
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    Ok I think I need to research it more before I post again. I totally confused this program with something else. Thanks for your help!
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    @BecomingBane the op meant dumbbells and didn't realize barbells are free weights as well
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    @ydyms, you can adapt the programme to hand weights. There are lots of videos showing the correct form with hand weights.
    I go to the gym and prefer using a body bar (weights from 6-36 lbs) for a few of the moves as it emulates a barbell more.

    Cheers, h.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    @BecomingBane the op meant dumbbells and didn't realize barbells are free weights as well

    Thanks, I didn't catch that as none of those posts existed while I typed up mine and they only appeared after I'd posted.

    I didn't mean to be rude, but was in fact, very confused. It seems OP was as well.

    Good luck OP! Find a program that you like and knock it out of the park.
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
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    BecomingBane wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    @BecomingBane the op meant dumbbells and didn't realize barbells are free weights as well

    Thanks, I didn't catch that as none of those posts existed while I typed up mine and they only appeared after I'd posted.

    I didn't mean to be rude, but was in fact, very confused. It seems OP was as well.

    Good luck OP! Find a program that you like and knock it out of the park.

    Thanks both of you!
  • terrie_k
    terrie_k Posts: 406 Member
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    I found while doing NROLFW my grip couldn't keep up with my lifts. Lunges, step ups.. all had to be with a barbell so I could progress. I even find now a bench press I need a spot to get my dumbells in position properly. With stronglifts requiring you to lift heavy and improve constantly I would say that you won't get too far before you need a barbell.
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
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    Is a barbell something worth investing in, or do most of you use barbells at the gym?
  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 966 Member
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    I do the SL 5x5. You really need a barbell, weights & a good squat/bench press rack. I do this @ the GYM but with a small investment in equipment you could easily do this program @ home.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
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    If you are going to take lifting seriously eventually you will need a barbell, but dumbbells are fine to start with. There are a few good dumbbell programs that I'm aware of. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/zc0uy/a_beginner_dumbbell_program_the_dumbbell_stopgap is one, Fierce5 dumbbell program is another (google it)

    This is because while you can do squats with 30lb dumbbells now, squatting with 100lb dumbbells gets really difficult (hard to hold, not a lot of places have them). Also, you can't really do a deadlift with dumbbells.

    Many people here have home gyms, and many of them go to a gym. I personally have a cheap half rack (for up to 600lb, and the safeties held 200lb me bouncing on a single arm so I know they are good to over 400lb) and a weight set (that I'm looking to upgrade via craigslist). It has served me well so far.
  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I invested in olympic barbells (about $200) and a squat rack. That's all you need really to lift at home.

    Also join this group and read the stickies at the top which explain Stronglifts better. Then you can decide what program you want to do.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    and btw....you can probably go a long way with just hand weights if you haven't lifted before..
  • HamsterManV2
    HamsterManV2 Posts: 449 Member
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    SL 5x5 is to be done with Barbells and plates (with chin ups and dips added in later).

    If you cannot do that, I suggest Dumbbell Stopgap routine, though unless you are at a gym, you will run out of weights very quickly.
  • hazleyes81
    hazleyes81 Posts: 296 Member
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    I do SL 5x5 but only use a barbell for squats and deadlifts. For everything else I prefer dumbbells. So, yes, it can be done that way. As someone mentioned above, there are disadvantages and limitations to using dumbbells once you are going really heavy, but I'm not there yet :blush:
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
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    BecomingBane wrote: »
    Are you looking at the correct program?

    http://stronglifts.com/exercises/

    Squat
    Deadlift
    Bench Press
    Overhead Press
    Barbell Row
    Pullups
    Dips

    Above is the list of exercises in stronglifts. The only two that are not free-weight are the bottom two because they are body weight (although you can add weight to them)

    Sorry if that sounds snarky or anything, I was legitimately confused by your question.

    I started doing stronglifts 5x5 with dumbbells. I own a barbell, but no rack, so can't safely do squats/bench/overhead press with the barbell.

    Squat - I do goblet squat for now
    Deadlift - as mentioned, I have a barbell, so I do use it for this
    Bench press - I use dumbbells for this
    Overhead press - dumbbells again
    Barbell row - I use the barbell, but you could do dumbbell rows one arm at a time just fine

    I don't currently do pullups/dips (no equipment).

    I will probably be investing in a rack/cage soon, but dumbells was enough to get me started.

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