Another Strong Lifts 5X5 Question

I pretty much stuck to the 3x a week - sometimes i could add in a 4th time when i was still still early in the process but once the weight got heavy (relative to my novice abilities) i found that three was plenty to see results and i needed the rest days to recuperate. I did run 2-3x a week as well, so just get exercise in more often, and that didn't seem to negatively affect me.

Stick to the program.

When I run 5x5, maybe once a year, I always stick with the schedule of 3 days a week. Once the weight gets heavy I need the extra rest days.

I do cardio and accessory training on the rest days. Once the weight gets "heavy" I'll be sticking to the 3x per week.

dxlee7 wrote: »

Stick to the program. Stick to it and be firm. 3 times is good. The weight increases every workout. I used to try and do it 5 times a day and it caused me to have to deload in the first month because I thought I was a badass.

I'm really hoping you meant 5 times a week

LazSommer wrote: »

Stick to the program.

^^this

If you're not following the program, then you are not doing stronglifts - you're doing a variation based upon stronglifts. Trust the program.

Do it 3 times a week. It is very intentionally designed to be a full body day, rest and rebuild muscle, full body day, rest and rebuild, etc. As a beginner, you can stress your body enough (workout day) so that it illicits muscle growth (rest day) and constantly increase the weight.

Look at your squat - it gains 15lbs per week, or 60lbs in a month. Show me any other program that can increase the weight so quickly (hint: only other 5x5 strength programs). This isn't exercise where you just get a sweaty body and sore muscles... this is training where you have a goal to increase your squat, bench, deadlift, and row by lots of weight in the shortest amount of time possible.

When you are squatting 1.5x your bodyweight x 5 reps, you'll know that sticking to the program 3x a week was the correct decision.

Leave your ego at the door, focus on form early on. IF you need to add something, add abs work, and chin/pull ups OR bicep curls (squats and deadlifts are plenty for legs).

/\ I can't stress this enough. I was humping weight very well, but I realised I wasn't getting my *kitten* down. I adjusted to use proper form by dropping weight. I've recently started this programme again and I'm dropping properly. Bare in mind, today's squat was a measly 42.5 kg (I had knee surgery in September, couldn't jump back to 86 kg - my pb is 90kg.
In addition to HamsterManV2, I add pull ups, seated and standing calf raise. After the rows or OHP, they're pretty rubbish.
But my calves can stand a lot of punishment.

You don't have to post it for everyone to see. There are tonnes of vids on the interweb you can compare your form to.