Too weak to start?
jen_092
Posts: 254 Member
Hi everyone!
I want to start SL 5x5 and I've been really excited about it. I've read through all of Mehdi's website and watched his videos over the last week. I always notice he gives the advice to start from the beginning even if you think you're stronger. Well I might have the opposite problem! Can I even start this program?
At my strongest, as a 3 sport athlete in high school, I couldn't bench the bar. When I graduated high school I dropped about 10 pounds of muscle. Now I'm 24 years old and a bit overweight at 5'7 165lb. I have only done light exercise at most over the years. Today I put some books in a backpack and squatted 5x5 with the 12 pounds it weighed, focusing hard on my form. It wasn't too hard but my legs felt a little shaky after! Then I did a set of deadlifts and found it difficult with my tired legs. Next I tried to do push-ups and I could only do 3 with proper form! I can only get good depth if I do them modified (on my knees).
Is it possible to try the program with dumbells for a few weeks before I start with the 45lb bar? Thanks for reading.
I want to start SL 5x5 and I've been really excited about it. I've read through all of Mehdi's website and watched his videos over the last week. I always notice he gives the advice to start from the beginning even if you think you're stronger. Well I might have the opposite problem! Can I even start this program?
At my strongest, as a 3 sport athlete in high school, I couldn't bench the bar. When I graduated high school I dropped about 10 pounds of muscle. Now I'm 24 years old and a bit overweight at 5'7 165lb. I have only done light exercise at most over the years. Today I put some books in a backpack and squatted 5x5 with the 12 pounds it weighed, focusing hard on my form. It wasn't too hard but my legs felt a little shaky after! Then I did a set of deadlifts and found it difficult with my tired legs. Next I tried to do push-ups and I could only do 3 with proper form! I can only get good depth if I do them modified (on my knees).
Is it possible to try the program with dumbells for a few weeks before I start with the 45lb bar? Thanks for reading.
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Replies
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I started with dumbbell squats and worked at home until they were too light for me, then started SL at the gym after that. I bet your strength comes back quickly if you had decent muscle in the past. You can also start with lighter fixed weight bars if the jump from dumbbell to Olympic bar is too much. FWIW, you would normally separate squats and deadlines with a less leg-intensive movement (OHP) to give your lower body a little break.3
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#1 focus on form. Most important thing you can do. If it hurts, you're doing it wrong, stop. Your muscles will be sore at first, that's normal. Pain is different.
After proper form, give the #45 bar a try. If you fail to lift it, it's too heavy. Drop down to barbells or see if your gym has a lighter bar. I hope you enjoy lifting!
you are never too weak to start!! 2 -
amyinthetardis1231 wrote: »I started with dumbbell squats and worked at home until they were too light for me, then started SL at the gym after that. I bet your strength comes back quickly if you had decent muscle in the past. You can also start with lighter fixed weight bars if the jump from dumbbell to Olympic bar is too much. FWIW, you would normally separate squats and deadlines with a less leg-intensive movement (OHP) to give your lower body a little break.
Thank you! Yeah, I should have remembered about the order. I figured since it wasn't real it wouldn't matter but I guess 12 lbs is a lot for me right now lol!0 -
Kirstie155 wrote: »#1 focus on form. Most important thing you can do. If it hurts, you're doing it wrong, stop. Your muscles will be sore at first, that's normal. Pain is different.
After proper form, give the #45 bar a try. If you fail to lift it, it's too heavy. Drop down to barbells or see if your gym has a lighter bar. I hope you enjoy lifting! you are never too weak to start!!
Thank you! I'm excited to get going 0 -
remember that sl is mostly aimed at meatheaded bro's. well, okay, maybe he's just the meathead, but the tone sure doesn't live up to that little token 'sure, girls can lift cuz my girlfriend' thing he tacked on at the end somewhere.
in other words: totally fine if your start point is lighter than the whole bar. for upper body especially; i started out struggling with the 30lb women's bar for overhead press and it was a while before i graduated to the 'real' one for bench press as well. and part of the beginning is just your brain getting used to doing the movement, so stay optimistic. progress tends to come fast . . . especially if you do start light enough that you can focus on form. it pays off.2 -
@jenxbowers We all start somewhere! If you can swing it I'd also seriously consider hiring a trainer for a couple sessions to check your form. With good form you will be able to progress faster in your weights and be much safer doing it. With poor form, even lighter weights are harder to move bc you are working against your own body mechanics, plus increased risk of injury.1
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I started with a 12.5 lb bar. A lot of people do build strength using dumbbells instead of the bar. Even Mendi had his girlfriend and parents use dumbbells.
There are a lot of videos on YouTube that shows how to use dumbbells for each of the compound lifts!1 -
I did Stronglifts 5x5 for several months last year and was never able to do the OHP with the bar, only dumbbells, but was getting close before I stopped. We have a 45 lb bar and 65 lb bar in our home gym and I was able to work up to benching them with plates towards the end. I've just started back to working out this week and am going to pick back up with this program. I know I won't be picking up where I left off, but I'm looking forward to getting back to where I was!1
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Thanks for all the replies, ladies!
As an update, I decided to start last week with 15 lb on most things just to be safe and practice form. I did Workout A with 20 lb (total) dumbells yesterday. Kinda loving it!
Sadly, planet fitness does not have a squat rack or any real barbell set. So once I get a little stronger I'll be finding a new gym.2 -
I just wanted to check in and see how you've been doing?!
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@xsmilexforxmex thanks for asking! I ended up switching to a gym with a power rack in late January. My peak was squat 85, DL 105, OHP 50, bench 50, and I can't remember for rows. I got injured in March, though, unfortunately. I was moving up the weight too fast it seems. Now I'm working my way back up, much more slowly, with fractional weights when needed. 2
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I just came here to tell you are definitely not too weak - and look at you go!0
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