Questions on Stonglifts 5x5

mmapags · March 2012

I began this program this week. The strength training I was doing before was what ever I made up and I decided to try this based upon a thread here as well as the fact that I wasn't really seeing progress with what I was doing. After 2 workouts my questions are:

-I seems to get done very quickly. I did a 5 minute run for warmup the started the stronglifts wamup with the empty bar and squats. I did the full squats, over head lifts and dead lift. Even did an extra deadlift as I didn't check the program on my iphone until I already did 2 and should only have done 1. I was done in about 1/2 hour tops.

- The recommeded weights seems to vary a lot in intensity and difficulty. The squats with 45lbs were easy, the overhead lifts was killer and I couldn't get through all reps in the 4th and 5th set and the deadlift was strenuous but not killer. Should I make individual adjustments to get a certain amount of resistance or just let the program play out for a few weeks and this will all work itself out?

Is this more about my varying level of strength in these areas or is it the program?

Classalete · March 2012

You don't do the bent over rows or the bench press? It's been awhile since I was using that program but it definitely worked for me. When I started I did; squats, deads, dumbell bench, bentover rows, overhead press; done. After you get past the introductory phase of establishing your stabilizer muscle strength you can begin stacking the weight on. You've got to give it all you've got if you want to see any viable results. At-least that's my take on it...Nobody ever accomplished anything worth mentioning by being a *****. (and that's not insinuating anything either, just a mantra to motivate you.)

mmapags · March 2012

You don't do the bent over rows or the bench press? It's been awhile since I was using that program but it definitely worked for me. When I started I did; squats, deads, dumbell bench, bentover rows, overhead press; done. After you get past the introductory phase of establishing your stabilizer muscle strength you can begin stacking the weight on. You've got to give it all you've got if you want to see any viable results. At-least that's my take on it...Nobody ever accomplished anything worth mentioning by being a *****. (and that's not insinuating anything either, just a mantra to motivate you.)

No offense taken. I agree with you and appreciate the attitude! I do thos things, just not in todays routing. Squats are every time, rows and bench one session, overhead and dead lift the next in the first week. I agree on not backing off that's why I'm asking. I know the program is progressive though so maybe that makes it up but the overheads were killer, the squats not so much and the deadlifts seemed about right. First session, the squats were alright, the bench was alright, the rows were killer. Lot's of variation in the resistance.

For those who have done this program does this level out over a week or two or did you tweak the weights to get more uniform resistance?

mmapags · March 2012

bump

Anelda · March 2012

Nope, don't tweak the weights, go up in weight every single workout just like he outlines.

Trust me, as the program progresses, the deadlift and the squat will become just as difficult. Repeat your ohp at the same weight. You have three workouts to try and achieve 5 sets of 5 at the same weight before you deload 10%

Also, your workouts will become longer since you'll be doing warmup sets and racking and deracking the weights for warmups as well as doing the warmup set does take some time. I finished my first workout in half an hour and now it takes me around an hour to hour fifteen (sometimes longer as I have to wait for people curling in the full squat rack as I'm too short for the half rack).

mmapags · March 2012

Thanks for the insight. I fugured there had to be more to it!

Any other thoughts form experienced 5x5 people?

jaymek92 · March 2012

i haven't actually started it yet, but i'll be doing 5x5 once my current fitness class is over and i'm free to do what i want.
i read through everything today, and i have to agree with just bumping up the weights every workout like he outlines. if you're squatting just the bar now, in 4 weeks, assuming you only go up in increments of 5 each week, you'll be doing 100#. it has me starting at 50# based on my current numbers and i'll be up to around 225 at the end of it. i'm not exactly in a rush to be squatting near twice my bodyweight. i'd rather start with a really strong foundation.
but if the squats are really that easy for you, just go to 55# instead of 50 next time.

Taylerr88 · March 2012

if the weight isn't enough increase it. no point in wasting months getting to something worth reping . i am not saying up it to your max 5 5, just not something not so light that's it almost worthless to be using.... as for the time in the gym.. trust me when you start squatting 300s for 5 and 5... it comes a whole different story...

stay strong!

karisma81 · March 2012

I had been doing my own made-up strength training routine with dumbbells for a few weeks which probably provided me with some body conditioning. When I started 5 x 5, I decided to start with a weight that's a challenge for me but definitely doable. For me that was 60 lbs for squats - I weigh 110 lbs so that's about half my bodyweight.

Not trying to recommend this, that's just what I did.

SteveHunt113 · March 2012

I'm planning to start this in about a month. I was a little concerned when I saw what starting weights I should be using, accept for the bench where it suggested starting at 3 x 3

a_stronger_steph · March 2012

I found there was an unevenness to how challenging the different moves were, too, but it's evened out a bit for me (I'm... maybe... 7 or so workouts in to the SL routine, I guess).

For me, trying to do the overhead press the first time was a disaster. I could get 2 or 3 reps, barely. But the squats and deadlifts were easy with the bar. The bench press was okay and so were the rows - not crazy hard, not crazy easy. So I kept adding weight to my squats and deadlifts with progressive workouts, but the overhead press I continued with just the bar. By the 3rd workout with the overhead press I was able to get my 5x5 in (YAY!), and the other lifts had become slightly more challenging since I'd added weight to them.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is it seems to be a bit of a self-correcting system. Add weight each time to the lifts that are easy - don't add weight to the lifts that are challenging to the point where you can't get all your reps in. Over the course of more workouts, things will even out.

And have fun!

thefuzz1290 · March 2012

I haven't done Stronglifts, but I completed 12 weeks of Madcow's 2 years ago and couldn't have been more pleased (though I like Stronglifts progression a little more than Madcow's).

You're getting done quicker because your body doesn't need the time to recover. Once you start getting closer to you 5 rep max, you'll have to start resting longer in between sets. I believe he even says in the PDF that you may even have to rest upwards of 5 minutes between sets to fully recover once you start plateauing.

Keep it up, you'll not be disappointed.

mmapags · March 2012

Thanks for all the input guys! Today I feel surprisingly, not really sore, but my muscles definitly feel the work. I knew I would from the overhead but I didin't think I'd feel much from the others. so, I'm guessing I should just stick with the program and not 2nd guess. it has me going up weight in all except the overhead next round so I'm starting to see how after a couple of weeks it will level out in terms of intensity. As far as recovery, even on the more strenuous overhead I recovered fairly quickly so that may have something to so with the HIIT and the rest of my weekly routine. After doing HIIT for 2 months now, I just recover fast from pretty much everything. Hey, if I'm getting a good strength workout that's working almost my whole body and it take less time, I'm good with that!! :laugh:

Questions on Stonglifts 5x5

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