Stronglifts 5x5

How's progress, lads?

I've switched programmes for now, the repeated heavy sessions was too much for me. Doing All Pros Beginner Routine now which uses sets of 8 rather than 5, and its only one heavy set a week, only just started but it feels a lot easier on my joints and back than working so close to my max all the time. Still hoping to make solid progress but it won't be as quick as with Stronglifts.

if you're looking to increase strength then ripptoe starting strength would be better, its fewer sets so a bit easier to recover from.
 


How's progress, lads?

I've switched programmes for now, the repeated heavy sessions was too much for me. Doing All Pros Beginner Routine now which uses sets of 8 rather than 5, and its only one heavy set a week, only just started but it feels a lot easier on my joints and back than working so close to my max all the time. Still hoping to make solid progress but it won't be as quick as with Stronglifts.

I've got a fracture at the end of my fibula (sp?) so no leg work for a while! going to take this week off and then have to figure out a new light routine for a while!! hobbling about on crutches for now :(

No chance of squatting/deadlifting or BOR's for a while so I'll have to give up on stronglifts for a few month
 
How's progress, lads?


I'm still going,

I have dropped some of the weight back a chunk* and just carrying on adding 2.5kg but now with a lighter weight my form and individual parts of my form are more noticeable, so I'm concentrating on building back up with perfect technique.

I've added a few accessories to help me build up the strength needed for heavier weight, mainly from the BB.com/youtube post earlier in this thread

*squat, BoR, OHP
 
I'm still going,

I have dropped some of the weight back a chunk* and just carrying on adding 2.5kg but now with a lighter weight my form and individual parts of my form are more noticeable, so I'm concentrating on building back up with perfect technique.

I've added a few accessories to help me build up the strength needed for heavier weight, mainly from the BB.com/youtube post earlier in this thread

*squat, BoR, OHP

Good stuff, what weights have you made it up to?
 
I'd gotten up to ...

Squat - 75kg
Deadlift - 65kg
BoR - 32.5kg
OHP - 32.5kg
Bench - 45kg

After dropping some weight, I'm now at ..

Squat - 40kg
Deadlift - 65kg
BoR - 25kg
OHP - 25kg
Bench - 40kg

... and will be trying to increase them by 2.5kg, again though I imagine I'll struggle with OHP and BoR :lol:
 
I'd gotten up to ...

Squat - 75kg
Deadlift - 65kg
BoR - 32.5kg
OHP - 32.5kg
Bench - 45kg

After dropping some weight, I'm now at ..

Squat - 40kg
Deadlift - 65kg
BoR - 25kg
OHP - 25kg
Bench - 40kg

... and will be trying to increase them by 2.5kg, again though I imagine I'll struggle with OHP and BoR :lol:

Its amazing how quickly some exercises come on. Especially OHP. I am not following stronglifts at the moment, but working on a gradual increase programme with greater number of reps per set (normally 12 reps @ 4 sets). I was really struggling at 25kg on OHP, for a number of session, after about 5 or 6 reps, then suddenly I am knocking out 12x4 and found it easy.

Keep going and it just comes.
 
I'd gotten up to ...

Squat - 75kg
Deadlift - 65kg
BoR - 32.5kg
OHP - 32.5kg
Bench - 45kg

After dropping some weight, I'm now at ..

Squat - 40kg
Deadlift - 65kg
BoR - 25kg
OHP - 25kg
Bench - 40kg

... and will be trying to increase them by 2.5kg, again though I imagine I'll struggle with OHP and BoR :lol:

I've had to knock down and reset a few times now (and changed programmes!), it is demoralising but it does work! And I've found the hard way there's no point keep increasing the weight if your form is bad so you're definitely on the right track.
 
Anyone still going, I am.

Been a little hit n miss over the holiday season, not many campsites have a squat rack :D

I'm at,

Squat - 55kg
OHP - 27.5 (still)
Dead - 55kg
Bench - 40kg (still)
BRow - 30kg (still)

.. still struggling to get heavier with OHP/Bench/Bent-Over-Row, I can do heavier but not 5x5, so I'm doing other side exercises in order to get better at the exercises I'm stalling at but it's been difficult over the kids holidays.
Come September I'm going to get some serious gym time in and continue it till xmas.
 
Anyone still going, I am.

Been a little hit n miss over the holiday season, not many campsites have a squat rack :D

I'm at,

Squat - 55kg
OHP - 27.5 (still)
Dead - 55kg
Bench - 40kg (still)
BRow - 30kg (still)

.. still struggling to get heavier with OHP/Bench/Bent-Over-Row, I can do heavier but not 5x5, so I'm doing other side exercises in order to get better at the exercises I'm stalling at but it's been difficult over the kids holidays.
Come September I'm going to get some serious gym time in and continue it till xmas.

I switched off this about 6 weeks ago but still going on another beginner programme (All Pro Beginner Routine from Bodybuilding.com) - just finished my first cycle (5 weeks), which at week five has you doing 2 work sets of 12 reps:

Squat: 87.5kg -succeeded
Bench: 60kg - 12,8
Row: 50kg - succeeded
OHP 37.5kg - 10,8 (crap!)
Stiff legged deadlift - 50kg - easy peasy - need to ramp up the weight on this one I think but kept it low originally as I was worried about my lower back
Curl 32.5kg - no probs.

From today I'm uplifting the weights I succeeded at by 10% and dropping back down to sets of 8. (Though I'm also going to uplift bench to 62.5kg cos I'm sure I can do it and was really pissed off I missed that one.)

Im not seeing massive changes yet (4 months in) though my wife says I'm a lot bigger on my back. I've been trying to cut the last 3 weeks though for my holiday in 2 weeks time and then after that going to have a long period of bulking through the winter to hopefully keep progress going.

Currently at 13st 7lb (up from 12st 13lb when I started Stronglifts but down from 13st 12lb when I quit Stronglifts - at that point I was looking quite podgy though!)
 
tipfor sticking points..years ago i was stuck on the squat couldn't get 5 plates.(either side) one of the powerlifters took a plate off and replaced it with 2 tens..i did it..same weight but it looked lighter.hope this makes sense.
 
Still on it but also slipped due to holidays

Got up to 77.5kg on squat with awful form and 3-5mins rest between sets

Dropped back and currently at:

Squat - 70kg 5 x 5 decent form (3mins rest)
Bench - 60kg 5 x 5 (3 mins)
Row - 50kg 5 x 5 (90secs)
OHP - 40kg 5 x 5 real struggle (3-5mins)
Deadlift - 92.5kg scarey but managed it!

Ive squatted at 70kg for the last 3 sessions really focusing on form and trying to cut down the rest between sets.
TBH the above is me all about maxed out! I'm feeling a bit frustrated but still plugging away, any further advice/encouragement would be appreciated!

Do I need to eat more?
 
Still on it but also slipped due to holidays

Got up to 77.5kg on squat with awful form and 3-5mins rest between sets

Dropped back and currently at:

Squat - 70kg 5 x 5 decent form (3mins rest)
Bench - 60kg 5 x 5 (3 mins)
Row - 50kg 5 x 5 (90secs)
OHP - 40kg 5 x 5 real struggle (3-5mins)
Deadlift - 92.5kg scarey but managed it!

Ive squatted at 70kg for the last 3 sessions really focusing on form and trying to cut down the rest between sets.
TBH the above is me all about maxed out! I'm feeling a bit frustrated but still plugging away, any further advice/encouragement would be appreciated!

Do I need to eat more?
Everything I've read certainly suggests you need to be eating well and gaining to keep progressing on 5x5 as its an aggressive program. It's one of the reasons I switched as I wanted to cut for my hols and the 5x5 was just too much.

What has your weight change been so far?
 
Everything I've read certainly suggests you need to be eating well and gaining to keep progressing on 5x5 as its an aggressive program. It's one of the reasons I switched as I wanted to cut for my hols and the 5x5 was just too much.

What has your weight change been so far?

It hasnt really!

Been about 78kg for weeks now, I was eating well under my cals and doing lots of cardio so I upped my daily intake to about 2500.

When I get home later I can put up a typical days bait (off myfitnesspal) and see what you think. It looks like Im down on my carbs tbh
 
Ive started this again as squatting and deadlift doesn't seem to affect my ankle at all. picked up where i left off before but failed after the 3rd session!!

Failed 122.5kg squat last session, managed 5, 5, 1, 0, 0!!... Thinking of going back down to 100/110ish and working up again. Felt like my core/back was to weak and not my legs giving in if that makes sense

Deadlifted 150kg x 5 and it felt easy. Happy with that one.

I need to start dieting really because I just eat all sorts of crap
 
I'm starting a new program next week, I'm quite pleased with the growth** I've achieved over the course of this 5x5 workout, it could've been better if I was more disciplined diet wise I'm sure.

I had missed quite a few sessions because of the kids 6-weeks holidays but ended at -

Squat - 70kg
Bench - 45kg
BoR - 40kg
OHP - 30kg - struggled with this exercise so much but surprisingly (for me) my shoulders have gained most in size.
Dead - 70kg


**Not massive by any means but definitely noticeable by me, especially width across the shoulders.
 
When rippetoe suggests 3x5 sets are you supposed to do them with more weight than on strong lift 5x5?

I.e. There is less overall volume per workout otherwise.

And what does he suggest re: progression? Is it similar to strong lifts with adding 2.5kg on all apart from deadlifts where you add 5kg per workout?

After 3 weeks strong lifts I am doing including Olympic bar:

Squats: 70kg
ohp: 35kg
Dead: 70kg
Bench: 60kg
I need to include bent over row but need to practice form and rippetoe suggests alternatives so I do 3x8 chin ups.
 

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