Beginners program

[Snoochies]

I log everything on the JEFIT app, it calculates your 1rm for you after every workout. Get a special badge or something every time it increases.

 

[White_Lie]

Do you mean 5 sets of singles or 1 set of 5?

When I did 5x5, I did 5 sets of deads 3/week. Monday was heavy, Wednesday light and Friday intermediate. Worked well.

I don't think there's enough volume otherwise but depends how you're recovering

 

[Shorr]

Do you mean 5 sets of singles or 1 set of 5?

My program says 5 sets for 5 reps on dead lift day (plus some supportive exercises) but it looks like I cannot recover in 2 days, I still feel my lower back and hams 2 days later on squat days.
How I recover? Like shit, mate, I am 48 yo, if I injure myself I need an archaeologist, not a doctor

 

[White_Lie]

Perhaps try breaking it up a little then, lighter day in the middle like I was doing or drop it back to 3 sets instead of 5. If you've started on the lighter side and still pulling up sore, it will only get worse as the program progresses

 

[Shorr]

yeah, ok, my question was, I guess, if 5x5 DL is ok every week? As I mentioned that some programs suggest 1 x 5 only, they claim that 5x5 is too much volume for the lower back.

 

[White_Lie]

Depends on the individual and their goals I suppose. I didn't have an issue with it but I was a lot younger than yourself when I did 5x5 style programs. If your body isn't recovering from the load or volume then you should probably listen to it and adjust accordingly.

 

[Shorr]

Thanks mate. I do like:
Day1: Squat
Day3: Bench
Day5: DL
Repeat

As you can see I squat 2 days after DL. Probably I just try other way around, like:

Day1: DL
Day3: Bench
Day5: Squat
Repeat

and its all going to be alright, we will see. This is the program I mentioned, I knew that I have seen it somewhere, it actually from this thread (2009):

Great post PTC. My husband is going to start lifting so I'll get him to do this. I'm no expert lifter so I'll be doing this too.

Edited to add: just read Kyle's posts, I too wanted to ask about why you think 5x5 programs aren't effective eg. the one at www.stronglifts.com.

They have a thriving forum there with plenty of training diaries so it seems like 5x5 does work for novices?

here is the program
http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

If you scroll down you will see that it only recommends 1 x 5 for DL, hence my confusion. Thanks anyway.

 

[White_Lie]

You just do 5x5 of those exercises? Nothing else?

The strong lifts is
A) Squat, bench, row
B) Squat, OHP, deads
And you just alternate thru. So you squat 3 times per week then do the other movements once or twice per week, alternating.

I'm not sure if this would be better or worse for yourself. How long have you been training? If it isn't a long time, perhaps your body just needs to adjust to training

 

[Shorr]

see that's the thing: even with this program you squat much more than dead lift. Why?

 

[Deefa]

My program says 5 sets for 5 reps on dead lift day (plus some supportive exercises) but it looks like I cannot recover in 2 days, I still feel my lower back and hams 2 days later on squat days.
How I recover? Like shit, mate, I am 48 yo, if I injure myself I need an archaeologist, not a doctor

Hi mate, I'm also no spring chicken at 45yo, i find it easier to have two workouts per week ( mon squat, thurs dl/bench), 2 rest days after squat/leg day and 3 after DL/bench. I also rarely get enough time away from family commitments to train 3× a week. Im pretty much fully recovered by the next week. I end up doing 1:45 workouts, and I'm full of DOMS until sunday.

 

[Big Mick]

see that's the thing: even with this program you squat much more than dead lift. Why?

Not sure what your level of training is but it seems you are way overthinking stuff. There are millions of programs out there and each one will have proponents saying that theirs is the best. The best is one that you enjoy and can stick to.

Don't overthink and just lift weights.

The beginners program as outlined here works great, I did it ages ago and made great progress and reached the minimum lifts in no time and made great gains to the point where I was targeted for drug testing at my old job in Sydney where they had a strong no drugs policy.

It's a tough workout and I found as I exceeded the beginners lifts it was getting too hard to complete the workout, squatting and benching and pressing etc all in the one day.

Now I do four day split based on my own research (there is probably programs out there that use the same or similar split), the split is loosely based on 5/3/1 and works for me at this time.

 

[Big Mick]

Here is a quote from my training log explaining my current routine, and you may note that only one exercise stays constant, the rest change with every workout and that is how I like it.

Here is the basic 4 day split I will be following just to get my body back into the groove and my mind back into the habit for training.

In the brackets I have listed the main lift for that training day, that lift will be done every time on that day, then the rest will be assistance exercises.

The assistance exercises will vary between workouts, so on Day 1 we WILL have Bench Press which MAY then be followed my Incline Bench, next time it MAy be DB Flyers and Pec Deck etc etc, so no two workouts will be exactly the same, most work will be done in the main lift, the rest is just extra:

DAY 1 - Chest/Triceps (Bench Press)

DAY 2 - Legs/Abs (Squat)

DAY 3 - Back/Biceps (Dead Lift)

DAY 4 - Shoulders /Abs (Press)

There may or may not be rest days, I will aim not to have rest days, but I willl be guided by my body.

 

[Shorr]

Yeah, ok, thanks guys, yes, I may overcook it.
My original concern was if -generally speaking- a 5 x 5 program works well, should one perform 5 x 5 dead lift as well, as a part of the routine, or dead lift is somewhat different and less volume needed (3 x 5 or 1 x 5).
I understand it can vary individually, depending on many different things, my question was a generic one: does dead lift need to be performed at less volume (compared to bench and squat) or not?
Yes - No

 

[Big Mick]

Yeah, ok, thanks guys, yes, I may overcook it.
My original concern was if -generally speaking- a 5 x 5 program works well, should one perform 5 x 5 dead lift as well, as a part of the routine, or dead lift is somewhat different and less volume needed (3 x 5 or 1 x 5).
I understand it can vary individually, depending on many different things, my question was a generic one: does dead lift need to be performed at less volume (compared to bench and squat) or not?
Yes - No

I would say no, but it all depends on the weights you are lifting.

If you are lifting weights that allow 5-10 reps then 5-10 reps are suitable, if you are doing heavy singles or doubles then that's what you are doing.

All depends on your reasoning for training (your personal goals) and recovery ability.

 

[simo74]

I say no as well 5 x 5 for deads is fine

 

[Shorr]

Hey guys,

how long is a 5x5 program suppose to last? How does it end? I mean, I increase the load by 5kg every week, I do (for example) DL with 160kg 5x5 atm, if I go like this I will develop 52 weeks x 5 kg = 260kg in a year, so it is going to be 420kg? Haha, I wish, but realistically somewhere I will fail or die. So when to quit the routine, or change it or to take a break or how to time it? Thanks.

 

[White_Lie]

It's all laid out here...

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#Plateaus

 

[Shorr]

It's all laid out here...

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#Plateaus

Thanks mate, I have not seen it before

 

[Steventaylor]

If this is about beginner program, I would still stick to Push ups, Bars and Chin ups for next 1 month at least before hitting the dumbbells and barbells.

 

[DLmax]

I do 5x5, my first program, and wondered about the 1x5 DL. I figure the program has been going for decades with thousands of trainees so who am I to question or modify it.

Also its a 12 week program, your final weights will be less than your starting 1rm which seems odd but your 5rm will have improved.

It will switch you to different programs when you do all the reps and weights in 5x5 if you have paid for it and are not still on the free app. The full, paid, app includes warm ups and accessories.