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Fitness for geeks: my annual review of the Stronglifts 5x5 program

61 points by teekay 16y ago

ryankirkman 16y ago
Free weight strength training is one of the greatest things you could do to improve your health. The program to which you refer (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/ http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-tra...) seems to be a slightly different spin on Mark Ripptoe's legendary Starting Strength program (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength...). If you are serious about improving your strength and health in general, buy Mark's book (http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421 http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp...). It is probably the best $30 investment I have ever made. NB: I am in no way affiliated with Mark Rippetoe. I simply have incredible respect for the man.
- allengeorge 16y ago
  +1 on Starting Strength. It helped a lot with my form.
- eru 16y ago
  You can also find lots of videos of Rippetoe coaching on youtube. I still recommend buying his book, but you can convince yourself that he's sane first.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- acgourley 16y ago
  His book Practical Programming is also good if you want a slightly more advanced take on the subject. It still has a chapter going over this beginning workout and why it makes sense. Even though most people don't need the advanced training programs, it's damn interesting to read about the science behind them. http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0976805413 http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Trainin...
PaulHoule 16y ago
I'm skeptical of anybody who claims to have a simple answer to success at weight training. The more I learn about weight training, the more ignorant I feel. A few books I've enjoyed lately are 'Starting Strength' by Rippetoe and Killgore and Brookfield's 'Master of Hand Strength'. The latter book is a real eye-opener: every page is stuffed with information that makes sense, but you never would have thought of. (Hand development, of course, is important for computer keyboardists.) Although it's not a complete weightlifting manual, I like the attitude of Bruce Lee's 'Art of Expressing the Human Body', which turned me on to circuit training. Some other good books which are more focused on bodyweight training are Cook's 'Athletic Body in Balance' and Boyle's 'Functional Training For Sports'. People with with injuries or chronic pain can benefit greatly from training, but they need to be smart about it. For instance, my knees are wonky so I watch my workload and avoid traditional 2-leg extension exercises such as the leg press and the 2-leg squat. Instead I do single-leg exercises and intense hamstring work that has stabilized my knees. At some point you're going to transcend other people's cookie-cutter programs. For instance, reading Lee and Brookfield has gotten me to focus on forearm and grip strength, because everybody I see who lifts has big upper arms and scrawny forearms. The more you learn about it, the more you'll discover there is to learn.
- brown9-2 16y ago
  The Stronglift 5x5 program is basically the Starting Strength program with a few modifications.
  - Hates_ 16y ago
    Personally I think 5x5 is too much volume compared to SS' 3x5.
    - allengeorge 16y ago
      It's not bad - you can crank it out for quite a while. When you pass 2xbw on the squats and 2.5xbw on the deadlifts (which are done at 1x5) it starts to get tougher.
    - 16y ago
thomasdavis 16y ago
Famous words from one of America's best former governors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drioQ137NhA#t=0m34s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drioQ137NhA#t=0m34s
- DanielH 16y ago
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0A1CZ2XJXM#t=4m01s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0A1CZ2XJXM#t=4m01s
brown9-2 16y ago
Looks like his web server has died, here is the Google cache version: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cache:http://tomaskohl.com/blog/2011/01/fitness-for-geeks/&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq= http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cac...
- teekay 16y ago
  It's back up again.
weeksie 16y ago
I've been working out off and on since I was in high school and I figured I would try something different this time around. I started with the HST program and have been absolutely floored by the results. It sounds lime the 5x5 program he mentioned might be similar. Anyway, the idea that muscles respond to increases in load more than the absolute load itself, combined with the idea that sets beyond the first working set offer little value sounded opposite to most of what I've heard over the years. Six months in I've developed faster and more evenly then I ever have. Anyway, it's worth looking into. Do a search for Hypertrophy Specific Training (the site is all muscle-guy crazy but the info is good—and free, the dude makes his money on supplement sales, not selling his program)
- thesz 16y ago
  Thank you very much for mentioning HST. I assume it is here: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html as it is top of the Google search. Information from that website puts some things in proper context, like pumping to heal tendon damage.
  - weeksie 16y ago
    That's the one. I would have linked it in my first post but I was writing on my phone. There are a lot of things on there that clarified or outright changed my view of weight training. I've been doing this program for the last six months and not only have I made more progress in shorter time than ever before, I also haven't hit plateaus, given myself an injury, or burnt out. And I only spend about 2:30 hours per week in the gym.
lachyg 16y ago
I did some research and looked into the Colorado Experiment, and as of late, Tim Ferriss' Occam's protocol. From there I mix and matched what I thought would be right after doing some research on the muscle groups I was looking to hit. The basic concept is 1 set til failure, 5/5 cadence (5 seconds lifting / 5s lowering). I've seen amazing gains within the past month I've been on the program. Have increased some of my weights by up to 120%, whilst the minimum increase has been 40%.
- sharadgopal 16y ago
  And is that with just two workouts every week ?
  - lachyg 16y ago
    Yes, each workout is just 10m each too. Incredibly intense, though. I've spent maybe 100 minutes total time in the gym, and have seen incredible results.
- brown9-2 16y ago
  increased some of my weights by up to 120% Just to be sure, do you mean that if you were lifting 50 lbs before in some exercise, you're now lifting 110 lbs?
  - lachyg 16y ago
    Yes, that's right. It was on my triceps and leg curls. (When you start in lower weights, the increase doesn't seem as drastic.) I see someone has also down voted my original post, I guess that's because I mention Tim Ferriss. sigh
  - lachyg 16y ago
    Yes, that's right. It was on my triceps and leg curls. (When you start in lower weights, the increase doesn't seem as drastic.) I see someone has also down voted my original post, I guess that's because I mention Tim Ferriss. sigh
- 16y ago
joshklein 16y ago
The simple truth is that any (non-crackpot) regimented training program will significantly improve a geek's fitness. Learning the minute details of weight training, nutrition, and other (important!) subjects is for marginal gains on top of a base level of fitness which the majority of the population lacks. Learn enough to safely accomplish basic exercises without ego-shattering self-consciousness, do them routinely and with an increasing level of difficulty, and you will become more fit. Great research on procrastination suggests that too many choices for what to do will lead you to not do anything. If you are not already at a base level of "good shape", whether you lift in one program or another, jog, play sports, or walk the stairs at work, you are NOT going to choose "wrong". Guaranteed or your money back. (Please note that I say this as a diehard HST-devotee who cross trains for soccer and MMA. But none of that stuff mattered when I was gassed after 30 minutes of light exercise.)
- cynicalkane 16y ago
  With weight training, for example, not worrying about the details and just doing it might lead to serious injury. You need to do these exercises with proper form. And if you're an out of shape computer geek, you will almost certainly need to fix your posterior chain and upper back before you are ready to do deadlift, squat, bench, and shoulder press safely.
  - scott_s 16y ago
    You can squat, deadlift, bench and shoulder press on your first day. Here is a simple, two step process to start squatting: 1. Stand up. 2. Squat. Oh, there's a lot more to it. And some people actually find air squats harder than weighted squats because there's no counter-balance. But the basic powerlifter movements - squat, deadlift, bench - can be done by people on their first day as long as they use very little weight. In fact, I think it's best to start with those movements to build strength. Having someone to correct your form is good, of course, but not everyone has that luxury and may have to monitor themselves. That's doable as well.
    - saturdaysaint 16y ago
unicornporn 16y ago
In theory it might be beautiful, but I'd say 5x5 is a pretty awful way to start if you are new to lifting weights. If you've been sitting on a chair for 8-12 hours a day you will have lots of muscular imbalances that needs to be corrected before starting a program like this. For instance, you will most likely not be able to activate your glutes during the squat or deadlift. Your lower back will take the load. Meet pain and, if you are unlucky, injury...
- brown9-2 16y ago
  That's primarily why the program (and Starting Strength) preaches starting at the minimum weight possible (usually just the 45lb bar) for each exercise, even if you're confident you can do more. This way you start at the bottom at each exercise, focus on getting your form right first, and then start stacking up weights. Better to take some time getting to lifting heavier things than to rush and make a mistake.
  - grammaton 16y ago
    Yes, exactly this. People don't hurt themselves by doing exercises with the wrong form - they hurt themselves by doing them in the wrong form with too much weight!
- grammaton 16y ago
  > In theory it might be beautiful, but I'd say 5x5 is a pretty awful way to start if you are new to lifting weights. Then you've obviously never tried it. It's actually a wonderful starting program. I lifted for years and never made remotely the progress I have on 5x5. I wish I could go back and tell myself to start it sooner! > If you've been sitting on a chair for 8-12 hours a day you will have lots of muscular imbalances that needs to be corrected before starting a program like this. Rubbish. They'll get corrected quite fast by actually doing the exercises.
  - unicornporn 16y ago
    > > In theory it might be beautiful, but I'd say 5x5 is a pretty awful way to start if you are new to lifting weights. > Then you've obviously never tried it. It's actually a wonderful starting program. I lifted for years and never made remotely the progress I have on 5x5. I wish I could go back and tell myself to start it sooner! Yes I have tried it and I love it. I'm actually doing it right now. But you really do not catch my point. You say "I lifted for years and never made remotely the progress I have on 5x5". I say: good for you. Of course you should continue on this program. But as you said yourself you had years of lifting experience before starting on 5x5. My point is that it is a no good starting point if you have never been lifting before.
scotch_drinker 16y ago
Can't read the article since the server seems to have died but if you want a combination of the strength training in Starting Strength and the conditioning for sports like cross country skiing or soccer, Crossfit is excellent. I've been doing it for a little over 2 years now and it combines all the aspects of getting strong with the ability to do activities like skiing and soccer easily.
filiwickers 16y ago
After tearing my achilles two years ago I became determined to fix my body's structural imbalances. I cannot say enough about how powerful the Stronglifts program is (and other similar programs). As a part of my training (along with a lot of pilates and yoga) I have done the StrongLifts program. I had done some weight training previously, was comfortable with each one of the lifts, and could find my way around the weight room. I think StrongLifts was the perfect lifting program for my situation, and will be to anyone else in a similar place. Im going to comment a bit more about the actual program, what you need to know about it, and why I recommend it. Stronglifts uses two alternating workouts A, B. The program focuses on eight different lifts (see site for full details). Workout A is Squats, Bench, Inverted Rows, Push Ups; Workout B is Squats, Overhead Press, Deadlifts, PullUps/ChinUps. The goal of the program is to build as much pure strength as possible. And it works. Doing compound lifts like this allows you to use as much muscle as possible while lifting the maximum amount of weight. The downside is that these lifts are not the easiest to learn. The key is to START LIGHT. Keep the weight light- lighter than you think- until you are consistently lifting with good form. If you are going to the gym with the goal of living a healthier life then you are wasting your time if you are not squatting. Please - learn how to squat, learn how to do it correctly, and get your butt as close to the ground as your flexibility allows. A full-depth squat is healthier for knees, develops additional muscles (mostly your butt), and is very impressive when you are putting up 2xx pounds on your squat and your butt is almost touching the ground. Learning correct form for any lift is essential. Please learn the right form when the weights are light. Once the weight gets higher your chances of injury from incorrect form skyrocket. Learning a lift incorrectly also makes it harder to learn correctly. So do it right the first time. Now for my actual Stronglifts review. I love it. I am addicted to it. I never in my life imagined I would be lifting as much as I am. I would not have gotten here without sticking to Stronglifts. I like Stronglifts because you know exactly how much you have to lift each day. There is an equation for everything. If you have a shitty day and cant lift something you just go back the next time and try again. There is no way to cheat but at the same time you are always progressing. If your squat is struggling your bench might be feeling great. I always had progress to motivate me to go back. That is the real key to any workout program, consistency. It does not matter what program you do- Stronglifts, starting strength, 3x5, 10x54, lean body now, grandma chair exercises, etc- just pick something and stick to it. Go to the gym when you feel great or when you feel like shit. I love doing squats. Doing squats 5x5 three times a week sucks no matter how you look at it. What keeps me going back is the sense of accomplishment you feel after lifting weights you never though possible. That and the huge/strong muscles part... 1) The health benefits of weight lifting using compound movements are not to be taken lightly- you may be shocked at what your body becomes after a year of committed work in the gym. 2) You are wasting your time going to the gym to lift weights if you are: not sticking to a program & documenting your workout (yes- gym notebook required), not doing full depth squats, not doing compound lifts.
lincolnpark 16y ago
The 5x5 programs are usually geared towards intermediates. I've done a few cycles of Bill Starr's 5x5 program but only after I'd learned the rudiments of weight training. I'd use starting strength as a beginning point, then progress to 5x5, HST, MaxOT and any of the other programs you might find at bodybuilding forums.
tastybites 16y ago
I've been doing compound barbell lifts (usually 3x5 on dl, squat, bench, bar row, body pull-up) for almost 6 months now - I've lost a significant amount of weight and improved my posture, confidence, and appearance. By combining this with 10x sprints twice a week, it's absolutely amazing how fast you can drop fat. I've still got bad habits that set back my progress, but it's a marathon, not a sprint! Turning into a fit person isn't going to happen overnight, and I believe the only sustainable way to do it is through slow lifestyle changes. Just my 2 cents. Go to the gym and start lifting barbells!
erik_p 16y ago
I've used 5 x 5 to get in shape before. A lot of it made sense to me.. Free weights are "better" than machines, squats are important, start light learn the form and increase weight as you go. I too was turned off by the author of the program - he comes across as a real dick in his forums -- It's analogous to the "if you're not doing everything the scrum way don't call what you're doing scrum" hardliners. What's important to a newbie is the structure and the gradual, incremental improvements. As Henry Rollins says "the iron doesn't lie" If each week you're adding 5lbs that's measurable improvement and helps with the motivation. I like to think of going to the gym like leveling up my constitution :) Regardless if you do 5 x 5 or do "starting strength" just do something and get over the initial inertia. You'll be sore as hell that first week, but it does get better. My other suggestion is bring a friend of similar level of non-fitness and start together (assuming you don't sabotage each other by talking each other OUT of going to the gym each time) -- makes it less embarrassing when you have a partner who is also struggling with a small amount of weight on the bar -- it's not a contest, but a little healthy competition and support goes a long way. Also try not to compare yourself to the meatheads in the gym with multiple huge wheels of cheese on the bar... don't be intimidated. You're there to get stronger and that's it. shrug
jacques_chester 16y ago
I went from SL to Olympic weightlifting. A definite nerd sport -- totally about the elegant union of physics and biology.

61 points by teekay 16y ago

Free weight strength training is one of the greatest things you could do to improve your health. The program to which you refer (http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/ http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-tra...) seems to be a slightly different spin on Mark Ripptoe's legendary Starting Strength program (http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength_Novice/Beginner_Programs http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/The_Starting_Strength...). If you are serious about improving your strength and health in general, buy Mark's book (http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0976805421 http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-2nd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp...). It is probably the best $30 investment I have ever made. NB: I am in no way affiliated with Mark Rippetoe. I simply have incredible respect for the man.

allengeorge 16y ago
+1 on Starting Strength. It helped a lot with my form.
eru 16y ago
You can also find lots of videos of Rippetoe coaching on youtube. I still recommend buying his book, but you can convince yourself that he's sane first.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
acgourley 16y ago
His book Practical Programming is also good if you want a slightly more advanced take on the subject. It still has a chapter going over this beginning workout and why it makes sense. Even though most people don't need the advanced training programs, it's damn interesting to read about the science behind them. http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Training-Rippetoe/dp/0976805413 http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Programming-Strength-Trainin...

PaulHoule 16y ago

I'm skeptical of anybody who claims to have a simple answer to success at weight training. The more I learn about weight training, the more ignorant I feel. A few books I've enjoyed lately are 'Starting Strength' by Rippetoe and Killgore and Brookfield's 'Master of Hand Strength'. The latter book is a real eye-opener: every page is stuffed with information that makes sense, but you never would have thought of. (Hand development, of course, is important for computer keyboardists.) Although it's not a complete weightlifting manual, I like the attitude of Bruce Lee's 'Art of Expressing the Human Body', which turned me on to circuit training. Some other good books which are more focused on bodyweight training are Cook's 'Athletic Body in Balance' and Boyle's 'Functional Training For Sports'. People with with injuries or chronic pain can benefit greatly from training, but they need to be smart about it. For instance, my knees are wonky so I watch my workload and avoid traditional 2-leg extension exercises such as the leg press and the 2-leg squat. Instead I do single-leg exercises and intense hamstring work that has stabilized my knees. At some point you're going to transcend other people's cookie-cutter programs. For instance, reading Lee and Brookfield has gotten me to focus on forearm and grip strength, because everybody I see who lifts has big upper arms and scrawny forearms. The more you learn about it, the more you'll discover there is to learn.

brown9-2 16y ago
The Stronglift 5x5 program is basically the Starting Strength program with a few modifications.
- Hates_ 16y ago
  Personally I think 5x5 is too much volume compared to SS' 3x5.
  - allengeorge 16y ago
    It's not bad - you can crank it out for quite a while. When you pass 2xbw on the squats and 2.5xbw on the deadlifts (which are done at 1x5) it starts to get tougher.
  - 16y ago

thomasdavis 16y ago

Famous words from one of America's best former governors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drioQ137NhA#t=0m34s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drioQ137NhA#t=0m34s

DanielH 16y ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0A1CZ2XJXM#t=4m01s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0A1CZ2XJXM#t=4m01s

brown9-2 16y ago

Looks like his web server has died, here is the Google cache version: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cache:http://tomaskohl.com/blog/2011/01/fitness-for-geeks/&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq= http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?hl=en&q=cac...

teekay 16y ago
It's back up again.

weeksie 16y ago

I've been working out off and on since I was in high school and I figured I would try something different this time around. I started with the HST program and have been absolutely floored by the results. It sounds lime the 5x5 program he mentioned might be similar. Anyway, the idea that muscles respond to increases in load more than the absolute load itself, combined with the idea that sets beyond the first working set offer little value sounded opposite to most of what I've heard over the years. Six months in I've developed faster and more evenly then I ever have. Anyway, it's worth looking into. Do a search for Hypertrophy Specific Training (the site is all muscle-guy crazy but the info is good—and free, the dude makes his money on supplement sales, not selling his program)

thesz 16y ago
Thank you very much for mentioning HST. I assume it is here: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com/hst_index.html as it is top of the Google search. Information from that website puts some things in proper context, like pumping to heal tendon damage.
- weeksie 16y ago
  That's the one. I would have linked it in my first post but I was writing on my phone. There are a lot of things on there that clarified or outright changed my view of weight training. I've been doing this program for the last six months and not only have I made more progress in shorter time than ever before, I also haven't hit plateaus, given myself an injury, or burnt out. And I only spend about 2:30 hours per week in the gym.

lachyg 16y ago

I did some research and looked into the Colorado Experiment, and as of late, Tim Ferriss' Occam's protocol. From there I mix and matched what I thought would be right after doing some research on the muscle groups I was looking to hit. The basic concept is 1 set til failure, 5/5 cadence (5 seconds lifting / 5s lowering). I've seen amazing gains within the past month I've been on the program. Have increased some of my weights by up to 120%, whilst the minimum increase has been 40%.

sharadgopal 16y ago
And is that with just two workouts every week ?
- lachyg 16y ago
  Yes, each workout is just 10m each too. Incredibly intense, though. I've spent maybe 100 minutes total time in the gym, and have seen incredible results.
brown9-2 16y ago
increased some of my weights by up to 120% Just to be sure, do you mean that if you were lifting 50 lbs before in some exercise, you're now lifting 110 lbs?
- lachyg 16y ago
  Yes, that's right. It was on my triceps and leg curls. (When you start in lower weights, the increase doesn't seem as drastic.) I see someone has also down voted my original post, I guess that's because I mention Tim Ferriss. sigh
- lachyg 16y ago
  Yes, that's right. It was on my triceps and leg curls. (When you start in lower weights, the increase doesn't seem as drastic.) I see someone has also down voted my original post, I guess that's because I mention Tim Ferriss. sigh
16y ago

joshklein 16y ago

The simple truth is that any (non-crackpot) regimented training program will significantly improve a geek's fitness. Learning the minute details of weight training, nutrition, and other (important!) subjects is for marginal gains on top of a base level of fitness which the majority of the population lacks. Learn enough to safely accomplish basic exercises without ego-shattering self-consciousness, do them routinely and with an increasing level of difficulty, and you will become more fit. Great research on procrastination suggests that too many choices for what to do will lead you to not do anything. If you are not already at a base level of "good shape", whether you lift in one program or another, jog, play sports, or walk the stairs at work, you are NOT going to choose "wrong". Guaranteed or your money back. (Please note that I say this as a diehard HST-devotee who cross trains for soccer and MMA. But none of that stuff mattered when I was gassed after 30 minutes of light exercise.)

cynicalkane 16y ago
With weight training, for example, not worrying about the details and just doing it might lead to serious injury. You need to do these exercises with proper form. And if you're an out of shape computer geek, you will almost certainly need to fix your posterior chain and upper back before you are ready to do deadlift, squat, bench, and shoulder press safely.
- scott_s 16y ago
  You can squat, deadlift, bench and shoulder press on your first day. Here is a simple, two step process to start squatting: 1. Stand up. 2. Squat. Oh, there's a lot more to it. And some people actually find air squats harder than weighted squats because there's no counter-balance. But the basic powerlifter movements - squat, deadlift, bench - can be done by people on their first day as long as they use very little weight. In fact, I think it's best to start with those movements to build strength. Having someone to correct your form is good, of course, but not everyone has that luxury and may have to monitor themselves. That's doable as well.
  - saturdaysaint 16y ago

unicornporn 16y ago

In theory it might be beautiful, but I'd say 5x5 is a pretty awful way to start if you are new to lifting weights. If you've been sitting on a chair for 8-12 hours a day you will have lots of muscular imbalances that needs to be corrected before starting a program like this. For instance, you will most likely not be able to activate your glutes during the squat or deadlift. Your lower back will take the load. Meet pain and, if you are unlucky, injury...

brown9-2 16y ago
That's primarily why the program (and Starting Strength) preaches starting at the minimum weight possible (usually just the 45lb bar) for each exercise, even if you're confident you can do more. This way you start at the bottom at each exercise, focus on getting your form right first, and then start stacking up weights. Better to take some time getting to lifting heavier things than to rush and make a mistake.
- grammaton 16y ago
  Yes, exactly this. People don't hurt themselves by doing exercises with the wrong form - they hurt themselves by doing them in the wrong form with too much weight!
grammaton 16y ago
> In theory it might be beautiful, but I'd say 5x5 is a pretty awful way to start if you are new to lifting weights. Then you've obviously never tried it. It's actually a wonderful starting program. I lifted for years and never made remotely the progress I have on 5x5. I wish I could go back and tell myself to start it sooner! > If you've been sitting on a chair for 8-12 hours a day you will have lots of muscular imbalances that needs to be corrected before starting a program like this. Rubbish. They'll get corrected quite fast by actually doing the exercises.
- unicornporn 16y ago
  > > In theory it might be beautiful, but I'd say 5x5 is a pretty awful way to start if you are new to lifting weights. > Then you've obviously never tried it. It's actually a wonderful starting program. I lifted for years and never made remotely the progress I have on 5x5. I wish I could go back and tell myself to start it sooner! Yes I have tried it and I love it. I'm actually doing it right now. But you really do not catch my point. You say "I lifted for years and never made remotely the progress I have on 5x5". I say: good for you. Of course you should continue on this program. But as you said yourself you had years of lifting experience before starting on 5x5. My point is that it is a no good starting point if you have never been lifting before.

scotch_drinker 16y ago

Can't read the article since the server seems to have died but if you want a combination of the strength training in Starting Strength and the conditioning for sports like cross country skiing or soccer, Crossfit is excellent. I've been doing it for a little over 2 years now and it combines all the aspects of getting strong with the ability to do activities like skiing and soccer easily.

filiwickers 16y ago

After tearing my achilles two years ago I became determined to fix my body's structural imbalances. I cannot say enough about how powerful the Stronglifts program is (and other similar programs). As a part of my training (along with a lot of pilates and yoga) I have done the StrongLifts program. I had done some weight training previously, was comfortable with each one of the lifts, and could find my way around the weight room. I think StrongLifts was the perfect lifting program for my situation, and will be to anyone else in a similar place. Im going to comment a bit more about the actual program, what you need to know about it, and why I recommend it. Stronglifts uses two alternating workouts A, B. The program focuses on eight different lifts (see site for full details). Workout A is Squats, Bench, Inverted Rows, Push Ups; Workout B is Squats, Overhead Press, Deadlifts, PullUps/ChinUps. The goal of the program is to build as much pure strength as possible. And it works. Doing compound lifts like this allows you to use as much muscle as possible while lifting the maximum amount of weight. The downside is that these lifts are not the easiest to learn. The key is to START LIGHT. Keep the weight light- lighter than you think- until you are consistently lifting with good form. If you are going to the gym with the goal of living a healthier life then you are wasting your time if you are not squatting. Please - learn how to squat, learn how to do it correctly, and get your butt as close to the ground as your flexibility allows. A full-depth squat is healthier for knees, develops additional muscles (mostly your butt), and is very impressive when you are putting up 2xx pounds on your squat and your butt is almost touching the ground. Learning correct form for any lift is essential. Please learn the right form when the weights are light. Once the weight gets higher your chances of injury from incorrect form skyrocket. Learning a lift incorrectly also makes it harder to learn correctly. So do it right the first time. Now for my actual Stronglifts review. I love it. I am addicted to it. I never in my life imagined I would be lifting as much as I am. I would not have gotten here without sticking to Stronglifts. I like Stronglifts because you know exactly how much you have to lift each day. There is an equation for everything. If you have a shitty day and cant lift something you just go back the next time and try again. There is no way to cheat but at the same time you are always progressing. If your squat is struggling your bench might be feeling great. I always had progress to motivate me to go back. That is the real key to any workout program, consistency. It does not matter what program you do- Stronglifts, starting strength, 3x5, 10x54, lean body now, grandma chair exercises, etc- just pick something and stick to it. Go to the gym when you feel great or when you feel like shit. I love doing squats. Doing squats 5x5 three times a week sucks no matter how you look at it. What keeps me going back is the sense of accomplishment you feel after lifting weights you never though possible. That and the huge/strong muscles part... 1) The health benefits of weight lifting using compound movements are not to be taken lightly- you may be shocked at what your body becomes after a year of committed work in the gym. 2) You are wasting your time going to the gym to lift weights if you are: not sticking to a program & documenting your workout (yes- gym notebook required), not doing full depth squats, not doing compound lifts.

lincolnpark 16y ago

The 5x5 programs are usually geared towards intermediates. I've done a few cycles of Bill Starr's 5x5 program but only after I'd learned the rudiments of weight training. I'd use starting strength as a beginning point, then progress to 5x5, HST, MaxOT and any of the other programs you might find at bodybuilding forums.

tastybites 16y ago

I've been doing compound barbell lifts (usually 3x5 on dl, squat, bench, bar row, body pull-up) for almost 6 months now - I've lost a significant amount of weight and improved my posture, confidence, and appearance. By combining this with 10x sprints twice a week, it's absolutely amazing how fast you can drop fat. I've still got bad habits that set back my progress, but it's a marathon, not a sprint! Turning into a fit person isn't going to happen overnight, and I believe the only sustainable way to do it is through slow lifestyle changes. Just my 2 cents. Go to the gym and start lifting barbells!

erik_p 16y ago

I've used 5 x 5 to get in shape before. A lot of it made sense to me.. Free weights are "better" than machines, squats are important, start light learn the form and increase weight as you go. I too was turned off by the author of the program - he comes across as a real dick in his forums -- It's analogous to the "if you're not doing everything the scrum way don't call what you're doing scrum" hardliners. What's important to a newbie is the structure and the gradual, incremental improvements. As Henry Rollins says "the iron doesn't lie" If each week you're adding 5lbs that's measurable improvement and helps with the motivation. I like to think of going to the gym like leveling up my constitution :) Regardless if you do 5 x 5 or do "starting strength" just do something and get over the initial inertia. You'll be sore as hell that first week, but it does get better. My other suggestion is bring a friend of similar level of non-fitness and start together (assuming you don't sabotage each other by talking each other OUT of going to the gym each time) -- makes it less embarrassing when you have a partner who is also struggling with a small amount of weight on the bar -- it's not a contest, but a little healthy competition and support goes a long way. Also try not to compare yourself to the meatheads in the gym with multiple huge wheels of cheese on the bar... don't be intimidated. You're there to get stronger and that's it. shrug

jacques_chester 16y ago

I went from SL to Olympic weightlifting. A definite nerd sport -- totally about the elegant union of physics and biology.