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How does the Reg Park 5x5 compare with Stronglifts? I've been doing SL for a while but I possibly need to move on as I can no longer sustain 5x5 squats tree tim

How does the Reg Park 5x5 compare with Stronglifts? I've been doing SL for a while but I possibly need to move on as I can no longer sustain 5x5 squats tree times a week - it totally wipes me out (I'm squatting about 1.2 x BW and DLing 1.6 x BW). Interested to know your thoughts on Reg Park 5x5.

xmonkee 13y ago
Stop doing squats 3 times a week. It's a beginner's move, and only valuable if you're planning to be a competitive powerlifter. I moved onto a more traditional 4-day split (chest, shoulders, back, legs) years ago and it's much more fun and productive.
- Evgeny 13y ago
  Maybe it's just the phrasing, but the squat is in no way a beginner move. Maybe squatting 3 times per week is a beginners move? To that I agree - as the weight gets heavier, you can no longer recover quickly enough. But the squat should be the key exercise for everyone who is interested in strength and/or mass. It uses, directly or indirectly, about 2/3 of your total muscle mass (compared to all time favourite gym goer bicep curl, which involves a staggering 2% of your muscle mass), and was reported to be the exercise that causes the highest level of growth hormone release.
  - thesz 13y ago
    You can limit any heavy exercise to two or even one set, it gives you 50% or 80% of train to failure effectiveness, but allows for faster recovery (due to less stress on nervous system).
- thesz 13y ago
  Stop doing 4-day splits. It's intermediate move and only valuable if you are not result oriented at all. I moved from 3-day splits to more traditional hypertrophy-specific full-body exercise set and it is much more fun and productive. BTW, StrongLifts 5x5 employs some principles from hypertrophy-specific training programming which is why it works.
retrogradeorbit 13y ago
I'm just beginning (squat 0.8xBW. deadlift 1 x BW). Phase one of Reg Park is even simpler than SL. I can't do three times a week. My body is just too sore. I really enjoy it. Just 30 minutes every 4 or 5 days. I use a gym but I'm not a member, just pay casual. I like the feeling of the safety of the cage in squats and having proper gear. At first was going once a week. Now at every 4 or 5 days. It wipes me out too.

xmonkee 13y ago

Stop doing squats 3 times a week. It's a beginner's move, and only valuable if you're planning to be a competitive powerlifter. I moved onto a more traditional 4-day split (chest, shoulders, back, legs) years ago and it's much more fun and productive.

Evgeny 13y ago
Maybe it's just the phrasing, but the squat is in no way a beginner move. Maybe squatting 3 times per week is a beginners move? To that I agree - as the weight gets heavier, you can no longer recover quickly enough. But the squat should be the key exercise for everyone who is interested in strength and/or mass. It uses, directly or indirectly, about 2/3 of your total muscle mass (compared to all time favourite gym goer bicep curl, which involves a staggering 2% of your muscle mass), and was reported to be the exercise that causes the highest level of growth hormone release.
- thesz 13y ago
  You can limit any heavy exercise to two or even one set, it gives you 50% or 80% of train to failure effectiveness, but allows for faster recovery (due to less stress on nervous system).
thesz 13y ago
Stop doing 4-day splits. It's intermediate move and only valuable if you are not result oriented at all. I moved from 3-day splits to more traditional hypertrophy-specific full-body exercise set and it is much more fun and productive. BTW, StrongLifts 5x5 employs some principles from hypertrophy-specific training programming which is why it works.

retrogradeorbit 13y ago

I'm just beginning (squat 0.8xBW. deadlift 1 x BW). Phase one of Reg Park is even simpler than SL. I can't do three times a week. My body is just too sore. I really enjoy it. Just 30 minutes every 4 or 5 days. I use a gym but I'm not a member, just pay casual. I like the feeling of the safety of the cage in squats and having proper gear. At first was going once a week. Now at every 4 or 5 days. It wipes me out too.