madcow...5x5 question

hey bro, you're probably tired of answering these goddamn questions but real briefly...

I'm going to run your 5x5 for a cycle this summer and see what happens and I was wondering...the 5x5 sets are sets and reps at the same weight whereas the '1x5' is not actually one set of five but a 5x5 with the target weight for five reps on the final set? (so if my target weight on bench is 315, I will hit 250x5, 265x5, 280x5, 295x5, 315x5 - target weight aka '1x5' set?)

also, I love power cleans, where would I sub these in? (I'm already going to throw PPs in place of standing MPs)

thanks,
CN

So first, if people could just add these to my 5x5 thread it would be better. The thread might be 20 pages now but I answer everything in there and always check it. This board can get clogged and the nature of a lot of these posts is that of just asking me to clarify a point. It's not a huge deal but that's why the thread is there.

You are exactly right on the 5x5 and 1x5 layout. Each week the target weight for that exercise and protocol (i.e. 5x5 and 1x5) will change so the 1x5 pyramid will change also. You can be somewhat flexible here in that you don't need to bump each set of the 1x5 pyramid up a corresponding amount - you can if you'd like but this might give you some breathing room and if your pyramids start impeding your work you can drop a few back some in weight (still getting all the reps) while not overly taxing yourself for the target that week.

Powercleans should be done in place of the barbell rows on M/F. Rep scheme is the same. This was originally how Starr had them in the program (not many people know how to do cleans properly so it's more accessible in this forum). Rows are great and you don't want to completely neglect them over a long period but for the duration of the training cycle, it's one or the other here. You can also substitute heavy high pulls or clean pulls for deadlifts should you choose.

real tight man, appreciate it...

gotta love them cleans and presses...wow, I can even put heavy high pulls in, im likin' this already...

thanks man,
cn

Good choice on the power cleans. Since you'll be using a clean to get the bar up for your overhead pressing, you'll be squatting and cleaning three days a week.

Don't forget that the squats should be fully ATF.

Blut Wump said:

Good choice on the power cleans. Since you'll be using a clean to get the bar up for your overhead pressing, you'll be squatting and cleaning three days a week.

Don't forget that the squats should be fully ATF.

Click to expand...

blut, I got a question...my torso is kinda stocky (but I have longer legs) and when I get into that ATF position I feel like I'm GMing the weight up initially and then squatting it...can I just go like 2 inches below parallel which is about as legitimately deep as I can go

Take a read of this from madcow...
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=395488

You could also download these on the dead and squat from KillahBee
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=380777

This article from PurePowerMag is worth a read too
http://purepowermag.com/samples/pdf/squat1to39.pdf

What it all comes down to is that going ATF involves more of your posterior chain and is thus a fuller exercise than stopping part way down.

You should also find that going all the way down stresses your knees a lot less as you settle in at the bottom rather than using your knees as brakes. I found the same problem at first with going ATF that I tended to GM the bar. I also found that I was leaning forward and sometimes even came up on the balls of my feet. I just had to reduce the weight and practice with what, for me, was a new movement in an old exercise. Don't worry if for a while your max squat is less than your bench.

haha ok bro, if I'm gonna be squatting ATF my bench is definitely gonna be more than my squat for a bit at least...thanks for posting the articles

whenever i see ATF i think aqua teen hunger force, lol

Same here oak haha