5x5 bench training thought...

[SAGAT]

i was just thinking, usually i work my way up in weights when benching 5x5, 5 pounds per set and i finish at the heaviest weight i can handle during the final set. now i was wondering...would it have any benefits if i were to start with the heaviest weight and instead of working my way up, working my way down from the first set?
any and all comments are appreciated!

 

[Sebass67]

I doubt it...I would think you would want to save your last effort for the heaviest weight even though i think working down is a good way to maintain form for the next workout.

 

[SFLifter]

Is this an effective way to do it? I've been doing all 5 sets at the same weight...

 

[forty-six & 2]

i do believe that that is how it is meant to be done, all 5 sets with the same weight. at least according to needsize's original posts.

stay hungry

 

[he-man]

i thought there where the 2 warmup sets for 5 reps and then the last three sets for 5 reps with the heaviest weight......havnt done 5x5 in a couple of years and after about a year of lifting the same way my buddy and i just started a 3 day a week 5x5 program. gonna do it for 3 months and see how we come out at the end. majority of our lifts are stuck at the same weight so im hoping this will once again help bust us through to the next level.

 

[SAGAT]

well i modified it to the way it works for me, so thats why its a little different from needsize's version.
but to get back on topic; anyone tried it starting with heaviest weight? (sebass?)

 

[Sebass67]

Nope...sometimes i run a heavy warmup though just to prime my nervous system...but never in my working sets,...

 

[SAGAT]

hmm i see...guess i'll just try it once, see how it goes.

 

[JKurz1]

i thought there where the 2 warmup sets for 5 reps and then the last three sets for 5 reps with the heaviest weight......havnt done 5x5 in a couple of years and after about a year of lifting the same way my buddy and i just started a 3 day a week 5x5 program. gonna do it for 3 months and see how we come out at the end. majority of our lifts are stuck at the same weight so im hoping this will once again help bust us through to the next level.

nope......2 warmup sets (or whatever) and then 5x5 - same weight

 

[Slyder190]

You'd be going off in a totally different direction. It would completely change the way the routine is set up to yield results, causing different stimuli to the muscles.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

The Bill Starr 5x5 routine has you doing 2x5 warmups and then 3x5 for working sets. That's what He-man may be thinking of. At least the program example I saw.

 

[Sebass67]

The only thing u might get from ramping the weight down each set is speed work and that's if you do each rep as explosively as possible...and still i don't know how much it would help...neat concept though.

 

[SAGAT]

well my reasoning behind it was very simple; i believe progressive resistance is the way to grow, and i thought if i were to begin with my heaviest weight (in other words my goal weight for the week) i would have a better chance to complete 5 reps than if i would do that set last. in other words having a better chance to up the resistance every week....but i keep getting the feeling that i'm overlooking something. regardless, i'll try it next chest workout and see what i get out of it.

 

[JKurz1]

well my reasoning behind it was very simple; i believe progressive resistance is the way to grow, and i thought if i were to begin with my heaviest weight (in other words my goal weight for the week) i would have a better chance to complete 5 reps than if i would do that set last. in other words having a better chance to up the resistance every week....but i keep getting the feeling that i'm overlooking something. regardless, i'll try it next chest workout and see what i get out of it.

huh????? You are making this wayyy too complicated.........example...if you are doing 300 at 5x5, then do a couple of warmups (i.e. 135x12, 225x8) and then 300 5x5...next week it's 305, then 310, then 315...etc....that is progressive load............

 

[SAGAT]

i know what you mean bro and thanks for the advice, but the way i'm doing it now seems to yield better results. i used to do it that way (the way it was "intended") but found that i could not up the weight as quick as i would like to. i'd be stuck at the same weight for weeks. which is by no means a calamity but i was kind of getting irritated by it. now, by working toward my goal weight in 5 pounds increments, i can up the weight almost every week. sounds like a good deal to me

 

[westsnoop]

It would seem to me that if you are going to reverse pyramid you are going to have to be careful not to overtrain. Warming up with progressively heavier weights in order to start with your heavy (heaviest) workset will drain resources you might want for auxillary exercises. Training this way isn't wrong, but it's taxing.
Are you incorporating auxillary movements?

 

[Buddy_Christ]

i know what you mean bro and thanks for the advice, but the way i'm doing it now seems to yield better results. i used to do it that way (the way it was "intended") but found that i could not up the weight as quick as i would like to. i'd be stuck at the same weight for weeks. which is by no means a calamity but i was kind of getting irritated by it. now, by working toward my goal weight in 5 pounds increments, i can up the weight almost every week. sounds like a good deal to me

once you get stuck at a weight for 2 weeks you're supposed to take it to 5x3 and keep moving on for a few weeks. then cycle back to where you left off 5x5 at.

my flat bench has had to go to 5x3 i got stalled at 195lbs, which really hurt. however, i 5x3'ed 200lbs this week, and 200x3 was my last PR, so that felt kinda good to do 5 sets of it. so far it's the only lift that i've had to do that with though, but i'm damn close to having to do it for BB curl and ohp.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Sagat, by pyramiding down and using heavier weights like that, you'd be better off just doing 2 sets (since they're more intense) and taking up a low-volume routine. I like your idea, and it makes more sense to destroy that muscle with your heaviest set, all out, then move on. Supposedly a "back-off" set has been shown in some Japanese study I read awhile back to help in hypertrophy. I forgot why, where the article was or whatever. Maybe, if you'd consider low-volume work, try 1-2x5 and then 1x8-10 as a backoff. I could be entirely wrong, just my input.

 

[SAGAT]

westsnoop; yes i'm using auxilliary movements, but at the moment it is not too taxing, as long as i rest enough and stretch well.

crak; i know that you're "supposed" to go to 5x3 after your 5x5 weight stalls...but i'm just trying to find ways to keep increasing my 5x5 weight for the longest time possible.

tom; that sounds like a good idea, i'm at that point now where im trying things for myself, trying to find what works best.

oh and before i forget; thanks for the input everyone