5x5 - Good and Bad

[fastgain]

I've been on a pretty strict 5x5 for about 2.5 months now. The gains have been good, and I've packed on a decent amount of mass. It's definitely a great routine. I'm taking a week off (to rest my body and cns) before starting on my summer training.

In no way do I intend to criticize the 5x5 routine...I really like it. I'm having a few problems, however. Basically, I feel overtrained alot of the time. For instance, on mondays I do 5x5 flat bench first. At the weight I'm doing, I could barely get 7 reps (maybe only 6 reps) for one set, and that would be total failure. Although I can usually push through and get something like 5,5,5,4-5,5 (after which I will still add weight the next week), it just seems like I'm going to failure (or nearly to failure) on 3-4 of the 5 sets. My bench is progressing nicely, but since I am training almost to failure on so many sets, I get really worn down from deads and squats each week. On Tuesdays, after I do deads for 5x5, I am usually too tired to put in very much of an effort on 2x8-10 rows and pullups. Also, I have been having a recurring fever, I've had it about 3-4 times in the past few months, always occurring on a wednesday or thursday. I'm a healthy individual, so this leads me to believe that I am overtraining. As a side note, sleep and diet are quite good.

I'm wondering if anyone else has run into similar problems. Perhaps I should wait until I can get 5x5 more easily before moving up in weight, or drop to 3x5 across the board. Any thoughts or comments on this? I would also be interested in what the DC people have to say about their experiences, especially relating to strength and mass gains. Thanks alot.

 

[BlkWS6]

I think you should try changing up the rep scheme a little bit. Take some time off and maybe come back and give the 3x5 a chance or perhaps a 5x3. I think after a while performing the same rep scheme (5x5) gets mentally and physically exhausting. Right now Im working on (mostly in my head) a more cyclical 5x5 program where changing the rep scheme would occur at set intervals to hopefully avoid the kind of stagnation you are experiencing or if anything to add some variety to the relative monotony of the program. Take a rest bro, then come back and hit up something a little different (3x5 or 5x3) get some consistent PR's there, then maybe drop back down to the 5x5 again and kill the weight you initially had some difficulty with. Good luck.

 

[BigBadBootyDaddy29]

I agree, you could be just getting burned from the same rep scheme.....5x5 is a great routine, but the numbers aren't magical, it is like 21's for curls....you can do 18's, 3 sets of 6 t oequal 1 big set of 18 reps.....do u follow me? 5x5 is just a nice, round number.....When Bill Starr developed the 5x5 routines he made famous, they were actually 4-6 sets of 4-6 reps.....but when designing them for hig school coaches, he just made it 5x5 because it is easy to remember......I think that the 5 sets are great, but if it is running you down, do 4x5.....or 4x6.....or 4x4.....or u catch my drift, don't set anything in stone and limit yourself.

 

[bigstve12]

I would take a week off bro. Let the body and mind rest..then like evryone has suggested, get back into like a 5X3 or something similar. Personally ive been doing 5X5 for 5 weeks, i feel little aches and pains that id wish would go away, but not so much feelings of overtraining like youself. take a week off, it would be more beneficial than damaging.