5x5 program

[Buddy_Christ]

Crak - that is my EXACT routine bro - same exercises and everything...how's is workin?

tomorrow is the end of week 3. everything seems to be going ok. what i'm using is the same as what Needsize set up, i think with maybe one or two differences. i'm not comfortable with incline db flies, so i do standing cable flies. i'm also not comfortable with db lateral raises (tweaked my back twice doing them, my arms can directly affect my 2 herniated discs) so i do them one arm at a time with a cable. and bent over rows.....again, not comfortable with them, so i do seated rows.

cable works better for me on those exercises. doesn't matter if i go to a lighter weight or not. trust me. if anyone had my back, you'd believe me

the rest of the program.....going good for week 3. i had a 2 1/2 week break (only intended on 1 1/2 weeks, got too sick to lift) and it really hurt. the first week of 5x5 i was more sore than i think i had ever been and didn't know if i was going to even hold onto the routine for more than 2 weeks...i felt weak everywhere. all of my lifts have gone up though, so i'm progressing. i expect my fatigue sets to plateau in a week or two, but the compounds are the most important in that routine. when my fatigue sets plateau, i'll either incorporate some different exercises or i'll cycle back some weight on them, up the reps, and work back up in weight as the reps come down. i'm just thinking about trying to work my entire routine with increasing weight on every exercise, every week. my main focus is on the compounds, but if progressive resistance really is the key to keep a muscle from stagnating, i don't see how it hurts to do it in this fashion.

i'm thinking about making an online journal for everyone to see, but my lifts aren't really impressive my flat bench this past week was 145, deads were 115 (but i'm going to go up 10lbs a week for about 4 weeks, 5lbs/week is too light for right now), and my squat is suffering majorly from off time. tomorrow i'll only be doing 175 squats the low squat weight is what's really depressing me right now, as i hit a max squat the end of november of 265 x 5. the bench weight seems ok though, as back in september i could only do 145 x 5 and was competely fatigued....and i could barely do 165 once.

i feel good on this routine though. my diet is decent, could be better, but it's decent. 3x a day i'm drinking 1/2 cu raw oatmeal just to try to help get some good carbs in w/out feeling overly full and bloated. i trying to bulk, i'm just too small (in my opinion), but the eating is worse than the lifting

good luck on 5x5. we can compare journals if you want. always nice to share progress with others

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Your deadlifts are the same as mine, Crak. We should compare journals as well. My bench is a bit less, but I only do incline. I, however, do lateral raises and bentover rows and such. If you start a journal, so will I. I'm embarrassed of weights anyway.

 

[JKurz1]

What is the true diff between box squats and ATF squats? Both are at least parallel...........why do both?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Box Squats you can load more weight with. You stop going down on a box. Focuses more on explosiveness (well, I do them somewhat explosively) and I feel it more in the quads and hamstrings when I pause on the box.

Just as an example, while I can squat 220 or so ATF, I can put up 405 lbs. 12 times with Box Squats.

 

[chewyxrage]

closed grip what?

uh...bench.

 

[Buddy_Christ]

Box Squats you can load more weight with. You stop going down on a box. Focuses more on explosiveness (well, I do them somewhat explosively) and I feel it more in the quads and hamstrings when I pause on the box.

Just as an example, while I can squat 220 or so ATF, I can put up 405 lbs. 12 times with Box Squats.

so with box squats, you go down til your butt is on the box then explode back up?

how tall of a box? i'm sure a person's height has something to do with how tall of a box you want, ie - us short guys would want a box height much lower than someone 6 feet tall, as a tall person's box might be rear-end height on someone like me

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Well, you can start with a higher box and slowly use a lower one when you get stronger. I use one slightly lower than the height of my bench. I'm 6', by the way. I like them. Kind of an ego thing, being able to use a lot of weight, but it also gets your back stabilizing muscles used to heavier lifts, really stresses the quads, and inner thigh muscles (I use a wider stance than normal).

 

[MrMuscle]

any other examples on the 3 day split?

 

[Conductor77]

My Three Day Split

Chest/Bis
I DB 5x5
F DB 3x8
F Flies or I Flies 2x8
BB Curl 5x5
Hammer Curls 3x8

Rest

Back/Tris
Deads 5x5
Rows 3x8
Pullups 4 sets failure
CG Pulldowns 2x8
CG Press 5x5
Skulls 3x8

Rest 2 days

Legs/Shoulders
Squat 5x5
Leg Press 3x8
Sldl or Lying Hamstring Curls 3x8
Calves 4x10
DB Press 5x5
Side Laterals 3x8
Lying Rear Delt Raises 3x8

Im in my 12 week strength is way up and its going well

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

You must set the box pretty high tom. That's HUGE gap in strength from ATF to box squat.

The box I sit on has me sitting about a half inch below parallel and I'm maybe 20lbs stronger on it than ATF squats.

So you're 6' tall. How much do you weigh tom? Just wondering.