5x5 program

[anthrax]

Can you post an example of your 5x5 training method, pls ?

 

[Buddy_Christ]

sure! all 2x8-10s are done to fatigue.

Monday - Chest/Calves
Flat Bench 5x5
Incline DB Bench 2x8-10
Standing Cable Flies 2x8-10
Standing Calf Raises - 2x15

Tuesday - Back/Shoulders
Military Press 5x5
Side Laterals 3-5x8-10
Deads 5x5
Pullups - 2x8-10
Shrugs - 2x8-10
Rows - 2x10

Wednesday - Off

Thursday - Arms
Close Grip Bench 5x5
Standing BB Curls - 5x5
Dips - 2x8-10
Incline Curls 2x8-10
Skull Crushers - 2x8-10
Preacher Curls - 2x8-10

Friday - Legs
Squats - 5x5
Hack Squats - 2x8-10
Stiff Leg Dead Lifts - 2x8-10
Leg Curls - 2x8-10 (i added this one to improve my hamstring strength)
Seated Calf Raises - 5x15

Saturday & Sunday - Off

hope that helps.

 

[chewyxrage]

Here's mine for comparision:

Day 1- delts/abs
5x5 - standing overhead press
2x10- arnold press
2x10- side laterals

5x5 - static holds
3x15 - side bends

Day 2 - Legs
5x5 - squats
2x10 - leg press
2x10 - SLDL
75 rep calves (nelson montana style)

Day 3 - chest/tris
5x5 flat bench
2x10 incline bench
2x10 flies

5x5 closed grip bench
2x10 skullcrushers
2x10 pushdowns

Day 4 - Back/Bi's/forearms
5x5 deads
2x10 rows
2x10 pullups
3x15 shrugs (should i do this on shoulder day? eh...)

5x5 BB curls
2x10 preacher curl
2x10 concentration curl

various forearm movements....

 

[Dial_tone]

Day 1 - Chest, delts, tri's
Bench press 5x5
pec deck 2x10
incline press 2x10
seated press 5x5
upright row 2x8-10
cable laterals 2x8-10
tri pushdown 5x5

Day 2 - Back, biceps
deadlifts 5x5
rear pulldown 2x8-10
reverse grip pulldowns 2x8-10
rear laterals 2x8-10
cable curls 5x5

Day 3 - Legs
squat 5x5
leg extension 2x8-10
leg curls 5x5
calves (varies)

 

[anthrax]

Thanx guys

 

[JKurz1]

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

 

[chewyxrage]

Hey Dial Tone-

any particular reason why you do tricep pushdowns instead of the closed grip?

 

[Dial_tone]

Hey Dial Tone-

any particular reason why you do tricep pushdowns instead of the closed grip?

closed grip what?

 

[Lord_Suston]

Leg:
Squat 5x5
Sldl 2x8-10
Hack or Front squat 2x8-10

Delts/Tris:
Ohp 5x5
Rear Flyes 2x8-10
Lateral raises 2x8-10
Close-grip 5x5
French Press 2x8-10

Back/traps
Powercleans or Dead 5x5
Rows 2x8-10
Pulldowns 2x8-10

Chest/bis
Incline 5x5
Flat 2x8-10
Decline 2x8-10
Barbell curl 2x8-10
Ez-curl 2x8-10

that was my older routine

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Monday - Chest/Calves
Incline Bench 5x5
Dips (Elbows Out) 2x8-10
Incline Flies 2x8-10
Heel Raises 5x15
Decline Weighted Crunches 5x5
Behind The Back (BTB) Wrist Curls 2x8-10

Wednesday - Back/Shoulders
Sumo Deadlifts 5x5
Bentover Rows 2x8-10
Widegrip Chin-ups 2x8-10
Shrugs 2x8-10
Military Press 5x5
Lateral Raises 2x8-10
Upright Rows 2x8-10

Friday - Bis/Tris (Superset all, rest times in half)
Closegrip Bench 5x5
Standing Barbell Curls 5x5
Skull Crushers 2x8-10
Preacher Curls 2x8-10
Dips (Elbows In) 2x8-10
Hammer Curls 2x8-10

Saturday - Legs
Box Squat 5x5
ATF Squat 2x8-10
Leg Extensions 2x8-10 (not locked out)
Romanian Deadlifts 2x8-10
Leg Curls 2x8-10
Heel Raises 5x15
Decline Weighted Crunches 5x5
BTB Wrist Curls 2x8-10

Grip is on hold, will start training tonight/tomorrow depending on when they send me the serial code for the KTA program. I hope this shit works to enhance my grip!

Rest Times are as follows:
Warm-ups 1m
5x5 Lifts 2m
2x8-10 Lifts 1m30s

I will eventually raise the rest times when the weights get heavier. Same as dropping from 5x5 to 5x3, I'll increase rest times so I can further progress with the weights.

Once I stall at 5x3, I'll drop to 3x3 if I was hitting more than 9 reps with 5x3. Once I stall there, back to my old 5x5 weight.

Tuesday and Thursday I'll usually walk around on bike trails near be for anywhere from 30m-1h30m, depending on my mood and how much cabin fever I've developed from sitting inside and eating all day.

I only do 1 warm-up set, usually. Once the weights get havier, probably 2 at most. I get warmed up quick.

6', 178 lbs., ~13% BF (est.), 3000+ cals daily, 240 grams of protein minimum.

 

[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.

 

[Texas Ranger]

Do you think there's a major difference if I reduced the number of sets to 3 sets of 5 reps, instead of 5 sets? Along with the 2 exercises per bodypart for 2 sets of 8-10 reps. I don't do that well on higher volume(I always get that burnt out feeling), so I'm always conscious of the number of total sets I do. What do ya think?

 

[StRoNg_WoN]

If that's what you feel like... give it a go... at least you'll have switched it up some... prolly do you some good anyway...

 

[SPORT SCIENTIST]

I made great gains in strength by following 5x5, this is what most of the old timers did, and they had great physiquesand were much stroger pound for pound than todays steroid freaks.

I didn't go over 5 reps, doing some exercises 3x3 and others with progressive singles, doing all body exercises for 3 times per week.

Exercises like rack pin benches (setting pins for the top, middle and bottom work well, as do benches off the floor (lying on floor, not bench - arm movement and range of motion restricted, and can't arch back)
- you can up your benc like crazy by doing dumbells one day, partial pressses another and bottom pos bench last. I did 4 exercises each day for a total of 20 sets.

Just do the basics and avoid dumbell raises and the like, minimising the isolation exercises. Add cleans a multitude of presses, squat and press deadlifts, stiff deads, squats - front and back, bent over rows, chins and you'll be laughing. Arms don't need to be done that much, as you are stimulating them with all the presses and pulling exercises - although I did progressive singles for bi's, adding weight and building to a 1 rep max - sore!

However, my current program (I do olympic lifting and powerlifting) is the best one I have done yet. I lift to percentages of my maximum, having adapted a program by Vitaly Popenkov (world champion Russian powerlifter)

The core of the routine is as folllows:

50% 1rm x 5
60% 1rm x 5
65% 1rm x 4
70% 1rm x 4
75% 1rm x 3
80% 1rm x 3
85% 1rm x 2
90% 1rm x 1
95% 1rm x 1
100% 1rm (or just below) x 1

I've been doing the routine for 6 weeks now and I have gained loads of mass, with my weights COMFORTABLY going up 2.5-5kg every week, infact I now have to reassess ny 1rm again because my 1rm has proportionately got stronger than the weight that I have been adding. I am not innexperienced and already am strong - I just can't recommend centering your workout around this ethic highly enough - I think it gives superior results to 5x5.

 

[JKurz1]

for bodybuilding or powerlifting??????? What does your split/routine look like/ Say, for back day.........

 

[SPORT SCIENTIST]

for bodybuilding or powerlifting??????? What does your split/routine look like/ Say, for back day.........

I throw some body building in at the end - with back/legs and chest, I have always responded well to HEAVY

Here is my back day, as you requested:

1.DEADLIFT: as perscribed (POPENKOV METHOD)
2.STIFF LEG DEADLIFT - Popenkov method - only go up to 75%/4 reps
3.BENT OVER ROWS - 5X5 on this one (alternating under and over grips)

Finish: love this, call it "HOSPITALS" in my training diary, 'cos it is so dang tough.

Do a SINGLE chin, but do it fast on the way up, and 10 seconds on the way down. Imediately superset this with a very heavy weighted crunch, performed as a V-up, also extending your legs like a knee up (to failure) -This is one set. Go on and do 20 sets - your arms and back will be sore like hell, highly reccomended if you can stand the pain!

I can post my training on other days if you would like it.

 

[JKurz1]

little confused.......will you detail out that back routine....weight reps etc........

 

[SPORT SCIENTIST]

little confused.......will you detail out that back routine....weight reps etc........

O.K.
1. First find your 1 rm
2. Do deadlifts as follows:

50% 1rm x 5
60% 1rm x 5
65% 1rm x 4
70% 1rm x 4
75% 1rm x 3
80% 1rm x 3
85% 1rm x 2
90% 1rm x 1
95% 1rm x 1
100% 1rm (or just below) x 1

3. Do stiff deadlifts as follows:
50% 1rm x 5
60% 1rm x 5
65% 1rm x 4
70% 1rm x 4
75% 1rm x 3

4. Do 5x5 under/over alternating barbell rows- i.e choose a weight that you can get 5 sets of 5 for, then increase it once you get to that weight.

5. Do the "Hospitals" - chins supersetted withweighted v up crunches combined with knee up style leg extention (hope this makes sense)

i.e 1 rep quick up with 10 seconds down (make it hurt) - immediately grab a positioned weight plate - I use a 15kg plate (behind head) and go to failure - looking for about 15 on your first ab set, as the short rest inbetween means the reps will fall - then repeat this procedure 20 times (as I said before, you will be totally spent after this)

Hope this is clear

 

[StRoNg_WoN]

Sounds insane!

 

[SPORT SCIENTIST]

Sounds insane!

Here's chest day:

Bench press (Full Popenkov method, as above)

Bottom position bench
(holding bar on chest for 3 second)
3x5
(3 sets of 5 reps then increse weight)

"Missisipis" Bench press, with a difference - hold bar at a position just above the sternum (constant tension) for 5 seconds- count 5 missisipi, press it up but don't fully extend the arms (count 2 missisipi, at the position just before lock-out) -repeat for desired reps. 3x5
(3 sets of 5, then increase weight when you can do this)

Incline Bench: 70% 1 rm x 5 (2 sets)
75% 1 rm x 4 (3 sets)

Superset- pec deck/ weighted plate grip holds
- set the pec deck, so that you press only the last third of the movement (works inner chest better) start with a weight you can get 8 for-doing the movement with no momentum, really squeezing the inner pecks, immediately supersetting this with weighted plate grips (walk up and down the gym holding 2 heavy plates). When you get back to the pec deck, do another set (drop the weight by the smallest increment that you can- 1 pin position down- in essense a dropset, superset) - continue this until you are completely spent.

 

[Illuminati]

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.

how high of a box are you using? most people can't box squat as much as they can regular squat. the box squat is is supposed to be harder than the reg. squat because you are pausing on the box.

 

[Illuminati]

little confused.......will you detail out that back routine....weight reps etc........

lol. you should switch and become a powerlifter. the workouts are much easier to understand. ~

 

[Micker]

I know this is an older thread, but the 5x5 progams people listed they do, don't see mvery close to the base 5x5 program. I thought that the whole point was to do CORE exercises, Bench press, Squat, Deadlift, Rows, Chins.

The routines above look like normal workouts with some 5x5 sets thrown in. Some don't even have squats or deads in them. I don't consider any of them pure 5x5 routines. You don't have arm day and leg day etc.. The workouts listed above may work, but they aren't pure 5x5(some aren't even a relative). I think people just loisted their workouts and misunderstood the original request.

 

[cmdubs]

back in the day "Needsizes 5X5" swept the board for while - totally different from the 5X5 talked about in every single thread now