5x5 progress and questions

[jwwpua]

Today marks the end of my 3rd week doing 5x5 and bulking diet. My starting weight was 163 and is now 168. My maintenance calories are ~2500 so I'm bulking with 3000/day. I also started creatine with the diet.

I like the weight gain, and I'm assuming 2-3 pounds are water/glycogen, but I still view this as decent progress.

1. Weights are starting to get heavy. I was only able to complete 3 reps on Monday's bench press on the 5th set. It was my starting 5 rep max (245), but before 5x5 I only did 2 sets for each exercise. I'm still getting used to the higher sets, so hopefully that's the reason I couldn't complete it. Should I repeat week 3 or move on to week 4 weights? I completed every other set for the entire week besides that one.

2. My rows are proportionally weak to my other lifts because I have never done much back work (aside from pulldowns and deads). Because of this, my bi's never tire from the rows. Should I add some direct bicep work? They feel underworked.

3. Rows are giving me trouble. I could pull much more weight if I could hold my back flat (arched back) throughout the lift. My lower back is extremely tight and weak after squats. Should I switch up the order (rows before squats)?

4. Should I continue with 3000/day or adjust it? I've gained 0.8 pound/week over the past 2 weeks. The first week was about +3 (which had to partially be from creatine).

Other info:

21 years old
5'-8"
163 (starting weight)

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[petpre61]

1. Weights are starting to get heavy. I was only able to complete 3 reps on Monday's bench press on the 5th set. It was my starting 5 rep max (245), but before 5x5 I only did 2 sets for each exercise. I'm still getting used to the higher sets, so hopefully that's the reason I couldn't complete it. Should I repeat week 3 or move on to week 4 weights? I completed every other set for the entire week besides that one.

dont forget that you did 5x5 with your 1x5RM. this is a great improvement.

read: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=492827&highlight=missing+reps
for further information on missing reps

2. My rows are proportionally weak to my other lifts because I have never done much back work (aside from pulldowns and deads). Because of this, my bi's never tire from the rows. Should I add some direct bicep work? They feel underworked.

I wouldnt. At somepoint your back will be strong enough to row weight which will hit your bis good enough. you could consider doing chinups (palms facing your way) with weight on one of the days. I did them on Wednesdays.

3. Rows are giving me trouble. I could pull much more weight if I could hold my back flat (arched back) throughout the lift. My lower back is extremely tight and weak after squats. Should I switch up the order (rows before squats)?

maybe consider taking a longer break. isnt bench press in between anyway? dont do rows before squats, you want all your power in your back for the squats.
how does your form for squats look like? is it possible that you lean forward while doing squats?

4. Should I continue with 3000/day or adjust it? I've gained 0.8 pound/week over the past 2 weeks. The first week was about +3 (which had to partially be from creatine).

thats good. adjustment is only necessary when you dont gain anymore.

 

[anotherbutters]

Can you confirm whether you're doing the single or dual factor version? I thought it'd be the single factor, but if you're doing a flat 5x5, it'll be the dual factor. Assuming it's the dual factor, I'd probably retry the 5x5 for flat bench. It's only the one exercise.

If your arms are stronger than your back, then it's your back that needs the work, not your arms. Your arms aren't going to carry on growing making you further out of proportion to your back anyway.

As petpre61 said, do your rows after your squats. Squatting with a fatigued lower back puts you at higher risk of injury.

 

[Protobuilder]

If you’re 163 pounds, I assume you don’t need to be doing the dual factor 5x5. In fact, I’m sure of it. So you’re probably doing a top set of 5 on bench . . . and if you’re only getting 3 reps in week 3, you just started too heavy or made too aggressive jumps in weight. That’s OK. It happens to pretty much everyone. LoL Everyone’s bench stalls first for several reasons. Best bet, IMO, is do what AB suggested and just start it over. Keep everything else the same, but back down in weight on the bench, and make small conservative jumps over the next few weeks. You want to coax increases, not force them. By taking conservative jumps over a span of weeks, you can add pounds to your bench. Slow and steady and you can string this out for many weeks. Make a big jump though, and you’ll stall, which is what it sounds like happened here.

As for bicep work, as you learn to row effectively, you will add more weight . . .and as the weight goes up, your biceps will get more stimulus. You can always throw in a few high rep sets of BB curls or something on Friday as assistance work. I believe the program specifically allows for beach work, and a few sets of 8-12 on curls won’t drain you that much. Worst case scenario, as you get further into PR land, you slowly taper off the assistance stuff. But you should be able to manage a few sets of curls now. And if it makes you “feel” better, LoL, go ahead. It won’t kill you. Just do them at the end after you’ve done the important stuff.

 

[jwwpua]

Can you confirm whether you're doing the single or dual factor version? I thought it'd be the single factor, but if you're doing a flat 5x5, it'll be the dual factor. Assuming it's the dual factor, I'd probably retry the 5x5 for flat bench. It's only the one exercise.

I realized that I was doing the "Advanced" 5x5 instead of the "Intermediate". I am switching to the intermediate, which allows for more progression by reducing the volume (compared with the advanced).

I plan to start week 4 on Monday. Even though I did the first 3 weeks on the advanced routine, I'm sure I'll transition smoothly into the intermediate because I was getting very worn out from the extra volume.

Thanks for the help guys.