5x5 questions

[Mr.Y]

I was thinking about 5x5 program. I am not a beginner anymore, although I am weak as a beginner. I have been training for a bit more than 1,5 years. I pretty much fucked up my whole first year. So I am pretty week and I haven't had much success gaining size and strength. Is there a minimal weight you should bench before starting? I was hoping that I maybe could bench 200 in september... I am trying some new programs in summer and after that maybe 5x5 if it suits. Right now I can bench 175, but I progress very slowly, about 5 lbs per 5-6 weeks. I can deadlift more than 2 times I press... I was going to reach 400, but gym will be closed so I have to postpone that goal to september. That is the reason I can't do 5x5 in summer.

I know they say "don't fuck with lifts" but I would do Front Squats instead of Back Squats. Will this fuck up a lot?

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Front squats are a good sub for back squats, especially if your quads need to catch up to your hammies. Leg press on the other hand is not a good sub.

Is 175 your 1 rep max? If so I would say start with 135 as your last work set of 5, and progressively increase your work sets as you feel comfortable.

 

[al420]

Why would you want to avoid back squats - they are the MOST important exercise.

As they say - WANT A BIG BENCH - GET A BIG SQUAT.

 

[solarclimax]

Stick with back squats, if u want do front squats on wednesdays instead of light back squats.

 

[poysyn]

I was thinking about 5x5 program. I am not a beginner anymore, although I am weak as a beginner. I have been training for a bit more than 1,5 years. I pretty much fucked up my whole first year. So I am pretty week and I haven't had much success gaining size and strength. Is there a minimal weight you should bench before starting? I was hoping that I maybe could bench 200 in september... I am trying some new programs in summer and after that maybe 5x5 if it suits. Right now I can bench 175, but I progress very slowly, about 5 lbs per 5-6 weeks. I can deadlift more than 2 times I press... I was going to reach 400, but gym will be closed so I have to postpone that goal to september. That is the reason I can't do 5x5 in summer.

I know they say "don't fuck with lifts" but I would do Front Squats instead of Back Squats. Will this fuck up a lot?

If your progressing 5lbs on bench every 6 weeks, the answer to your problem is not a new workout regime, but perhaps a better diet. You probably need to eat way more than you are to make gains as quickly as you (and pretty much everybody else) desire.

Your gym is closed for the summer? If you can't find another gym I'd recommend investing in a squat rack and a bench..you can pretty much do every core exercise you'd need to in your basement and it's really not all that more expensive than a year membership at any gym.

And to add on to the others advice..stick with back squats - and go deep with them.

 

[Mr.Y]

There is no other gym here. Btw I have invested in home gym, but as I am a student I don't have much money. Now I can do at least everything else besides deadlift because I don't have the weight for that. And there is no point to do 5x5 without DL, right?

*How important is that you are adding 2.5% each week? For example 5 lbs to my deadlift sets is 1.7-1.8%. But 10 lbs is too heavy. And as my bench is so weak, I could right now add only 3.8% minimum, maybe in fall it would be 3.3%. Will that change anything, fuck the progress or smth? Here we don't have the PlateMates like you, we are like 20 years behind in development.

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

Dont fuck the progression. Add 5 lbs a week. If your BW is above 130 you should be able to keep that pace for a long time as long as you eat enough. What are your stats?

 

[Mr.Y]

I think you mean height and weight, I have told my lifts in previous posts:
6 feet and and 170 lbs. I started at 137... I have gained weight, but not much strength. Like I told I fucked up my whole first year. I do eat enough, I follow my diet and gain 2-2,2 lbs each month. How many weeks should the progression last if one eats right and if one is pretty weak and if it is the first time with 5x5. 4 weeks to starting level and after that 4 weeks progress, is that too much/little to hope?

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

At your weight/height and lift numbers, you should see improvement from week one. Your numbers you can expect a long time of progress, dare I say 3 months or more.

 

[Mr.Y]

Omg... that's a bit too much I think but thanks for encouraging. I really really regret not taking this program 8 months ago when I was looking for one.

*This assistance low volume work for arms. Does it mean low in weight or low in intensity (not to failure, 2-3 reps from it)

 

[JohnRobHolmes]

weight and intensity are the same thing, intensity is just a % of your 1rm.

 

[Mr.Y]

Is there some way to do this program without deadlifts, but maybe some good mornings or something instead? I really want to start this program, but I don't have weight for deadlifting. I will ask and beg if I can borrow some plates from the gym, but if I can't, I still want to do the program.

 

[druncanwaria]

There is no other gym here. Btw I have invested in home gym, but as I am a student I don't have much money. Now I can do at least everything else besides deadlift because I don't have the weight for that. And there is no point to do 5x5 without DL, right?

*How important is that you are adding 2.5% each week? For example 5 lbs to my deadlift sets is 1.7-1.8%. But 10 lbs is too heavy. And as my bench is so weak, I could right now add only 3.8% minimum, maybe in fall it would be 3.3%. Will that change anything, fuck the progress or smth? Here we don't have the PlateMates like you, we are like 20 years behind in development.

Dont be stingy if u going to buy a home gym either... Nothing destroys motivation to train more than an uncomfortable set up.

 

[Mr.Y]

I have hell lot of motivation and I want very badly do the program and get results. Probably I would get progress in bench, rows and squat if I'd just drop the deadlift. I'd like to get my lower back stronger too, so I ask for help.

Anyway the point is, that when I can't deadlift I have to do a program without or remove the deadlift. Since this is the best program I see for myself right now, I'll choose this.

There is still a chance for me. Maybe I can deadlift. Right now I just have to make a plan B, another option if I can't DL. It will clear up in 1-2 weeks and then I can start the program.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

I have hell lot of motivation and I want very badly do the program and get results. Probably I would get progress in bench, rows and squat if I'd just drop the deadlift. I'd like to get my lower back stronger too, so I ask for help.

Anyway the point is, that when I can't deadlift I have to do a program without or remove the deadlift. Since this is the best program I see for myself right now, I'll choose this.

There is still a chance for me. Maybe I can deadlift. Right now I just have to make a plan B, another option if I can't DL. It will clear up in 1-2 weeks and then I can start the program.

Check garage sales on the weekends...lots of people buy fitness equipment with good intentions and never use it. Try and find a used sporting equipment store, near me they are called "play it again sports". You can pick up 45lb oly plates pretty cheap.

You can't really sub-out back squats and deadlifts. Nothing comes close to the amount of load/weight you can use for those lifts. A 100lb goodmorning doesn't work the same as a 250lb deadlift. Front squats are great, but you should be able to use significantly more weight on the back squat due to better leverage.

Accessory work is just that, accessory. It doesn't really matter that much, its just thrown in for idiots that think squats/deads/bench/rows won't make them grow. In all honesty, how much good do you think 30lb curls are really doing? For accessory work I stick to the higher rep range, for myself its just to push blood into the area and stretch it out before heavy lifting.

 

[Mr.Y]

Accessory yeah, but it is still mean to progress there, isn't it? I have looked at some training logs and these guys had taken them as main lifts.

Should deadlifts be done with straps or without? With straps I'll improve my back strength. When I don't use them my grip will fail before and I would mainly enhance my gripping strength until it catches up. I'd also need less weight

 

[super_rice]

your body doesn't know when you are using straps or not, or if you are using a 45" width bench press or whatever. it only knows the intensity of the stimulus and how it can adapt to make sure that you don't die the next time some threat comes again.

with that said, pull till ya can't, then if your grip fails, strap up and giver.

 

[s8nlilhlpr]

your body doesn't know when you are using straps or not, or if you are using a 45" width bench press or whatever. it only knows the intensity of the stimulus and how it can adapt to make sure that you don't die the next time some threat comes again.

with that said, pull till ya can't, then if your grip fails, strap up and giver.

Agreed, just don't let your grip become so weak you have to use them for everything. IMHO Pull everything possible double-overhand first, then mixed grip, then straps as a last resort. For dynamic pulls I use straps.

Make sure you get some chalk and USE it!