Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below Hi, I wanted to know if there were any advantages between dual factor and single factor 5x5 with respect to mass gains. I am currently doing the dual factor version and enjoy it. I will be doing two cycles and then want to try something else in a similar vain. Is the single factor better for mass gains?
dual or single factor 5x5 for mass gains
- Thread starter marc1
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anotherbutters
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Both SF and DF can trigger a lot of muscle growth, but the growth won't happen unless you have caloric excess. If you don't eat enough, you won't gain mass whatever you do.
SF and DF serve to stimulate growth at different points in your lifting career. If you haven't been lifting for long, or you've been working out ineffectively for 4 years, you'll probably make quicker progress on the SF. If you've been working out effectively (meaning you've been consistently getting stronger) over the past 4 years, you'll probably make quicker progress on the DF. So the question you should really be asking is "which is more applicable to me at this point in time?"
It's not about SF vs DF, it's about you. Hence BW's question.
SF and DF serve to stimulate growth at different points in your lifting career. If you haven't been lifting for long, or you've been working out ineffectively for 4 years, you'll probably make quicker progress on the SF. If you've been working out effectively (meaning you've been consistently getting stronger) over the past 4 years, you'll probably make quicker progress on the DF. So the question you should really be asking is "which is more applicable to me at this point in time?"
It's not about SF vs DF, it's about you. Hence BW's question.
I'd venture asking a question like this, you should do the single factor program. The "mass gains" are about progression in the big lift, both programs provide for it. The single factor provides opportunity to make linear progression week to week. And in all honesty - if you can do this, you want to. Start light and work up to your current 5 rep maxes over 4 weeks where you plan to exceed by a margin on week 5. From week 5 and on it's all PRs. If you eat enough, you should get big and strong.
The other side of the coin is lifters who cannot make linear progression anymore. It's not that they don't want to (many would likely sell their souls to put weight on the bar week to week) but that it doesn't work anymore. At that point higher workloads are required and you wind up periodizing to better tolerate them and get the most out of it. So, 2 factor or periodized programs are better for these guys but they have already totally exhausted the linear option as well as every trick in the book to reset and keep it going.
Periodize out of necessity.
The other side of the coin is lifters who cannot make linear progression anymore. It's not that they don't want to (many would likely sell their souls to put weight on the bar week to week) but that it doesn't work anymore. At that point higher workloads are required and you wind up periodizing to better tolerate them and get the most out of it. So, 2 factor or periodized programs are better for these guys but they have already totally exhausted the linear option as well as every trick in the book to reset and keep it going.
Periodize out of necessity.
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