First time 5x5

[blackwell33]

Whats up everyone. As you can see this is my first post. I'm takin my ass back to the gym and I want to put on some bulk. I lifted back in high school benching 260 1rm and squatting 405 1rm. Thats been years ago and now I'm in the Army and stationed overseas in Korea without my family. I want to spend a lot of my free time in the gym. I've been working out for about a month on a basically random routine that I came up with thats just shit. So, I have been reading, researching and studying for days to find a new routine.

Currently I am 22, 5'11", 190lbs and appx 18% bf. After all of my research I believe I like the 5x5 routines. I just have a couple of questions that I haven't been able to find answers to yet even by searching. I understand the concept behind the 5x5 but what muscle groups do you all hit on what days? Does this work better on a 3 day split? 4 day split? Just wondering how all of you are doing this. I want to start off right. If I have overlooked this somewhere, then please send me in the right direction. Thanks in advance for all replies and advice.

 

[anotherbutters]

First off, welcome to the boards!

You've probably found it already, but if not, the main 5x5 thread is here: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375215

It isn't a routine where you split muscle groups over 3 or 4 days. All the exercises are compound exercises that cover the whole body, i.e. squats, deads, bench, rows, overhead press and pullups and the program lays out which to do on which days.

I have been recommending everyone to start out on the single factor version, where you try to make linear gains of about 2-3% per week. No periodization, no loading, etc. Just slightly heavier each week. Since you haven't been lifting for a while, I think that's a good place to start. Then when the gains stall for a couple of weeks, start to manipulate volume and progress into the dual factor 5x5. Here's the single factor version: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4497774&postcount=15

I keep a journal in this forum, so you can see how it's laid out if you want to follow it.

Good luck!

 

[blut wump]

Table of Contents:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375215

Single-Factor Version:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4497774&postcount=15

Anotherbutters' most excellent log for reference:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413888

 

[blut wump]

Gargh, beat me by seconds but your post is better so that's cool.

 

[anotherbutters]

Hehe! If I can get in first, maybe I can get more single factor followers

I see my log has progressed to 'most excellent' status. Bogus!

You must spread k around before giving it to Blut Wump yet again...

 

[blackwell33]

OK, heres what I've come up with so far. Also, thanks to you guys for a quick reply and for the advice. I feel like a 3 day week is not enough for me, so I added a little bit in here from the Bill Starr Big 3 split routine. Tell me what you think. Thanks..

-Mon-
Bench 5x5
tricep Extensions 2x8-10
DB Inclines 2x8-10
Skullcrushers 4x10
DB Lateral Raise 2x12
DB Lying Fly- 2x8-10

-Tue-
Squat 5x5
Weighted Hyper 2x8-10
Leg Press 2x8-10
Leg Curl 4x8-10
Calf Raises 2x8-10

-Wed-
off/cardio

-Thu-
Bench 5x5
Tricep Extension 2x8-10
BB declines 2x8-10
Close Hand Bench 4x10
Cable Crossover Butterfly 2x8-10

-Fri-
Deadlift 5x5
Rows 4x8
Shrugs 2x8-12
Barbell Curls 2x10
Hammer Curls 2x10
One Arm Dumbell Row 2x8-10

I also plan on continuing atleast 3 days a week of cardio, usually a 15-25 min run.

 

[blackwell33]

correction to the above.. i wrote in thu and fri backwards! Bench should be on monday and thursday.. thanks!

It has been corrected..

 

[blut wump]

I think you should stick with the Starr routine.

 

[blackwell33]

Do you think 4 days is too much? Will hitting each muscle group once a week be enough like on the bill starr 3 day split?

 

[blut wump]

The essence of the 5x5 is that the compound exercises provide all the stimulus you need. Across the exercises, all the major muscle groups are hit and in a strong, compound fashion which translates in the best possible way to real-world strength.

Any recovery ability you throw at calf-raises, cross-over butterflies and the like will detract from the energy you are throwing at the main compound movements.

The Bill Starr routine doesn't hit each muscle-group only once per week, unless we're looking at different ones. I don't know of any BB-style, once-a-week split advocated by Starr. You can make some common substitutions in the routine Anotherbutters and I linked you to earlier. The recommended switches are to do deadlift in place of highpulls and 90 degree bent BB rows in place of powercleans with also Military Press in place of Incline Bench.

You will grow and become stronger from the routine. Each week gives you fresh goals and it has almost a dozen exercises to keep every day fresh and interesting. Throw your cardio in on your off-days but not so intense that it cripples your recovery and the progress should be very pleasing.

Once you've recovered your conditioning back from your earlier days, you could begin to play around with some dual factor programs but that should be a while in the future yet. The one here has given me roughly a 10% strength boost each time I've used it and many others have had similar satisfaction.

 

[blackwell33]

Thanks, guy. Thats just what I was looking for. A little more inight on "why" and "how". I'll probably go with the Bill Starr Big 3 Split routine found here -->

http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/manrodt4.htm

Thanks again for the advice..

 

[blut wump]

A wise choice, sir.

The Starr routine on there is the same routine as the one we linked you to so Anotherbutters most very excellent log might still be useful to you when you hit sticking points and the like and there are a few others here with good experience of the routine. On here, it's usually referred to as the Single-Factor 5x5.

Good luck with your progress.

 

[anotherbutters]

Are you aware that Bill Starr's intention was that the Big 3 Split routine is run as a periodized routine, not just a regular bodybuilder style split? There isn't any guidance on that page on how to regulate intensity and volume, so unless you're happy setting up a periodized routine yourself, you won't get the all the benefits that you could from it. (The description of the dual factor 5x5 contains a lot more detail on weight and rep changes).

Try to stop thinking about bodybuilder style splits and how many times you hit each muscle group per week with this. Blut Wump made some most excellent points in his longer post above. I still recommend the single factor 5x5, run over 3 days. The thing that will tell you if it's working is whether you set PRs week after week, at least initially. Try it for three or four weeks and hopefully you'll set a few PRs and you'll be hooked by then!

Good luck whichever you choose, and let us know how you get on.