Is The 5x5 Program Beneficial While On Cycle?

[ShowKidd]

i have read in manyplaces that for bodybuilding the best rep range for upper body would be 8-12 reps because that activates the type II fibers wich are the ones that make you look bigger. and for lower body it would be 12-15 reps to activate the most type II fibers. so i was wondering how the 5x5 program would be beneficial for the bodybuilder because our goal is more to look big than to be ultra strong and i am not sure if the 5x5 is something that would help me. if it is a god program for a bodybuilder howbout if you are on cycle? thanks for the help

 

[Protobuilder]

Oh boy.

 

[future]

The best rep range is between 1-100 personally.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

The best rep range is between 1-100 personally.

LoL good point.

Anyway optimal rep ranges for building muscle mass is a topic that has inspired the writing of at least 100 books. You are going to have one hell of a time getting a good concensus on this. Personally I seemed to always get the best growth working in the 6-10 rep range, however those were with the heaviest weights I could possibly handle in that rep range. This is not to say that there werenot cycles in my training where I did 3-5 reps or 12-20, however my advise is find a solid program, 5x5, HST, DC something that people have used successfully and stick with it for the course of your cycle.

 

[Protobuilder]

Look, anyone asking these sorts of questions has no business even thinking about cycles, IMHO.

 

[ZGzaZ]

Look, anyone asking these sorts of questions has no business even thinking about cycles, IMHO.

I agree, in my not so humble opinion...

 

[future]

Look, anyone asking these sorts of questions has no business even thinking about cycles, IMHO.

VERY VERY TRUE.

 

[FFQuads]

i have read in manyplaces that for bodybuilding the best rep range for upper body would be 8-12 reps because that activates the type II fibers wich are the ones that make you look bigger. and for lower body it would be 12-15 reps to activate the most type II fibers. so i was wondering how the 5x5 program would be beneficial for the bodybuilder because our goal is more to look big than to be ultra strong and i am not sure if the 5x5 is something that would help me. if it is a god program for a bodybuilder howbout if you are on cycle? thanks for the help

I'm no monster but you can have a look at my log and see some real gains in both strength and size while doing the 5x5 while on cycle. All I did was the 5x5 and I feel I got great results. I think there are pics on the first page. I went from benching 315 lbs. to 375 lbs. in 12 weeks and all other lifts went up as well. I will never do a BB - "body part" split again!!! But, you might want to just keep on that 8-12 rep. schedule and see how weak you can get. lol...

 

[al420]

I'm no monster but you can have a look at my log and see some real gains in both strength and size while doing the 5x5 while on cycle. All I did was the 5x5 and I feel I got great results. I think there are pics on the first page. I went from benching 315 lbs. to 375 lbs. in 12 weeks and all other lifts went up as well. I will never do a BB - "body part" split again!!! But, you might want to just keep on that 8-12 rep. schedule and see how weak you can get. lol...

Don't listen to this guy - he is 5'7" 220 and can only Bench 375, Squat 525, and Deadlift 550. He knows nothig about how to get strong. If you want a lesson in sucking your own cock he is the guy to ask. And if your going to take steroids then you need to learn how to suck your own cock as it get's very lonely on cycle.

 

[Cynical Simian]

I'm one or two more "I don't do legs 'cuz I wanna look like Brad Pitt in Troy", "my soreness dictates my training" or "2000 mgs Sust/wk (I hope it's not 'slin...the label on the amp was missing) - how to train" threads from bumping this.

 

[Protobuilder]

It has been getting pretty deep. someone must've linked elite in their BB.com sig or something. The more it happens the more impressed I am with Madcow for having the patience to explain this stuff over and over and over for years now. LoL

 

[FFQuads]

Don't listen to this guy - he is 5'7" 220 and can only Bench 375, Squat 525, and Deadlift 550. He knows nothig about how to get strong. If you want a lesson in sucking your own cock he is the guy to ask. And if your going to take steroids then you need to learn how to suck your own cock as it get's very lonely on cycle.

Cock suck champ. 2006 and going for 2007...

 

[Cynical Simian]

Cock suck champ. 2006 and going for 2007...

 

[Cynical Simian]

I'm one or two more "I don't do legs 'cuz I wanna look like Brad Pitt in Troy", "my soreness dictates my training" or "2000 mgs Sust/wk (I hope it's not 'slin...the label on the amp was missing) - how to train" threads from bumping this.

One more thread until bumpage.

 

[ShowKidd]

Look, anyone asking these sorts of questions has no business even thinking about cycles, IMHO.

ok....when just about everything in bodybuilding is based on theory, and my question is so noobish because i must be the only one that read 8-12 upper, 12-15 lower, damn i knew i shouldnt have believed anything in that arnold book. do you have one i can buy to answer my noobish questions?? i want to make sure you wrote it so i have all my facts straight.

oh yea for the ones that dont like to hear themselves talk and that actually responded with an answer that was helpfull i am greatfull.

 

[BiggT]

ok....when just about everything in bodybuilding is based on theory, and my question is so noobish because i must be the only one that read 8-12 upper, 12-15 lower, damn i knew i shouldnt have believed anything in that arnold book. do you have one i can buy to answer my noobish questions?? i want to make sure you wrote it so i have all my facts straight.

oh yea for the ones that dont like to hear themselves talk and that actually responded with an answer that was helpfull i am greatfull.

Arnold's book has cool pics from a cool era, and Arnold is just a badass period......other than that, it isn't worth the paper it's written on in terms of training.

Basically, there is no set rule.....do enough volume (total work) at an intensity (% of 1RM) that allows you to get that volume in. For example, if your max squat is 350, squatting 345 fires everything, but you cannot do enough volume with that much of a % of 1RM to get your work in......take 85% and do 4x8 or 5x5 or 6x4 or 4x6 or 3x10 and you should be fine.....progress in that rep range by adding lbs each week and eat more cals than you burn, and you'll grow.

There is no magic to the rep range....keep it out of the neural range and out of the endurance range, basically anything 'reasonable' for growth. So, the range broad range is something like 3-6 sets of 3-12 reps with 70-85% of 1RM.

 

[Tweakle]

don't listen to that BigT guy, I have it on authority that he wears underarmor and cycling shorts to the gym and the heaviest thing he lifts while he's there is his new pink Razer cellphone

not sure if the bit about the arnie book was sarcasm or not, hopefully it was. The oak really is the very absolute last person to look for training advice from.

 

[ShowKidd]

lol, sorry for the outburst its just that it seems like on every decent forum there is atleast 1 person lurking on them that just attacks everyone that posts something, i figured i had a pretty legit question since it is such a debatible topic and i just like to hear where everyone is coming from(that lifts more than the pink weights) so i can make an educated decision. you guys seem very knowledgeable and i appreciate you input.

 

[Protobuilder]

lol, sorry for the outburst its just that it seems like on every decent forum there is atleast 1 person lurking on them that just attacks everyone that posts something

Well I guess I've become that guy. LoL Sorry, but sometimes I lose my patience around here.

 

[silver_shadow]

Well I guess I've become that guy. LoL Sorry, but sometimes I lose my patience around here.

now we can all point our fingers at you and laugh

at the end of the day, if you're getting stronger AND eating a caloric surplus, you'll grow no matter what. strength may not be the main goal of a BB, but in order to get big, you end up getting stronger too... like it or not, there's no way of getting around that. so yes, 5x5 works great for hypertrophy while natty, and will give more exaggerated gains on cycle AS LONG AS YOU EAT A CALORIC SURPLUS!

 

[blut wump]

The real trick to growing is to find a good, steady method for getting stronger and stronger. Provided you're eating enough, your muscles will grow in response to the continued stress you're placing on them.

The basic effect of gear, besides helping with nutrient partitioning, is to amplify the effects of your training. Good training principles are still good principles when you're on gear.

So, in answer to your question, "Yes".

 

[Deleted member 33117]

now we can all point our fingers at you and laugh

at the end of the day, if you're getting stronger AND eating a caloric surplus, you'll grow no matter what. strength may not be the main goal of a BB, but in order to get big, you end up getting stronger too... like it or not, there's no way of getting around that. so yes, 5x5 works great for hypertrophy while natty, and will give more exaggerated gains on cycle AS LONG AS YOU EAT A CALORIC SURPLUS!

I would agree with that also. Doing a 5x5 and getting your strength as high as possible before doing a cyle, even if you go to a 8-12 rep range for the cycle, will yield better results while on your cycle because you will be able to handle heavier weights even with the higher reps, and will have buildtup stronger connective tissue as well. In other words, if you start you cycle being able to bench 275 for 12 reps, verses doing 205 for 12 reps as the same size, you are going to make much faster gains while on.

 

[ShowKidd]

man i cant wait to start that program, i really apreciate your help on this. and protobuilder no hard feelings, i understand where you are coming from when someone asks a question that has been asked 100 times before like "creatine mono hydrate or creatine ethyl ester?" but i have posted that question on 3 other forums and no real responses came back.