Mixed training

[brad34]

I have been using Starr's 5x5 for about a year now and have made excellent strength gains and some ok size gains.

Looking to focus a bit more on size than strength at this point.

Should I mix in some "high rep - medium weight" lifts? Go only to high rep - medium weight lifts?

Or alternate:

One week low rep-high weight, one week high rep- medium weight?

 

[oso0960]

Well what do you want to do? Are you getting sick of 5x5 or not progressing anymore? Do you still want to incorporate 5x5 because you're still seeing bar weight increases and just want a little bit more emphasis on size gains?

 

[brad34]

Well what do you want to do? Are you getting sick of 5x5 or not progressing anymore? Do you still want to incorporate 5x5 because you're still seeing bar weight increases and just want a little bit more emphasis on size gains?

I am still seeing gains on the 5x5 but it is getting more difficult to add weight. I really just want to focus on gaining a little more size. And, to be honest after I year I feel like a change would be good..

Will going to a high rep range and medium weight build size?

 

[Rodbuster]

do 3 sets of 8 at moving your weight up each time. you should be pushing hard for the 7th and 8th rep, maybe even help it up and just go with the eccentric motion. if you still wanna go one more time do a drop set, going below your first weight and going to failure. ALSO; use eccentric motion as much as possable fast up slow down

 

[_cato_]

If you want to keep a similar workout, but get more volume (which tends to be better for size increases), you could switch to the Texas Method style 5x5 which has you doing straight sets, as opposed to ramped sets. Or you could keep the same workout structure but switch to a different rep/set structure, such as the 3x8 suggested above. Or some mix of the above two, such as doing 5x5 on Monday, 3x8 on Friday.

Other options are to switch to an upper/lower split or a body part split. The main idea is to increase the volume if you're interested in size. The Bill Starr 5x5 schemes all use ramped sets and are more geared at strength. Also, look to your diet. You may have tapered out on size increases due to diet and not due to training. For example, if you started out a year ago by eating at a surplus of 500 calories, but then kept those calories the same throughout the year, all the while gaining weight, then you are actually not at a 500 calorie surplus anymore. Size increases are more directly contingent to whether you're eating at a surplus.