needsize or other 5x5 experts! --> rest: need help!

[biondo]

hi there,
next monday im going to start my 5x5 workout. just wanted to know how long should i wait betwenn x5 sets and between x8-10 sets!
also, tried different squatting methods but the only one i can do in a good form without feeling pain on lower back (i go too forward with my chest with barbell and i was told to avoid smith machine) is DUMBBELL SQUATS! are they ok? or i just leave the 5x5 method for my legs?

what do ya think about my split?
mon: chest-tri's
tue: back-bi's
wed: ham's-calves
thu: off
fri: shoulders
sat: quad's-calves


thanks

 

[Buddy_Christ]

well, if you have a bad squat form, now's the time to correct it. go light on the squats and nail down your form while you increase the weight every week. have you tried using a belt? if you do try using a belt, i suggest trying to get away from it eventually. i'm glad i said goodbye to it. how strong are your ABs? strong abs are going to help out in this area.

who cares if you have to start extremely light in order to nail down form? i started my dead lift at 105lbs 12 weeks ago. the first few weeks we only added 5lbs/week while we made sure our form was good. as we felt more comfortable with it, we started adding 10lbs/week. we're back down to adding 5lbs/week again, and i worked 200lbs this week. starting light enabled me to work on my form and move up gradually as i got used to the movement.

is there some other reason besides you having bad form that you can't do squats, like a back injury that's going to nag at you and bug you? if not, then i'd say learn to do them. even if you do have some injury, you can still try working with it. trust me, i know firsthand.

anyway, as far as rest between sets goes......for 5x5 exercises i take anywhere from 3-5 minutes, although lately i've been trying to speed that up to no more than 3 minutes because our workouts are running long enough as it is. i do try to strech a little bit between each set also.

isolation exercises.....my rest involoves walking to the water fountain, sometimes catching my breath....depends on what i'm doing, but it's generally no longer than 2 minutes, less time if i can get a drink and ready to go again that fast. usually don't need very long between isolation lifts.

 

[biondo]

im 33 and go to the gym since was 17th! i know how to squat correctly with or without belt! the problem is that in 96 i spent 7 month in a hospital! during that time (major problems was my injury on my pancreas --> i dont have "some" abs. theryre kept together with sort of "material" inside my stomach!) my legs almost disappeared with few other side effects on stretch, strenght, "sensibility", etc etc.
my all tendons (tendini in italian) are SHIT! i cannot extend my knee 100% (my legs are always a bit flexed) and my "tendine d'achille" is like iron and flexibility... forget it!
that is why i CANNOT squat in a good form and that is why i made shit of my lower back, coz i continued to squat after i recovered!
deadlifts... i can do if i put something under my... what is the name of the back of the feet? and i can do if i use "big" plates so that the bar is not too close to ground!
sorry mates, but i have few problems and have to share my life with them!
resuming:
no strength in abs!
no flexibility for feet/knee!
lower back problem!

thanks for any other advice!

 

[bigstve12]

You will never be able to squat properly with your history of injuries..If DB squats work for you then go with that..or how about a leg press? If you dont mind me asking, what was you pancreas problem?

 

[biondo]

hey big, np askin!
during the car accident i went off the car and hit somewhere on my stomach. the pancreas was "squeezed" against the "colonna vertebrale" (dunno in english about the name of that... "spina dorsale" is another word).
leg press... np for that, but i wanted to change and felt quite well the db squats, even with a low weight (and a slow movement)!
think i will try it!
thanks!

anyone has something to say about my split?

 

[Buddy_Christ]

sorry to hear of your physical aliments.

how many exercises are you planning on doing per bodypart and what are they? i'm doing bis and tris on the same day, which is kind of nice because i'll do close grip bench that day and that hits my chest slightly.

do your shoulders need a whole day to themselves? i'm doing back/shoulders on the same day and my shoulders are loving it.

nice break up of legs. with legs i can work them REALLY hard and heavy and probably should've split them up like you have. i might have to split my routine up into something like what you have for legs eventualy.

again, my apologies for kind of jumping the gun about you not doing squats. should've gotten all my info before i opened my mouth. i'm living with my own limitations, so i know how you feel.

 

[biondo]

no need to apologize bro.
tnx 4 advices....