Single factor 5x5 for beginner

[anotherbutters]

I've been lifting about 9 months and I'm about to finish my first 5x5 tomorrow. I had a clean diet but didn't realise how much more I should have been eating, so I've basically thrown away a lot of potential mass. I had a PM from madcow on another board and he said I should be trying to get as much mileage out of the single factor version as I can as I haven't been lifting long.

So... being humble and listening, I'm going to do that rather than jump into another 5x5. However, the single factor version doesn't include all the wednesday lifts - pullups and overhead presses are missing. I quite like doing all the exercises from the 5x5, so can I sub the missing exercises for incline bench on wednesday? And more importantly, if I do so, what intensity should I do them at, as wednesday's supposed to be a light day.

 

[Madcow2]

Ahh - I forgot to ever revisit that board. The caloric excess thing was key for you (your spreadsheet was the bomb and it's always the diet guys who never gain weight too). I assume you've read my whole piece on it by now in the Table of Contents here: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=375215

But yeah, sub overhead (either push press or military - barbell/standing) and throw in the chins or pullups. Do them however you want or follow the guideline for incline if there is one. Probably just 5 sets ramping weights for push press and 5 sets of BW for pullups (unless you can do a ton) in which case add weight.

Think of your initial run as building a good base in the lifts, you'll do fine.

 

[anotherbutters]

Yeh, I found your new article on diet after I read your PM. I hadn't received any PMs before so I didn't spot it for a week or so! I replied BTW, but I'll say it again here - thanks a bunch for taking the time to give me so much info. That PM turned me around.

I'm eating more now and seeing results already. Some of it might well be fat, but I'm prepared to accept that now. I might even start a training log, not that the weights will be that high!

 

[Madcow2]

You are never going to peg it so that all your weight gain is muscle. If it was body fat would be declining as the percentage is relative. At best you hold body fat constant but to be honest, this is the razor's edge so if you want all your gains, you allow some rise in body fat levels. You don't get to be a slob overnight so it's fairly easy to manage and not get out of hand.

As for the weights - this is the whole purpose of a barbell. You can make it 50lbs or 500lbs. Everyone starts somewhere and everyone is different. Plus being strong in the weightroom and being strong in real world are different. Some people don't have the leverages to excel at certain lifts in the gym but by increasing their lifts their real world functional strength follows.

 

[lavi]

One of the single factor versions of the 5x5 that I think got lost and not put in the table of contest is the following:


"---5X5--- Work up to 5rm on all of the following:
Monday: Squats, Benching, BB Rows
Wednesday: Squats, Military Presses, Deadlifts, Chins
Friday: Squats, Benching, BB Rows

Courtesy of bill starr bill starr, the greatest strength coach who ever lived, popularized this in the 70's with his great book, The Strongest Shall Survive, which was aimed at strength training for football. I believe he had essentually two different programs which both are 5 sets of 5. The first, which is more suitable for beginners, is to simply do 5 sets of 5 with similar weight jumps between each set so that your last set is your top weight. When you get all 5 on the last set, bump all your weights up 5 or 10lbs. Example for squat... 185 for 5, 225 for 5, 275 for 5, 315 for 5, 365 for 5. If you get 365 for 5, move all weights up. This is especially good for someone who is just learning a particular exercise like the squat, because the amount of practice with light but increasing weights is a good way to practice form."

And of course the part about not doing your last set of squats on the wednesday workout. light squats.

This has all your bases covered. I did this version around January-Feb and it worked awesome for me. The only reason I stopped is that it built my deadlift up strong enough so I couldn't handle so much deadlifting anymore .

 

[Madcow2]

There are as many variations as I can count. The volume changes from 1x5 to 5x5 really effect the workload equation and the loading so I tend to provide 2 - one being linear and the other periodized. Let's face it, it's really hard to get someone to stomach that they aren't advanced and will gain better off a linear program without hassling with periodization. In reality these all exist on a pretty continuous line of workload (and you can alter the periodized verion to 5x5 2x and the loading parameter to push it a lot further out). The variations would exist somewhere between or beyond the two points that I chose to include. If I put more in there it would just screw with everyone.

 

[anotherbutters]

At best you hold body fat constant but to be honest, this is the razor's edge so if you want all your gains, you allow some rise in body fat levels.

Yeah, that makes complete sense. I'm now allowing a lot more 'give' on the fat side so I don't hold back muscle growth any more. I made myself a promise that I won't cut until I can bench my bodyweight for reps, but I'm already thinking of increasing that. Whatever, it won't be for a while, maybe next summer, unless I get really porky beforehand!

Let's face it, it's really hard to get someone to stomach that they aren't advanced and will gain better off a linear program without hassling with periodization.

You could say 'listen to the weights' and let them tell you when you're ready. I'm going to apply the principles in Glenn Pendlay on Mark Ripptoe’s Squat Program for New Lifters to lead me into a periodized routine rather than just decide I'm ready.

I think I'll start a training log when I start on Monday. I'm still a little wary of whether I'll gain anything as it's always been difficult for me, but I'll post what I do and listen to any feedback anyone cares to make. First, I have a little matter of deadlifting 120kg (264lb) for a 3x3 tomorrow, which will be a PR. I look forward to deads as much as they scare me, lol.