Bill Starr's 5 x 5 program... Variation per Madcow2 (thanx) So here it is! K up now!

[Madcow2]

Wait and see how you feel. See how your warm ups go. The 2x is lower volume and lower frequency.

The 3x per week deload and intensity phase has to be carefully managed. A lot of people are coming from 3day split/bodypart 1x per week style programs so you can almost count on people not being conditioned enough to truly push this option as it's meant to be pushed. It becomes a sort of a double barrel with a brief deload in the middle which is okay but I think most people overestimate their capacity here (most are being conservative in the first loading phase and wind up with a lot less than 2 weeks of hard loading). This original post was written for a PL who has just finished Korte's 3x3 program which is significant. I takes time for the body to become conditioned to periods of work like this and unless one is willing to take extra days and cut volume as needed most will be overtaxed.

That said, it's a good learning experience and most have been happy with their gains and learned a lot about their upward limits so it's worth something there too because most won't accrue this kind of fatigue normally.

 

[Boss101]

The 2x intensity phase workout days are Mon, Wed. Would it be alright to do Mon. Thurs? Kinda seems better to have the days spread out a bit more.

Madcow what do you recommed the 3x or 2x? I never knew about the 2x a week Intensity Phase I think I might give it a try this time.

 

[Madcow2]

The 2x intensity phase workout days are Mon, Wed. Would it be alright to do Mon. Thurs? Kinda seems better to have the days spread out a bit more.

Madcow what do you recommed the 3x or 2x? I never knew about the 2x a week Intensity Phase I think I might give it a try this time.

It's on the first page of this thread (I incorporated it into my full writeup a month or so ago). It's actually recommended to go M/R. http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4764723&postcount=381

 

[Boss101]

It's on the first page of this thread (I incorporated it into my full writeup a month or so ago). It's actually recommended to go M/R. http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4764723&postcount=381

Thanks, I think I'm going to try the 2x Intensity Phase.

 

[TheOak84]

Re: Bill Starr's 5 x 5 program... Variation per Madcow2 (thanx) So here it is! K up n

Yup - extra days as needed. Rushing to stay on a weekly schedule during low rep record weeks is going to more than likely result in unhappiness.

i just learned that during the last week, i have 2 more days to go.. so i wont be rushing next time. i learned an extra day of rest and food = a better workout day, rather than worrying to stay on schedule. m-w-f means nothing, as long as u get it done, within the week of course...

 

[Madcow2]

Re: Bill Starr's 5 x 5 program... Variation per Madcow2 (thanx) So here it is! K up n

within the week of course...

This really means more in the volume phase (trying never to miss and always being on schedule not breaking the weeks). For the 2nd phase, if you're running 3x per week - extra days and longer periods are no big deal. I mean, if you are a well conditioned machine with solid built up tolerance and are hammering away, go ahead and load it all up hard but that doesn't describe most of the people using this program and that type of trainee generally isn't reading internet boards looking for training programs.

 

[lavi]

madcow, i apologize if im being pushy and you did see my post, but im guessing you happened to overlook it with all the people asking you questions (including me). um yeah, thanks

psst madcow don't mean to bother you but do you read your inbox at all?

also i was wondering about the value of the old powerlifting periodization which generally is something like this:

week 1+2: 2x12
week 3+4: 2x10
week 5+6: 2x8
week 7+8: 2x6
week 9+10: 2x4
week 11+12: 2x2
week 13: 1x1 with new max
I heard these were crappy and that the earlier weeks have no real carryover to the later ones and thats what pushed me away from periodization in the beginning. On the other hand, Ed Coan is a big fan of this style.

(i dunno if this belongs here, for some reason i keep getting an error when trying to make a new thread)

 

[Topside]

in week 9 right now. Im definitely gonna run this again, so should i start the next 5x5 at the weight that i last left the 5x5 off before the deload. My last week of the 5x5 was at 150 so should i start off the next run at it with that weight or move it up a little.

 

[Slyder190]

Wait and see how you feel. See how your warm ups go. The 2x is lower volume and lower frequency.

The 3x per week deload and intensity phase has to be carefully managed. A lot of people are coming from 3day split/bodypart 1x per week style programs so you can almost count on people not being conditioned enough to truly push this option as it's meant to be pushed. It becomes a sort of a double barrel with a brief deload in the middle which is okay but I think most people overestimate their capacity here (most are being conservative in the first loading phase and wind up with a lot less than 2 weeks of hard loading). This original post was written for a PL who has just finished Korte's 3x3 program which is significant. I takes time for the body to become conditioned to periods of work like this and unless one is willing to take extra days and cut volume as needed most will be overtaxed.

That said, it's a good learning experience and most have been happy with their gains and learned a lot about their upward limits so it's worth something there too because most won't accrue this kind of fatigue normally.

You lost me. So I should not switch to a 2x a week program? I thought that i wa supposed to take off additional days a s needed, even if that meant that I would be pushing only 2 workouts in 6-7 days time? Wrong? You confused me. You also mentioned pushing myself as most are not conditioned to thisn type of program. so what exactly do I do? More rest days in between, or push myself to get condtioned?

 

[blut wump]

You lost me. So I should not switch to a 2x a week program? I thought that i wa supposed to take off additional days a s needed, even if that meant that I would be pushing only 2 workouts in 6-7 days time? Wrong? You confused me. You also mentioned pushing myself as most are not conditioned to thisn type of program. so what exactly do I do? More rest days in between, or push myself to get condtioned?

The 2x per week deload/intensity system has you drop the day3 workout altogether and do all of the day1 exercises at 3x3 rather than a mix of 1x3 and 3x3. Since you're already into week8, you're probably better to stick with the 3x per week system (even if you don't actually do 3 workouts within a 7-day week) and just take extra days not to hammer yourself. Like I mentioned above, you could even stretch out your remaining sessions over another two weeks or whatever. Think of them as virtual weeks which might be longer than seven days.

Conditioning will come with time. When madcow mentions well-conditioned athletes, he's usually referring to elites who have years of experience with dual-factor programs. Being better conditioned doesn't really mean that this program gets easier. It could even get harder as you have to push yourself even more to stress yourself. Recovery ability is the major key and difference.