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

[siamesedream]

Well, my first day of officially being on the single-factor is over as it's now Tuesday. I got a bit too cocky yesterday and failed on my last set of bench press. I originally planned to do 75x5 100x5 125x5 150x5 and 175x5 like I tested myself as being able to do last week, but I bumped up all the weight by 5 pounds thinking it would be no problem and hit the shit on the last set. I'll copy and paste my log for yesterday from the logbook I started


Monday log: Squats went perfectly; I may have even been able to deal with 5 more pounds on all lifts. Bench press failed on the last set as I only got 180x2.5 then rested for about 2 minutes and got 175x3. Rows went fine but I’m still not feeling it in my upper back as much as it seems I should be feeling it. I might need to separate my hands by a wider distance on the bar or something. No hyper bench at the gym so I did some stiff-legged deadlifts instead. Upright rows, sit-ups, and cardio went fine as usual. I took some glutamine immediately after lifting which was right before cardio. Had some blueberries and rice milk after I got home. For Bench press on Friday, drop all weight by 5 pounds.


A question for madcow: when you increase the weights you do on Monday by 5 pounds or whatever, are you supposed to increase all the weights for each set by the same "5 pounds or whatever" until the gap between the first and last set is too small? The last set should be a bit more than twice as big as the first, right?

 

[TheOak84]

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

im adding 10 pounds per week, which is what i did last time.

i started out at 65 % of 1rm like last time.

im in the 2nd week of 2nd cycle, and its rough, actually just the bench press. harder then the first time so far. maybe itll even out. i did bench first cuz someone was using the squat rack.. that could have been it. after heavy squats, bench seems a bit easier, im more warmed up

or should i increase by 5 pounds instead?

 

[Madcow2]

Well, my first day of officially being on the single-factor is over as it's now Tuesday. I got a bit too cocky yesterday and failed on my last set of bench press. I originally planned to do 75x5 100x5 125x5 150x5 and 175x5 like I tested myself as being able to do last week, but I bumped up all the weight by 5 pounds thinking it would be no problem and hit the shit on the last set. I'll copy and paste my log for yesterday from the logbook I started


Monday log: Squats went perfectly; I may have even been able to deal with 5 more pounds on all lifts. Bench press failed on the last set as I only got 180x2.5 then rested for about 2 minutes and got 175x3. Rows went fine but I’m still not feeling it in my upper back as much as it seems I should be feeling it. I might need to separate my hands by a wider distance on the bar or something. No hyper bench at the gym so I did some stiff-legged deadlifts instead. Upright rows, sit-ups, and cardio went fine as usual. I took some glutamine immediately after lifting which was right before cardio. Had some blueberries and rice milk after I got home. For Bench press on Friday, drop all weight by 5 pounds.


A question for madcow: when you increase the weights you do on Monday by 5 pounds or whatever, are you supposed to increase all the weights for each set by the same "5 pounds or whatever" until the gap between the first and last set is too small? The last set should be a bit more than twice as big as the first, right?

The more work you do before your top set the more fatigued you'll be. You're going to have to go by feel. I'd probably say keep the bottom weight the same and adjust the others every few weeks for even increments between the bottom lift and the top one. That seems like a viable way to do it for a period, after a time reevaluate and readjust the whole scheme. To be honest, I've never spent a lot of time training people on that program. I've used parts of it but don't have a lot of experience in using it on people I've trained or myself which makes me always feel like I'm fumbling around in the dark when helping people out on the little details (it always seems to work out though so not a huge worry). It's really effective and obviously those using the single factor are getting big and strong pretty easily and are very happy (just like everybody else over the last 30 years) I just haven't really delved into the minutia enough to feel confident that there is a 100% best way to handle some of the little bits -to be honest it's probably lifter dependent anyway so it's going to be tough over the net.

 

[Madcow2]

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

im adding 10 pounds per week, which is what i did last time.

i started out at 65 % of 1rm like last time.

im in the 2nd week of 2nd cycle, and its rough, actually just the bench press. harder then the first time so far. maybe itll even out. i did bench first cuz someone was using the squat rack.. that could have been it. after heavy squats, bench seems a bit easier, im more warmed up

or should i increase by 5 pounds instead?

I'd worry less about a constant lbs increase per week and just make sure that in weeks 3 and 4 you are breaking previous records. Set weights whereever they need to be for that and go by feel in the first two weeks building up so you get an idea about how good/bad your week 3/4 targets are.

Changing the order can also have a lot to do with it so it might just be a one time thing. Tough call but that's the way I'd handle it.

 

[blut wump]

Well, my main goal for this run of the program was to get my deadlift over 400 which I've done. I did 390 for 3x3 last week. I failed at 425 today but got a single at 415. Thanks, yet again, madcow. This program has taken me into the 400 club from never having deadlifted before January.

After I did a single at 405, a guy at the gym came over and told me it wasn't bad for someone with crap technique (his words). He reckons I use too much back and not enough hips to get the bar moving. Easy for him to say being about 6" shorter then I am.

I guess I'll have to go back to reading again but it's really encouraging for getting the numbers even higher. It might be time to hit the Korte and get lots of practice in.

I remembered to sit on the plates. Looks like this program is making a goodly handful of 400+ deadlifters.

 

[Guinness5.0]

I remembered to sit on the plates. Looks like this program is making a goodly handful of 400+ deadlifters.

Give me a few more months and it'll add a 500 lb DL'er to the list

 

[Jim Ouini]

Well, my main goal for this run of the program was to get my deadlift over 400 which I've done. I did 390 for 3x3 last week. I failed at 425 today but got a single at 415. Thanks, yet again, madcow. This program has taken me into the 400 club from never having deadlifted before January.

After I did a single at 405, a guy at the gym came over and told me it wasn't bad for someone with crap technique (his words). He reckons I use too much back and not enough hips to get the bar moving. Easy for him to say being about 6" shorter then I am.

I guess I'll have to go back to reading again but it's really encouraging for getting the numbers even higher. It might be time to hit the Korte and get lots of practice in.

@ short guy.

Pretty awesome getting to 400 in < 6 months. I agree, I never thought I'd see 4 plates of anything. Now I want it for squatting and 3 plates for bench.

And I'd like to work to a 500 dead, which seems surreal to even be typing it.

Reminds me, the same guy that saw me deadlifting last week asked me for some help again yesterday. Last week he was at 145 or so with pretty uhm 'crap technique'. So I told him a coupla' things (Rippetoe's tips 'n tricks came to mind) and he started repping 225 work sets. I can see this guy hitting 315 real quick and passing 400 in the near future if he does novice 5 x 5. Which kind of made me jealous but it's all good

I remembered to sit on the plates.

 

[blut wump]

Give me a few more months and it'll add a 500 lb DL'er to the list

And I'd like to work to a 500 dead, which seems surreal to even be typing it.

I reckon you two should both have it very soon. Jim's 425 for 3x3 indicates a likely 450-460 1RM which is nicely placed at about 10% away. One more run of the program and a 'good' day for lifting and you'll have it. You two still have another week to go, too. Awesome!

 

[siamesedream]

@ short guy.

Pretty awesome getting to 400 in < 6 months. I agree, I never thought I'd see 4 plates of anything. Now I want it for squatting and 3 plates for bench.

And I'd like to work to a 500 dead, which seems surreal to even be typing it.

Reminds me, the same guy that saw me deadlifting last week asked me for some help again yesterday. Last week he was at 145 or so with pretty uhm 'crap technique'. So I told him a coupla' things (Rippetoe's tips 'n tricks came to mind) and he started repping 225 work sets. I can see this guy hitting 315 real quick and passing 400 in the near future if he does novice 5 x 5. Which kind of made me jealous but it's all good

Can I have a link to Rippetoe's tips 'n tricks? I just started up the single-factor 5x5 this week and have never squatted, deadlifted, or rowed before it. Naturally, my deadlift is horrible and my top set is only 185 pounds, but I already know I need to up it since that top set was pretty easy yesterday.






P.S. a really simple question for madcow or anyone: Some plans just came up yesterday and I apparently have to be on the road travelling all day Friday, so I'll have to do my "Friday" workout on Saturday. Will this screw everything up including next week's workout? It doesn't seem like it should do much at all since this is only my first week on the program and things are still getting adjusted.

 

[Jim Ouini]

Can I have a link to Rippetoe's tips 'n tricks? I just started up the single-factor 5x5 this week and have never squatted, deadlifted, or rowed before it. Naturally, my deadlift is horrible and my top set is only 185 pounds, but I already know I need to up it since that top set was pretty easy yesterday.

Well, it's from his book Starting Strength. I think the stickies in the PL forum will serve you very well.

His book is more from a coaching perspective. So for example I asked my friend to reach down and grab the bar. Rippetoe recommends you yell at him 'Butt Down!' 'Chest Up!' at this point, so that's what I did