Hello Everyone...New to this section of Elite

[wayneboard1]

and I finally decided to make a post over here. I have gotten some great information from reading and a few select posts. I have decided to do the 5X5 workout after talking with a few guys especially madcow. That guy is a fountain of info. Anyways, what I wonder is this. I know the general difference between PLs and BBs is the waist line (no offense intended, that is just a generic statement) and while I don't have a 6 pack, I am not fat. I want to get more muscle mass; LEAN muscle mass. SO, if I wanted to shoot for the awesome gains most guys get from this program and NOT get anymore bulked up in the fat area, what should change? I know diet is important and I have to feed myself to grow. I have read some posts that say you can add cardio to this excercise but that would seem to be a bit close to overtraining if I am running after slamming my body to grow and I want to really avoid overtraining and yet cardio is important to overall fitness. I also do not desire to live in the gym and the 5X5 offers a solid proven program with a reduction in gym time from my typical single body part routine. From reading and more reading the general concensus for a first timer to the 5X5 is to not change it or add/take away from the program, just do it. I can see there is more experience on here singing that tune so I don't want to change it. SO, what advice would the more experienced guys in here tell me to do if they were in my shoes? I am running this WITHOUT gear since it is my first time with this routine. I almost always get good sleep and I eat ok. With my typical endomoephic bodystyle I don't have a hard time gaining bulk, it's easy as hell for me to do, but with that muscle comes fat I hate to say. I guess you could call me well marbled. I appreciate all the posts I have read to get me this far and look forward to the ones that can help me with this final question before I get going.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Welcome

Chuck Vogelpohl is fairly lean

fatt accumulation is completeyl independant of your training style..its 100% based on what you eat..

Powerlifters have big waiste due to the nature of training..the abs are used a tremendous amount during the big 3 lifts as well as a lot of accessory work and not to mention training the abs themself

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

and I finally decided to make a post over here. I have gotten some great information from reading and a few select posts. I have decided to do the 5X5 workout after talking with a few guys especially madcow. That guy is a fountain of info. Anyways, what I wonder is this. I know the general difference between PLs and BBs is the waist line (no offense intended, that is just a generic statement) and while I don't have a 6 pack, I am not fat....

Both my partner [chambewy20] and I are fairly lean (I can see his abs). Powerlifter and 'fat' are not synonymous. Eating well (good nutrition) and eating a lot more than you may be used to are very important. Try something like the attached to get a feeling for what my partner and I are eating. I don't know your weight or anything - so its just a guideline. We still eat pizza and drink a beer and stuff - its not religion or anything...its just how we eat most of the time to get strong. I hope it helps. You were smart to ask about nutrition, it is so important for your strength. Good luck and Welcome to the PL board.

 

[wayneboard1]

Hi and thanks for the replies and I will take alook at the info you attached. I was really trying hard to not offend anyone and hope the "fat" comment wasn't taken as an insult. I don't want to go around pissing off guys 5 times as strong as I am now do I? I do like to eat pizza and have a bowl of icecream about once a week, but overall I don't eat candy or drink soda or anything, my weakness would have to be that frigin ice cream. It calls to me I swear. I think that I would notice a difference in my waistline (for the better) once I start this program and really shock my body with not only a new workout but a much more intense one. I am sure to burn many more calories and if I keep a handle on my diet I can only assume the additional calories burned as well as more muscle will help even if only a little on my loss of bf. I was glad to see I was heading somewhat in the right direction. Thanks again.

Both my partner [chambewy20] and I are fairly lean (I can see his abs). Powerlifter and 'fat' are not synonymous. Eating well (good nutrition) and eating a lot more than you may be used to are very important. Try something like the attached to get a feeling for what my partner and I are eating. I don't know your weight or anything - so its just a guideline. We still eat pizza and drink a beer and stuff - its not religion or anything...its just how we eat most of the time to get strong. I hope it helps. You were smart to ask about nutrition, it is so important for your strength. Good luck and Welcome to the PL board.

 

[donsj]

Louie Simmons says in effect that you get a substantial waistline when you train for powerlifting, quads sis is correct in that you don't necessarily get fat but your waist will get "substantial" because of the nature of the training. You are correct some fat comes with the process of getting really strong due to amount of eating but keep it fairly clean and cut if you like after you get the strength and you will be pretty lean and strong.

 

[wayneboard1]

Louie Simmons says in effect that you get a substantial waistline when you train for powerlifting, quads sis is correct in that you don't necessarily get fat but your waist will get "substantial" because of the nature of the training. You are correct some fat comes with the process of getting really strong due to amount of eating but keep it fairly clean and cut if you like after you get the strength and you will be pretty lean and strong.

Thanks for the reply and good to know. SO my workout friend and I started the 5X5 yesterday and lets just say I feel like a train has run into my butt! I felt good yesterday and we both commented how fatigued our legs felt after our squats because the full squat is something we don't normally do. It was a good gut check and we even set up a "pride and ego depository mug" near out squat rack. I think I will have to check my pride in each time I squat for the next 3-4 weeks. I did have 3 questions for anyone in the group.

1) I felt good squatting and no pain (bad pain I mean) but when I was done I felt a little tinge in my left knee. I have pretty solid knees; never had any injuries and they are good and strong. If you are sitting and looking down at your left knee it is in the front inside on the bottom of the kneecap area. It went away in about 30 minutes but made me wonder if I was doing something wrong. My technique may be off due to any differences in the full vs. paralell squat??? I dropped the weight down a good bit to make sure my form is 100% correct before adding a stressful amount of weight. I have read and reread the sticky bout squats and think i am doing it right. My workout friend told me I had good form but wanted your view.

2) I do not have access to a hyper chair so we substituted good mornings for hypers. I didn't want to make any changes to the routine especially the first time through but wondered since I do not have the correct equipment if this is an acceptable change?

3) When is a good time to do cardio? I think maybe the dayd before and maybe after the middle of the week light day?? I need to keep cardio in my routine but don't need a ton of it. I think if I did 2, 1 hour run/eliptical at moderate speed twice a week that might be good?

Thanks for everyones help. I like the fact I feel like I just started working out again and apparently I needed to really shock my body gain so this will do the trick I am sure.

 

[donsj]

OK, number one question: You almost certainly strained your medial meniscus in that knee, you will squash it if you aren't careful. By that I mean wrap your knees--if you are not already doing it-- anytime you squat heavy. Once you do this you will really see why it is a good thing. Question two: GMs are fine but again don't do them too heavy and I wouldn't do them the same day you squat. I don't know what your pr in the squat is but mine is 402 at age 51 225lbs and I don't do GMs with more than 135 but others here do. Question 3: I personally think 30min x 3 or 4 times a week is better than 2x1hr. I prefer recumbant cycles due to non weight bearing factor.
Good luck man. These are of course only my own personal experience, the younger men and women have input too I am sure.

 

[wayneboard1]

OK, so I strained something on my first day....crap. LOL Well I am glad you wrote back and thanks for your reply. I like your idea of the bike with the non load bearing option and I think that will be the route I go. I would rahter do that than a treadmill anyday. I never have used knee wraps (that may be hericy on this board not sure) so I guess I will need to buy some then. I have always strayed away from wraps and belts and what not and try to make sure I have good form. Is this type of gear a must for the 5X5 or personal preference?

Does anyone know of or have any links too pics that show a proper squat such as the ones on the stickies on here that show the proper way to row or to dead? Those were very helpful in making sure the form I had was correct.

Thanks again for your reply.

OK, number one question: You almost certainly strained your medial meniscus in that knee, you will squash it if you aren't careful. By that I mean wrap your knees--if you are not already doing it-- anytime you squat heavy. Once you do this you will really see why it is a good thing. Question two: GMs are fine but again don't do them too heavy and I wouldn't do them the same day you squat. I don't know what your pr in the squat is but mine is 402 at age 51 225lbs and I don't do GMs with more than 135 but others here do. Question 3: I personally think 30min x 3 or 4 times a week is better than 2x1hr. I prefer recumbant cycles due to non weight bearing factor.
Good luck man. These are of course only my own personal experience, the younger men and women have input too I am sure.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

I read through some of these posts about your knee pain while squatting.

1. What type of squatting are you doing? Are you box squatting? Are you using a very wide stance to protect your knees? Narrow stance squatting is hard on the knees. Try a wider stance with toes turned slightly outward. If box squatting, try not let the knees fall inward. Imagine spreading the floor with your feet as you drive up off the box. Also, if you have bands - try TKE's (terminal knee extentions) to strengthen the ligaments around your knees. See them here: Tate's Toolbox - TKEs

2. Knee wraps...These aren't necessarily for training in. I would advise against training in them. Chamb and I break them out to take a max weight and make sure we know what they 'feel' like. I feel you just need to make some adjustments to your squat stance to help protect your knees.

3. Good mornings to replace hypers. Yes, GM's are a posterior chain strengthener, hypers are as well. If you don't have a hyper bench you can do SLDL, pull-thrus, zercher's... You can also do the GM's with bands for reps. Some of the mentioned exercises can be found here: Dave Tate's Toolbox. Also - you can search here to find additional exercises to strengthen this area. There is also an article about deadlifting mistakes and correcting them.

Good luck with your new program.

 

[lilred]

Hello! welcome