Question about 5x5 workouts.

[LoneTree]

How much the weight should be? That you fail after dong 5 reps?
How much should be the rest time between two sets?

Highly appreciate your input.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

If you mean Madcow's variation (though, I know, it's not really his, but it's just easier to identify it that way), then you need to go read the huge thread discussing it. You will see how to set up the weights for your routine there.

As for rest - as long as you need, really. I wouldn't let that extend past 4-5 minutes, but I believe some others have.

 

[LoneTree]

If you mean Madcow's variation (though, I know, it's not really his, but it's just easier to identify it that way), then you need to go read the huge thread discussing it. You will see how to set up the weights for your routine there.

As for rest - as long as you need, really. I wouldn't let that extend past 4-5 minutes, but I believe some others have.

I have read that, and am not impressed with Madcow or Bill Starr's method.
I just realised that I was already doing it, except for I was doing 8 reps, with last 3 sets at full strength till frailure.
He was foot-ball strength training coach. It may not apply to all situations.
There are two other variations that I have seen:
Arnold Swartznigger's: 4-5 sets, with 12-10-8-6-4 reps at full strength. One day I did one of his 'super-sets', and was out of commission for the whole weekend.
American Sports Medicine Association: Very similar, with less than 2 minutes rest between sets. I think I would go with that.

 

[mayhems]

id go with arnold's method because supersetting is one of the best methods to use to build muscle

 

[view]

lonetree what is your level of training? a beginner/somewhat intermediate can succeed on single factor training, but someone becoming more intermediate advance usually won't benefit much from single factor training. you really need to use something that involves progressive overload, deconditioning, and repeating.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Supersetting doesn't add any muscle building benefit. Mayhems, stop spewing garbage.

 

[LoneTree]

lonetree what is your level of training? a beginner/somewhat intermediate can succeed on single factor training, but someone becoming more intermediate advance usually won't benefit much from single factor training. you really need to use something that involves progressive overload, deconditioning, and repeating.

I would always do progressive overloading. I am already doing it. I just discovered by chance that my workout is much better with it. But I always thought that it is just 'warm up'.
Irrespective of my status, I do a lot of research and read as much as I can.
Progressive load is fine as I said. But you have to do at least 3-4 sets with max weight till failure at the end.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

But you have to do at least 3-4 sets with max weight till failure at the end.

Says who? I don't know where you're getting your information from, but I'd suggest you do a lot more research.

 

[LoneTree]

I mentioned my 2 sources in my posts above.

 

[Madcow2]

I have read that, and am not impressed with Madcow or Bill Starr's method.

Say what you want about me but Jesus man, you do realize that he coached mutliple pro teams, multiple collegiate programs (not just football), and held records in OL and PL. If you talk to any even remotely serious student of exercise science - that guy is the man. He is as good as anyone has ever been at that job. Incidentally one of a strength coach's tasks is adding LBM to athletes in a time constrained environment and since most BBers are more worried about adding muscle than tweaking cosmetic varriances - that's a pretty good match. He actually was regularly reprinted in one of those BBing rags for a years (Ironman I think - maybe his articles are still in there that's the only reason I used to pick it up). He's in Milo 3x yearly.

Anyway, the beauty of freedom is you can do what you want and think what you want (I just can't let you run around with misconceptions about Starr being strictly a football only coach) but I will provide you with a short list of excellent training books in the linked post. They are the "goto" books on training for anyone who is seriously interested in learning about weight training and exercise science. You will notice that Arnold's name is not on there. It isn't even close - he is respected as a great BBer but the state of BBing doesn't require one to know much about training as long as you are willing to increase your dosage to compensate. This list it ultra-common and is required reading for serious students of weight training. With few exceptions this is the best America and the world have to offer on the subject of training.

www.elitefts.com (no particular order)
A System of Multi Year Training in Weightlifting
Fundmentals of Special Strength Training in Sport
Supertraining
Managing the Training of Weightlifters
Science and Practice of Strength Training