# For a lifting and strength routine: 5x5 StrongLifts



## NorCalEMTechB (Aug 1, 2012)

Hey all,

I am in no way an endorser for this workout or website but just stumbled across this routine and thought I would share...I have been into weight lifting for a couple of years but hit a plateau and got wind of the EMT/Medic transport job curse that comes with laziness and a belly. Essentially this workout deals with 5 sets of 5 repetition exercises: squats, deadlifts, bench, overhead press, and barbell rows. just 3 times a week (monday, wed, fri or tues, thurs, sat). By doing strength and compound exercises, you will get a lot stronger and gain solid muscle. You increase the exercise weight by 5 pounds each workout you do, 10 pounds more for deadlifts. I don't want to sound like I am trying to advertise for this and again I am not an endorser, just want to share a great workout for strength and muscle training. 

There is a couple things you can read and download of the website. In addition, an excel worksheet you can track your progress. More conveniently, there is an iPhone App for it to track your workout..take a look and give it a try. 

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

has anyone else tried this? I am loving it so far and have felt/seen some improvement in just a little. I am a little over 6 foot, 215 pounds just to give you an idea


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## EMT1A (Aug 3, 2012)

this rountine will kick your *** and increase your strength tremendously

tried it before and it's a love/hate relationship


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## NorCalEMTechB (Aug 8, 2012)

EMT1A said:


> this rountine will kick your *** and increase your strength tremendously
> 
> tried it before and it's a love/hate relationship



how far did you go? did you get to the full 12 weeks? I am a little nervous I started too high - I am on my 3rd week and already almost to 200lbs for bench, squat, back rows, and deadlift. Not having any difficulty whatsoever, but have a feeling once I get around the 300 range it will start getting rough LOL


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## Bogart (Sep 19, 2012)

Just go till you stall reset back 4 weeks prior and try to beat the weight you stalled at. If you start stalling on all your lifts than you should take a deload week and maybe reset back 4 weeks and repeat.


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## citizensoldierny (Sep 20, 2012)

Tried stronglifts but found that Wendler 5/3/1 worked better for me , allowed more time for body to adapt and kept gains consistent. Also alllows more flexibility in choosing exercises. Great free app for it on Ipod also


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## eprex (Sep 20, 2012)

For a beginner I'd recommend starting with bodyweight (pullups, pushups, dips, jump squats, etc) and then moving to 3x5. It's not the best thing to going from doing nothing to compound lifts (not to mention exponential weight increases). You'll probably be fine but I believe you're at a greater risk of injury if you don't allow your ligaments to adapt.

Then move to 3x5 because in the beginning (even if you've been working out for years but took a month or more off) less is more. Better to work up to more sets and reps than start off that way and have nowhere to go.

I'd also never recommend starting strength or 5x5 or Wendler's to someone who wasn't prepared to study the crap out of youtube videos and constantly critique their form. Too many noobs out there (and this includes people who haev been lifting for awhile) who don't go deep enough on squats, or round their back on squats and deadlifts, who bench like garbage. Lots of injuries waiting to happen.


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## eprex (Sep 20, 2012)

NorCalEMTechB said:


> how far did you go? did you get to the full 12 weeks? I am a little nervous I started too high - I am on my 3rd week and already almost to 200lbs for bench, squat, back rows, and deadlift. Not having any difficulty whatsoever, but have a feeling once I get around the 300 range it will start getting rough LOL



I'd be very, very surprised if you made it 100 pounds on bench without plateauing and that's fine. Deadlifting and squatting absolutely (provided you started low like you're supposed to) but not bench and especially not military press.


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## FloridaEMT (Oct 10, 2012)

I did this program for 8 weeks before Medic school wore me down and ruined my consistency. I saw huge gains but found that I had to run my sets ar 3x5 due to poor nutrition and lack of sleep.

Trying to restart on the program in the next few weeks.

I have recommended it to quite a few friends though non have kept up with it, they found it too difficult. They wanted the results without the hard work.


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