---5X5--- questions

[kenneth]

---5X5---
Monday: Squats, Benching, Rows
Weds: Squats, Military Presses, Deadlifts, Chins
Friday: Squats, Benching, Rows

i pasted that from the johnsmith forum. is he listing the most important exercises, or the only exercises involved? I'm trying to get everything figured out so i can put this workout into effect combined with his 8 week squatting program. i understand the squatting program so i'm not going to say anything on that exercise, but is the rest as simple as :

Monday: benching-5x5, rows, 5x5
Wed: military presses-5x5, deadz, 5x5, chins, 5x5
Fri: benching, 5x5, rows, 5x5

is that the end of the story?

thanks for any feedback, i'm amped up bigtime to get into this so any and all help is greatly appreciated

[Bob Smith]

I changed a thing or two for Wednesdays workout, but otherwise I do it exactly as written. Very basic and only using compound movements. So far its going great!

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by Bob Smith

I changed a thing or two for Wednesdays workout, but otherwise I do it exactly as written. Very basic and only using compound movements. So far its going great!

Thanks Bob, glad to hear all is going well with it. How long have you been doing this routine? I have no beef with the setup so i'll do it exactly as is. Thanks again!

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by kenneth

Thanks Bob, glad to hear all is going well with it. How long have you been doing this routine? I have no beef with the setup so i'll do it exactly as is. Thanks again!

Ive been using it for roughly 6 weeks now.

[AnimalMass]

Yeah Kenneth, that's all there is and all there needs to be.

Here's the small changes I would make to the program...

---5X5---
Monday: Olympic Squats, Flat Bench Press, JS Rows, (low volume triceps, abs)
Weds: Olympic Squats, Standing Military Presses, Deadlifts, Chins (Biceps, abs)
Friday: Olympic Squats, Incline Bench Press, JS Rows (low volume triceps, abs)

[AnimalMass]

Now, for notes on that...

1) The additional tricep and bicep work should be LOW volume. i.e. - pick one exercise for the triceps (maybe two at most for biceps) and do like 2 sets of heavy weight for about 12 reps each. This is more for your own peace of mind rather than the fact that you actually need the additional work.

2) What this leaves you with is a program that most certainly isn't easy. You need to really put effort into the 3-4 exercises per day that you are doing.

You can cycle the other lifts down some, in the same way the squats do - i.e. - you can do 3x3 or try for 1 rep maxes on the bench, military press and deadlift as time progresses. But at your level of strength, and since you've never trained this way before then you need to do 6 weeks at the very least of 5x5 for all exercises. Then you can start dropping the reps.

Matt

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by AnimalMass

Yeah Kenneth, that's all there is and all there needs to be.

Here's the small changes I would make to the program...

---5X5---
Monday: Olympic Squats, Flat Bench Press, JS Rows, (low volume triceps, abs)
Weds: Olympic Squats, Standing Military Presses, Deadlifts, Chins (Biceps, abs)
Friday: Olympic Squats, Incline Bench Press, JS Rows (low volume triceps, abs)

thanks AM, sounds good, I'll probably add in a few sets of skullz on monday and friday or maybe skullz monday and something else friday, and a few sets of straight bar curls on wed in that case

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by AnimalMass

Now, for notes on that...

1) The additional tricep and bicep work should be LOW volume. i.e. - pick one exercise for the triceps (maybe two at most for biceps) and do like 2 sets of heavy weight for about 12 reps each. This is more for your own peace of mind rather than the fact that you actually need the additional work.

2) What this leaves you with is a program that most certainly isn't easy. You need to really put effort into the 3-4 exercises per day that you are doing.

You can cycle the other lifts down some, in the same way the squats do - i.e. - you can do 3x3 or try for 1 rep maxes on the bench, military press and deadlift as time progresses. But at your level of strength, and since you've never trained this way before then you need to do 6 weeks at the very least of 5x5 for all exercises. Then you can start dropping the reps.

Matt

thanks for this additional information! i'll have no problems putting myself to work, i'll be working my ass off on these days, and i definately plan to just do 5x5's for a while like you said, probably longer than that even, I've never before done a training program anything like this one and I'm amped up big time to get into this, i think the 5x5's will do me tons of justice, maybe towards the end i'll attempt some 1rm towards the end. Thanks!

[AnimalMass]

Also, another note...I've used this program on many people before and it's very important to start conservatively to allow your body to handle the volume of the squatting. Start everything conservatively. Get in the first 2 weeks without ever having to grind a rep out - that way your body adjusts to the workout itself. Then you can start pushing the weight a little more.

Matt

[kenneth]

Originally Posted by AnimalMass

Also, another note...I've used this program on many people before and it's very important to start conservatively to allow your body to handle the volume of the squatting. Start everything conservatively. Get in the first 2 weeks without ever having to grind a rep out - that way your body adjusts to the workout itself. Then you can start pushing the weight a little more.

Matt

thanks! i picked up on that too when you said that in another thread, i'll definately start conservatively, especially since i've never done squats 3 days a week at all, for the msot part not even 2!