Getbig Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Forums
Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: osakachero on February 10, 2008, 04:31:36 AM
-
I was always a proponent of the H.I.T. method and other variables of it. But after reading a magazine article I decided to give 5X5 (5 reps, 5 sets) a try. It is absolutely amazing. I have never gotten such good gains so quickly. A couple guys in the gym actually accused me of starting to juice.
Anybody else have any experience with this method? Or any advice on similar programs?
-
5x5s I used to train that way when I was still doing judo.
-
I was always a proponent of the H.I.T. method and other variables of it. But after reading a magazine article I decided to give 5X5 (5 reps, 5 sets) a try. It is absolutely amazing. I have never gotten such good gains so quickly. A couple guys in the gym actually accused me of starting to juice.
Anybody else have any experience with this method? Or any advice on similar programs?
5x5 for every exercise?
-
i did it for a while its a good strength routine...i did it for every exercise...and i know that with me i did it for probably around 2 months with my split was like chest, back, legs, day off, shoulder, arms, legs, day off....and i put 15 pounds on my 1rm for flat bench before the routine i was hitting 250 just the other day i hit 265 for 1 1/2 reps...so i def recomend it but for me it got very boring and i had to change it up
-
Can someone post some useful links with 5x5?
-
Can someone post some useful links with 5x5?
you mean a whole workout scheme? i can post what i did....i know that if you read things on GVT volume training thats all it is just less...i also tried 10x10 for a week and i cut it in half 5x5 and actually just to get a real good burn i was actually doing 4 sets with 5 reps and the last set drop the weight a bit and go till failure which i was aiming for 10 reps or so...i know it sounds crazy but it worked well for me...
-
5x5 for every exercise?
No I only did it on big moves like squats, deads, bench, rows.
It is more of a power building thing.
-
I use 5x5 on my big compound movements..Squats, deadlifts, shldr press, chest press. I add all the trimmings to each workout ..maybe 3x8-12 on the trimmings
-
Can someone post some useful links with 5x5?
look up bill starr 5 x 5 and dual factor training
-
in the classic 5x5 workout the first 2 sets are always progressively heavier warm ups and the last 3 are usually with the same weight.
-
5x5 is one of those stand-by routines that give most people some decent size/strength gains over the short term, if not also over the long term. I never used it for deads but have for squats and especially bench. Always got good results, especially the first couple of times I did it. But like everything, your body will get stale on this routine if you stick to it for too long.
-
5x5 is one of those stand-by routines that give most people some decent size/strength gains over the short term, if not also over the long term. I never used it for deads but have for squats and especially bench. Always got good results, especially the first couple of times I did it. But like everything, your body will get stale on this routine if you stick to it for too long.
seconded. it's a solid routine. not one of my favorites, since it means you never actually test your maximum ability, but great for a mixup now and again.
of course if you're feeling particularly retarded, you can always go for a 10x10 week. :P
-
I was always a proponent of the H.I.T. method and other variables of it. But after reading a magazine article I decided to give 5X5 (5 reps, 5 sets) a try. It is absolutely amazing. I have never gotten such good gains so quickly. A couple guys in the gym actually accused me of starting to juice.
Anybody else have any experience with this method? Or any advice on similar programs?
Part of its effectiveness may be that you’ve never trained this way before, so it’s great for shocking the muscles into some new growth with something different.
How long have you been using it?
Let us know how long you keep seeing results.
Also, how long are you resting between sets?
of course if you're feeling particularly retarded, you can always go for a 10x10 week. :P
I’m currently doing GVT (10x10) and am thus far pleased with the results.
And yes – by about the 6th set things start getting noticeably tougher, and the last set or two is nothing short of a motherf*cker.
-
Atm I'm using 6x6 for triceps and back, 8x8 for biceps and shoulders, and today just completed 10x10 for chest. They way I do it is using a weight heavy enough that I can't get the desired amount of reps in the later sets the first few times I do it. Then once I am able to complete the whole amount of sets I move up to the next level.
Eg. Once I can get 6x6 in my triceps exercise I'll move onto 7x7 with the same weight, and keep doing this until I reach 10x10.
-
5x5 is what I would call a good honest workout.
-
I do 5X5 for the major muscle groups; bench, dead lift, squat, pull down, and rows. I do a super set split of two of these and then do another super set split of another. Then I hit some of the other minor muscle groups; bi's, tri's, delts, calves, etc.. I do this every other day with a cardio day in between.
Monday: Bench/Pull down super set followed by a Dead lift/Hanging leg raise super set. then whatever for the surrounding muscles.
Wednesday: Incline Bench/Sitting Rows super set followed by Squat/One handed bent over row super set. then of course whatever for some of the minor muscles.
Friday: I do an H.I.T. routine. Pretty much do a full body routine but change it up every week. Its a good shock to the muscles after doing 5x5 for the other two workouts.
-
5 x 5, 6 x 6, 7 x 7, etc. can be used for any exercise.
As far as short vs. long term results there are no rules; most programs show faster progress at the beginning.
-
I do 8x3 every few weeks and I like it alot.
-
Since I still don't get it...would this be a decent 5x5?
Mon
Bench 5x5
Dips 5x5
Wed
Latpulldowns (inverse grip) 5x5
Deadlifts 5x5
Fri
Shoulder Press 5x5
Squats 5x5
alternatively crunches, leglifts, or calf raises...
I have no clue, but would that be ok?
-
Since I still don't get it...would this be a decent 5x5?
Mon
Bench 5x5
Dips 5x5
Wed
Latpulldowns (inverse grip) 5x5
Deadlifts 5x5
Fri
Shoulder Press 5x5
Squats 5x5
alternatively crunches, leglifts, or calf raises...
I have no clue, but would that be ok?
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm
Check this out.
-
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm
Check this out.
Shit I had no idea 5x5 was anything like that. I thought it was just - choose a weight and do 5 sets of 5 reps, end of story. That program looks good though, I think I might use it when I join a gym.
-
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm
Check this out.
Thanks...not my question is...is it worth duing on a diet (a very restricted one...)?
-
Thanks...not my question is...is it worth duing on a diet (a very restricted one...)?
i wouldnt think so really because its my understanding that a 5x5 in any variation is a good strength and mass builder and since your cutting i think it would be like working against each other..?
-
Shit I had no idea 5x5 was anything like that. I thought it was just - choose a weight and do 5 sets of 5 reps, end of story. That program looks good though, I think I might use it when I join a gym.
Yeah, I used it along the lines of what you are talking about and got really good strength gains and kept my size which also applies to what Deicide is asking. I ran and used this program, cut up significantly but did not lose a pound of bodyweight. My body composition changed but because of the progressive overload my muscles grew and I don't feel that I hurt my body at all. If you cannot complete the five reps you stay at that weight as far as I know. This challenges your muscles and tendons to adapt to the weight.
-
Thanks...not my question is...is it worth duing on a diet (a very restricted one...)?
For a cutting/calorie restricted diet I would do either a 10X10 program or 3X whole body workouts. At this stage its very unlikely you will be putting on size so you need to concentrate on maintaining your mass. Stick to the big movements squats, deads bench etc. Stick to heavy weight and train hard. Do not go to light weight high reps - you are bodybuilding leave the high reps/low weight stuff to the aerobics classes.
Maintain your protein intake or slightly increase it to compensate from the (I assume) lack of carbs.
If the diet becomes a serious issue up your calories and add some extra cardio to compensate. This can be very effective at giving you a fuller look.
Regards,
A Pumpkinhead
-
For a cutting/calorie restricted diet I would do either a 10X10 program or 3X whole body workouts. At this stage its very unlikely you will be putting on size so you need to concentrate on maintaining your mass. Stick to the big movements squats, deads bench etc. Stick to heavy weight and train hard. Do not go to light weight high reps - you are bodybuilding leave the high reps/low weight stuff to the aerobics classes.
Maintain your protein intake or slightly increase it to compensate from the (I assume) lack of carbs.
If the diet becomes a serious issue up your calories and add some extra cardio to compensate. This can be very effective at giving you a fuller look.
Regards,
A Pumpkinhead
dont you think that is most beneficial for weight loss? i am on a very restricted diet right now also (carb cutting) im down to like 15 carbs a day (carbs in my protein shake) and i just went through one week of low weight very high reps like 4 total sets 2 of them at 10 reps and the other 2 at 30 reps and it was like going tpo failure on the last two sets and i hated it...i think i am going to bail on this regimen and give HST a try and do two workouts for every bodypart for 2 sets of 15 see how i like that...im just looking for something that will make my ass sweat and burn you know....
-
dont you think that is most beneficial for weight loss? i am on a very restricted diet right now also (carb cutting) im down to like 15 carbs a day (carbs in my protein shake) and i just went through one week of low weight very high reps like 4 total sets 2 of them at 10 reps and the other 2 at 30 reps and it was like going tpo failure on the last two sets and i hated it...i think i am going to bail on this regimen and give HST a try and do two workouts for every bodypart for 2 sets of 15 see how i like that...im just looking for something that will make my ass sweat and burn you know....
GVT then man. Your muscles will kill and you will notice the difference.
-
dont you think that is most beneficial for weight loss? i am on a very restricted diet right now also (carb cutting) im down to like 15 carbs a day (carbs in my protein shake) and i just went through one week of low weight very high reps like 4 total sets 2 of them at 10 reps and the other 2 at 30 reps and it was like going tpo failure on the last two sets and i hated it...i think i am going to bail on this regimen and give HST a try and do two workouts for every bodypart for 2 sets of 15 see how i like that...im just looking for something that will make my ass sweat and burn you know....
The basics of it are - how did you get the muscle in the first place? By lifting little weights or by hitting it hard and heavy. How are little weights going to keep it - quick answer is they are not!
To keep that hard earned muscle you need to keep hitting it hard. Ignore the mindset that you can't go heavy on a diet. That is false. I cut carbs down to 50grams a day when I was cutting and was still squatting 405lbs for reps etc.
Keep it hard and heavy and you will maintain your size
-
GVT then man. Your muscles will kill and you will notice the difference.
you think the whole 10x10 program is the answer huh..i will admit i dont know alot about it but i will look into...im willing to try anything and will usually give it its due time but this one im on now has to go for tomorrow...thanks cap
The basics of it are - how did you get the muscle in the first place? By lifting little weights or by hitting it hard and heavy. How are little weights going to keep it - quick answer is they are not!
To keep that hard earned muscle you need to keep hitting it hard. Ignore the mindset that you can't go heavy on a diet. That is false. I cut carbs down to 50grams a day when I was cutting and was still squatting 405lbs for reps etc.
Keep it hard and heavy and you will maintain your size
yea that is a good way to put it...i mean ill admit i ve still got a ways to grow but ive grown alot in the past 6 months or so with lifting hard and heavy every day...
-
I personally avoided the program because of the low weights and one exercise philosophy but it works the muscles hard and it is a quick, intense workout which I think is good on low calories. JPM likened it to interval training which works the muscels, heart and burns fat without touching muscle as much.
-
yea that is a good way to put it...i mean ill admit i ve still got a ways to grow but ive grown alot in the past 6 months or so with lifting hard and heavy every day...
Exactly. Hey I don't think any of us are going to reach our potential for a long time yet. Just keep the intensity high and the weights heavy and you will maintain your size while dropping bodyfat!
In regards to GVT. If you are going to try this I would recommend two exercises per body part and also go as heavy as you can for the 10 reps. It may seem like overkill but it works. Its not unheard of to do 20 sets for a bodypart!
-
Exactly. Hey I don't think any of us are going to reach our potential for a long time yet. Just keep the intensity high and the weights heavy and you will maintain your size while dropping bodyfat!
In regards to GVT. If you are going to try this I would recommend two exercises per body part and also go as heavy as you can for the 10 reps. It may seem like overkill but it works. Its not unheard of to do 20 sets for a bodypart!
man believe i know...i was doing a 5x5 routine for every workout and for back that was like 30 sets every time but i loved and i grew but now its time to shed some bodyfat cause i put some on trying to get bigger....i think i might try the full GVT if nothing else it sounds challenging..
-
I was always a proponent of the H.I.T. method and other variables of it. But after reading a magazine article I decided to give 5X5 (5 reps, 5 sets) a try. It is absolutely amazing. I have never gotten such good gains so quickly. A couple guys in the gym actually accused me of starting to juice.
Anybody else have any experience with this method? Or any advice on similar programs?
I love it. I weigh 150 and after only a 3 month period of 5 x5s, I'm squating 240, and deading 255 for 5 reps. These are exercises I had never done before. My bench has increased from 185 max 5 reps to now 210 5 reps max. I'm very happy with the increases in strength, but I definitely see some loss of deltoid definition, just because I'm not doing the volume of exercises anymore. I really don't care for now!
-
Exactly. Hey I don't think any of us are going to reach our potential for a long time yet. Just keep the intensity high and the weights heavy and you will maintain your size while dropping bodyfat!
In regards to GVT. If you are going to try this I would recommend two exercises per body part and also go as heavy as you can for the 10 reps. It may seem like overkill but it works. Its not unheard of to do 20 sets for a bodypart!
The thing about HST is that after the 15 rep cycle you go to 10 and after than you go to 5...personally I find it optimal for dieting....
-
I was always a proponent of the H.I.T. method and other variables of it. But after reading a magazine article I decided to give 5X5 (5 reps, 5 sets) a try. It is absolutely amazing. I have never gotten such good gains so quickly. A couple guys in the gym actually accused me of starting to juice.
Anybody else have any experience with this method? Or any advice on similar programs?
I love doing 5X5's, especially for chest & biceps.
I also like 10X10's.
-
I love it. I weigh 150 and after only a 3 month period of 5 x5s, I'm squating 240, and deading 255 for 5 reps. These are exercises I had never done before. My bench has increased from 185 max 5 reps to now 210 5 reps max. I'm very happy with the increases in strength, but I definitely see some loss of deltoid definition, just because I'm not doing the volume of exercises anymore. I really don't care for now!
How tall are you? I ask because 150 is pretty darn light. Good lifts though for that bodyweight.
-
I notice some people using this 5x5 method for isolation/small muscle groups like biceps and shoulders. I wouldn't recommend it for these, especially biceps. The main idea is to do this method with large/compound excercises. I only do it with benches, squats, deads, pulldowns, and rows. I might be ok for a weighted dips but my gym doesn't have a weighted belt or a dip area for that matter so I can't say make a claim either way.
As for doing it on a diet. I used to be a 350 lard ass and I basically did this method (4x6) while dieting. It helped me drop 150lbs but I lost a lot of strength doing so. I think if you're on a bodybuilding diet, that is to say you're trying to cut some fat while maintaining muscle, I would stay away from this.
-
I notice some people using this 5x5 method for isolation/small muscle groups like biceps and shoulders. I wouldn't recommend it for these, especially biceps. The main idea is to do this method with large/compound excercises. I only do it with benches, squats, deads, pulldowns, and rows. I might be ok for a weighted dips but my gym doesn't have a weighted belt or a dip area for that matter so I can't say make a claim either way.
As for doing it on a diet. I used to be a 350 lard ass and I basically did this method (4x6) while dieting. It helped me drop 150lbs but I lost a lot of strength doing so. I think if you're on a bodybuilding diet, that is to say you're trying to cut some fat while maintaining muscle, I would stay away from this.
Your both right and wrong.
I would use 5x5 with shoulders, but only doing military press or DB press. I do that, but keep the reps higher (around 8 or so) for lat raises.
I agree with your assesment on bi's. I keep my reps higer again (10-12) for bi's as i found that doing low reps just ended up hurting my arms in a bad way. But at saying that, tris (for me anyway) are totally different. I keep the reps low for tris (5-8) and i ALWAYS do weighted dips and then either close grip bench or skull crushers (total of around 8 sets for tris).
-
I am doing 5x5 for one DB row.
-
5X5's can be considered Power BB'ing. In the true sense of this training method, the style is a little looser than normal. But suit yourself in this regard, do the exercises by the book if you wish. It can adapt very well to bicep/tricep, delts or even abs for that matter. Cheat (slightly to get the weight started..every rep of a set is cheat style) curls can add thickness and a more rugged look to the biceps. (looks kind of cool when wearing short sleeve shirts and the lower belly of the biceps bulges out even when relaxed) Lateral raises (for example), also in a slight cheat style, give delt thickness and mass. Start with the DB's in front of the body and swing them up to shoulder height. In any event, 5X5's can produce muscle mass, in a rather short period of time, if approached with serious intent.
The original purpose of 5X5's is to do only one exercise per body part. The main idea being to keep the workout brief and to the point. And also to help with the recovery time between workouts. 5X5's can work well with a full body workouts, using only compound movements. Usually the squat, bench and BB rows making up the program. But adding extensions exercise (5X5's also) after a compound movement can work well also. Something like benches followed by flys, BB rows followed by pullovers, presses followed by lateral raises, etc, etc, etc. Pick your poison, whichever version works best for you.
With any Square Root program (5X5, 8X8, 10X10) you keep the reps to that amount. In doing 5X5's you find the weight too light or too heavy, allowing you to do more or less than the 5 reps, than lower or increase the weight on the bar. Another matter is , you do not want to go to failure on any rep. Even if it's the last rep of the last set.
A main problem is that too many well meaning trainee's try to tweak a BB'ing program to suit their misguided needs. You do not do 4 rep or 6-7 reps on a 5X5 program because than you are not doing a 5X5 program. You are doing something else. And than when not getting the results you think you should have, you will blame that specific 5X5 program as being crap and wasted time invested.
This happens a lot with GVT (10X10) because quite a few people do not understand this simple protocol. Or get mistaken notions from people who know less than nothing or do not have the training experience, let alone give out advice. Sort of like the blind leading the blind. Good Luck.