Article 2
For the past week or so I’ve been following the StrongLifts 5x5 program. For those of you unfamiliar with the training plan, it’s very simple and most workouts take an hour or less to complete.
overview of stronglifts 5X5
There are two types of days for this program: Day A and Day B. The 5 exercises this program includes are Squats, Bench Press, Overhead Press, Barbell Rows, and Deadlifts. Each exercise is done for 5 sets of 5 reps with the exception of Deadlifts (I’ll explain that further in a moment). See the graphic below for the exercises and routine schedule for Day A and Day B.
Naturally, you will want to do more on this program because it seems so simple. Do not do extra sets or reps or additional exercises! This is a 12-week + strength building program that forces progressive overload by increasing the weight by 2.5 - 5 lbs each day. You will burn yourself out if you add in additional work!
alternating workouts days a and b
A typical schedule on StrongLifts 5x5 is set up alternating Days A and B. For example, the first week of the program goes A, B, A with at least 1 day of rest between each workout day. My first week was Thursday (Day A), Saturday (Day B), Monday (Day A). On the right, I have included the calendar of my workouts for the first two weeks of the program. I highly recommend using the StrongLifts App to help track your workouts and progress.
progress weeks 1 & 2
While Week 1 started off pretty slow, and I was very skeptical that my body could handle squatting 3x/week, Week 2 proved to me that this program is going to be awesome! So if you’re just starting off, give it at least 5 sessions to make your initial judgement. I especially like how the StrongLifts app has a timer to keep the sets going at an appropriate pace; after each set, once you log it, the app will tell you to take 90 seconds of rest if the set was easy or 3 minutes rest if it was challenging. If you missed any reps, it will tell you to take 5 minutes rest and provide encouragement that you will make all 5 reps the next set. Pretty great if you ask me! Below is the graph generated by the StrongLifts app for all 5 of my core lifts.
Overhead press is in purple; Bench is in gray; Barbell row is orange; Squats are in blue; and deadlifts are in green. Not too bad for 5 sessions. My goal is to crush 200 lbs in the 12 weeks of the StrongLifts program. I’ve been pretty static in terms of progression these last two years; however, 2016 will be my year to change it up and #MakeItCount.
a brief rant about nutrition
As always, with any strength training program, be sure you’re eating enough! Do not try to be in a caloric deficit or on a fat-burning program during StrongLifts. You will need the fuel (carbs!) to get through all your sets and progress. For someone who has always had the “diet-mind,” it will be tough to bump up the calories and eat more; however, if you want to feel good in the gym, become a better athlete, and recover at an optimal level, you must eat to perform. No this doesn’t mean eat crap or junk food all day. It means making healthy choices and having a balance of all the macronutrient groups (proteins, carbs, fats). Personally, my ratios have been around 50% Carbs, 30% Protein, and 20% fats. It’s a lot of food for someone who has been eating around BMR (bad idea, don’t do this); however, almost immediately after increasing my intake and upping my carbs, I’ve felt more refreshed, and more mentally focused on hitting new PR’s each session.
Tweet @lizmillerfit if you have any questions about my progress or my opinions about the program. Until next review…Stay Fit. Stay Strong. -QFB.
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