5 x 5 Strong Life

[Oz-]

Originally posted by TimH
How close is the bar to your legs when you start your deadlift? I find if I don't have the bar touching my legs at the start it seems like I pull the weight up and towards my body which creates stress on my lower back.

Scrape the shit out of your shins. Try to keep the bar in keeping the bar in contact with your leg the entire time through the lift...if it is off, there is a tendancy for the bar to go out a bit more in the path and makes you muscle it up more - which eventually makes you lose bar speed.

[cdnsir]

For the people who did this training. Did you guys lose a lot of weight in the first couple months? 6 weeks in, I haven't stalled yet (which seems normal, haven't reached body weight lifts yet), and I'm doing HIIT at the end for 18mins. But I keep losing weight without getting any bigger! I must had lost 10 pounds already. I thought this program would bulk me up a bit, what's going on here?

[msommers]

Not eating enough.

[lint]

Originally posted by cdnsir
For the people who did this training. Did you guys lose a lot of weight in the first couple months? 6 weeks in, I haven't stalled yet (which seems normal, haven't reached body weight lifts yet), and I'm doing HIIT at the end for 18mins. But I keep losing weight without getting any bigger! I must had lost 10 pounds already. I thought this program would bulk me up a bit, what's going on here?

the rep range is for strength, not size. read the book again.

[bigbadboss101]

Yeah I noticed the weights going up (lifts). Want some size too though.
I need to get the diet in check.

[Darkane]

Food.

Peanut butter, Oats, and Meat.

Drown yourselves in it.

[kutt3r]

Originally posted by cdnsir
haven't reached body weight lifts yet

I thought this program would bulk me up a bit, what's going on here?

Get strong first, then think about 'bulking', you need minimum 2.5xbw squats/dl's before you are getting any size to you.
A 5x5 can put size on, once you get past the neural gains and start hitting some real weight, but as Lint said it is not the best program for muscle hypertrophy, but you are no where near the strength levels for that.

More protein, dimes to dollars you are at no where near enough.

[max_boost]

Ya wanna get big, ya got to eat.

GOMAD for a bit and see if you gain any size, make sure you keep lifting though.

(gallon of milk a day )

[msommers]

^^ Reminds me of this dude I saw at the uni the other day, just downing a 4L of chocolate milk on his way to class.

[cdnsir]

... And chocolate milk is exactly what will be coming out of my ass if I drank 4L in a day. LOL

[max_boost]

Originally posted by cdnsir
... And chocolate milk is exactly what will be coming out of my ass if I drank 4L in a day. LOL

Lactose intolerant?

Go to co-op and get the lactose free chocolate milk or get lactate white milk and add nesquik haha

I drank as much as 2L a day for a bit and I got lazy with the lifting and just ended up FAT. 140---->165, back down to 150-155 range now but stronger.

Focus on getting your form down, maxing out your novice gains and when you are ready, 5/3/1 is waiting for you and you'll get big for sure, providing you keep eating. Can't get big if you don't eat.

[cdnsir]

Might have to give those lactose free milk a try. I'm not completely lactose intolerant, but if i drink more one full tall glass at a time, my stomach will start churning like crazy.

[msommers]

I'm lactose interolerant as well - grab some skim lactaid. I was finally able to start 5X5 last week and have been consuming a hell of a lot more milk per day than ever before.

Takes literally no effort to make and has a lot of other nutrients beside protein in it. Win-win.

[msommers]

So I'm still at it, end of week 2 still motivated and liking how short the workouts end up being.

Couple things. My shoulders are f'in weak. I knew they would be a problem with previous rotor cuff issues before but jeez it's frustrating especially so early on. Anyways, the way I'm doing overhead presses now is with both feet shoulder-width apart, pushing straight up while keeping my core as tight as I can. I found near the end of the sets my form was going to shit and I was leaning back slightly to be able to push it up. I changed up my footing so it was front/back and seemed to alleviate the leaning issue. Is this correct technique though? If so, should I be switching my lead foot?

Deadlifts. I think my technique is good, I can feel a good squeeze in my glutes and my traps. I don't feel a whole lot in my hams though - definitely pushing through my heels with my toes slightly pointed up. While doing the exercise I actually feel fine. But in between sets my lower back feels slightly sore. Something I should look for?

Matt

[lint]

Make sure you drive your head through when the bar passes your head, should help with the lockout. Foot placement is minor, as long you aren't lunging don't worry about it. Keep in mind, there has to be some leaning to get your head out of the way, no leaning is inefficient since the bar path wouldn't be over your centre of mass.

Depending on where you're starting out and how you're built, you might not feel it in the same places as others. Don't worry about it.

DON'T adopt the Crossfit mentality where training form becomes a contest, and then make excuses about acceptable slop. Know the key points of each lift, move the weight. It's not rocket science

[max_boost]

Originally posted by msommers
So I'm still at it, end of week 2 still motivated and liking how short the workouts end up being.

Couple things. My shoulders are f'in weak. I knew they would be a problem with previous rotor cuff issues before but jeez it's frustrating especially so early on. Anyways, the way I'm doing overhead presses now is with both feet shoulder-width apart, pushing straight up while keeping my core as tight as I can. I found near the end of the sets my form was going to shit and I was leaning back slightly to be able to push it up. I changed up my footing so it was front/back and seemed to alleviate the leaning issue. Is this correct technique though? If so, should I be switching my lead foot?

Deadlifts. I think my technique is good, I can feel a good squeeze in my glutes and my traps. I don't feel a whole lot in my hams though - definitely pushing through my heels with my toes slightly pointed up. While doing the exercise I actually feel fine. But in between sets my lower back feels slightly sore. Something I should look for?

Matt

I squeeze my ass on the press as it helps me keep everything tight.

On the deadlift, I feel the stretch in the hamstring most when I'm lowering the weight. Yes my lower back feels slightly sore too but I don't think that is of major concern. I mean there's going to be some stress on the lower back given the movement but it usually goes away quickly. as usual, just keep everything tight and breathe. It's always nice to refer back to the stronglifts.com site for pointers.

I use to have a sore lower back, doing deads and squats fixed it hahaha

[msommers]

Cool thx...sounds like I was worried about a hell of a lot of nothing

[Darkane]

Originally posted by msommers
But in between sets my lower back feels slightly sore. Something I should look for?

Matt

Dead hang at the end of sets for 10-15 seconds. Slightly decompressing the spine.

At the end of your last set hang for 60 seconds. Try to decompress as much as possible.

[nodoubtt]

I'm sure this has been discussed previously, but based on your latest opinions, should I start off with strong life or starting strength (rippetoe's)??

[max_boost]

^^

Both are very similar, strength based and you'll see some crazy linear progression in your gains.