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Brock would you mind sharing a little more about your experience?

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I had worked out enough for the past year before to be in shape, but I wasn't working out enough to put on any serious muscle.

I read about this program on here and then did some research for it online and started off with my own weight. I started on squats and bench doing my 10 rep for my first workout. I wasn't really sure what to do for deadlift, so I did a pretty light weight (I think it was about 150lbs) so I could work on getting my form down. We never did dead lift in high school, and I never did it on my own either, so it was a new workout for me. I focused mostly on form with that workout for the first few weeks and I started to up the weight once I felt I had it down.

I started the other rows and press with about 15lbs over the starting weight and went up from there.

The app on my phone helped greatly. If I didn't finish a workout at a certain weight, it would either keep me at that weight for the next workout or bump it down by about 10lbs or so I could work back to where I was before.

I did this for about 3 or 4 months and I increased my squat, deadlift, and bench big time.

One helpful hint I used if I struggled with a set or two of a workout I would put down that I did 1 less rep than I actually did. This would keep the weight the same on the next workout and would let me work on getting that weight up to snuff.

These are fully body workouts, so once you start really getting into some weight that pushes you, you will feel like you "got a good workout" afterwards. You can always do some auxiliary lifts in between too if you want to focus on certain body parts.

First B Day workout today went well.


Squat, 5x5 @ 110
OHP, 5x5 @ 50 (feels so light right now but I bet this gets heavy in a hurry)
Deadlift, 5x5, 135


Also fired back up my creatine today, I know it will definitely pay off later when that 4th and 5th rep are going to have to be squeezed out.

Early signs point to my caloric intake being too low, but we shall see. I am going to weigh myself every Sunday morning at the same time to evaluate my diet situation.

That overhead press does get heavy real fast. That's the first exercise I stalled on when I did the program.

What kind of stuff do you eat while doing this? What's a typical menu for one day?

This has been my diet lately...

6 meals a day

Breakfast - cottage cheese or whey protein, coffee and 1 pop tart

Snack 1 - mixed nuts (2 servings) or oatmeal

Lunch - varies (leftovers from night before), tuna, or some other type of protein rich sandwich, some fruit, string cheese

Snack 2 - Clif Bar and Protein shake

Dinner - Whatever is on the menu, my wife and I are big time meat eaters, so it's usually a protein based dish.

Snack 3 - Peanut butter honey sandwich and milk




Right now I'm ingesting 3000 calories a day and trying to make sure and hit my macros. I can already tell I am probably going to have to up this amount.


http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981


That thread above here will help tremendously with nutrition. It basically boils down to figuring out what your caloric intake is to maintain your weight. Go 10-20% over to add weight. Go 10-20% below to lose weight.

[This message has been edited by irish pete ag06 (edited 1/23/2013 9:50p).]

OHP and rows get heavy very quickly.

I have been doing SL for about 9 months. I felt weird starting at the light weights but you do progress fast. Even then I think I rushed through some of the light squats and realized as I got heavy I still wasn't going low enough. OP does get heavy pretty fast. I have made good progress. I struggle with the pressing movements (bad shoulder) but have put on some serious gains on the pulling movements.

I am doing 5x5 on rows at 170
My dl is up to 5x1 w/ 355

I would advise sticking with the program as is. It will get heavy quick. Make sure you are getting parallel on those squats!

Workout #3 - A Workout

Squat 5x5 @ 115
Bench 5x5 @ 80
Row 5x5 at 70

Workout still feels light, but I feel like my squat form is better than it was in workout 1. Still just exciting to be on a structured plan.

I am pissed about weight. Feel like I'm losing weight instead of gaining. I started making Sunday my official weigh in date to reevaluate my diet. Looks like I'm on pace to lose a pound at 3000 calories a day. Forgot who mentioned it above, but turns out they were right.

So you did back-to-back days of workouts. vansprinkle and I are going to do the third workout tomorrow, and then next week continue the M-W-F routine.

I guess I'm going to give this routine a little time. We get through the exercises so quickly though, that we usually have time to do other exercises like abs or concentrate on other areas.

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So you did back-to-back days of workouts. vansprinkle and I are going to do the third workout tomorrow, and then next week continue the M-W-F routine.

I guess I'm going to give this routine a little time. We get through the exercises so quickly though, that we usually have time to do other exercises like abs or concentrate on other areas.

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The point of keeping the exercises quick and only three times a week is to give your body some rest so it can recover. Once the weights get heavier you will need the recovery time. Burning extra calories with ab work won't help. The lifts in this program work your core a lot more than you think, so there is no need to focus on abs.

Yeah, I realize that as time passes, it will take us longer to get through the exercises, but there isn't any reason we shouldn't do more now. We're basically just doing basics, and finishing in 30-45 minutes with some time to spare to do other things.

After tomorrow, we'll be on the M-W-F plan with Saturday and Sunday off for recovery.

Workout B today

Squat at 120
OHP at 55
Deadlift at 145


I'm tempted to up the weights faster but I am going to keep progressing as recommended. Trying to make weight training stick long term this time around.

Workout B as well. I felt kind of silly doing these weights today but I know I'll be better for it later.

Squat @ 80
OHP @ 50
Deadlift @ 105

I started last night and wow those weights were light. I bet I was not in the gym for even 30 min.

However, I am going to stick to the program as written. Nothing I have done in the last 20 years seems to have a lasting effect.

My bench has always been horrible. If nothing else, my goal is to work my way up to benching 225. For me that will be the sign that I am strong. Don't get me wrong Squating 300+lbs is also on the list.

Speaking of squats. I was amazed at how bad my squats were in the past. Going low makes a huge difference. After doing my squats correctly last night I noticed other guys loading up the bar and barely even bending their knees.

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I started last night and wow those weights were light. I bet I was not in the gym for even 30 min.

However, I am going to stick to the program as written. Nothing I have done in the last 20 years seems to have a lasting effect.

My bench has always been horrible. If nothing else, my goal is to work my way up to benching 225. For me that will be the sign that I am strong. Don't get me wrong Squating 300+lbs is also on the list.

Speaking of squats. I was amazed at how bad my squats were in the past. Going low makes a huge difference. After doing my squats correctly last night I noticed other guys loading up the bar and barely even bending their knees.

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I'm right there with you. I have always wanted to be able to push around two plates, but I have never achieved it. I have gotten very close a couple of times, but this time I will get there.

I truly think that the weight program starts so that you will make this a part of your routine before you hit a plateau and get discouraged and quit.

I did it last year.... Got to week 8 or 9 and blew out a disc (probably playing basketball). I continued the bench portion. Before I started I was probably doing 185 1 set of 5 on bench. I finished doing 4 sets of 5 with 220.... Just short of my goal of 225.

I liked it. I never got the form down on the rows..... I think that may have contributed to my disc.

I started with to low of a weight on the squats.... At week 8 I was only up to about 235...

The app is nice.

I could do more weight when I was younger..... So this was not new gains.

Workout 5


Squat 5x5 @ 125
Bench 5x5 @ 85
Row 5x5 @ 75


Still feels light, but I can feel my form getting better ever session. Especially squat. Getting below parallel for the first time ever.

I just grabbed this app last night. I was getting bored of my old program so I thought I'd try it out. I think I'm going to need a gym though. I've been working out at my house but the squats are going to be hard to do....

Above. I would think about getting a power rack if you are already set up at home. I wish i had room at home.
This workout demands a lot of time at the power lifting area at the gym. If it is filled up, you are screwed.

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This workout demands a lot of time at the power lifting area at the gym. If it is filled up, you are screwed.

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Yeah, but how many people are really using those stations? My brother and I have had no problem getting the rack every time we've gone.

But, if you are able to fit a power rack at home, it may not be a bad idea! Saves gym membership cost, which will eventually pay for the station at home.

After reading this thread and elsewhere online about Stronglifts 5x5, I have decided to commit to the program. I've lost a lot of core strength pretty much since I graduated and am ready to stop being such a wiener. My only issue is I do like to run ~3 times a week, so I am interested hearing how anyone works cardio in between the weight program. Any suggestions?

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]Yeah, but how many people are really using those stations?

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Every bro wanting to do some pull-ups or shoulder shrugs.

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My only issue is I do like to run ~3 times a week, so I am interested hearing how anyone works cardio in between the weight program. Any suggestions?

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vansprinkle tries to run on the off days, or just whenever he can. I run with him on occasion. Hasn't been a big deal.

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My only issue is I do like to run ~3 times a week, so I am interested hearing how anyone works cardio in between the weight program. Any suggestions?


vansprinkle tries to run on the off days, or just whenever he can. I run with him on occasion. Hasn't been a big deal.

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Yeah, I'm actually doing this in conjunction with training for my first sprint triathlon. I'm not at the point in the lifts yet where my legs are exhausted, so I can run and bike on days that I lift and days that I don't. Once the bar starts to get loaded up a bit I imagine I'll have to only do cardio on off days.

And I am only doing the 5x5 for strength. I'm already 6' 200 lbs so I'd either like to maintain my weight or possibly lose a little (gain muscle, lose fat).

(Edit: And once I get a bit closer to race day I'll take a few weeks off of lifting to get my body in full cardio shape.)

[This message has been edited by vansprinkle (edited 1/31/2013 12:43p).]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I'm 6' 195lbs, so I'm hoping to pretty much maintain the same weight but focus on leaning up.

Workout #6

Squat 5x5 @ 130
OHP 5x5 @ 60
Deadlift 2x5 X 155 (it's still light and I just felt like doing another set)


Whole workout is still light. My form feels like it is getting machine like, which is a good thing.

Started this yesterday. I made the mistake of doing curls and push ups while waiting my 90 seconds. I figured since it was a light weight....stupid.

Where do the OHP come in? Mine have bench press....

OHP is on B days.

Definitely saw someone doing this workout at Gold's in cs today

Day 6 for me as well...at Gold's in CS so it may have been me if it was during lunch. Still feels light but I'm starting to feel it a little bit.

Squat 5x5 @ 95
OHP 5x5 @ 55
Deadlift 1x5 @ 115

I'm at a decent weight on squats and dead lifts, so I only run on off days. I usually will only run on the first day of the consecutive off days so I'm pretty fresh for the next workout.

txaggie05, yep, 11ish. I was the guy on the station next to you

I just got back into the workout, and I'm going with weights that are about half of what I stopped at last time I did the program.

Squat 85
OP 55
DL 105
BP 80
BR 65

Workout 7

Squat 5x5 at 135
Bench 5x5 at 90
Row 5x5 at 80

Fun workout. Definitely feels like I lifted. Did some measurements yesterday and I've already added a half inch in my thighs in 2 weeks on this program.

Workout 4 last night for me. The ego check is the toughest at this point. Anyone doing the GOMAD to bulk up?

Can you explain more about the GOMAD?

I am trying to bulk up by eating 3000-3200 calories a day and hit my body weight in protein.