# 5x5 training progress, noob, commets welcome.



## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi Guys and Girls,

Thought I'd write this as a way of keeping myself and my training on track. Any comments, guidance or light hearted abuse (as I've loved reading in other posts) is most welcome.

Brief background. I have been in gyms on/off for 15 years but nothing serious, just Average Joe training 

Just over a month ago I started back training after 18 months of nothing. I train at home in the garage. Power rack, oly weights, no bench yet (laying on punchbag!)

I joined Uk-Muscle a couple of weeks ago as I wanted to learn more and I have.

I'm loving reading the forums, they're great motivation! I now have a much more suitable diet for training!

I had a couple of weeks of just lifting gently to get back into the swing of things then I decided to try 5x5 training. After a bit of reading settled on the

'Joe Skopecs 16 week generator' but as i was just back training I didn't feel ready to max out so I estimated my '1 rep max' for Deadlift, Squat, Bench and Bentover Rows based on about 2/3 of my previous bests. I started the generator but after 2 weeks I found the lifts just got easy :confused1:

Back to square one. Over the last couple of sessions I maxed out on these lifts. Current bests are;

Squat 120kg

Deadlift 140kg

Bench 100kg

Row 90kg

I'm restarting the generator tomorrow and I think I should be able to add 20kg to each lift by the end?

My workouts are going to be;

Workout 1

Squat 15, 15, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Bench 15, 15, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Weighted Lunges 3x10 each leg

Dips 3 sets to failure

Military Press 3x10

Sit ups, knee raises.

Workout 2

Deadlift 15, 15, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Bent Over Rows 15, 15, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Pull Ups 3 sets to failure (so that'll be 2 then!) :laugh:

Bicep Curls (straight bar) 3x10

Pulldowns 3x10

Lying Plank for core.

I'll alternate these 2/1 each week with some light cardio on the other days. I'm training natty, shakes after training and home made protein bars as snacks, but not ruling out becoming a 'dirty roiding bastard' again. :innocent: I did some gear (dbol/oxys) a few years and had some good gains but then stopped training!

Any suggestions welcome and hope I haven't bored you all too much!


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## Tassotti (Feb 27, 2011)

Welcome Matt and good luck


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

Welcome matey.

I would forget the 5x5 mate if I were you. This may go against the grain on here, but is not really the best for adding size mate.

I really don't know why it is spouted about so much, if you went from a traditional Hypertrophy routine to a stronglift routine then you make good gains due to change of routine. Then your body would start to adapt etc.

Why not use a rep range of 10-12 for a couple of sets on each excersise, making it an obvious progression to 3 sets, gains in size are mainly due to progression, being sets weight, keep low intensity for a while then add intensity as you start to progress.


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## puurboi (Feb 16, 2011)

hendrix said:


> Welcome matey.
> 
> I would forget the 5x5 mate if I were you. This may go against the grain on here, but is not really the best for adding size mate.
> 
> ...


Couldn't disagree more mate.

I would say his routine should just be a standard Stronglifts or Starting Strength routine but any compounds don't need to be more than 5 reps, i would say isolations could benefit from more reps, (8-12).

I did the stronglifts, (unstripped) routine and made solid strength and size gains for 6 months, even whilst cutting.

Add in bicep curls on its deadlift day and its amazing. Lifting heavy weights increases size, especially during noob gains, and with 5 reps you can push or pull heavier weight.


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## Hendrix (Sep 16, 2009)

mate, good for you.

You will make progress, however you train in the first 3 months, regardless of training. technique. volume, you will make progress. there are so many people using chemical help, because their program has become stagnant (after a few weeks) . They have trained naturally and have come to a plateau and think they must need steroids.

Can you understand how importnat this is, as this really means they have learrnt and experienced almost nothing about muscle growth.

To me this means their training is awful, really sh1t.

I would go as far to say, there are a few on this site guilty of bad gains assisted or not because of a bad decision, more than anything.

Your body is a learning machine and will always find an easier way, a balance(homeostasis). Steady state.

There is some awful training going on here, really bad.


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Thanks for the comments guys :thumbup1:

Just got in from 1st workout, no 1. Much harder, but in a good way, I think!


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## Queenie (May 30, 2013)

Fatmatt79 said:


> Thanks for the comments guys :thumbup1:
> 
> Just got in from 1st workout, no 1. Much harder, but in a good way, I think!


I hope youre in pain tomorrow! in a nice way lol x x


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Yeah thanks :tongue: stairs should be fun the next few days! Haha.


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Just back in from 2nd workout.

2 rest days due to work. Rows 1st then Deads but went straight into working sets on the Deads as felt warmed up already.

Any thoughts on this? Maybe I'll add some shrugs in too as still felt fairly fresh afterwards?


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## Tassotti (Feb 27, 2011)

Always warm up up every lift Matt.

Get into the habit of warming up every time, as, when the weight gets heavy, there is less chance of injury.

What happened to the squats?


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## golden (Dec 10, 2011)

looks like large volume of sets. you munching equal amounts to replenish?


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Ok, thanks, will do from now on. Squats and bench tonight as I feel good :thumbup1:


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Def eating enough thanks!


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

5x5 is a brilliant program (in pretty much all its incarnations) for beginner and advanced and contrary to some advice given it can indeed put on some decent size but its main purpose is strength... I did the madcow version for strength but managed to put on some serious size as a side effect... so much so a friend who hadnt seen me for a couple of years commented on how I had gained size but leaned out too... bonus in my book... the main problem with programs is that people switch too often when they think one isnt working or not working quickly enough... too many programs fvck up progress imho... good luck with it and reap the rewards...


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Greyphantom said:


> 5x5 is a brilliant program (in pretty much all its incarnations) for beginner and advanced and contrary to some advice given it can indeed put on some decent size but its main purpose is strength... I did the madcow version for strength but managed to put on some serious size as a side effect... so much so a friend who hadnt seen me for a couple of years commented on how I had gained size but leaned out too... bonus in my book... the main problem with programs is that people switch too often when they think one isnt working or not working quickly enough... too many programs fvck up progress imho... good luck with it and reap the rewards...


Thanks, strength is what I'm after. If it works (and I'm sure it will) I'll be restarting this again and again. Will be interesting to see how strong I am in a year!


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

good to hear mate, just eat like a mother and train hard when youre in the gym... dont push too far too fast as you will stall sooner rather than later and it will hinder progress...


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

Had a **** day today and got so wound up by the time I hit the gym:mad: I absolutely smashed the dead/row workout. Felt like I could have done the squat/bench one too!

Some positive I suppose.


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## SuperRex (Sep 22, 2011)

I'm starting the 5x5 soon as well as I'm a beginner in strength training.... hopefully will go sweet!


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## Fatmatt79 (Nov 30, 2011)

It works mate, I feel much stronger already :thumbup1:

Although after 4 days doing nothing but eating and with the scales reading half a stone more than before, I'm not looking forward to

tonights session! :crying:


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## paul81 (Jun 3, 2010)

you'll be fine once you get back in the flow of things chap. and dont worry about not adding size on. its natural that as your body gets stronger, you'll grow.


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