# Stronglifts 5x5 - Is this the truth?



## FitzTheMan (Oct 26, 2011)

I can't quote the Strong-lifts passage word for word, but there's a section that read 'isolation exercises don't work' and that they're a 'waste of time' pretty much, and that you should only train major muscle groups with squatting, benching, OHP, etc... And as if by magic the smaller ones will develop over time. That's at least what it implies as far as the page forty four that I read up to last night.

Is there any truth behind this theory? I mean, there's sufficient evidence to back up the fact that stronglift program *WORKS*, but where's the evidence to back up that isolation training *DOESN'T* and that stronglifting is *BETTER* than it? Can anybody help me out on this? I mean, I'm willing to give it a try, as it seems like a good theory, but... In essence, I'm not too sure about it yet.

After all, both training theories make sense, and isolation training, in honesty makes more sense than this, especially when all the huge guys in the gym all swear by isolation training too...


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## mark44 (Jun 22, 2011)

The guy who writes the strong lifts stuff is very keen on compounds. He definitely favours them, hence why he says compound is better than isolation.

For strength it seems to be the best way mainly cos you can shif more weight that way.


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## bally (Feb 15, 2009)

its not just mehdi on stronglifts who says this the are a lot of other well known bodybuilder who followed simular routines to this, Arnie for one started training with this.

what a lot of trainers advise is for the first 6-12 months just train with compounds to build a base, you will be amazed at what you can build with squat,deads, oh press, bench and bb rows these exercises work the whole body.

once you have built the base you can then start adding isolation exercises.

i am following strong lift at the moment and wasnt sure at first and wanted to add in extra stuff but have stuck to the basics and believe me its a demanding routine.

cant believe how quick i am filling out, and i have been training on and off for over 15 years.

try it for 12 weeks mate cant hurt.


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## mark44 (Jun 22, 2011)

Yeh I agree. It's currently what I'm doing.


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## bally (Feb 15, 2009)

just to let you know aswell there is a free app called stong lifts for keeping a record of your training

i find it tye easist one out there to use

you can look at everhthing at once or break each workout down or look at all you squats or bench so you can see the weight incresing

also no need to carry a note pad around with you


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

Compounds are definitely ur bread and butter and should make up most of your training, but you can add isolation stuff where u feel necessary


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## FitzTheMan (Oct 26, 2011)

So basically, this is what I've been missing the whole time. Do compounds all the way round, then occasionally add isolation as I see fit yeah? Right okay, I understand now, thank you all... One more question, if I see my biceps (for example) need improvement, what's an example routine of the stronglift routine + the biceps combined? How many times a week would I isolate that muscle, etc?


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