Training

[Brian Hope]

I just finished the six weeks of Super Squats How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks. I was thinking of doing a 5x5 program to follow for the next six weeks. Should I do all five sets heavy or do 3-4 warm up sets gradually adding the weight and 1-2 working sets. Any suggestions?

[Ronald A. Strachan]

I just finished the six weeks of Super Squats How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks. I was thinking of doing a 5x5 program to follow for the next six weeks. Should I do all five sets heavy or do 3-4 warm up sets gradually adding the weight and 1-2 working sets. Any suggestions?

Hi Brian Hope. Congratulations on finishing the 6 weeks. It begs the questions, what was your best set and what changes did your body go through?

I haven't done the Super Squats 5x5 yet, I do plan to in the fall. When the time comes I think I'll warm up with some good stretching, light leg extensions and leg curls, some body weight movements to get the fluids moving, and then attack the weights.

I'd suggest something moderately heavy that you're comfortable warming up with for the first set and then going up very set from there.

[Brian Hope]

Thanks Ronald,

I was not able to workout for about a year due to a couple of hip operations. I'm ok now and my doc. encouraged me to lift heavy when I'm able to do so. So when I decided to get back into lifting I started with the super squats. My body weight is 175. I was 185 before I started lifting again and a little overweight. So the loss in the gut was a plus for me. My best squat and stiff leg deadlift was 285 x20. The rest of the work out I used dumbbells. Standing military press 67lbs., bench 92, rows 132lbs. Next time I will use a barbell. Thanks for the advice.

[Ronald A. Strachan]

Thanks Ronald,

I was not able to workout for about a year due to a couple of hip operations. I'm ok now and my doc. encouraged me to lift heavy when I'm able to do so. So when I decided to get back into lifting I started with the super squats. My body weight is 175. I was 185 before I started lifting again and a little overweight. So the loss in the gut was a plus for me. My best squat and stiff leg deadlift was 285 x20. The rest of the work out I used dumbbells. Standing military press 67lbs., bench 92, rows 132lbs. Next time I will use a barbell. Thanks for the advice.

Nice numbers and you're staging a remarkable recovery. I'd be very curious to see how the 5x5 turns out for you. Please come back and report.

[John Cavanagh]

I just finished the six weeks of Super Squats How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks. I was thinking of doing a 5x5 program to follow for the next six weeks. Should I do all five sets heavy or do 3-4 warm up sets gradually adding the weight and 1-2 working sets. Any suggestions?
I agree with Ronald, it would probably be best to work up to one heavy set - that's the method Bill Starr advises in The Strongest Shall Survive. The key is just to get stronger, and if you can keep adding weight to your top set each session you are doing plenty of work and making very good progress; I'd say this is especially so for 5 reps as that is a nice mix of strength and muscle building.

Another thing to remember is that there is a certain amount of crossover between the big compound movements - e.g. the squat and deadlift, or even moreso the bench press and military press - so the actual work being done by the muscle groups is more than might appear at first glance.

I hope the above helps, a lot of this stuff is really trial and error, you could always gradually increase the volume and see how you respond. (Probably over time you would *have* to increase your work capacity, but I don't think that's essential at the moment.) One suggestion I'd make though is that for your first 1-2 weeks on the 5x5 routine you make the top set of 5 a little easier (e.g. use the heaviest weight you could do for about 7 reps on your first session) to give a really good start to the routine - done 2 or 3 times a week you'll be adding plenty of weight to the bar soon enough.

[Brian Hope]

Thanks John and Ronald,

I took your advice. Im starting the 5x5 routine. I threw in a couple of other compound movements throughout the week. I also do a military press instead of benching and power snatches instead of power cleans on my light day. Looking forward to the results.

[Robert Hanna]

I'm new to this forum, so excuse me if this is confusing. This is less a reply to Brian's thread, more a question on the replies that were posted (no offense Brian :)).
I've always thought that 5X5's were done at the same weight. I've always performed them as - 3-4 warmup sets, starting out light, working up to my "working" weight of 5 sets of 5. This would be at a weight that would be very taxing, a weight that I couldn't perform much more than 5 reps. Have I been using this technique incorrectly?

[Peter Robert Jensen]

Hi Robert,

I´m also new to this forum, but I´ve been a long time "student" of Reg Park and Brooks Kubik Dinosaur Training.

I think the original 5x5 system, would have you doing the first 2 sets as progressively heavier warm-up sets. Hereafter, you were supposed to do 3 sets of 5 reps. Reg Park used something called "The Stabilizing Principle". If a trainee used the stabilizing principle, he would do 2 progressively heavier warm-up sets, and then he would put his "work-weight" on the bar for another 3 sets. If he got 1x5, 1x5 and 1x3, he would stay on that "work-weight" until he could get 3 sets of 5 in good form. In other words, he stabilized the 3 work sets on the same poundage before putting on more weight.

Using Reg Park´s 5x5 system/stabilizing principle can in my opinion be very effective for both beginners and seasoned iron lifters, and in Reg Parks own words "ensures that your progress will be assured, because you are following sound systemised positive training principles, and you will always be working within your capabilities which sets up confidence and positive attitude".

I think that the 5x5 system is the perfect alternating cycle to use with Dr. Randall Strossens SUPER SQUATS.

Brian: Very good work on the SUPER SQUATS routine - I didn´t know, that SUPER SQUATS could be used as rehab from hipinjuries!!!:;tu)

[Robert Hanna]

Thank you Peter. I will give that a try and see how it works, mixing it into my routine!! I appreciate the explanation of these principles.

[Jim Duggan]

I've used the 5x5 system many times over the years. I've also used the 6x6. Actually, I was introduced to 6x6, before I did the 5x5. The reason was that, the first gym I ever belonged to- Bruno's Health Club- the owner encouraged all those trainng there to utilize 6 sets of six. I found out about 5x5 later on, and it was on my own ( I believe I had read about it in Peary Rader's Ironman.) Both systems work well.
I firmly believe that any system will work IF you put forth the required effort. Twenty rep squats, thirty rep squats, three sets of ten, along with the previously mentioned 5x5 and 6x6 will work. And there's no reason why someone can't incorporate all of them ( and others) into an effective training program.

[Peter Robert Jensen]

Robert,

No problem - I hope the system gives you some great results!

Jim: I think you´re absolutely right. If the trainee has common sense, and if he´s ready to do some truly HARD WORK, any program or system will provide results.

Keep lifting,
Peter

[Randall Strossen]

Gentlemen -

Yes, yes and yes - and thank you, Peter, for pointing out this piece of history about Reg Park.

I hadn't known that, but was introduced to 5 x 5's through John McCallum's articles, and since John McCallum was such fan of Reg Park (not mention of hard work), all of this makes perfect sense.

[Peter Robert Jensen]

Randall,

A few years ago I followed one of Reg Park programs as outlined in the old reprint-booklet "Strength and Bulk Training for Weightlifters and Bodybuilders".
It was based on 3 days per week training, doing only 4 exercises - Prone Hypers, Squats, Bench Presses and Deadlifts. The squats, bench presses and deadlifts, followed the 5x5 system and the stabilizing principle.

I got excellent results from that program, so I´m always happy to pass on Reg Parks training advice. I know it works!

[Brian Hope]

Thanks Pete,

I am just about finished on the 5x5 routine. I think I will do the SuperSquat routine again. It works well with hip rehab, for me anyways. I guess I'm too stubborn to take an easy path:;sy)

[Peter Robert Jensen]

Brian,

Being stubborn is a good thing - at least when it comes to 20-rep breathing squats:D

I´m unfortunately also going to undergo hip surgery in the nearest future - so I´m thinking about following your example...

Keep lifting,
Peter

[Kelly W. Kelly]

I love 5x5, but to answer the origianl poster, I've made by best starting off with 5x5 all at the same weight, making 5-10 pound jumps a week until I couldn't get 4 sets, and so on until I cycled up to 1 heavy set of 5 several months later.

[Zac K. Phillips]

5x5 can be done with sets across (fixed weight) or ramping up and I find that both are valuable rep schemes. It's a great way to build volume with a weight closer to the "limit strength" end of the spectrum. Over a long enough time line you'd use both if for no other reason than to avoid staleness in your programming. Also remember that 5x5 is in no way "easy" compared to 20. It can be murder, especially towards the end of a cycle where every set feels like a 5RM...that you have to do 5 times. Both are great and it all boils down to where you are in your training and your goals. Good luck! ZKP

[Tim Francis]

Brian did you gain the 30lb of muscle in 6 weeks?

[Brian Hope]

Tim,

No I actually lost 10 pounds. After my hip procedures I gained some unwanted weight. However my muscle size did go up. I'm now back on track and eating healthier. :;tu)