Wednesday 25 September 2013

Stronglifts 5x5 Review. A beginners workout routine. Building a strong foundation for a life of fitness.

I came across Stronglifts 5×5, on the forums of many bodybuilding and fitness websites, many people recommended it as a great beginners routine that used linear progression as its foundation. About 12 months ago I began my journey to fitness. I've followed the program consistently for about 6 months and then always using the compounds outlined in this guide as the basis of any of my workouts at the gym I continued to make progress for the remaining 6 months. I definitely feel I have enough experience for a detailed Stronglifts 5×5 review.

The Program:
The workouts are very simple and easy to follow, ideal for beginners. There are two workouts using only three separate movements three days a week. An example:- Start on Monday with workout A then you would do workout B on Wednesday, and workout A again on Friday. The following week you would rotate. Monday perform workout B, workout A on Wednesday, and workout B again on Friday, and keep alternating each week. The entire description can be found at: http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5×5-beginner-strength-training-program/


Workout A: 
  • Squats 5×5
  • Bench press 5×5
  • Barbell rows 5×5

Workout B: 
  • Squats 5×5
  • Shoulder press 5×5
  • Deadlift 1×5

The most interesting aspect of Stronglifts is that it includes squats every single day of the workout. It seems like a lot of work, but I knew Squats are very important, and I wanted to stick to the exact program outlined by Mehdi Hadim. The other major point to the program is that linear progression is used ie:- add 5 pounds (2.5kg) to each lift every time you do a workout.
For example, if Monday for squats you do 5×5 at 50lbs (22.5kg), then Wednesday you would do 5×5 at 55lbs (25kg). Each exercise uses 5×5 set/rep and plus 5 pounds per workout scheme except for deadlifts. For deadlifts you only do 1 set of 5 reps and add 10 pounds(4.5kg) per workout. (Well until progress begins to stall.)


Analysis:
I performed the program for about 6 months, and was very pleased with my results. My weight dropped from 104kg to 95kg and at the end of the 6 months, I was the strongest I had ever been.

Because I was a beginner it was important to start with just the bar (20kg/44lb) and give me time to get used to the new demands I was placing upon my body, also using lighter weights gave me time to focus on perfecting my form.

This routine would also suit a woman looking to make a change in her body.

Benefits:-

1)
The workouts aren’t very long. On average, I would complete each workout in 45-50 minutes.

2) The exercises performed are all compound movements, so your valuable gym time is put too good use and you get more bang for your buck by activating the most muscle fibres with the least amount of exercises/reps.

3) It's a very simple routine that any beginner can easily make and track their own progress.

4) There is a spread sheet provided to track your progress.

5) It's 100% FREE! ... I like free ;)

Negatives:-

1) Squats three times per week can be hard work especially once the weights start to get really heavy. I do acknowledge that squats are one of the best exercises a person can do, so I understand the reasoning behind it.

2) When you start out with just the bar the demands put on your body seem to be minimal and you feel a bit silly in the gym. But i cannot stress this enough! stick with the program and do it exactly as outlined! soon enough you will be lifting some serious weights .. and start to turn heads in the gym.

Conclusion:
I would definitely recommend this program to someone looking to get into weight lifting or just general fitness and weight loss. It is a very good program to get started and build a foundation of muscle and strength. The workouts are easy to follow, takes a little amount of time, and are only performed three days per week. If you are interested in starting the StrongLifts 5×5 program, I would definitely read Mehdi’s StrongLifts report first which can be found here: http://stronglifts.com/free-stronglifts-5×5-report/ (its free)

Thursday 19 September 2013

Bodybuilding DOMS and Inclined Bed Therapy - enhanced recovery - Full Compound exercises 5x5

Been working out now hard for a solid year using Strong lifts 5x5 have made some great progress, But I have also noticed something else!

When I was younger and a kid if I had a really intense workout it would leave me very painful the day after .. sometimes if I pushed too far too fast I wouldn't even be able to lift my arms very well or I would walk like a duck!

I have been sleeping on an Inclined Bed for most of my life as my dad is Andrew K Fletcher the discoverer of how Inclining your bed can improve the health and wellbeing of your body.. you could call me one of the pioneering guinea-pigs .

But anyway since trying to tackle my my beer belly and what health implications it could have in the future I've noticed that my DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) are very weak compared to what I experienced before... in fact most days I would totally skip them.

I'm not a fool and know that progressive lifts and the 5x5 routines work in a way that you can mostly skip right past most DOM like effects.. but even when I mix things up and add a shit ton of isolation work and I know the next day I should be aching like hell its nowhere near to what I expected.

 
Anyway Just a heads up and another weapon in your arsenal of recovery techniques to try! give it a go!
 
If you would like to find out more information checkout
www.facebook.com/inclinedbedtherapy

and if you do decide to raise the head end of your bed! please share your experiences! We may be on to something here.


Sunday 8 September 2013

Journey to fitness and wellness! 1 year into Bodybuilding and Stronglifts 5x5


The scales were starting to creep towards obese (29.9%BMI) and I was starting to get worried. I've always wanted to look good and feel comfortable with taking my t-shirt off.

Most of my life I have been blessed with a belly! always the young lad at school that was always picked last to play in a football team... sports were never really my thing! never able to do a chin up.

One day something clicked inside me... I took an interest in my diet.. in my strength .. my physique. I wanted to do something positive for my life and my health.

Spent many an evening reading motivational words, listened to some self hypnosis recording I found online and then in October 2012 the journey began.

I had dabbled in training beforehand but never really found the motivation or will to stick to it! 104kg was my peak weight!

After much research and deliberation I came to the conclusion a beginners workout involving mainly compound exercises was the best to get me into this new mind-set and lifestyle. I signed up to the local gym, ordered some tubs of protein and began to hit it hard!

Squatting 75kg!
Starting with just the bar (20kg Barbell) I was squatting / benching / overhead pressing / bent over rowing and ofc deadlifting... I looked like a right noob haha but I knew that every consecutive workout I would be adding 2.5kg to my lifts... The weight I could lift began to rise steadily and my weight began to gradually fall.


Stronglifts is super easy to follow and only has u in the gym 3 times a week for about an hour each workout. I highly recommend it! plus its 100% free

Stronglifts 5x5

Today I have respectable lifts Benching 70kg 5x5, overhead pressing 65kg 5x5, bent over rowing 75kg 5x5, Deadlifting 145kg 1x8 and squatting 112.5kg 5x5

The increase in protein took some getting used to and the gasses I produce can clear rooms, I almost feel sorry for people when I have to release them! But I knew that a high protein intake was a must! eating protein with every meal was my new life rule.

First days in the gym I chose the biggest meanest looking meatheads and walked upto them! asked them how they were, and what they were doing.. it turns out that they were only nice people! and not the menacing monsters that we instantly assume they are upon first impression.

Now a year on I'm greeted to many smiling faces, Compliments and admiration at the distance I have come!

104kg - 93kg so far! not the massive fat loss that I expected but my body has gone through radical changes..... I've got muscles lol? where did they come from? I'm strong as hell and feel bloody awesome! ladies have started to take notice! I feel much better about myself and every now n then I actually take my top off!

But I have a problem! my girlfriend told me if I ever lose my belly she would leave me haha! she loves it ... typical huh? shouldn't it be the other way around? so my belly remains! altho drastically reduced.

Starting to train has been a new aspect of my life I have thoroughly enjoyed.. A born again man.

I look forward to what another year of fitness and eating right will bring me.

p.s. I still eat far too many cakes lol but my diet is 20 times better than it was ;)

p.p.s I can now do pull ups and chin ups.. something I have always wanted to be able to do :)

Do something positive with your life! get fit!