When you first start 5x5 you can get the workout done in like 30 minutes or less. It'll be relatively easy for a while provided you start light enough (you should be). In due time, it'll eventually take you significantly longer to complete each workout. I'd advise against the smith machine. The strength programs in the OP are as simple as it gets in terms of progress and programming. Simple works.
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Fitness |OT8| Dad Bods, Bulge Swelfies, and Wait...Do you even lift bro?
- Thread starter Chocobro
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When you first start 5x5 you can get the workout done in like 30 minutes or less. It'll be relatively easy for a while provided you start light enough (you should be). In due time, it'll eventually take you significantly longer to complete each workout. I'd advise against the smith machine. The strength programs in the OP are as simple as it gets in terms of progress and programming. Simple works.
Not only that, but using a smith machine makes you more injury prone than doing free weights for the simple fact that your body is locked to the path of the bar, with no chance of minor, simple adjustments your body might have to make while lifting. It's an unnatural movement, being so locked in place.
It doesn't feel light, I'm generally lifting as much as I feel I can do. I just don't know what to do sitting there between sets, so I go back to lifting pretty much as soon as I catch my breath.
And it's not really that I'm placing priority on cost and convenience out of laziness. I only make about $40-50 a month and I don't always have access to a vehicle to use for my own purposes, so cheap and close kinda has to be a priority.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
I didn't mean to imply that you did. Again, what you're doing is better than nothing, of course. If your situation doesn't allow for you to do more, then there's no point letting it bother you.
You must have some very impressive recovery ability if you really don't need to rest much at all between sets despite the weight not feeling light to you.
That is really a ton of volume.
I think that's why I'm feeling confused. It simultaneously kinda feels like I'm doing too much and not enough. And it's not like what I've been doing hasn't been working, exactly. Thanks to lack of control over my appetite, my weight loss has slowed but I've definitely been putting on some muscle mass. It was just starting to feel kinda inefficient, in a way. Since I want to lose about 20-30 more pounds, what I really need to do I think is get my appetite under control and focus on cardio. But I also ought to start separating my workouts into different muscle groups for different days. I haven't been able to go to the gym in like 3 or 4 days, so I think I've just been overthinking it.
I appreciate all the advice y'all have been giving.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
If you're still making progress, why change?
I feel like I've stalled a little, particularly on bench but that probably down to me being on either deficit or maintenance calories. It's just a boredom thing really, I'm just in a bit of a routine at the moment and it'd be good to try something different for a little while
Psychotext
Member
I think it's about time to face the fact that whatever is wrong with me with regard to bench / shoulders / dips isn't going to change, certainly not in the short term, maybe not without surgery. Who knows.
Despite bulking and increasing my weight 13lbs in the last six months I've only put about 2.5lbs on my bench, and that seems to have gone down again in the last couple of weeks. I've tried paused, boarded, wide grip, narrow grip, incline, decline, dumbbells, banded and more. I've had a pro powerlifter help me get my form dialled in. I've done pretty much every accessory known to man, and I've also significantly increased both my bicep and tricep size and strength (something I hadn't bothered with previously because it's useless to my sport).
So yeah, I'm giving up barbell bench press. Not sure what I'm going to replace it with, but I'm probably going to focus on hypertrophy there. I do want to try and get myself doing dips, but I'm not particularly hopeful things will improve there.
How much ya bench?
Nothing.
Despite bulking and increasing my weight 13lbs in the last six months I've only put about 2.5lbs on my bench, and that seems to have gone down again in the last couple of weeks. I've tried paused, boarded, wide grip, narrow grip, incline, decline, dumbbells, banded and more. I've had a pro powerlifter help me get my form dialled in. I've done pretty much every accessory known to man, and I've also significantly increased both my bicep and tricep size and strength (something I hadn't bothered with previously because it's useless to my sport).
So yeah, I'm giving up barbell bench press. Not sure what I'm going to replace it with, but I'm probably going to focus on hypertrophy there. I do want to try and get myself doing dips, but I'm not particularly hopeful things will improve there.
How much ya bench?
Nothing.
Why are you doing face pulls on push days?
What rep and set range have you been working with for bench. I've been doing a 5x5 twice a week and it's done wonders for my bench. Along with a 3x6 thrown in there every 3rd workout.
Slowly but surely making progress. The picture above was from the beginning of March. This is today. Down almost 6lbs in 3 weeks. Starting to get a little definition back, hopeful that if I can cut down about 20 more pounds more I'll start to look pretty defined. Thoughts? Will I need to go even further? 20lbs down would put me at about 185lbs. I have a hard time estimating my body fat sometimes because I grew up fat thinking I was just "normal" so now I feel like I'm too hard on myself, or maybe I'm kidding myself and I'm way fatter. Helpful for me to hear some feedback.
In good news, I just snagged a shipment of 72 quest bars for $100 shipped. I'm pretty stoked about that.
Wow, amazing how noticeable that 6lbs is. Keep it up.
Psychotext
Member
Not really sure it would be the best use of my time. Maybe if I used a much smaller rest period with a much higher number of reps, but I'd probably end up barely being able to bench the bar.
Yeah, I've done 5x5 twice a week for the last 9 months, hasn't really done anything.
If I've had a particularly bad 5x5 I'll throw in as many reps as possible on a lighter weight.
velociraptor
Junior Member
Guess I thought I should balance out the pressing. But you're right, I'll move it to pull days.
So, good plan? bad? improvements?
Not really sure it would be the best use of my time. Maybe if I used a much smaller rest period with a much higher number of reps, but I'd probably end up barely being able to bench the bar.
Yeah, I've done 5x5 twice a week for the last 9 months, hasn't really done anything.
If I've had a particularly bad 5x5 I'll throw in as many reps as possible on a lighter weight.
I would throw in some sets of 2 or 3. For example swap out one of the 5x5 days with a 2x7 or a 3x6. This has worked for me as far as simply getting the 1 rep max up. And 9 months is a long time to be doing the exact same thing, especially if you are doing it 2x a week. Your body has likely gotten used to that which is why you've plateaued.
I like it except I would alternate barbell with dumbbell curls to ensure you don't develop a muscle imbalance. And for leg days I'd add an accessory movement. You could even alternate an accessory movement per week, for example one week do a quad dominate movement, the next week a hamstring and/or glute movement etc.
If it's too much volume adding a leg movement you could drop abs from your routine, depending on what your goals are.
Psychotext
Member
You probably don't know my history on this one, but I'm not exactly normal when it comes to bench (most likely because of old injuries). It took me a year to get my numbers to the "untrained" level.
I've tried all sorts of rep ranges over the last couple of years, and I haven't really been doing the "exact same thing" because I've been putting in deloads and making modifications to what I'm doing when I do that. That aside from the mixing up of various accessories (and rep ranges on the accessories) to back up the main lift.
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
FreddieQuell
Member
A question for you or whoever else wants to answer. On your front squats, your shoulders go forward while your hips rise for just a second as you come up. Is that something I should look to avoid? Or is it alright? I was thinking it might mean I'm trying to go to heavy.
Nice lifts btw
Brolic Gaoler
formerly Alienshogun
You should avoid it. This was a maximal 3 rep max with chains, so form broke down. Thanks.
Jacksinthe
Banned
Strong AF, my man!
Damn dude. Nice work.
Looking good. Must be BBQ gains!
Nope, not gonna happen. My legs hurt too bad to run, as expected.
velociraptor
Junior Member
Fair enough. I'll alternate with DB curls.
What leg movement could I add? I've got a squat rack and barbell only.
Some that come to mind are:
(Reverse) lunges, split squats, step ups.
Good mornings, hip thrusts, RDL, SLDL.
Dead Prince
Banned
time for a deload week and have my asian new year this weekend probably perfect timing lol
Psychotext
Member
Arm related... are there any exercises in particular to "lengthen" my biceps.
Currently if I bend my arm (not flexed, just bent), there's a gap of about an inch between my elbow and where my biceps start and it looks sort of odd.
Edit - Ahh, apparently not, has to do with insertions. Oh well.
Currently if I bend my arm (not flexed, just bent), there's a gap of about an inch between my elbow and where my biceps start and it looks sort of odd.
Edit - Ahh, apparently not, has to do with insertions. Oh well.
House inspection went great. Met the dude living there, he's a hardcore PC gamer and we had a ton in common. Ceiling in garage is 100" high so rack is going to fit no worries. I've decided on the Titan fitness HD rack, which is a replica of the rouge r3 rack. I would love for there to be a Easter sale when I order so I'm going to wait till Sunday to see. Getting the dip bars and the spotter arms with it.
Yep genetics determines that and nothing can be done. I have the same thing. I hate how my biceps look when not flexing and I have my arm straight and extended. Looks so flat and strange like I have no bicep.
TheOctodad
Member
Cranked out 3x16 on strict pull-ups over the weekend. Pretty happy with this at 207lbs. Hoping to break the 20 mark when I'm around 190lbs.
That's the whole point of 5x5, you're supposed to drop the sets and eventually reps when you can't progress any further.
New workout absolutely kicking my ass, but definitely making good progress, especially arms:
Looking great! 🙌🏻
Jacksinthe
Banned
Look good, dude!New workout absolutely kicking my ass, but definitely making good progress, especially arms:
But aren't you supposed to be holding a piece of A4 in front of your waist? That's the new hotness!
Believe it or not, that's a size 32
FallingEdge
Member
A4?
Psychotext
Member
British paper size. About 8.25" across (portrait).
FallingEdge
Member
ohhh, okay, I remember the thread now
Jacksinthe
Banned
For reference, how tall are you and what's your weight?
5'9" and right now, 180.
Jacksinthe
Banned
Nice. Good proportions and size!
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
I didn't know you were into PC gaming! One more reason to respect ILoveBish!
I love PC gaming, emulation especially.
I had no idea that we were about the same heught and weight.
You've done an epic job of losing weight and gaining muscle, I've done a good job of gaining weight and muscle. Meet in the middle??
p.s. thanks for the kind words before!
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
I should probably be asking a doctor this, but....
I broke/dislocated my left wrist twice skateboarding when I was a kid. Occasionally it bothers me if I hit something or if I'm lifting something heavy awkwardly in my day to day life.
It's never really bothered me in the gym until recently. I was doing preacher curls this morning and now it's been bothering me all day to the point I'm icing but it's starting to feel better. It's not injured or anything, just sore.
Can anyone recommend some kind of wrist wraps or something for support?
I broke/dislocated my left wrist twice skateboarding when I was a kid. Occasionally it bothers me if I hit something or if I'm lifting something heavy awkwardly in my day to day life.
It's never really bothered me in the gym until recently. I was doing preacher curls this morning and now it's been bothering me all day to the point I'm icing but it's starting to feel better. It's not injured or anything, just sore.
Can anyone recommend some kind of wrist wraps or something for support?
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