A summarized introduction to Stronglifts 5x5

I wrote this summarized introduction in order to help people being informed of this easy-to-follow method of strength training. I really hope it can be of help and motivate people to try this amazing training routine! If any questions at all, either comment in this thread or send me a PM!


Background

Stronglifts 5x5, first published by Mehdi from Belgium in 2007, builds on Mark Rippetoe's highly appreciated Starting Strength-program from 2005. The main difference is that Rippetoe's program is made up of three phases and includes Power Clean instead of Stronglifts 5x5's Barbell Row.

Stronglifts 5x5 follows all of the same principles and methods, including both the periodization model and progression method as Starting Strength.

Stronglifts 5x5 is practically an even easier method than Starting Strength! Making increased strength goals available for practically anyone who has access to a barbell and some weights, without overcomplicating things!


The Program

The program is built on five exercises, distributed among workout A and workout B.

Workout A includes Squat 5x5, Bench Press 5x5, Barbell Row 5x5.

Workout B includes Squat 5x5, Military Press 5x5, Deadlift 1x5 (no, you didn't read wrong - only one set on the Deadlift, which is the only exception).

You can of course include assistant work, but remember to focus on the ones in the program as your main exercises.

I strongly recommend including Romanian Deadlift and Pull-ups as assistant work on workout A, and Barbell Hip-thrust and Chin-ups as assistant work on workout B.

Use the same progression method with Romanian Deadlift and Barbell Hip-thrust as you do with the program's main exercises, adding 2,5kg of increment each workout.


Progression Method & Periodization Model

Stronglifts 5x5 follows a linear progression method, which means that you simply add 2,5kg to each exercise each workout for about 12 weeks (but more, or less, if necessary).

The program's linear progression method conditions the programs use of a linear periodization model. While the linear progression method simply means that the weights increase in a linear way from low weights to heavy weights, the linear periodization model means that the first period of training is easier on the nervous system, while the later stage of the program requires far more of the nervous system. In other words; the volume and intensity of training load increase in a linear way depending on the weight increment.

As you can see, this progression method and periodization model are very connected to each other!

Using a linear progressive overload, the nervous system is able to keep adapting to increasingly heavier weights over time So, it's really just the principle of progressive overload. It's as simple as it is genius!

You start off from 50% of your 5x5 maxes in the different exercises and add 2,5kg from there. If you're, on the other hand, not used to training with free weights, you simply start off by using only the barbell and add 2,5kg from there. You can also increase the weight by less than 2,5kg, say 1kg or even 0,5kg, depending on your total strength level on the specific exercise. Use a weight increment which makes sense for you, in your current state!

"Why so low weights?" is a common question asked about the beginning of a cycle with the Stronglifts 5x5-program. "You can lift more, can't you?"

The simple answer is that If you don't give your body time to adapt to lifting heavier weights over time, which is the principle of progressive overload in a nutshell, you won't get to lift as much as you potentially could have if following a program of progressive overload. Ask not: "What can I do to grow stronger by tomorrow, or next week?", but rather: "What can I do to grow stronger in the next year?". It's all about having a plan - a program that actually works in the long run.

When you, sooner or later, inevitably hit a plateau on each exercise, you just deload that specific exercise with 50% again and start on a new cycle. Each exercise “runs its own race”, in that regard.

Your new 50% are now going to be higher than the last time, in relation to your new maxes on each exercise. In that way you're both maintaining and building on the strength you have gained on the way, as well as progressing towards new strength gains.

You can follow the program year in and year out. There's no need to stop following the program! As long as you follow the program and its deloading period, you can continue to use the program non-stop, if you want to!


Tips & Tricks

When you're stalling on a certain weight, try up to a total of three times with the same weight. If that doesn't work, deload with 10% from the weight you're stalling on. You can choose between working your way up from there again, or just take a single day of deloading before attempting to master the stalling weight again.

If that doesn't seem to work, you could after that try to overcome it by first switching to 5x3, secondly 3x5, then 3x3, and at last 1x3, in order to try to gain a new max-total.

While still training with lower weights you could:
- use fat gripz in order to strengthen your grip with the pull-exercises in the program.
- do slow reps in the exercises negative phase (aka. eccentric phase) of the lift.
- use small fractional plates (aka. “microplates”) in order to increase the weight slower.
- take a 2 seconds hold right above the ground while training the Deadlift, either at the beginning of the lift or in the last part of the lift, depending on whether you strive at the beginning of the lift or at the last part of the lift.
- use big plates to stand with your feet on while training with lighter weights on either the Deadlift, Barbell Row, or Romanian Deadlift, in order to get more ROM (Range of Motion).

And always just to ask me here in this thread if you have any questions regarding this training routine! I'll answer as soon as I have the opportunity to!

Remember that if you have a question, you're probably not the only one!

Bro - this was quality.

Thank you, man! Really appreciate it!

I only wish I knew about this method before!

Really hope this can be of help to others with realizing their true base strength potential!

Would be glad if people spread the word if this highly effective (and free at top of that ) training routine!

I've followed this program now by almost 2 years straight, and it still yields results, at least for me

It does'nt necessarily have to be complicated in order to be (highly!) effective

This sounds an awful lot like stealth marketing. Do you maybe want to talk more about exercise without plugging your brands?

Im not one to be super agreeable but I gotta agree with Rex, here. This sort of thread is great when all youre doing is providing information but once you start throwing in your insta, it becomes a little more suspicious. I am not saying that you meant any harm but for future reference, this Community is not the place to build up your social media following.

Oh, I'm really sorry! Is it possible to delete the post i previous posted about that? That was really not the intention!! Is there an admin I can contact in order to get help with deleting that post?

Thanks for the heads-up, guys! I really appreciate it! I'll definitely have a more consciouss relation with this in the future!

I've now reported my own post about the insta-account link, so hopefully the admins will delete it once they see it

I'm really, really sorry! It was truly not the purpose of stealth marketing myself! Im truly, truly sorry!

Im only spreading the word out of idealistic purposes, because Im really fan of public information

This thread is sincerely all about helping people! Not to promote myself in any way!

So, I hope that single post will get deleted as soon as the admins see the report I sent (I actually sent two, just in case!)!

Hope for understanding that this was just a not thoroughly reflected action, and nothing more to it...

I have deleted the post as mentioned above.