Newbie to Stronglifts 5x5, help and tips requested

[buildingbie]

Hey everyone!

I am 22 years old, currently studying engineering in England. i weigh in at about 138lbs and 5'8".

I have been weight training for the past year, i gained some muscle(12lbs), but not much. I have a really fast metabolism, which means i get hungry very quickly, especially when studying.

My question is that i was looking into starting the Stronglifts 5x5 program.

My goal is to increase my muscle mass and definition.

I want bigger chest, arms, shoulders etc, but not fat.

I know you guys must have responded to many of such kind of threads, but i would appreciate if you could help with some questions.

Is Stronglifts 5x5 the right program for my goals? (considering i want muscle definition, as well as more lifting power, i.e. strength)

I have the manual downloaded, i understand the compound exercises, but what about assistance/isolation exercises?

Please note i live in a dorm and with a busy schedule i cannot manage 5-6 meals routine.

I get good breakfast (cereal, milk, eggs, sausage, hash brownies, brown bread and butter etc to makeup for the calories) and dinner.

Lunch usually i have to eat while on campus, so i would welcome your suggestions on what to eat then.


Also, please tell me what food/nutrition should i have in my dorm, like more milk, beans etc? Something that can be purchased from like Tesco or some marketplace.

Lastly should i take protein shakes/bars and if yes, which ones?

I was taking Nitrotech earlier, but i haven't been to the gym in about 4 weeks now due to busy workload but i know i have to manage to get back.

Isn't 3 days per week of workout too little, for stronglifts 5x5?

What should i do other days? Like jogging/skip rope/run etc.

Please note that my aim is to gain muscle but while reducing body fat and see my 6 pack which currently is only a 2 pack...lol


Thank you!

(P.S. i have been following bodybuilding.com forums for a while now, reading stuff, i think Martyn was pretty awesome.....i would appreciate if he can help or anyone else)

[buildingbie]

Anyone???????????

[ali_bhangu]

hey man, im 20 and im also in an engineering program so i get how tough it is it consistently hit the gym. When i first started i only managed to go 2-3 times a week and just ended up maintaining my str/physique. I was at 180 6'0 so it wasnt that bad but i still wanted more. Right knw im finally forcing myself to go to the gym 4-5 times a week and cutting out leisure time. No pain no gain What you really have to do in this situation is take out 60-90 min every other day and go hit the gym. When your at the gym take a max of 2 min breaks and just push HARD and i promise you, you will see results.

Im gonna let you know straight, it is EXTREMELY difficult if not impossible to gain muscle & lose fat at the same time, that is why most people will tell you to do 1 or the other. Dont worry about losing fat unless you are overweight, and judging by ur weight i find it unlikely. Just focus on going through a clean bulk, gaining muscle without gaining much fat and you will look bigger and more defined by itself if you do it right. Manage your diet so your eating about 3-400 calories above your maintaining weight. A rough ball park would be taking ur weight in lbs and x 16 for the calories you need.

When you workout try to focus on mainly compound lifts. 5x5 is a good program but personally id recommend this.

Day 1- Chest+Tri`s
Dumbbell or barbell press 4 x 8-10
Incline dumbbell press 4x 8-10
Flat bench flys 2x12
incline bench flys 2x12
Tricep pulldown 4x10
skull crushers 4x10
Dips 3 x failure

Day 2- Back+ Bi`s
Dead lift 4 x 10
Pull down 4x 8-10
dumbbell rows 4x 10
Bicep curls 4x10
Preacher curls 4x10
reverse grip curls (with bar) 3x10

Day 3 Legs
Squats 4x 8-12
Leg press 4 x 8-12
leg extensions 4x 8-12
hamstring curls 4x 8-12

Day 4 Shoulders, Traps & Abs
Arnold dumbell press 4x10-12
Side raises 4x12
bent over rear delt raises 4x12
Shrugs 4x10-15
Weighted Crunches 3x15
Leg raises 3x20
Torso rotations 3x12


I personally would stick to that program, So say i start monday, Id got day 1, then tuesday off then wed day 2 etc etc so that way its roughly every week you hit the same muscle group again.
The # of reps are up to your discretion what you prefer. Also for deciding to go with barbell or dumbell id recommend starting with dumbels as it`ll work your stabilizing muscles more and its easier to drop if you don't have a spotter.
Just to let you know im not a "pro" but i try to understand as much as i can and fit it into my schedule. I know its hard with 6 or so classes but we just gotta work that much harder Just remember to use PROPER FORM, i see a lot of people not going all the way down or swinging the weight just so their using heavier weights, dont worry about the weights. Stick with the form and push yourself and you will pass those guys soon enough.

Ps: I almost forgot, yes you need protein, try to get whey protein and take 1-2 scoops a day. Try to have regular means, Breakfast lunch & dinner and in between throw in some snacks or quick foods like a protein shake or healthy sandwich. Just try to choose healthy options. Of course no fast food, the only one i consider is subway or quiznos(skip the sauces).
Hope this helps and good luck to you man

[buildingbie]

hey man, im 20 and im also in an engineering program so i get how tough it is it consistently hit the gym. When i first started i only managed to go 2-3 times a week and just ended up maintaining my str/physique. I was at 180 6'0 so it wasnt that bad but i still wanted more. Right knw im finally forcing myself to go to the gym 4-5 times a week and cutting out leisure time. No pain no gain What you really have to do in this situation is take out 60-90 min every other day and go hit the gym. When your at the gym take a max of 2 min breaks and just push HARD and i promise you, you will see results.

Im gonna let you know straight, it is EXTREMELY difficult if not impossible to gain muscle & lose fat at the same time, that is why most people will tell you to do 1 or the other. Dont worry about losing fat unless you are overweight, and judging by ur weight i find it unlikely. Just focus on going through a clean bulk, gaining muscle without gaining much fat and you will look bigger and more defined by itself if you do it right. Manage your diet so your eating about 3-400 calories above your maintaining weight. A rough ball park would be taking ur weight in lbs and x 16 for the calories you need.

When you workout try to focus on mainly compound lifts. 5x5 is a good program but personally id recommend this.

Day 1- Chest+Tri`s
Dumbbell or barbell press 4 x 8-10
Incline dumbbell press 4x 8-10
Flat bench flys 2x12
incline bench flys 2x12
Tricep pulldown 4x10
skull crushers 4x10
Dips 3 x failure

Day 2- Back+ Bi`s
Dead lift 4 x 10
Pull down 4x 8-10
dumbbell rows 4x 10
Bicep curls 4x10
Preacher curls 4x10
reverse grip curls (with bar) 3x10

Day 3 Legs
Squats 4x 8-12
Leg press 4 x 8-12
leg extensions 4x 8-12
hamstring curls 4x 8-12

Day 4 Shoulders, Traps & Abs
Arnold dumbell press 4x10-12
Side raises 4x12
bent over rear delt raises 4x12
Shrugs 4x10-15
Weighted Crunches 3x15
Leg raises 3x20
Torso rotations 3x12


I personally would stick to that program, So say i start monday, Id got day 1, then tuesday off then wed day 2 etc etc so that way its roughly every week you hit the same muscle group again.
The # of reps are up to your discretion what you prefer. Also for deciding to go with barbell or dumbell id recommend starting with dumbels as it`ll work your stabilizing muscles more and its easier to drop if you don't have a spotter.
Just to let you know im not a "pro" but i try to understand as much as i can and fit it into my schedule. I know its hard with 6 or so classes but we just gotta work that much harder Just remember to use PROPER FORM, i see a lot of people not going all the way down or swinging the weight just so their using heavier weights, dont worry about the weights. Stick with the form and push yourself and you will pass those guys soon enough.

Ps: I almost forgot, yes you need protein, try to get whey protein and take 1-2 scoops a day. Try to have regular means, Breakfast lunch & dinner and in between throw in some snacks or quick foods like a protein shake or healthy sandwich. Just try to choose healthy options. Of course no fast food, the only one i consider is subway or quiznos(skip the sauces).
Hope this helps and good luck to you man

Hi Ali,

Thanks for your detailed post, and i have taken note of the program you outlined.

Like you say i should do compound exercises, i see 5x5 stronglifts or Starting Strength is also compound exercises based. I have been training in the gym for the past year or so. I went from skinny 119lbs to a more midst 139lbs. However i feel i lack the big muscle definition and strength. Like my benchpress and deadlifts are awfully low.

So thats why i was wondering if i should try the Stronglifts/Starting Strength type of program, if you think that is reasonable????

And yes, definitely i need to hit the gym, which i would be doing over this weekend.

BTW what engineering you studying, if you don't mind me asking?

[HarderStylezz]

If you find it hard to eat 5 -6 meals then don't worry, just eat 3 big meals or even buy yourself a weight gainer. Optimum Nutrition Mass Gainer is which I would suggest. After lifting for a year, I'm guessing you have pretty solid lifts and a decent strength base and isn't worrying much about strength so just hop onto a 5 day split aiming for muscle mass and definition. Definition will come when you cut so don't worry about definition while you are aiming to get big.

You can only do one thing at a time. Bulk up or cut down. Defining yourself which would mean you would be losing weight (fat) whilst trying to gain muscle would be very very hard and even very very slow if it is possible so just eat +500 calories than your maintenance level. Stock up on rice, oats, chicken breasts, steaks etc. Healthy food and easy to cook as well. Feel free to have cheat meals every now and then. Personally I eat whatever as long as it fits my macroes.

119 lbs to 139 lbs in a year, no offence isn't impressive. I have bulked up 35 lbs in 6 months and is cutting right now. EAT more. Just eat. One day, find out how many calories you are eating, you can easily track it on www.myfitnesspal.com which is what I use and you might find out that you are eating way less than you should be.

If your strengths are low and believe that you are quite advanced go for Madcows 5x5 but if you believe that you are still a beginner then just stick with Starting Strength with maybe a couple of isolation exercises optionally like rear delt flyes or cable cross overs if you can handle the volume.

And also you should do compound exercises because they target more than one muscle group, for example, a bench press would target your pecs and your tricep etc. Whilst an isolation exercise targets only one muscle group. So yes compounds are always a must.

Hope this has helped.

[ali_bhangu]

At my university we cant declare until we`ve completed a full 2 years. I am a few classes behind so i will declare in 1 or 2 systems. I am looking into systems or possibly mechatronics.

If you want to do 5x5 you can, its a good program. The reason i reccomended a higher rep program is that a friend of mine told me to do more reps instead of heavy weights to work my stabilizers more. The smaller muscles which help you keep the weight steady instead of slightly shaking as you do the reps. It also helps to even out your strength in both arms etc. But if you feel that because of the year you`ve already done your stabilizers are strong then by any means start right away. Just remember to be consistent when you hit the gym. Atleast every other day. For me if i have to miss a day then the next day i go I make myself do both of the workouts, the one i missed and the one i had to do that day.

[jimgoose]

First, congrads on the engineering. Brit engineers like my father built the world!

5x5 works for me. I have added alot to my lifts in the past 4 months. 50 lbs bench, 60 squats etc.. It is also showing in my body, but I am a big guy. I do heavy 2 x 12 tricep extensions and curls at the end of my workouts, and I think it has definetly helped my compound lifts.

Diet wise, I do a gram of protein per lean mass. So about 180 out of my 240. Eating clean too. I still do 30 min cardio before each workout as I need to lose some stomach fat etc..You need to eat alot and do minimal cardio. Eggs, steak, fish, whole grains, fruits and veggies. I go light on carbs, but you should not worry about that. My opinion.

3 times a week is enough, you need recovery if you are really pushing it. Benching 2x a week on this plan is working. 5 reps is the perfect amount it seems.

[buildingbie]

If you find it hard to eat 5 -6 meals then don't worry, just eat 3 big meals or even buy yourself a weight gainer. Optimum Nutrition Mass Gainer is which I would suggest. After lifting for a year, I'm guessing you have pretty solid lifts and a decent strength base and isn't worrying much about strength so just hop onto a 5 day split aiming for muscle mass and definition. Definition will come when you cut so don't worry about definition while you are aiming to get big.

You can only do one thing at a time. Bulk up or cut down. Defining yourself which would mean you would be losing weight (fat) whilst trying to gain muscle would be very very hard and even very very slow if it is possible so just eat +500 calories than your maintenance level. Stock up on rice, oats, chicken breasts, steaks etc. Healthy food and easy to cook as well. Feel free to have cheat meals every now and then. Personally I eat whatever as long as it fits my macroes.

119 lbs to 139 lbs in a year, no offence isn't impressive. I have bulked up 35 lbs in 6 months and is cutting right now. EAT more. Just eat. One day, find out how many calories you are eating, you can easily track it on ] which is what I use and you might find out that you are eating way less than you should be.

If your strengths are low and believe that you are quite advanced go for Madcows 5x5 but if you believe that you are still a beginner then just stick with Starting Strength with maybe a couple of isolation exercises optionally like rear delt flyes or cable cross overs if you can handle the volume.

And also you should do compound exercises because they target more than one muscle group, for example, a bench press would target your pecs and your tricep etc. Whilst an isolation exercise targets only one muscle group. So yes compounds are always a must.

Hope this has helped.

Hey man!

Thanks for your reply!

The thing is that i am stuck at 120lbs for Bench Press, 150lbs for Squat and about 165 for Deadlifts at 5'8 height and 139lbs body weight.

I want to gain more strength so i was wondering if Starting Strength or Strong lifts would work. You suggest Madcows 5x5, so which one do you think would work for me?

And how do i know which isolation exercises to do? I mean compound exercises, like you said, work multiple muscle groups plus on both sides of the body, left and right, but when i think of strength programs like Starting Strength, Madcows etc, i get a figure of that of a lifter, like copious amount of strength but big fat belly bulging out....i don't wan't that.

So please if you could recommend a routine with isolation exercises i would appreciate it. Optimum Nutrition mass gainer, hmm okay i will try this, but how should i time my workouts? I mean i eat dinner in the dorm catering hall at around 6 pm. Should i workout after that or before that? and should take anything before i workout? As i feel i can't lift for long on an empty stomach......

[qse7en]

Do starting strength, and do it right, your lifts are really low at that weight for training for a year. Its better to start on a program that might be a bit too easy for you than one thats too hard anyways. As for bodyfat, I wouldnt even think about it at 139 pounds, If your doing the lifts right your not going to grow any pudge you cant manage while taking in your calories.

[LaurenceW]

Do sronglifts or starting strength