Ice Cream Fitness: Novice 5x5 For Bodybuilders: Part II

[helhedded]

would it be a good idea to switch from 5x5 to 3x5? i have stalled in a few of my lifts, resetted few times and no luck, even on +500 calories surplus

these are my stalled lifts:
270lbs squats 55443
220lbs bench 55543
150lbs ohp 55433

That may work for a bit.

I'd suggest Madcow's 5x5. It'll work better. It's a great program for those who can't really progress on sets across anymore.

[phamine]

I have no before pics, but this is me at 170lbs after 7 months of ICF with calories at a slight surplus as my fat percentage was around 15-17% when I began. This program won't turn you into a bodybuilder but it will help build nice foundation to get a beginner started.



And last a pic of my back about 6 months later at 173. This was right when I switched to madcow. At this point my deadlift had reached about 380.



Since there is no before picture, how about this. Lets say that all of my lifts were at zero before starting this plan, because technically they were. I used to weigh 255 and was quite blubberish. Lost all that junk, got down to 165 and wanted to add muscle.

ICF helped me achieve these 5 rep maxes numbers in about 7 months (that's me at 7 months in the 1st pic). I had a few resets basically because I was learning from scratch all on my own.
Squat 0 to 245
Bench 0 to 145
Deadlift 0 to 320
Chinup 0 to 5 (at the end of my training sessions)

By looking at your physique, I'd expected that you had higher lifts. Shows that this program can get you in good shape.

[unfurledgnat]

so im on placement for the next few weeks. im a physio student, so gone from being on summer break to full time work and am struggling to get used to it. was thinking of dropping accessories for these few weeks and just doing squat, bench, dead, BOR and OHP on the respective days. when i pick back up on the accessories should i drop the weight 10% or pick up where i left off from?

also i tried working out yesterday before work and failed miserably, gave me a migraine so stopped not even half way through and had failed lifts. should i count this as a fail or just keep going with the same weight next workout?

[helhedded]

so im on placement for the next few weeks. im a physio student, so gone from being on summer break to full time work and am struggling to get used to it. was thinking of dropping accessories for these few weeks and just doing squat, bench, dead, BOR and OHP on the respective days. when i pick back up on the accessories should i drop the weight 10% or pick up where i left off from?

also i tried working out yesterday before work and failed miserably, gave me a migraine so stopped not even half way through and had failed lifts. should i count this as a fail or just keep going with the same weight next workout?

When you start back on your accessories try for the same weights. 10% can be quite a bit when it comes to accessories so maybe try dropping just 5lbs off is possible if needed.

Repeat the same workout. Also try to figure out why you had a bad session. Sleep? Diet? Outside Distractions? Pinpoint the cause and try to correct it.

[CharonRower]

Do I need to test my maxes at the start, or can I just do my maxes from the last time I performed a specific exersize?
What happens if I add 5 lbs to a lift, but only get, say, 4 reps on the first set? Do I just keep doing sets of 4 and try again next week before resetting, or reset straight away?

[Noodlearms666]

Do I need to test my maxes at the start, or can I just do my maxes from the last time I performed a specific exersize?
What happens if I add 5 lbs to a lift, but only get, say, 4 reps on the first set? Do I just keep doing sets of 4 and try again next week before resetting, or reset straight away?

Bump because i want to know what to do if this happens. Today i added 5 lbs to the OHP and did 3 sets of 4 and i couldn't do more. What should i do next week? try again with the same weight or what?

[CharonRower]

Bump because i want to know what to do if this happens. Today i added 5 lbs to the OHP and did 3 sets of 4 and i couldn't do more. What should i do next week? try again with the same weight or what?

While Im not entirely sure, I think we should just do the amount of reps we can and if we cant hit 5 the next workout, reset.

[billyjjnkjd]

yo, I'm 16, 80kg and 184cm. Been lifting on and off for like 12 months doing my own **** (bro splits)… Didnt really make to many gains,

lifts stats:
bench: 5 reps 60kg
Db shoulder press: 15kg 10 reps for 2 sets
Deadlift: 120kg 5 reps, need to work on form so i haven't done it in like months
Squat: 70kg for 5 reps, need to work on flexibility so using leg press now

Should i jump on this program or continue to do a bro split? i want to get bigger, so ill be bulking….. What do i do?

[ImMikeB]

yo, I'm 16, 80kg and 184cm. Been lifting on and off for like 12 months doing my own **** (bro splits)… Didnt really make to many gains,

lifts stats:
bench: 5 reps 60kg
Db shoulder press: 15kg 10 reps for 2 sets
Deadlift: 120kg 5 reps, need to work on form so i haven't done it in like months
Squat: 70kg for 5 reps, need to work on flexibility so using leg press now

Should i jump on this program or continue to do a bro split? i want to get bigger, so ill be bulking….. What do i do?

This.

[Hunttarded]

yo, I'm 16, 80kg and 184cm. Been lifting on and off for like 12 months doing my own **** (bro splits)… Didnt really make to many gains,

lifts stats:
bench: 5 reps 60kg
Db shoulder press: 15kg 10 reps for 2 sets
Deadlift: 120kg 5 reps, need to work on form so i haven't done it in like months
Squat: 70kg for 5 reps, need to work on flexibility so using leg press now

Should i jump on this program or continue to do a bro split? i want to get bigger, so ill be bulking….. What do i do?

This.

Yea, you can still get a lot out of this routine. Don't substitute squats for leg press though. If you're working on flexibility try the Limber 11 routine and work on your form meantime.

[Etryphar]

How often should you increase the weight, and by how much? Couldn't find it in the FAQ

[Bowser1488]

Can pull ups be incorporated into this routine and how so? I feel like it's a very important exercise, especially for strength building.

[Lionaround]

I'm doing this!

Starting Sunday I'm on this. I like the volume, other novice stuff has too few exercises for my liking.

[dynastyy]

Coming to the end of what I can gain from ICF but unsure where to look to next. Am not able to progress for 5x5 any more so had been increasing the weight once I get 3 or 4 sets of 5 and just doing as many sets of 5 as possible, then drop down 2.5kg, as many more sets as possible etc.

eg if I did bench 85 2x5, 4+f, then do 82.5x5 for last 2 sets

The program has taken me to deadlift 200kg x 5 and bench of 85 kg 3x5/82.5 kg 5x5. Am not currently BB squatting as gym has no squat rack and smith machine was ****ing with me knees, got to 135kg 5x5 on smith though a few months ago. Have been doing bulgarian split squats recently to keep quads with a bit of training. Also since only training deadlift for lower body my smith squat has still gotten stronger.

My press and row are stalling similarly but not sure what the best routine to move on to is. I'm starting to find recovery just isn't there for training pretty much every other day.

Tempted by 5/3/1 boring but big, but the progression is only every month and I still think I can probably manage more than that doing what I'm doing. Should I just stick with what I'm doing atm as I am still progressing a bit every month.

[Hunttarded]

Coming to the end of what I can gain from ICF but unsure where to look to next. Am not able to progress for 5x5 any more so had been increasing the weight once I get 3 or 4 sets of 5 and just doing as many sets of 5 as possible, then drop down 2.5kg, as many more sets as possible etc.

eg if I did bench 85 2x5, 4+f, then do 82.5x5 for last 2 sets

The program has taken me to deadlift 200kg x 5 and bench of 85 kg 3x5/82.5 kg 5x5. Am not currently BB squatting as gym has no squat rack and smith machine was ****ing with me knees, got to 135kg 5x5 on smith though a few months ago. Have been doing bulgarian split squats recently to keep quads with a bit of training. Also since only training deadlift for lower body my smith squat has still gotten stronger.

My press and row are stalling similarly but not sure what the best routine to move on to is. I'm starting to find recovery just isn't there for training pretty much every other day.

Tempted by 5/3/1 boring but big, but the progression is only every month and I still think I can probably manage more than that doing what I'm doing. Should I just stick with what I'm doing atm as I am still progressing a bit every month.

Madcow's 5x5 has 2.5% weekly progression from week 5 onwards. I'd look into that, Texas Method, or HST maybe.

[fuarkimripped]

Getting sick and tired of getting stalled on some lifts and having to lower 10% over and over again. The ones I keep getting stalled at are CGBP, DB Seated Incline Curl, bench press, and standing overhead press, and sometimes skullcrushers. Otherwise the rest of my lifts are progressing constantly. What can I do to not STALL and get STUCK at a weight.

[Noodlearms666]

Getting sick and tired of getting stalled on some lifts and having to lower 10% over and over again. The ones I keep getting stalled at are CGBP, DB Seated Incline Curl, bench press, and standing overhead press, and sometimes skullcrushers. Otherwise the rest of my lifts are progressing constantly. What can I do to not STALL and get STUCK at a weight.

Same here, I need to know what to do also. I keep getting stalled on the bench press and OHP. Maybe because im not doing heavy squats and deadlifts?

[Lionaround]

Getting sick and tired of getting stalled on some lifts and having to lower 10% over and over again. The ones I keep getting stalled at are CGBP, DB Seated Incline Curl, bench press, and standing overhead press, and sometimes skullcrushers. Otherwise the rest of my lifts are progressing constantly. What can I do to not STALL and get STUCK at a weight.

Try microplates? Like 1kg plates or smaller. It's not the 5lb increase but if you could do 5x5 before at whatever weight, then a couple extra kilos/lbs might help you as it is small increments.

I know Blaha intended the first three main lifts to be sequenced, but maybe you could switch up the accessory lifts?

[Lionaround]

I'm starting ICF tomorrow.

My issue is, I'm easily 10kg overweight currently and worried I might balloon a bit eating 3000+cals and doing the full routine - should I do the cutting routine first or not?

[Noodlearms666]

Today i tried again the OHP with 110 lbs and i did 4,4,4 and and I had to lower the weight because i couldn't keep going. Fuk

I dont know what to do in the next workout :/, i have to reset right?

[bodonovich]

what days do you do this workout, how many times a week

[Noodlearms666]

Can i go to failure on the isolation exercises? can i add 2 sets for forearms on workout A and 2 sets of Hammer Curls on workout B?

[Lionaround]

Started this program today. I have to say, it didn't feel like too much. I saw that expected time to complete ranging from 1.5hrs to 2.5 - if anyone takes 2.5hrs there's something wrong.

Can someone give me an idea of what these numbers are like in terms of benchmarks? I lifted for 3 months previous at home:

SQUATS (5X5) @ 55KG/123LBS
BENCH (5X5) @ 50KG/100LBS
BARB ROWS (5X5) @ 43.5KG/97LBS
SHRUGS (3X8) @ 20KG/44LBS (DUMBELLS AS BARBELLS WERE TAKEN)
BARB SKULL CRUSHERS (3X8) 21KG/47LBS
BARB CURLS (3X8) 15KG/33LBS
CABLE PULL THROUGHS (2X10) 21KG/46LBS
KNEELING CABLE CRUNCHES (3X10) 25.2KG/55LBS

[Jack98sc]

When do I progress on this like how often and by how much?

[FW424]

Guys, I'm enjoying the program thus far except for the barbell rows. Can I do the with a underhand grip instead of overhand? Or replace them with a different type of row?

[Hunttarded]

Started this program today. I have to say, it didn't feel like too much. I saw that expected time to complete ranging from 1.5hrs to 2.5 - if anyone takes 2.5hrs there's something wrong.

Can someone give me an idea of what these numbers are like in terms of benchmarks? I lifted for 3 months previous at home:

SQUATS (5X5) @ 55KG/123LBS
BENCH (5X5) @ 50KG/100LBS
BARB ROWS (5X5) @ 43.5KG/97LBS
SHRUGS (3X8) @ 20KG/44LBS (DUMBELLS AS BARBELLS WERE TAKEN)
BARB SKULL CRUSHERS (3X8) 21KG/47LBS
BARB CURLS (3X8) 15KG/33LBS
CABLE PULL THROUGHS (2X10) 21KG/46LBS
KNEELING CABLE CRUNCHES (3X10) 25.2KG/55LBS

The routine will take ~2 hours once you're near the end of it and you're squatting 300 5x5. Your lifts will shoot up quick provided you eat, rest, and form is good.

Guys, I'm enjoying the program thus far except for the barbell rows. Can I do the with a underhand grip instead of overhand? Or replace them with a different type of row?

He made a video explaining this and IIRC it was DOH barbell row. Although I did Pendlays.

When do I progress on this like how often and by how much?

When I ran this I did +5lbs/session and +10 on DLs if I could. When you can't do +5 anymore you can try microloading.

[drummaboyyyy]

On my third week of doing this routine..had to work all day yesterday and didn't feel like hitting the gym. I was supposed to start Monday off with workout A..should I just do A today, then do b thursday, and A again saturday?

[Hunttarded]

On my third week of doing this routine..had to work all day yesterday and didn't feel like hitting the gym. I was supposed to start Monday off with workout A..should I just do A today, then do b thursday, and A again saturday?

That's what I would do.

[Ioan1337]

I just started this workout,i never lifted for real,just 6 months there,3 months here,sometimes skip a week etc.Today i started with workout B as it's wednesday and it felt good,simple but good.The only thing that i couldnt do right was the Deadlifts,i really need to work on that.Last month i was doing a 4day split HIML,it felt good that one too,but after reading this thread i will try this for now.Thanks for sharing this workout!

[RedDevilNation]

Could I add in pull-ups with weighted progression in place of the row light day or rows in general?