5 x 5 program - Need Advice - Please

[Nicokim]

Hi, A new girl on the board.

I would like to have some advice of what you think. For doing a quick story, I'm on a cut since 6 months, I'm 5'6 started at 160 pounds and actually 130.5, so I have lost from now 29 pounds, all that by training each body part once a week to the gym and doing cardio 2 to 3 times a week HITT. Mostly during all those 6 months, I have worked each body part as supperset, my pattern rep was 12-10-8-12. Now I think it's time to have some little change here, and I was thinking to use the 5 x 5 programs which is using 1 compound exercice 5 set - 5 rep at a weight who is heavy FOR ME, so it means that at my 5 rep I will be close to failure and I will have to add 2 other exercices for the same body part, probably an isolation one 2 x 8 -10.

Now while thinking of doing this program, I will still be on a cutting plan and I'm just wondering. Am I gonna be able to add more muscle to my frame, is it a good idea doing the 5 x 5 program while being on a cut. I heard that people gain alot of mass with that, but at the same time, I don't want to get huge legs, but want more definition, well I guess that I need great muscle on legs to have definition, well I know definition too is all about my diet and cardio.

I'm a little confuse about which direction I must be taking. My mean goal is still droping the fat to see one day a better definition on my abs and I now that abs is all about diet. But I'm thinking to that if I have more muscle, I guess I will be more tone.

Please help me to achieve my goal.

Here is a link of my progress so far, maybe it can help you to give me advice regarding at what point I am right now.

And as well, I don't know what is my BF, by those picture, could someone give me an idea of what my BF could be.

Thank's alot with your help and support, here is my progress so far:

http://community.webshots.com/user/nicoouin

[Thunder_Bunny]

You might gain some muscle from this exercise, but unless you're genetically gifted it's highly unlikely that you'll become huge. Adding more muscle is a great way to burn more calories, so give the program a try and see how you like it.

Afterwards you can always return to something else.

[moody_weasel]

It will be extremely difficult if not impossible to gain muscle mass while trying to lose weight at the same time. Since you've been doing your old routine for quite some time I think that a change in routine is a great idea. If you start your 5x5 cycle make sure you eat adequately. Don't cut too many calories as that will only hinder your progress.

[bscrusher]

why are you bulking and cutting? are you competing? do you think it is good for your body to periodically gain and lose 30 lbs? what are your goals? i would be interested to see some pics of you at 160.

does it in any way make sense to say you want to gain muscle while continuing a cutting phase? are you really interested in gaining some muscle? i suggest you read your own posting, and try to get your head on straight. nice calves

[Nicokim]

Originally posted by bscrusher
why are you bulking and cutting? are you competing? do you think it is good for your body to periodically gain and lose 30 lbs? what are your goals? i would be interested to see some pics of you at 160.

does it in any way make sense to say you want to gain muscle while continuing a cutting phase? are you really interested in gaining some muscle? i suggest you read your own posting, and try to get your head on straight. nice calves

Hi,

To answer your question, I am still cutting. I think that I have come a long way to get me through where I am right now with those 29 pounds loss and so far I am happy with the results. And while cutting since 6 months on working hard on weight, lifting heavy, but with a patter rep of 12-10-8-12, I think that I have build some nice muscle, eventough I am on a cut, and I think that it is not to bad for a person coming back into weight training.

It seems that new person entering into weight training they can build muscle while cutting, but this probably for a short while. How long, I don't know 3 months - 6 months - 9 months.

Now I need to change my routine, that's why I am asking if doing a 5 x 5 program would be a great idea eventhough I intend to stay on a cut. I think that I need to shock my body's from my weight training program (same pattern) that I am still doing since a while. When I train with weight, I train hard, and I'm not scare of lifting heavy weights. Now doing a 5 x 5 program, I guess I will be able to lift more heavy then before. And I am wondering if by doing that there is a chance, that eventhough I am on a cut, that I will be able to put again some muscle pounds. It seems that some people on weight lifting can be able to add muscle while loosing weight, maybe there are few people that are able to do it, but it seems that someone people can do it especially if they are new to bodybuilding, or just coming back from a long while, or have special genetic.

I do not intend as you said to gain 30 pounds than loss 30 pounds and play like a yo-yo. From now, I intend to still cutting to finally reach a point that I will remove some more layer's of fat that I do carry, an be able to reach a BF that will allowed me to have better definition over all my body.

Sorry if I seem to be confused in my writting, but there you have my mean goal for now.

Thanks fo helping

[bscrusher]

nico, i do not see any point in continuing your cutting phase. you are already quite lean. i predict that if you do continue you will make your physique worse, not better. having trained for 6 months you are no longer a beginner and the time for gaining muscle while cutting is long gone. IMHO some more muscle would look good on you, even a slight increase in muscle mass will make your skin more taut. something to think about for us over 40 folks.

the best thing you can do to improve definition is a muscle mass program using heavy freeweights. if you find your legs or any muscle getting too large for your taste, cut number of reps and sets and increase rest time between sets, continue to increase weight lifted.

[Nicokim]

Thank you for your helps and reply. Sorry if I might be like repeating things but I want to make sure that I understand everything, my first language is french and english writting or understanding is not always easy for me.

I might be looking lean but I am still feel having a puffy looking muscle. So if I understand you well, now at the stage that I am, I should or could do the 5 x 5 program and eat more above my maintenance calories and then eventually I'm gonna be able to have a body much more firm, muscle more tight muscle. By doing that and gaining more muscle, am I going to be able to drop more my BF or while building more muscle, I will a little fat. I guess that if I stay with the good choice of food everything might be okay.

I do really appreciate your help cause I do really need to know what is my best path to follow and I am at a point that I need to be reinsurance.

I have tought that I was needing to stay on a cut and maybee do more cardio to have better definition and a firm look.

I have never been a good fan of cardio, I hate it. During those 6 months if I have done 3 times a week cardio, that's nice.

[Nicokim]

I guess that everything is do-able eventhough I'm 42.