5x5 Effect on 1 rep max

SRLift · 10-19-2006, 08:59 AM

I'm currently in the 4th week of the program of doing 5x5 on my bench twice a week, each workout increasing the weight 5 pounds and ideally burning out on the 5th rep of the 5th set each workout. I maxed before I started the program and only put up about 245. The following week when I started the program, the first workout I did 5 sets of 5 reps at 175 and burnt out on the final rep. Friday will mark the end of the 4th week and my lifting partner and I are going to max to see how much progress we've made. My last workout, I did 5 sets of 5 reps at 210. Does anyone have any idea how this program will have actually affected my one rep max? Thanks a lot, and I'll keep you guys updated after I max out Friday

AshyLarry · 10-19-2006, 09:01 AM

If I remember correctly after the 4th week is when you start going for new PR's. I honestly wouldn't bother going for a 1rm at this point, wait till week 8, then you'll really see a difference.

heatwave13 · 10-19-2006, 10:43 AM

I'll bet that what you've done will result in an increase in you bench max. 5x5 is a good program with proven results for many folks.

Many will disagree with me, but I don't think you're training bench with enough frequency if maxing out is your goal. I would go more than twice per week if pure strength is your goal. When this cycle is over, I would try to go with a 3x3 or 4x4....four days per week. Heavy weights, Lower volume, but more frequently to get your body in the groove.

I did this with deadlifts. I did the DL four days per week, two sets of five reps. One set was with 85% of my max, the next set was 70%. Never went to failure at any time and ended the workout fresh. Each "cycle" lasted three weeks of Mon/Tues....Thurs/Fri deadlifting....heavy. After six months I added over 65 lbs. onto my max.

Anyway, yeah, consider it, think about it, and let us know what happens whatever you decide to do.

John Prophet · 10-19-2006, 11:12 AM

naturally it will go up

let me give an example

in something like 1997 I benched 225x2....my best ever....I learned alone and was never around powerlifters etc

so I laid out for months or years at a time and played golf etc etc.....about 3-4 years ago I got back into the gym regularly....but I didnt strength train, I just did Bb stuff

so last year I decided to try to get my bench up some....I hadnt done flat BB bench in forever

my strength level was such that I couldnt even get a triple with 205.....this was like in February of 05

so I dropped down to like 175 and started a 3x5 once a week bench program......when I got 5 on all 3 sets I went up 5 (or 10, cant remember) lbs next week....maybe I did 10 at first, then 5, cant remember exactly

anyway, within 3 months tops I benched 245 for 3 sets of 5??

remember, my old MAX was 225x2

of course I got curious as to what I could max.....so at first I maxed 255 easily (obviously)....then next week 275, then a couple weeks later 290

SRLift · 10-22-2006, 09:39 PM

Just wanted to post on here what I ended up maxing out at Friday. 4 weeks ago I started back up lifting for the first time in about a year. Last year when I stopped lifting I was maxing out at 265. When I started the 5x5 program 4 weeks ago my max was only at 250. Friday, my max was up to 275(a PR for me). This week I'm starting on the 3x3 portion of the program, so hopefully I'll keep jumping up in weight. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks for all the feedback

toobsox · 10-22-2006, 09:48 PM

why are you using the advanced routine anyways, you should have jumped on the linear one for where you're at

http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...Linear_5x5.htm

iyare · 10-23-2006, 09:04 AM

dude, this program works. i started out doing 275lbsx5 now i knocked out 295lbs that is after a month. that may not seem like a lot to most but im impressed cause it has been a struggle for me to increase my max.

just be patient with the program. i suggest if you cant get the exact weight you want on the bar go to the nearest weight below what the chart says. (example: if the chart says 211 do 210 but try your best to get clips or chains or anything that gets you close)

wyndley1 · 02-12-2008, 11:14 AM

Maybe you guys are interested to know that it was Reg Park that first seriously promoted the 5 x5 format. This system was so effective that after only after a few years on this program he became the second man in the world to bench press 500. The video of this event is floating around on you tube. Personally i think it is a great way to train on the basic exercises especially if it is combined with high rep squats. It is a good alternative to the 1 set to failure system. Ive had great success training people on this system both men and woman. 1 of my female clients gained 30 pounds and lost 2 inches off her waist in 3 months.

What made this even more remarkable was due to time constraints, she only trained for 1hour on a whole body workout once every 7 to 14 days!!! To this day I have never seen anyone grow as quick as that girl,training naturally or otherwise.

krogtaar · 02-12-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyndley1

Maybe you guys are interested to know that it was Reg Park that first seriously promoted the 5 x5 format. This system was so effective that after only after a few years on this program he became the second man in the world to bench press 500. The video of this event is floating around on you tube. Personally i think it is a great way to train on the basic exercises especially if it is combined with high rep squats. It is a good alternative to the 1 set to failure system. Ive had great success training people on this system both men and woman. 1 of my female clients gained 30 pounds and lost 2 inches off her waist in 3 months.

What made this even more remarkable was due to time constraints, she only trained for 1hour on a whole body workout once every 7 to 14 days!!! To this day I have never seen anyone grow as quick as that girl,training naturally or otherwise.

strong second post! to the other members, I want to point out that he says a girl gained 30 lb and lost 2 inches off waist in 3 months while working out less than an hour a week...uh huh. I dont think any amount of juice is gonna do that for anybody

uberhuge2008 · 04-16-2008, 07:37 AM

I just started getting into 5x5's and they are very, very tough. I've been kind of in a groove/rut lately in the gym. I was trying to go for complete balance by way of isolation exercises only (one limb per rep), which is great, but I wasn't seing many gains.

I'm switching it up to do 1 week of 5x5's per month to build some stregth... hopefully avoiding injuries.

Anyway, here is my first wokout from Monday (3x5 sets Chest & 2x5 sets Tri).
http://uberhuge.com/external.aspx?w=ZiRGt9ZBJ2c%3d

I'm going to dive back in again tomorrow (3x5 Back and 2x5 Bi).

I'm very sore today even... 5x5's are tough.

chiefgreybeard · 02-09-2009, 05:53 PM

Some of you guys claim to be trainers and are suggesting that a muscle group be exercised more than twice a week using 5X5 training.

Trust me on this, if you are a natural bodybuilder you will need more rest days between workouts as the weights used increase. Most natural bodybuilders need to increase days off sometime shortly after the third week into the 5X5 program. Most bodybuilders are not in touch with their body enough to realize this and limit their gains a bunch.

Of course you could take 'roids for energy, HGH for growth, insulin to feed the muscles and bute for pain, train 4 days a week on 5X5 and really screw up your body for life. Your choice, this IS America.