"Fierce 5" Comprehensive Program List

[daveminnich]

Hello all, fantastic thread and workouts!

I am looking for some advice. I am a 27 year old male, 6’4 at 280 pounds. My happy weight is generally 220 pounds, I have ballooned up since breaking both arms earlier this year.

I have always trained in a ‘bro split’ fashion, so my lifts are Bench - 220, Squat - 265 and Deadlift - 350.

Obviously I won’t be hitting these numbers right off the bat and I won’t be able to progress rapidly as I’ll be in a cut. I usually get 60 pounds off in around 4/5 months, so would I be better off running Fierce 5 U/L to take advantage of the increased frequency? Or should I be sticking to full body until I want to start recomping or gaining weight again?

Thanks!

TBH, I'd take a look at the AllPro program while cutting.

[DreadPir8]

Hey thread,

What ab exercise are you doing? I’ve been doing cable crunches but I don’t really love them. Also do some planks.

Also, do any of you have embarrassing curl weights as well? Lol

I’ve been stuck on 15 lb dumbbells for 2 weeks. My bench and everything else are fine, though.

I really try to focus on the bicep and not cheat the reps, slow the negative, get a stretch at the bottom, etc.

Wondering if there’s an issue with doing curls/tricep pressdowns after EACH workout?

[Farley1324]

Hey thread,

What ab exercise are you doing? I’ve been doing cable crunches but I don’t really love them. Also do some planks.

Also, do any of you have embarrassing curl weights as well? Lol

I’ve been stuck on 15 lb dumbbells for 2 weeks. My bench and everything else are fine, though.

I really try to focus on the bicep and not cheat the reps, slow the negative, get a stretch at the bottom, etc.

Wondering if there’s an issue with doing curls/tricep pressdowns after EACH workout?

Don't worry about curls. Worry about your main compounds.

Small muscle single joint isolations like curls and pressdowns are going to progress slowly.

[CarolusRex01]

Hey thread,

What ab exercise are you doing? I’ve been doing cable crunches but I don’t really love them. Also do some planks.

Also, do any of you have embarrassing curl weights as well? Lol

I’ve been stuck on 15 lb dumbbells for 2 weeks. My bench and everything else are fine, though.

I really try to focus on the bicep and not cheat the reps, slow the negative, get a stretch at the bottom, etc.

Wondering if there’s an issue with doing curls/tricep pressdowns after EACH workout?

I do plank for ab workout and currently 20 kg barbell curl

[DreadPir8]

Don't worry about curls. Worry about your main compounds.

Small muscle single joint isolations like curls and pressdowns are going to progress slowly.

I haven’t really cared about the curls that much.
I just always have time/energy after workouts so I want to make the most of it.

[drgoku]

Hey thread,

What ab exercise are you doing? I’ve been doing cable crunches but I don’t really love them. Also do some planks.

Also, do any of you have embarrassing curl weights as well? Lol

I’ve been stuck on 15 lb dumbbells for 2 weeks. My bench and everything else are fine, though.

I really try to focus on the bicep and not cheat the reps, slow the negative, get a stretch at the bottom, etc.

Wondering if there’s an issue with doing curls/tricep pressdowns after EACH workout?

My Curl is at the cable machine. At 20kg now. Using both arms. Lol.
For abs I do planks. Progressed to 50 secs a set now. I plan to switch to elevated leg planks & /or weighted planks after reaching the 1 minute a set for 2 sets milestone

[TAWS6]

Hello all, fantastic thread and workouts!

I am looking for some advice. I am a 27 year old male, 6’4 at 280 pounds. My happy weight is generally 220 pounds, I have ballooned up since breaking both arms earlier this year.

I have always trained in a ‘bro split’ fashion, so my lifts are Bench - 220, Squat - 265 and Deadlift - 350.

Obviously I won’t be hitting these numbers right off the bat and I won’t be able to progress rapidly as I’ll be in a cut. I usually get 60 pounds off in around 4/5 months, so would I be better off running Fierce 5 U/L to take advantage of the increased frequency? Or should I be sticking to full body until I want to start recomping or gaining weight again?

Thanks!

Probably which ever you'd enjoy more honestly.

[CooolStoryBro]

Hi All,

Looking for advice if Fierce 5 is a good program for me.

I am novice, I trained some periods in my life always some sort of split routine that was probably really bad, I have office desk since few years and my posture sucks.

I have hyper lordosis, kyphosis and "tec neck", I would like to fix my posture.

I heard you can do it with some variations of Fierce 5? Or would you recommend different corrective strength program?

On the top of my main strength program I want to do proper stretch (hip flexors big time and all the other needed stretches).

Any advice to point in the right direction and start working out again would be greatly appreciated as at the moment I am feeling like I have no idea what will further damage my posture or what will improve it.

Also please see my posture pics.

PS. Doctors have no issue with my lifting weights

Best regards

[Squid24]

Hi All,

Looking for advice if Fierce 5 is a good program for me.

I am novice, I trained some periods in my life always some sort of split routine that was probably really bad, I have office desk since few years and my posture sucks.

I have hyper lordosis, kyphosis and "tec neck", I would like to fix my posture.

I heard you can do it with some variations of Fierce 5? Or would you recommend different corrective strength program?

On the top of my main strength program I want to do proper stretch (hip flexors big time and all the other needed stretches).

Any advice to point in the right direction and start working out again would be greatly appreciated as at the moment I am feeling like I have no idea what will further damage my posture or what will improve it.

Also please see my posture pics.

PS. Doctors have no issue with my lifting weights

Best regards

This thread is where you will want to ask all your questions....

[CooolStoryBro]

This thread is where you will want to ask all your questions....

hi Squid yes just found it here! I shall close the other one I think

[Squid24]

hi Squid yes just found it here! I shall close the other one I think

Use the F5 in the sticky section for the Q&A stuff and like I said, follow the program as written. If you need a substitution on a lift, it's up there...

[CooolStoryBro]

Use the F5 in the sticky section for the Q&A stuff and like I said, follow the program as written. If you need a substitution on a lift, it's up there...

thanks for reply,that was my plan to run it as it is, but just wanted make sure its suitable program for me. I ready whole FAO and it just says it will cure most of the imbalances, nothing specific about lordosis/kyphosis and tec neck, hence I looking for some more info, hope it makes sense

[Damnentia]

You would need to work on the mobility needed in order to assume the posture specific to each lift, but in general - "good" posture doesn't take a lot of m muscle work at all, and "fixing" it is usually more about working on your habits.

Keep in mind that postural "problems" aren't usually a problem at all, and many times, "fixing" them is just an aesthetic thing.

-----

Fierce 5 challenges you in many positions - assuming you strive to lift with good form - it should be more than enough to lay the mobility needed to change your posture. The rest is about teaching yourself to maintain it the way you want it to be.

[drgoku]

thanks for reply,that was my plan to run it as it is, but just wanted make sure its suitable program for me. I ready whole FAO and it just says it will cure most of the imbalances, nothing specific about lordosis/kyphosis and tec neck, hence I looking for some more info, hope it makes sense

I had all three postural imbalances as you face 4 months back and have fixed all of them now. I am 6 weeks into fierce 5 and only a novice. I found fierce 5 after correcting my posture. My experiences are different from how fierce 5 can help.
It took me a month to correct my posture. First thing I fixed was anterior pelvic tilt. I started off with the advice given in this thread below and performed the stretch in that youtube video on a daily basis. [forum.bodybuilding com/showthread.php?t=174267681&page=1
Anterior pelvic tilt is all about strengthening your core. So you got to simultaneously work on loosing all of that belly fat to engage your core properly.
To fix the slouching, I followed this article artofmanliness com/articles/hunched-back-exercises . I did doorway stretch, wall angels and throacic extension on a daily basis.
The nerd neck got fixed on its own as well after these. There was a youtube video on some neck stretches that I tried for a few days but didn't really have to follow for a long time.
Things that also helped me were loosing body fat, strengthening my back by doing facepulls, upper back row machines, Lat pulls and deadlift with perfect form. For anterior pelvic tilt I recommend goblet squats. I was unable to do barbell squat with correct form initially. Goblet squat is the best beginner squat to beat anterior pelvic tilt and helping your body learn how to engage your hips.
Personally, I don't think I would have been able to follow fierce 5 properly without fixing all of my posture imbalances and learning how to perform the big lifts with proper form first. But that's just me.

[giokve]

thanks for reply,that was my plan to run it as it is, but just wanted make sure its suitable program for me. I ready whole FAO and it just says it will cure most of the imbalances, nothing specific about lordosis/kyphosis and tec neck, hence I looking for some more info, hope it makes sense

Can't post links, but google "Getting Stronger is Corrective"; it's an article by Tony Gentilcore about not getting too hung up on imbalances and corrective exercises.

[Mithos]

Question about rep scheme on U/L
Would it be ok to switch to 3 x 8 or even 4 x 8 for a few weeks, just to lower the weight and try to correct both my form and my muscle mind connection?
Specially on Bench and Squat, as i've found I've plateaued for a fairly long time on 'em

[CooolStoryBro]

Ok then. Thanks for advices guys. I will start fierce 5 next week combined with extra routines recommended by drgoku. I will make journey and post pics of my posture every week. Thanks again

[CooolStoryBro]

I had all three postural imbalances as you face 4 months back and have fixed all of them now. I am 6 weeks into fierce 5 and only a novice. I found fierce 5 after correcting my posture. My experiences are different from how fierce 5 can help.
It took me a month to correct my posture. First thing I fixed was anterior pelvic tilt. I started off with the advice given in this thread below and performed the stretch in that youtube video on a daily basis. [forum.bodybuilding com/showthread.php?t=174267681&page=1
Anterior pelvic tilt is all about strengthening your core. So you got to simultaneously work on loosing all of that belly fat to engage your core properly.
To fix the slouching, I followed this article artofmanliness com/articles/hunched-back-exercises . I did doorway stretch, wall angels and throacic extension on a daily basis.
The nerd neck got fixed on its own as well after these. There was a youtube video on some neck stretches that I tried for a few days but didn't really have to follow for a long time.
Things that also helped me were loosing body fat, strengthening my back by doing facepulls, upper back row machines, Lat pulls and deadlift with perfect form. For anterior pelvic tilt I recommend goblet squats. I was unable to do barbell squat with correct form initially. Goblet squat is the best beginner squat to beat anterior pelvic tilt and helping your body learn how to engage your hips.
Personally, I don't think I would have been able to follow fierce 5 properly without fixing all of my posture imbalances and learning how to perform the big lifts with proper form first. But that's just me.

hey mate cannot link that APT fix link in this forum what is name of the thread I will search it by name? Other article about slouching is really good makes a lot of sense

[Damnentia]

Guys, about "good posture" and "imbalance"...

On 1972, a famous researcher (Janda) came with the (basically baseless) idea that you can blame pain on "bad posture", which is (supposedly?) caused by "hyper-tonic" muscles over powering "Hypo-tonic" ones...Stretch the first, strengthen the latter...Tadah! Posture "fixed", pain solved!

*Except this mere hypothesis of Janda has never been validated, through, any serious (scientific) procedure, and somehow, that baseless, 'brio-science" idea of his has started being quoted, taken for granted by the science community...and it snowballed out of control, until Ganja's idea became a "fact"...This could never happen in today's standards.

Now, this "fact" is being preached by outdated PTs, and spread on the Internet...

A lot has happened since 1972.

-We learned that pain is not a physical, localised phenomenon, but actually an experience, happening in the brain.

-We invented the the MRI, which allowed us to scan people's body without the risk of inoizing adiation...and this opened the gates for experiments on...healthy people!

-We realised all the things we have kept trying to blame on postural issues...are actually irrelevant.
"bad posture" is axtyakkt very poorly linked with pain.

-Science learned to criticise itself better, and avoid bias which could easily be found in older science...

-----

Leave your posture alone.
Cross syndrome is a myth that needs to be dying...

-People are living perfectly regular life, with their "bad posture"...

-If someone wants to change his posture for aesthetical reasons, then he probably needs to relearn how to assume that posture. Its not about "balance", it's about habits, and motor patterns...

[SoCalHurler]

Hey thread,

What ab exercise are you doing? I’ve been doing cable crunches but I don’t really love them. Also do some planks.

For abs try Hello Dolly's for a change. They mainly focus on lower abs. Lie on back with hands under lower back/butt as needed for support. Start with legs 6 in off ground. Raise them to near 90 degrees, lower, then spread and close, all on a 4 count.

So 1-up, 2-down, 3-open, 4-close =ONE REP

[CooolStoryBro]

Can I slow down weights progression especially on squats/ deaflifts if I don't feel strong enough to maintain proper form? Due to have hyper lordosis it might be challenging exercises to me.

[SoCalHurler]

Can I slow down weights progression especially on squats/ deaflifts if I don't feel strong enough to maintain proper form? Due to have hyper lordosis it might be challenging exercises to me.

You can certainly try that, and if it works for you do it. Or you can keep the progression and reset protocol from the original program (failing a rep or performing the rep with bad form due to fatigue are both criteria for determining if reset is necessary).

[JamesD7]

Can I ask a question, apologies if it has been asked before...

Is the progression literally every week or every third workout?

By that I mean say week 1 is

Monday - workout a
wednesday - workout b
friday - workout a

then week two is

mon - b
wed - a
friday -b

and week 3 then back to

mond - a
wed - b
friday - c

Am I going up the same in workout a and b regardless of which work out gets done twice in a week and which one gets done once? So from week 1 to 2 for example, I'd be going up in workout a and b the same even though workout b only had been carried out once? Or do I do workout b in week 2 once and then move up on the third workout of workout b? I just ask because moving up after one workout be after week one or down the line in week 5,6,7 would concern me because I'd be worried whether or not lifting whatever the amount is only once prior and then progressing to a heavier weight would be possible for me.

So basically my question is does the progression on both workout go up after 2,1,2,1,2,1 etc etc or do you do 2 workouts at each weight before progressing up.

Again, sorry if this sounds stupid it's just that I am a new lifter basically just getting ready to go to the gym for the first time in 5 years basically and when I was last there I would just piss around with full body workouts on the machines because I was too nervous at the time to try the bigger compound lifts with barbells etc

[CooolStoryBro]

Can I ask a question, apologies if it has been asked before...

Is the progression literally every week or every third workout?

By that I mean say week 1 is

Monday - workout a
wednesday - workout b
friday - workout a

then week two is

mon - b
wed - a
friday -b

and week 3 then back to

mond - a
wed - b
friday - c

Am I going up the same in workout a and b regardless of which work out gets done twice in a week and which one gets done once? So from week 1 to 2 for example, I'd be going up in workout a and b the same even though workout b only had been carried out once? Or do I do workout b in week 2 once and then move up on the third workout of workout b? I just ask because moving up after one workout be after week one or down the line in week 5,6,7 would concern me because I'd be worried whether or not lifting whatever the amount is only once prior and then progressing to a heavier weight would be possible for me.

So basically my question is does the progression on both workout go up after 2,1,2,1,2,1 etc etc or do you do 2 workouts at each weight before progressing up.

Again, sorry if this sounds stupid it's just that I am a new lifter basically just getting ready to go to the gym for the first time in 5 years basically and when I was last there I would just piss around with full body workouts on the machines because I was too nervous at the time to try the bigger compound lifts with barbells etc

hi
. Nope that's not how it works. Week 1 you do workout a b a week 2 b a b week 3 a b a. Weights you add weekly bases 10 lbs to lower and 5 lbs to upper exercises. Good luck

[JamesD7]

hi
. Nope that's not how it works. Week 1 you do workout a b a week 2 b a b week 3 a b a. Weights you add weekly bases 10 lbs to lower and 5 lbs to upper exercises. Good luck

Yeah I get it goes ABA BAB ABA BAB, I just wanted to make sure that it was literally every first workout of week you are progressing up even if for example the week prior you had only done workout A once that week. I was just concerned whether I would be able to progress up a weight after only one workout on the previous progression.

[SoCalHurler]

Yeah I get it goes ABA BAB ABA BAB, I just wanted to make sure that it was literally every first workout of week you are progressing up even if for example the week prior you had only done workout A once that week. I was just concerned whether I would be able to progress up a weight after only one workout on the previous progression.

Yes you raise weight each week, not after 2 sessions of each. If you're having trouble raising weight after the 1 session week (e.g., after B on ABA week) you could switch to raising it every 2 workouts. But I think you're better off just following it as written. Including the reset protocol.

[crazz2323]

I have been doing the Fierce 5 program for a number of months now and have seen good results. I started this after cutting to 10% body fat. I then switched to a bulk phase but I kept the body fat at 10% up until recently by following the 40% Protien, 40% Carb, 20% fat rule) I can't keep up the once a week pace most weeks and have to increase reps as the guide suggests (+1 for 5 set exercises, +2 for 8 - 10 set exercises) in between weeks to compensate. I have made progress, just not weekly.

After reading an article on this site regarding bulking and taking in 750 - 1000 more calories on workout days, I think maybe my issue is that I am doing the 40 40 20 rule everyday with the same 400 calories over maintanence. My total I take in a day is 2400. Maybe I am not feeding my muscles enough on workout days?

[drgoku]

I have been doing the Fierce 5 program for a number of months now and have seen good results. I started this after cutting to 10% body fat. I then switched to a bulk phase but I kept the body fat at 10% up until recently by following the 40% Protien, 40% Carb, 20% fat rule) I can't keep up the once a week pace most weeks and have to increase reps as the guide suggests (+1 for 5 set exercises, +2 for 8 - 10 set exercises) in between weeks to compensate. I have made progress, just not weekly.

After reading an article on this site regarding bulking and taking in 750 - 1000 more calories on workout days, I think maybe my issue is that I am doing the 40 40 20 rule everyday with the same 400 calories over maintanence. My total I take in a day is 2400. Maybe I am not feeding my muscles enough on workout days?

How is your body weight increase coming along? Are you making the standard 0.5lbs to 1lbs increase a week or 2 to 4lbs a month? If not then increase the calories.

[crazz2323]

How is your body weight increase coming along? Are you making the standard 0.5lbs to 1lbs increase a week or 2 to 4lbs a month? If not then increase the calories.

I did have to once. Originally was at +200 and bumped it to +400. I did go up 3 pounds in 4 months so it is progressing. I wound up with a little more fat by the 4th month but from what I have read, that should be expected. I was curious if there is merit to boosting calories by the 750 - 1000 on workout days like in the article I read or to just stay the course?

[kylenedic]

I'm moving from the Beginner routine to the intermediate as I haven't been able to increase after a deload.
My question is when I move on to intermediate should I lower my weight for the lifts that I've stalled on? If so how much do you guys think?