Tried the "Fierce 5" work out..not sure if I'm feeling it.

[tommydamic68]

leg curl

For the hamstrings correct?

[tommydamic68]

Hey fellas & ladies, need some advice. So I'm 3 month into the fierce 5 program and i'm not sure where to go from here as far as diet i guess? Just a few results from 3 months ago:


Squat 3x5 -75 pounds (shut up - my legs need work - lol)........currently squatting 175
Bench 3x5 - 115 pounds............................................ ..........currently benching 150 (having trouble adding weight here)
Pendlay Rows 3x8 - 95 pounds ............................................curren tly lifting 155
Face Pulls 3x10 -65 pounds .................................................c urrently pulling 90

Dead lift 3x5 100 pounds............................................ .........currently lifting 185
shoulder press 3x5 75 pounds............................................ ..currently pressing 110 (having trouble adding weight here)
leg press 3x5 60 pounds............................................ ......... currently pressing 110
lat pulldowns 3x8 90 pounds............................................ .....currently pressing 120


I have also changed my diet over the last 3 months and have went from 145 pounds to currently 153 pounds. However I have added a bit of a stomach that I'm not happy with. I feel better in my clothes at this size but the stomach bothers me {pis below} thoughts? Should I try a calorie deficit? If so ho much? I don't want to lose my size, or strength I have gained, Its the heaviest I ever weighed. But I hate the stomach. Any advice appreciated with out changing my entire life around.

[tommydamic68]

Just updating this post for my own tracking and progress. Currently down to 150- 151 pounds from 155-156- lost some belly fat, I do believe I kept most of my muscles gains. Some of these exercises I have had to deload due to improper form or injury (pain when performing the exercise.) I have also added in a few isolation exercises to fit my needs.

Squat 3x5 -75 pounds (shut up - my legs need work - lol)........(9/12/17) currently squatting 175........... (2/4/18) currently squatting.....190
Bench 3x5 - 115 pounds............................................ ..........(9/12/17) currently benching 150 (having trouble adding weight here)....currently benching (2/4/18- still stuck here)...150
Pendlay Rows 3x8 - 95 pounds ............................................(9/12/17) currently lifting 155.... (2/4/18) currently lifitng 130 (deload due to improper form)
Face Pulls 3x10 -65 pounds .................................................( 9/12/17) currently pulling 90...(2/4/18)...currently pulling 65 (deload due to improper form)

Dead lift 3x5 100 pounds............................................ .........(9/12/17) currently lifting 185....(2/4/18)....currently lifting 225
shoulder press 3x5 75 pounds............................................ ...(9/12/17) currently pressing 110 (having trouble adding weight here)....(2/4/18)...currently pressing 95 (deload due to shoulder hurting)
leg press 3x5 60 pounds............................................ ......... (9/12/17) currently pressing 110.....(2/4/18)...currently pressing 115
lat pulldowns 3x8 90 pounds............................................ .....(9/12/17) currently pressing 120.....(2/4/18)...currently pulling 130

[Plateauplower]

Nice work, good program. Bench is a difficult lift to progress for me as well, it become nearly impossible in a deficit, and is always my first lift to drop when dieting.

On the OHP, I can only tell you my own personal experience with tha5 lift. It seems to cause some shoulder issues for me, that said those issues don’t happen when I overhead press with dumbbells. I’ve tried adjusting my form but my arms being locked in that pattern of movement with a barbell just doesn’t seem to work well for me. The downside is you can’t press as much weight usually with DBs but shoulder health is more important. Something to consider going forward could be to swap the BB OHP for DB OHPand work the same progression. It’s usually not a good idea to mess with established programs, but in some cases it makes sense and I believe DB OHP are used in the DB version of fierce 5.

[tommydamic68]

Nice work, good program. Bench is a difficult lift to progress for me as well, it become nearly impossible in a deficit, and is always my first lift to drop when dieting.

On the OHP, I can only tell you my own personal experience with tha5 lift. It seems to cause some shoulder issues for me, that said those issues don’t happen when I overhead press with dumbbells. I’ve tried adjusting my form but my arms being locked in that pattern of movement with a barbell just doesn’t seem to work well for me. The downside is you can’t press as much weight usually with DBs but shoulder health is more important. Something to consider going forward could be to swap the BB OHP for DB OHPand work the same progression. It’s usually not a good idea to mess with established programs, but in some cases it makes sense and I believe DB OHP are used in the DB version of fierce 5.

Thanks for the info Plateauplower - I have tried using DB's as well, same pain. I may drop a bit of weight on the OHP to see if I can recover from the injury- (only hurts when lifting) and see if that works for me. I do a bit of other shoulder work so hopefully no gains lost.

[JonM81x]

OHP is my toughest and lightest lift as well. I seemed to do ok with switching to barbell when doing a 5x5 type routine with grumpy shoulders also... I learned after a set back in 2016 to really warm up and do rotator cuff exercises and stretching before lifting. This helped my bench and shoulder workouts a ton! I need to look further into this fierce 5 routine, seems popular!

[tommydamic68]

OHP is my toughest and lightest lift as well. I seemed to do ok with switching to barbell when doing a 5x5 type routine with grumpy shoulders also... I learned after a set back in 2016 to really warm up and do rotator cuff exercises and stretching before lifting. This helped my bench and shoulder workouts a ton! I need to look further into this fierce 5 routine, seems popular!

Yesterday was my OHP day, I used lighter weight DB's, and when pushing up held the dumbbells closer to my body and it relieved some if not most of the pain. Will try this for a few weeks and see if I can heal what ever issue is under there. Just upped the reps to 10 as apposed to 5.

[drkelly74]

Thanks for the info Plateauplower - I have tried using DB's as well, same pain. I may drop a bit of weight on the OHP to see if I can recover from the injury- (only hurts when lifting) and see if that works for me. I do a bit of other shoulder work so hopefully no gains lost.

How wide is your grip? It should not be the same width as your bench press. Your grip should be significantly narrower.

My bench press was pathetic when I started. It has been a VERY slow lift to progress for me, but I just hit a PR last Wednesday and I have been lifting for 4 yrs, so I am still making progress.

[tommydamic68]

How wide is your grip? It should not be the same width as your bench press. Your grip should be significantly narrower.

My bench press was pathetic when I started. It has been a VERY slow lift to progress for me, but I just hit a PR last Wednesday and I have been lifting for 4 yrs, so I am still making progress.

Its surely less then my bench.

[tommydamic68]

One year since using the fierce 5 program. I am happy with my results. Been focusing on diet as well. Trying to balance "living life" and achieving my fitness goals. Have slightly modified the program adding in a few isolation lifts. Also toying around with cardio. Will see where I go from here. It is truly a slow going process and continual dedication to maintain what you achieve.

This is currently 154 pounds at 5'9.

https://imgur.com/a/MCxfUzY



https://imgur.com/a/haxrGQJ

[GoCHurchGo]

So tonight I tried the "Fierce 5" work out for the novice -https: //forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=15967863. Ive been working out over 2 years and feel I have plateaued. I did start somewhat easy as far as weight, but it didn't seem to make me feel as I normally do on a work out night, I am usually a bit more tired and have a feeling of doing a really good work out. I'll show you what I normally would have done on what I will call my chest and tricep night.

Here is the "A" work out I did for the F5 program:
Workout A
Squat 3x5 -75 pounds (shut up - my legs need work - lol)
Bench 3x5 - 115 pounds
Pendlay Rows 3x8 - 95 pounds
Face Pulls 3x10 -65 pounds
Calf raises 2x15/Tricep pressdowns 2x10 Superset - calf 180 pounds and tricep Pull downs- 50 pounds

My chest - tricep work out:
bench DB 60 pounds 4x8
bench barbell assist - 90 pounds 4x8
Skull crushers - 50 pounds 4x8
tricep pull downs 50 pounds 4x8
chest cable press 3x10
and perhaps another random chest exercise as well as another tricep exercise.
a random leg exercise.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Are there subtitles to what these exercises are for the stupids like me who don't know?

[Cactus74]

Good job, dude! I read this thread and your progress has been inspiring.

[tommydamic68]

Good job, dude! I read this thread and your progress has been inspiring.

Thank you.

[tblodg15]

Nice progress, and I love it when someone comes back a year or 2 later and gives an update.

[tommydamic68]

Nice progress, and I love it when someone comes back a year or 2 later and gives an update.

Thank you.

[tommydamic68]

Just figured i'd update this post. Iv'e leaned out to 144-145 (pic below) and although I like the lean look, I have just lost too much weight in my ass and legs to feel good about this leaner size, I am currently building back up to 150+ and hopeful can keep some fat off, would love to reach 160. I have tweaked my diet a bit so hopefully that will help. Still currently doing a modified version of fierce 5 with some isolation exercises thrown in.

[audiospirit]

Just figured i'd update this post. Iv'e leaned out to 144-145 (pic below) and although I like the lean look, I have just lost too much weight in my ass and legs to feel good about this leaner size, I am currently building back up to 150+ and hopeful can keep some fat off, would love to reach 160. I have tweaked my diet a bit so hopefully that will help. Still currently doing a modified version of fierce 5 with some isolation exercises thrown in.

Great thread! How is your bench press doing, is it over 150 now?