17
We get a lot of this type of question: "we know X, but can we scientifically prove X?" The answer, almost invariably in the field of strength training, is no.
Science is dead; long live science
There's an enormous number of variables in strength training: nutrition, hormones, time of year, mood, prior training, genetics, exercise selection, proper form, ...
14
If you are on StrongLifts 5x5, a beginner program, then the problems associated with endurance training and max effort training won't be severe enough to worry about. First, a 5K takes less than an hour to complete. Second, you haven't gotten to the place in your training where you really have to choose which way you need to go.
Now, to keep your 5K ...
11
Medhi has different articles to cater to different populations with SL 5x5 being the perfect fit no matter where you are... Want to gain weight and look like an Adonis? Want to lose weight and get stronger at the same time? Etc. The important thing is that you open your sights to other sources of information.
The facts are:
Any weightlifting program ...
10
Deload
Deload. Significantly. 10% at a minimum, more likely 20% for such a significant break.
I tried to start back where I had left off after a one-week break, and it messed up my progress significantly in the short and long term.
Think of it this way: say you started with a 1RM of 135, and squatted, say, 95x5x5. By squatting increasingly heavy weights ...
10
Between this post and the prior one asking for 5x5 squat help, I strongly recommend seeing a qualified personal trainer and also your Dr. for a physical prior to any more exercising. Based on your posts, you're overweight, out of shape and do not have a background in weightlifting: this is a combination that could get you SERIOUSLY injured. Stop, get a ...
10
After reading your comments to John P's quite accurate answer, I think the question you're really asking is "why are deadlifts so much more taxing than squats" (maybe rename the title if I'm accurate on that).
If that's the case, I'd offer these up:
Deadlifts put much more load on your thoracic spine, arms, shoulders, rhomboids, and hands.
You can see ...
9
Stay the course.
Your deadlifts are not heavy enough to worry. Add however much weight is called for by the program and do deadlifts 1x5 as scheduled.
9
As a beginner is about the only time you can lose fat and build muscle at the same time. So, my suggestions for getting started:
Keep your diet in check. Nutrition helps you lose the weight while still getting enough energy to get your work done. 1g protein per pound of body weight. Stay light on the carbs, only post workout if you can do that.
Pay ...
8
The reason you only do 1x5 with deadlifts is because you already are doing 5x5 squats, making the deadlift an almost redundant exercise. As Mehdi says, since they target a lot of the same areas, by the time you get to your deadlifts you will be GLAD that you only have 1x5 to do.
At the beginning when the weights are very light, you will certainly feel like ...
8
The exercise famous for being hard on the knees is the leg press - not squat. If the squat is done with the correct depth (hip lower than the knee) so that the change of direction is NOT done while the knees are at right angles, it shouldn't hurt the knees. If you get some soft knee wraps you might be able to convince her to squat with those.
If not - I ...
8
I will say that I have had more stress on my knees from martial arts training than I ever had from heavy squats. The book Starting Strength has some good information on why this is. The important and critical factor is getting the hips below the knees before changing directions.
The depth causes certain things to happen that protect the knees:
Posterior ...
7
Stronglifts works quite well for women, as long as some adjustments are made. Do note that these tips may not be applicable to all, but certainly to those rather new to lifing weights (Stronglifts is a beginners programme, after all)
Lower the starting weights. This can be tricky, if your gym doesn't have any bars which allow you to go lower than 20kg. If ...
7
I follow a version of the 5x5 program and have found it VERY helpful in developing strength with a side benefit of additional calorie burn (during/post workout). If your real focus is on weight loss - and I'll assume it body fat (BF%) loss you're looking for - you should really focus on your diet. A complete exercise program + diet is key to any weight ...
7
It's not a problem:
In fact rowing is a good warmup exercise before you lift.
You can do your rowing after you lift on the same day
Do lighter rowing on your days off
Conditioning work is different than lifting work, and as long as the rowing is low intensity it will not interfere with your lifting. If you want some high intensity rowing sessions, it's ...
7
Strength alone?
It's okay to want to do more than just strength training. The thing to realize, however, is that the initial period where you start lifting heavy can be very productive if you focus on it, and much less productive if you try to chase two rabbits at the same time.
StrongLifts, like Starting Strength and other 3x5 or 5x5 programs, is based ...
7
Step 1:
Detail your goals, and prioritize them. You will find that building a good base of strength will help take you a long ways toward your goals.
Step 2:
Figure out how you should be eating to address your immediate goals. While you are a beginner, you can cut body fat and gain strength at the same time. However, you may start hitting plateaus ...
7
Don't Drop Your Deadlift!
Don't listen to StrongLifts' recommendation of dropping your deadlift weight by more than 50%. It's a 5x5 program with deadlifts at 1x5, so you should be dropping the weight a little bit, perhaps 20 or 25%, but definitely not from 425 to 190. You would lose strength or at least leave strength gains on the table.
With your numbers, ...
7
Mehdi gives an answer to this question in the Stronglifts Report. It is not based on actual science, but rather anecdotal evidence, I quote it here. (Page 58)
Watch out by the way with people telling you to do half Squats instead of hitting parallel.
Half Squats are NOT safer for your knees, they can actually destroy them because they
cause muscle ...
7
Presuppositions
The presuppositions in this question are mistaken. A) It is possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time if the conditions are right. B) It's not true that one should not change one's training program while cutting--one should still do some heavy lifting, but the program should change.
The point of heavy lifting during a cut is to ...
7
I've seen you ask and answer questions, so I'm certain you have most of the theoretical answers you seek. Now, to make them realistic (aka broscience that's working for me).
Don't eat when you are hungry. Eat when it's appropriate. Don't eat because you feel like it; eat because you don't want your body clinging to the fat you have. It's not just about ...
7
Hopefully, I can help you sort through some of the information. I think you have every right to be skeptical of the claims on the Stronglifts site, Medhi does tend to overstate things and not dig deep at all. However, broscience is still useful when actual science doesn't have any information on the subject. The good news is that there is still some ...
7
If physique is your primary goal, then your changes are not bad. However, it does require some adjustments to how you approach progression. First and foremost, volume is the #1 determiner of how much muscle you put on (citation). There are a wide variety of ways to increase volume.
One strategy is to maintain the same weight while you increase volume:
...
7
Squat - 110 lbs BP - 75 lbs Row - 80 lbs OHP - 55 lbs DL - 165 lbs
As you can see the barbell row and the OHP are lagging behind.
Your row is stronger than your bench press which is actually really good, I think your numbers look terrific to be honest. Just keep on the program.
The overhead press is probably one of the toughest lifts out there. People ...
7
What happens if I reach a limit?
What if I fail to get 5 reps
What if I keep failing at the same weight
You will probably reach your 5x5 limit on OHP quickly, the program tells you to deload and move to 3x5 after 3-4 sessions of failure. The website has all the information on deloading. Essentially though, yes, you will reach a point of doing the same ...
6
I do barbell rows overhand, like exrx recommends and like Arnold does and like this StrongLifts-doing guy does. I think underhand would turn them into curls when they're challenging.
StrongLifts specifically recommends against the underhand grip.
6
Officially, all accessory workouts have been removed from the StrongLifts program because people were getting too strung up over them. Accessory workouts are supplemental--they should only serve to assist with your individual goals. However, people were falling into the "more is better" trap and adding all of the accessory workouts into their routine (to ...
6
Typically, no. What I've been doing is getting through the warmups as quickly as I can without rushing. When I'm done with the warmup work, I allow myself a proper amount of rest before the first work set.
How much rest you need really depends on you. If you have a head cold, or are running on too little sleep, you may need an extra few seconds after ...
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