The Strong Lifts 5x5 Workout
5 X 5 has come a long way in the last 50 years. It became a bodybuilding favorite because of the dramatic results it can get. Reg Park, the 3 time Mr. Universe winner was actually the first bodybuilder to use this routine to build a serious amount of muscle in the 1950's.
Since then there have been many bodybuilders who have openly endorsed this type of training, including the well-known strength coach/bodybuilder Vince Gironda. Unlike other bodybuilding routines, your goal when using 5 X 5 is NOT to reach failure, get sore or pumped.
5 X 5 relies on progressive resistance, it's designed to get you stronger and build muscle so you need to approach this type of training with a different mindset. The first step is to make sure that your form/technique is as good as you can get it. You then start off light and slowly build up without affecting form.
Ideally you should be able to increase the weights you can lift by 10lbs on each workout. That may sound a bit ambitious but if you are doing correct form and are following the sequence without doing any isolation movements, you'll get fantastic results.
The strong lifts are squat, bench-press and deadlifts and your 5 X 5 workout will only be 45 minutes training three times a week. 5 X 5 means 5 sets doing 5 reps in each set, this means that you will be squatting, benching and deadlifting three times a week.
It needs to be noted that anyone doing the 5 X 5 training three times a week needs to ONLY do 1 X 5 reps of deadlift. Doing more than just one heavy set of deadlift three times a week is going to cause over-training. You will be squatting three times a week 5 X 5, bench-press 5 X5 and deadlifts 1 X 5 reps.
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