Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5

J

JohnnySolo

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Thought this could help a lot of newbies....I'm on strong lifts 5x5 now and like it a lot

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Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5: Strength Training with Minimal Equipment
Posted: 01 Oct 2009 04:00 AM PDT
You’ve found out about Stronglifts 5×5. And after reading all the success stories you’ve decided to follow the program too. But:
 Your gym doesn’t have the necessary equipment, e.g. no Power Rack.
 You don’t have enough space for a home gym.
 You don’t have the cash yet for home gym equipment.
 You want to try the program before making an investment.
The solution: Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. This strength training routine requires only 1 Olympic Barbell set. It will keep you busy for 2-3 months and prepare you for StrongLifts 5×5. Read on for the details.

Equipment You Need. Buy new gym equipment or go 2nd hand. Read the home gym guide for more info. Here’s what you’ll need for Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5:
 Olympic Barbell. Any bar will do, but an Olympic one is best. 45lbs/20kg weight, 7ft/2m20 length, 2″/50mm sleeves, 28mm grip, knurling, …
 220lbs/100kg Plates. Round iron plates work best. With the weight of your barbell, you’ll have 265lbs/120kg total weight.

The Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 Program. The routine takes about 3×45mins per week. Most people train Mo/We/Fr. Alternate workout A & B each session. Read the free StrongLifts 5×5 eBook and the FAQ for detailed info.

Workout A
Squat + Steinborn Lift 5x5
Floor Press 5x5
Power Cleans 5x5
Reverse Crunch 3x12

Workout B
Squat + Steinborn Lift 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Prone Bridges 3x30sec


Exercises in Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. Most exercises are the same as for StrongLifts 5×5. Again: read the free StrongLifts 5×5 eBook for detailed info. Differences in Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5:
 Squat. Get the barbell on your back using the Steinborn Lift. Although it isn’t practical, you can get to a body-weight Squat for 5×5 using it.
 Floor Press. Press while lying back on the floor. Knees flexed, feet flat on the floor, elbows in, chest up, shoulder-blades back & down. Video.
 Overhead Press. Clean the bar from the floor on your shoulders on each set. This actually makes the Overhead Press easier.

Results from Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. Same as with StrongLifts 5×5: more strength, more muscle, fat loss, stronger joints & bones, increased flexibility & cardiovascular fitness, etc. Differences:
 More Core Work. The Steinborn Lift will work your abs & obliques hard. Great to get 6 pack abs, but less optimal for your Squat technique since getting the bar on your back is a pain with heavier weights.
 More Triceps Work. The Floor Press works your triceps more than the Bench Press but your chest less. You will, however, build your chest muscles nonetheless: this is a full body training program.

Limitations of Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. Without Power Rack you’re limiting your progress. Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 only works for 2-3 months.
 Stalling. The Steinborn Lift will limit your Squat. You’ll start stalling once you’re Squatting your body-weight for 5×5 (200lbs if you weigh 200lbs).
 Technique. The Steinborn Lift makes it hard to get the bar in proper position for Squats, which can cause problems further down.

Download Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 Spreadsheet. This file includes tips and reminders of what you need to do to achieve your goals and tools to track your progress. Some things you’ll find:
 Exercises & work weight prefilled for 12 weeks
 Strength goals based on your body-weight & gender.
 Graphs showing progress in strength, body-weight & body fat
Click here to download the spreadsheet (right click — save as). The file is 20kb and takes less than 1min to download. Unzip the file using 7-Zip (free) and view it with OpenOffice or Microsoft Excel.

Questions? Go to the free StrongLifts.com forum and post your questions in the official Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 thread. Click here to visit the forum now.
 
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is the post the same thing as the link? The firewall at work blocks the link so I can't get to it.
 
that is a good routine but i wouldnt advise any newbie,to lift any less than there 10rm for atleast two months,to accustomise themselves to lifting.

muscles get stronger quicker than tendons and ligaments do,using 5rms can damage ligaments/tendons further down the line unless you ease them into it,you could do that routine but use 3x10rm for 8wks then 4x8,4x6,5x5 etc
 
buzz said:
that is a good routine but i wouldnt advise any newbie,to lift any less than there 10rm for atleast two months,to accustomise themselves to lifting.

muscles get stronger quicker than tendons and ligaments do,using 5rms can damage ligaments/tendons further down the line unless you ease them into it,you could do that routine but use 3x10rm for 8wks then 4x8,4x6,5x5 etc
Click to expand...

that sounds good.

They also advise starting with the bar only. Granted the bar only can be daunting to a newbie.
 
nice website

maybe a few of the guys around here that we trust can look at soem of those videos. WAIT- we don't trust anyone here! lol

Johnny,
are you following the plan? Are you only working out for 3 - 45 minutes sessions per week?

The initial sell on the opening is a bit over the top- lose fat, gain muscle, noo injury, and all in just 3 45 minute sessions - bit of a over promising feeling.

I think I need to check this out more.

maybe I will do 5x5 and have run days

elaborate on "your" experience with this more for us Johny.

FF
 
this is a weight loss focus for you Johnny?

hmmmmm
as i click thru the forum postings i see this is pretty newbie related

no wonder we have 5X5 super jaw throbbers show up once in awhile - they are new lifters, they are reading stuff over there and then they come here and we must know very little. lol!

I've never really checked out another site before.

just taking an interest in you Mr. Solo
 
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are you following the plan? Are you only working out for 3 - 45 minutes sessions per week?

Yeah, but I was also walking for 20 in after…..I’m dropping that to save on time (to get back to my job) but adding two days of barbell complexes for 10 min and then walking for 30 min.


elaborate on "your" experience with this more for us Johny.

This plan is not the exact plan I’m following but it is at the sight. Yeah 3 fullbody workouts with heavy weight. It has absolutely been working for adding strength back. I’ve not reached a new PR on anything, I’ve been here before and done these weights before, but I wasn’t at this level before I started the 5x5 5 weeks ago after years off heavy lifting. It’s giving me back strength I had lost. Actually, I’ve never focused on over head presses so these could be a PR for me. Also Typhon and BigTom got me working cleans and the push-press…


this is a weight loss focus for you Johnny?

Not really, it just feels good lifting heavy again and seeing myself get strong again. I’m doing well with it because of the off days, I can’t recover like I used too. Like I said, I’m trying to add barbell complexes that blast fat and add in more steady state cardio.

Unfortunately when I have built up my running in the past my lifting suffered to a depressing level and eventually the running got boring and it was always so much work. I had mainly run on a soft treadmill due to my weight even when I’d drop to a light 260. Outside hurts. My legs are so weak now for squating and running.



just taking an interest in you Mr. Solo

I’m glad I got your PM, I didn’t know if this was a good thing or bad!!! Yeah, I need to focus on fat loss and my problem IS food consumption.
 
flyinfree said:
BOY that is for sure. Try making a lady like Neon use the bar only. Arrows out the eyeballs, clinched jaw, and hope you have your own way home.

lol
Click to expand...

Mr Solo,
Please pardon the itty bitty thread hijack for just a moment.


Mr FF/M-Dot Dude..
You make me out to be a demon. I resemble that ..LMAO


The bar - is only good if you can order a double at it ;).. KIDDING!!!


For me, the bar is my enemy. LOL

I'm a pu$$ and I know it, but I also know that I don't like letting things like a piece of iron beat me down which is precisely why i throw it up and down repeatedly. I'm actually looking forward to the day i can add 2 10lb plates!

so now gentlemen... you can insert your :laughing2: here..LOL

carry on
 
JohnnySolo, you've actually linked to the current version of stronglifts which sucks IMO because it doesn't have Barbell Rows and Dips. The mother of all 5x5's was the 2008 stronglifts. I provided a link for the spreadsheet. There have always been versions of stronglifts for dumbells, training with only one barbell but are you really doing the 5x5 if you just use one barbell for everything?

You would be better off looking at Barbell complexes/circuits rather than bastardising 5x5.
 
buzz said:
that is a good routine but i wouldnt advise any newbie,to lift any less than there 10rm for atleast two months,to accustomise themselves to lifting.

muscles get stronger quicker than tendons and ligaments do,using 5rms can damage ligaments/tendons further down the line unless you ease them into it,you could do that routine but use 3x10rm for 8wks then 4x8,4x6,5x5 etc
Click to expand...


That's BS. Would you believe stronglifts 5x5 beginner and starting strength by a certain Mark Rippetoe are for noobs? All you need to do is watch a few vids of these noobs, doing good mornings on squats, legs buckling then "switching on" and not only working with correct form but progressing.
 
and, my pm was fedinately a good thing.

see you in Tampa

I do the highland games tomorrow, then I may kick this 5X5 thing around some.... But I am not sure yet. The comlex lifts are not new for me, and I am thinking I want to drop this extra weight after these strength games. But not sure about that either.

Guess I'll just keep competeing at something, training somebody, and sweating often, for now.
 
blackbeard said:
That's BS. Would you believe stronglifts 5x5 beginner and starting strength by a certain Mark Rippetoe are for noobs? All you need to do is watch a few vids of these noobs, doing good mornings on squats, legs buckling then "switching on" and not only working with correct form but progressing.
Click to expand...

why do you feel .
the need to say its BS,why not just say you dissagree.
and which part of my comments do you think is BS

and just because someone is doing squats with there legs buckling and making good progresion as you say,doesnt mean there tendons/ligaments are ok they may not show any damage for months after,as i said there is nothing wrong with those routines but IMO i wouldnt advise ant newbie to lift anything lower than a 10rm at first.
after lifting weights since 1974 i have seen the damage upping the weight to early can do.
 
buzz said:
why do you feel .
the need to say its BS,why not just say you dissagree.
and which part of my comments do you think is BS

and just because someone is doing squats with there legs buckling and making good progresion as you say,doesnt mean there tendons/ligaments are ok they may not show any damage for months after,as i said there is nothing wrong with those routines but IMO i wouldnt advise ant newbie to lift anything lower than a 10rm at first.
after lifting weights since 1974 i have seen the damage upping the weight to early can do.
Click to expand...

I need to say its BS, because its BS. Do you have any research backing up your views? Let me quote a certain Rippetoe from starting strength :-

Rippetoe said:
I had made it the policy if WFAT that everybody who joined and was physically capable of doing squats would learn how to do them correctly. My intention was that all my members be exposed to the classic barbell exercises as opposed to the advent of the nautilus-style health clubs.
Click to expand...

So over 20 years coach Rip taught thousands of people who joined his gym, squat and basic barbell exercises. If you have similar studies that you have drawn your conclusion from, let us hear them by all means.
 
i dont see any studies or evidence provided by you or rip,just because he taught exercises for 20yrs doesnt mean that no one damaged there ligaments,and he would hardly advertise it anyway.
and i am talking about newbies not lifting 5x5 for two months just to be safe,so if anyones talking BS just for the sake of it its you.
 
and its bill starr who first designed 5x5 and he used a ramped up 5x5 for newbies,only using your max 5rm on the last set,so he must have thought that doing 5x5 straight away wasnt a good thing for newbies,or was he talking BS as well.
 
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