Well I’ve just started my fourth week of a 5x5 program 3 days a week. I’ve gotten amazing progress so far and I plan to keep it going until it stops. Although it’s technically 5x5, I’ve taken a little from DJ’s OLAD as far as weights. Here’s a look at how I’ve been breaking it down:
Day 1
Barbell flat bench
Barbell row
Dumbell snatches
Day 2
Off
Day 3
Front squat
Standing Barbell military press
Chins
Day 4
Off
Day 5
Deadlift
Close-grip bench
Dumbell curls
Anything else I feel like doing
Day 6 and 7
Off
I gradually increase weight to my third set where I may only get 3 reps. I drop it down for the fourth, and then increase for the fifth where I may only get 3 reps ala DJ’s OLAD. I’m interested to see how long the progress will continue, as I’ve easily hit PR’s with more reps than ever before. I’ll be sure to post after this week to see how things end up.
[quote]Miserere wrote:
B-Mac13 wrote:
I gradually increase weight to my third set where I may only get 3 reps.
Which is not 5.
This is a legitimate comment, by the way, not an attack.[/quote]
Correct. Although my intention when starting the program was 5 reps for all sets, has turned into mostly 5 reps per set. I’ve found that handling the heavier weight for less reps works for me. I’d rather handle a little heavier weight and maybe get 22 reps per exercise total than just keep it at 25.
no doubt what ur doing is ok, but lets say week 1 u do 22 reps per exercise instead of 25, then the next week u shud not increase the weight but try to do 23/24/25 reps per exercise with the same weight u had taken the previous week…
if this is the way ur going about it, then its ok, but if not: ur screwing it up real bad…
Right, keep the weight constant until you can complete 25 reps, then move up. Although, I do disagree with your statement about “screwing it up real bad”.
So if someone were to just increase weight and only get 22 or 23 reps, they may not reap the complete benefits of the volume and intensity of 5x5, they still will improve.