StrongLifts 5 × 5 - Hágase Más Fuerte Levantando Pesas Solo 3 Veces Por Semana

3/12/21 11:32 StrongLifts 5 × 5: Hágase más fuerte levantando pesas solo 3 veces por semana
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StrongLifts 5 × 5: obtenga pesos de

levantamiento más fuertes 3 veces por semana
El programa de entrenamiento de fuerza StrongLifts 5 × 5 consta de dos

entrenamientos ...
Entrenamiento A: sentadilla , press de banca , remo con barra
Entrenamiento B: sentadilla, press de hombros , peso muerto
Haz tres entrenamientos por semana. Nunca entrenes dos días seguidos
ni realices dos entrenamientos en un día. Espere un día antes de hacer su
próximo entrenamiento. Esto le da a su cuerpo tiempo para recuperarse,
fortalecerse y desarrollar músculos para que pueda levantar más peso en
el próximo entrenamiento. Alterne los ejercicios A y B cada vez que
entrene.
La mayoría de la gente entrena los lunes, miércoles y viernes. Esto le da

un día de recuperación entre cada entrenamiento y dos días de
recuperación antes de su próximo entrenamiento el lunes. Lo que también
funciona es entrenar martes, jueves y sábado… o domingo, martes y
jueves.
Comience StrongLifts 5 × 5 haciendo el ejercicio A. Vaya a casa, coma y

duerma. Dos días después, haz el entrenamiento B. Otros dos días
después, haz el entrenamiento A. Tu primera semana se verá así si
entrenas Mo / We / Fr ...
StrongLifts 5x5 Semana 1
https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#Strength_Goals 1/145
Lunes - Miércoles - Viernes -

entrenamiento A entrenamiento B entrenamiento A
Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5
Press de banca 5x5 Prensa de arriba 5x5 Press de banca 5x5
Remo con barra 5x5 Peso muerto 1x5 Remo con barra 5x5
Empiece la semana dos con el entrenamiento B porque terminó la

semana uno con el entrenamiento A. Luego siga alternando los
entrenamientos cada vez que vaya al gimnasio. Su segunda semana se
verá así si entrena los lunes, miércoles y viernes como la mayoría de las
personas ...
lunes miércoles viernes
Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5
Prensa de arriba 5x5 Press de banca 5x5 Prensa de arriba 5x5
Peso muerto 1x5 Remo con barra 5x5 Peso muerto 1x5
Continúe alternando los entrenamientos A y B. Las semanas tres y cinco

se verán como la semana uno. Las semanas cuatro y seis se verán como
la semana dos. Si esto no tiene sentido, suscríbase a mis consejos
diarios por correo electrónico para obtener hojas de cálculo; obtendrá una
descripción general de sus primeras 12 semanas. La aplicación también
alterna automáticamente los entrenamientos A y B.
Comience ligero para que su cuerpo pueda acostumbrarse a ponerse en

cuclillas, presionar y tirar tres veces por semana. Si ha hecho estos
ejercicios antes, con la forma adecuada, comience con el 50% de su
máximo de cinco repeticiones. Puede ingresar sus mejores

levantamientos en las hojas de cálculo o las aplicaciones , y ellos
calcularán sus pesos iniciales por usted.
Si nunca ha hecho estos ejercicios antes, no los ha hecho en años, o se

siente intimidado por las pesas libres, comience con las pesas más bajas
posibles. De esta manera, puede desarrollar su confianza y practicar la
forma adecuada. Estos son los pesos iniciales recomendados si es nuevo
en el levantamiento ...
Cuclillas , prensa de banco , Overhead Press : 20 kg / 45 libras (el

vacío barra olímpica)
Peso muerto : 40 kg / 95 lb (la barra vacía con un plato de 10 kg /

25 lb en cada lado)
Remo con barra : 30 kg / 65 lb (la barra vacía con 5 kg / 10 lb en

cada lado)
5 × 5 significa que haces cinco series de cinco repeticiones con el mismo

peso. Ponte en cuclillas 20 kg cinco veces, levanta el peso y descansa 90
segundos. Luego, vuelve a sentadillas 20 kg durante cinco repeticiones.
Repita hasta que haya hecho cinco series de cinco (5 × 5). Luego pase al
siguiente ejercicio.
Tenga en cuenta que el peso muerto es solo una serie de cinco

repeticiones (1 × 5). Esto se debe a que estás haciendo sentadillas 3
veces por semana con aumento de peso. La mayoría de la gente
encuentra que el peso muerto 5 × 5 después de sentadillas 5 × 5 es
demasiado difícil una vez que los pesos se vuelven pesados, y que el
peso muerto aumenta bien haciendo solo 1 × 5.
Si quieres hacer más de 1 × 5 Deadlift, lo mejor es calentar haciendo

series de cinco repeticiones (la aplicación sugiere este tipo de
calentamiento). Esto te da más volumen de peso muerto sin la intensidad

de hacer varias series de cinco con el mismo peso.
Aumente el peso en cada entrenamiento en cada ejercicio en el que

completó cinco repeticiones en cada serie. Agregue 2,5 kg / 5 lb en esos
ejercicios. En peso muerto, agregue 5 kg / 10 lb. Entonces, si es nuevo en
el levantamiento de pesas y comenzó con los pesos iniciales
recomendados, sus primeras dos semanas se verán así ...
Lunes - A Miércoles - B Viernes - A
Sentadillas
Sentadillas
Sentadillas
5x5 20kg / 45lb 5x5 22,5 kg / 50 lb 5x5 25kg / 55lb
Press de
Prensa de arriba
Press de
banca 5x5 20kg / 45lb 5x5 20kg / 45lb banca 5x5 22,5 kg / 50 lb
Remo con barra

Peso muerto
Remo con barra
5x5 30kg / 65lb 1x5 40 kg / 95 lb 5x5 32,5 kg / 70 lb
Lunes - B Miércoles - A Viernes - B
Sentadillas
Sentadillas
Sentadillas
5x5 27.5kg / 60lb 5x5 30kg / 65lb 5x5 32.5kg / 70lb
Prensa de arriba
Press de
Prensa de arriba
5x5 22,5 kg / 50 lb banca 5x5 25kg / 55lb 5x5 25kg / 55lb
Peso muerto
Remo con barra
Peso muerto
1x5 45 kg / 105 lb 5x5 35 kg / 75 lb 1x5 50 kg / 115 lb
Gratis: descargue la hoja de cálculo StrongLifts 5 × 5 para calcular

sus primeras 12 semanas de entrenamiento para usted. Sabrá los
ejercicios, pesos, series y repeticiones que debe hacer. Y los gráficos
de progreso lo mantendrán motivado. Regístrese en mis consejos
diarios por correo electrónico para obtener la hoja de cálculo.
Simplemente haga clic aquí .
Todos los pesos incluyen la barra porque la levantas. Entonces,

sentadillas 5 × 5 27,5 kg / 60 libras significa que pones 3,75 kg / 7,5 libras
a cada lado de la barra olímpica de 20 kg / 45 libras. Necesita platos
pequeños de 1,25 kg / 2,5 libras para hacer esto.
Las primeras semanas se sentirán fáciles. Pero el peso aumentará

rápidamente. En cuatro semanas estarás en sentadillas 30 kg / 60 lb más,
presionarás 15 kg / 30 lb más y levantarás 30 kg / 60 lb más de peso
muerto . Comience con la barra y podría estar en cuclillas con 100 kg /
220 lb durante 5 × 5 en 12 semanas. Eso es más que la mayoría de la
gente.
Su objetivo es aumentar de peso en cada entrenamiento durante el mayor

tiempo posible. No podrás hacer esto para siempre. Eventualmente
tendrás dificultades para hacer cinco repeticiones y fallarás (hay formas
de evitarlo). Pero la mayoría de las personas se sorprenden de cuánto
tiempo pueden aumentar de peso en cada entrenamiento con un
programa tan simple.
Contenido [ ocultar ]
1 Resumen
1.1 Resultados típicos
1.2 Músculos trabajados
1.3 Por qué funciona esto
1.4 Videos de entrenamiento
1.5 Orígenes del 5 × 5

2 Programa
2.1 Entrenamientos
2.2 Ejercicios
2.3 Orden de ejercicio
2.4 Series y repeticiones
2.5 Tiempos de descanso
2.6 Lifting Tempo
2.7 Respiración
2.8 Días de descanso
2.9 Progresión
2.10 Pesos iniciales
2.11 Calentamiento
2.12 Descansos
2.13 Metas de fuerza
3 mesetas
3.1 Repeticiones fallidas
3.2 Descargas
3.3 3 × 5/3 × 3/1 × 3
3.4 Loco 5 × 5
4 Recuperación
4.1 Dolor
4.2 Nutrición
4.3 Proteína
4.4 Agua
4.5 Dormir
5 Trabajo de asistencia
5.1 brazos
5.2 Abs
5.3 Terneros
6 cardio
6.1 Pérdida de grasa
6.2 Salud del corazón
6.3 Resistencia
7 Equipo
7.1 Gimnasio en casa
7.2 Rack de alimentación

7.3 Rejilla para sentadillas
7.4 Stands para sentadillas
7.5 Máquina Smith
7.6 barra
7.7 Collares
7.8 Platos
7,9 platos pequeños
7.10 Piso
7.11 Banco
7.12 Tiza
7.13 Zapatos
7.14 Cinturón
7.15 Accesorios
8 errores comunes
8.1 Arranque demasiado pesado
8.2 Cambio de programa
8.3 Agregar demasiadas cosas
8.4 Levantar en un mal gimnasio
8.5 Agregar peso demasiado rápido
8.6 Levantar con mala forma
8.7 No levantar objetos pesados
8.8 Saltarse los entrenamientos
8.9 Acelerando tus sets
8.10 Comer muy poco
9 preguntas populares
9.1 ¿Funcionará StrongLifts 5 × 5 para mí?
9.2 ¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda en ver los resultados?
9.3 ¿Cuál es la ciencia detrás de este programa?
9.4 ¿StrongLifts 5 × 5 desarrolla músculo?
9.5 ¿Puedo ganar masa con StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.6 ¿Puedo perder grasa con StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.7 ¿Este programa funciona para hombres mayores de 40 años?
9.8 ¿Funciona StrongLifts 5 × 5 para mujeres?
9.9 ¿Pueden los adolescentes hacer StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.10 ¿Puedo obtener resultados con StrongLifts 5 × 5 si tengo una mala

genética?
9.11 ¿Esto me hará más lento para los deportes?
9.12 ¿No es demasiado ponerse en cuclillas 3 veces por semana?
9.13 ¿Puedo hacer peso muerto 5 × 5?
9.14 ¿Funciona StrongLifts 5 × 5 con mancuernas?
9.15 ¿Funciona StrongLifts 5 × 5 con máquinas?
9.16 ¿Qué pasa si mi gimnasio no tiene pesas para hacer StrongLifts 5
× 5?
9.17 ¿Cómo puedo mezclar StrongLifts 5 × 5 con Crossfit?
9.18 ¿Debería tomarme una semana sin StrongLifters 5 × 5 cada 8-12
semanas?
9.19 ¿Necesito un compañero de entrenamiento para StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.20 ¿Necesito un ayudante para hacer StrongLifts 5 × 5 de forma
segura?
9.21 ¿Cuál es el mejor momento para hacer ejercicio?
9.22 ¿Debo hacer ejercicio si estoy enfermo?
9.23 ¿Qué pasa si no tengo ganas de levantar hoy?
9.24 ¿Qué pasa si me da vergüenza ir al gimnasio?
9.25 ¿Debo levantar peso si me duele?
9.26 ¿Puedo hacer StrongLifts 5 × 5 todos los días?
9.27 ¿Puedo hacer entrenamientos para brazos / abdominales /
espalda / etc.en días libres?
9.28 Tengo que empezar de nuevo por mala forma. ¿Cuánto peso
sugieres?
9.29 ¿Puedo hacer sentadillas menos profundas si creo que me voy a
estancar?
9.30 ¿Cómo debo entrenar si viajo por trabajo y solo tengo acceso a los
gimnasios del hotel?
9.31 ¿Qué pasa si odio las sentadillas / filas / banco / lo que sea?
9.32 ¿Fumar obstaculizará mis ganancias en StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.33 ¿El alcohol obstaculizará mis ganancias en StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.34 ¿Cómo convencer a mi amigo para que haga StrongLifts 5 × 5?
9.35 ¿Está bien levantar objetos en clima frío?
9.36 Tengo 35. ¿Soy demasiado mayor para esto?
9.37 ¿Qué pasa con los estiramientos?
Visión general
Resultados típicos
Sus resultados dependen de su edad, sexo, peso, técnica, nutrición,
sueño, experiencia, consistencia, esfuerzo, etc. Muchas personas han
duplicado su sentadilla a 300 libras, ganado 24 libras y perdido 12 libras
en un año con este programa. Pero estos resultados son atípicos para los
levantadores de pesas mayores o las mujeres con menos testosterona.
El resultado típico que puede esperar si hace StrongLifts 5 × 5 como se

describe es un aumento de la fuerza y la masa muscular . La magnitud de
las ganancias y el tiempo que lleva varía. Pero nunca conocí a alguien que
no mejorara con este programa. Hágalo según las reglas y esto es lo que
puede esperar ...
Más fuerza. Ganarás fuerza en cada ejercicio StrongLifts 5 × 5.

Levantarás más rápidamente que otras personas. Tu fuerza se
transferirá a actividades físicas fuera del gimnasio. Le resultará
más fácil levantar objetos pesados, cargar comestibles o subir
escaleras.
Más músculo. Tus músculos se volverán más fuertes y más

grandes para levantar pesas. Si nunca antes ha realizado un
programa de entrenamiento adecuado como este, puede ganar
hasta 24 libras de músculo magro en un año . También recuperará
la masa muscular perdida y evitará la pérdida de masa muscular
debido al envejecimiento o la dieta.
Menos grasa. Cuanto más pesados sean los pesos, más energía
quemarás. También quemará más energía después del
entrenamiento para la recuperación muscular. Tu metabolismo
será más alto. Come justo encima de levantar pesas y perderás
grasa. Su cintura y grasa corporal disminuirán, sin hacer cardio.
Más resistencia. Sus músculos durarán más antes de cansarse

porque son más fuertes. Les costará menos hacer cosas como
caminar o correr. Mucha gente se ha sorprendido al descubrir que
de repente pueden correr tres millas a pesar de que nunca han
corrido.
Más poder. Los músculos más fuertes pueden hacer más trabajo

en la misma cantidad de tiempo. Por lo tanto, aumentar su fuerza
lo hará más poderoso y explosivo para los deportes. Serás más
rápido en el campo, más difícil de atacar y golpear más fuerte.
Serás más difícil de vencer.
Más fitness. El músculo cardíaco se fortalecerá como cualquier

otro músculo. Las actividades diarias requerirán menos esfuerzo
porque exigirán menos a su corazón más fuerte. Su presión arterial
y frecuencia cardíaca disminuirán. Su aptitud cardiovascular
aumentará.
Más flexibilidad. La movilidad de la cadera aumentará porque

ponerse en cuclillas tres veces por semana mueve las piernas en
un rango completo de movimiento. La flexibilidad de su hombro
aumentará al sostener la barra en la parte superior de la espalda;
esto abre su pecho y mejora su postura.
Más salud. Tu testosterona aumentará. Su colesterol, presión

arterial y estrés disminuirán. Su metabolismo de la glucosa y la
sensibilidad a la insulina mejorarán. Etcétera. Todo esto te hará
sentir más saludable y más joven. Tendrás más energía que antes.
Menos lesiones. Su densidad ósea aumentará y mejorará su

equilibrio. Sus articulaciones, columna vertebral y los músculos
que las rodean se fortalecerán. Les brindarán más apoyo y
protección. Esto hace que sea menos probable que se lesione e
incluso puede eliminar los dolores persistentes.
Más confianza. La gente notará su nuevo cuerpo y fuerza. Algunos

te felicitarán. Algunos podrían pedir consejo. Esta
retroalimentación positiva, el respeto que obtendrás y los cambios

que harás te harán creer más en ti mismo. Tendrá más confianza.
Más tenacidad. Agregar peso en cada entrenamiento es un trabajo

duro. Pero esto fortalece tu mente y tu cuerpo. Aumenta la
tolerancia al dolor, el umbral del dolor y la fortaleza mental. Esto le
facilita trabajar duro porque se vuelve más duro.
Más tiempo. Solo tres entrenamientos por semana. Cada uno

toma 45 minutos las primeras 12 semanas, máximo 80 minutos
después de eso. Así que pasarás un máximo de cuatro horas en el
gimnasio cada semana. Las otras 164 horas las puedes pasar sin
sentirte culpable con tu familia, amigos, pasatiempos, etc. Tendrás
una vida fuera del gimnasio.
Mas dinero. No necesitará suplementos costosos para obtener

resultados (la mayoría no funcionan de todos modos). Tampoco
necesitará mucho equipo. Puede construir fácilmente un gimnasio
en casa y entrenar desde su garaje como lo hice durante diez años.
Esto ahorra dinero en las tarifas del gimnasio.
Para obtener los mejores resultados, los hombres deben aumentar los
levantamientos principales a 140 kg / 300 lb en sentadilla, 100 kg / 220 lb
en banco y 180 kg / 400 lb de peso muerto. Cualquier cosa por debajo de
eso no es suficiente para ver mejoras dramáticas. Por lo tanto, su enfoque
debe ser aumentar el peso hasta alcanzar estos objetivos mínimos.
Advertencia: este programa parece fácil, pero no lo es. Estás agregando

peso en cada entrenamiento. Esto hace que su cuerpo gane fuerza y
músculo para levantar más peso en el próximo entrenamiento. Es la
forma más eficaz de entrenar, pero es un trabajo duro. Algunas personas
no tienen la fortaleza mental para ello. Si lo hace, ganará.
Músculos trabajados
StrongLifts 5 × 5 es un programa de entrenamiento de cuerpo completo.

Cada ejercicio trabaja varios músculos. Juntos, estos ejercicios
compuestos trabajan todo tu cuerpo. Esto es lo que hace que este
programa sea tan eficiente en el tiempo: puede entrenar cada músculo
haciendo solo tres ejercicios por entrenamiento.
This can be hard to believe if you’re used to train one muscle a day by
doing a dozen of exercises per workout. But you don’t need to train your
muscles directly for them to grow. They actually grow better with
compound exercises because you can lift heavier weights. This triggers
more growth.
This is why more strength is more muscle. The stronger you are, the
heavier the weights you can lift, and thus the more muscular you’ll be.
Your muscles must grow bigger to lift the heavier weights. It’s therefore
not the quantity of exercises you do that matters most. It’s the intensity.
La intensidad es mayor en los ejercicios compuestos porque puede usar

pesos más pesados. StrongLifts 5 × 5 utiliza los cinco mejores ejercicios
compuestos: "los cinco grandes". Aquí están todos los músculos deberá
trabajar haciendo la posición en cuclillas , prensa de banco , Overhead
Press , peso muerto y Barbell Fila cada semana ...
Pecho. Todo tu pecho trabaja para empujar la barra lejos de ti

cuando haces press de banca. La parte superior del pecho trabaja
para levantar el peso cuando presiona sobre la cabeza.
Espalda. Toda la cintura escapular (frontal, lateral, trasera) trabaja

para levantar los brazos cuando presiona por encima de la cabeza.
Los hombros delanteros también trabajan para levantar los brazos
cuando haces press de banca.
Brazos. Tus bíceps tiran del peso hacia ti cuando haces Remo con
barra. Tus tríceps empujan el peso cuando haces press de banca /
overhead Press. Tus brazos se contraen en cada ejercicio para

sostener la barra.
Antebrazos. Tus antebrazos mantienen la barra en tus manos en

todos los ejercicios. Trabajan muy duro en el peso muerto para
mantener las manos cerradas contra la gravedad para que no
pierda la barra.
Abdominales. Tus abdominales trabajan en cada ejercicio para

apoyar tu columna. Evitan que la parte baja de la espalda se
redondee en peso muerto, sentadillas y filas. Evitan que se arquee
en el Overhead Press.
Pantorrillas. Tus pantorrillas trabajan para enderezar tus tobillos

cuando haces sentadilla y peso muerto. También te estabilizan
cuando haces press de banca / sobre la cabeza y rema.
Trampas Tus trampas funcionan para mantener tus hombros en su

lugar cuando haces peso muerto y remo con barra. Transfieren
poder a la barra. También se contraen en la parte superior de su
Overhead Press.
Muslos. Tus cuádriceps, glúteos e isquiotibiales estiran las piernas

y las caderas cuando haces sentadilla y peso muerto. También te
mantienen estabilizado cuando haces press de banca / sobre la
cabeza y rema.
Atrás. La parte baja de la espalda evita que la columna se

redondee en peso muerto, sentadillas y remo. La parte superior de
la espalda tira del peso hacia atrás en las filas. También mantiene
la barra cerca de Deadlifts.
No puedes cometer el error de favorecer las partes del cuerpo en

StrongLifts 5 × 5. Los ejercicios compuestos trabajan todo tu cuerpo. Así
que no te convertirás en la parte superior del cuerpo de un capitán con
solo pecho y brazos, pero sin espalda ni piernas. En su lugar, desarrollará
un físico equilibrado y bien proporcionado.
De hecho, la distribución entre la parte superior e inferior del cuerpo es

casi uniforme. Durante dos semanas, haces 150 repeticiones de
sentadillas (inferior), 150 repeticiones de banco / OHP (superior), 15
repeticiones de DL (inferior) y 75 repeticiones de filas (superior). Ese 43%
de trabajo de la parte inferior del cuerpo frente al 57% de la parte superior
del cuerpo. Esto crea un desarrollo corporal equilibrado.
Tenga en cuenta que StrongLifts 5 × 5 no es un programa de

musculación. Construirás tu cuerpo. Va a construir el músculo . Mucho
músculo. Pero no te convertirás en culturista. En su lugar, construirás un
cuerpo musculoso y atlético. Uno que no solo parece fuerte, sino que
también lo es.
La clave es aumentar tu fuerza. No espere el desarrollo de pecho de un

banco de 100 kg / 220 libras si solo hace la mitad de eso. No espere
piernas como un Squatter de 180 kg / 400lb si ni siquiera puede hacer
sentadillas con dos platos. Apunta a 140 kg / 300 lb SQ, 100 kg / 220 lb
BP y 180 kg / 400 lb DL.
Por qué esto funciona
Según la leyenda, Milo de Croton entrenó para los Juegos Olímpicos

llevando un ternero cada día. El ternero se hizo más grande, lo que
aumentó el peso que llevaba. Esto hizo que su cuerpo ganara fuerza y
músculo. Lo convirtió en el mejor luchador de su tiempo. Milo ganó los
Juegos Olímpicos 6x.
Es solo una leyenda, pero hay muchas lecciones aquí. Comenzó ligero.
Añadió peso lentamente. Añadió peso en cada entrenamiento. Levantó un
objeto pesado que movió todo su cuerpo. Lo levantó con frecuencia. Lo
equilibró él mismo. Su programa fue simple. Pero fue un trabajo duro. Y
fue efectivo.
StrongLifts 5 × 5 no usa una pantorrilla. Pero funciona de la misma

manera. Y por eso es tan eficaz.
Pesas libres. Las máquinas equilibran el peso por ti. Los pesos
libres te obligan a equilibrarlo. Por lo tanto, involucran más
músculos, mejoran el equilibrio y desarrollan la fuerza que se
transfiere fuera del gimnasio. Los movimientos también son más
naturales y seguros porque controlas cómo se mueve la barra.
Barras. Puede levantar pesos más pesados con barras que con
mancuernas o pesas rusas. Por lo tanto, las pesas hacen que su
cuerpo gane fuerza y músculo con más fuerza. Y solo necesitas
uno para hacer todos los ejercicios StrongLifts 5 × 5. Esto hace que
la construcción de un gimnasio en casa sea barata y fácil.
Compuestos . Puede levantar más peso con compuestos como

sentadillas que con aislamiento como flexiones de piernas. Las
sentadillas usan más músculos: puede levantar más peso y, por lo
tanto, desarrollar más músculo. Y dado que los compuestos
trabajan varios músculos, no es necesario realizar miles de
millones de ejercicios. Tres es suficiente, ahorra tiempo.
Se pone en cuclillas. La sentadilla es la columna vertebral del

programa. Trabaja todo el cuerpo, con pesos pesados y en un
amplio rango de movimiento. Las sentadillas son el mejor ejercicio

para ganar fuerza y músculo. Los odiará porque son duros, los
amará por los resultados que brindan.
Light Start. StrongLifts 5×5 starts with light weights. This prevents

soreness. It gives your body time to adapt to lifting more frequently.
It prevents plateauing too early. It forces you to focus on lifting with
proper form. And it prepares you for the heavy weeks later.
Intensity. The workouts are short but intense. Each exercise works
several muscles at the same time, and the weight is heavier. But
you’re only doing three exercises so you don’t lose focus. By the
time you’re getting really tired, you’ve finished your workout.
Progressive Overload. Increasing the weight progressively triggers

your body to get stronger. Your body arms itself to better handle
the load next time. So your muscles get bigger, bones denser, and
tendons stronger. Not lifting heavy makes you lose muscle and
strength.
Frequency. Squatting three times a week is better than once

because you trigger your legs 3x more to grow muscle. You also
get to practice proper form three times more. This improves your
form which helps you lift more and triggers even more muscle
growth.
Fives. Puede levantar más peso si hace cinco repeticiones que

ocho, diez o doce. Tu forma es mejor porque la serie se termina
antes de que comience la fatiga. La cantidad total de series es la
misma si haces 5 × 5 o 3 × 8 (25 contra 24). El peso es más
pesado, lo que estimula un mayor crecimiento.
Sin fallos. Entrenar hasta el fracaso te excita y te irrita. El dolor le

impide volver a entrenar los músculos la misma semana. Sin
embargo, entrenar con más frecuencia provoca más ganancias de
fuerza y músculo. Por lo tanto, no intente fallar en StrongLifts 5 × 5.
Intentas agregar peso.
Descansar. Cada entrenamiento estimula la fuerza y la ganancia de

masa muscular. Te hace más fuerte. Pero también cansa tu
cuerpo. Necesita descansar entre los entrenamientos para que sus
músculos puedan recuperarse, fortalecerse y levantar pesos más
pesados la próxima vez. StrongLifts 5 × 5 le brinda cuatro días de
descanso a la semana.
Plan. No planificar es planificar el fracaso. La mayoría de la gente

no tiene ningún plan en el gimnasio. Hacen lo que les da la gana o
ven hacer a otra persona. StrongLifts 5 × 5 le brinda un plan para
cada día de entrenamiento. Te ofrece una forma sencilla de
progresar. Sabrá qué hacer y qué esperar. Estarás seguro.
Adherencia. El mejor programa de entrenamiento es aquel al que

realmente se adhiere. Es más fácil ceñirse a StrongLifts 5 × 5
porque solo se necesitan tres entrenamientos por semana. Y cada
entrenamiento lleva menos de una hora las primeras 12 semanas.
Saltará menos entrenamientos y será más consistente.
Objetivo. StrongLifts 5 × 5 está libre de BS subjetivos como "sentir

tus músculos" o cómo te miras en el espejo. Sabes si el programa
funciona mirando el peso en la barra. Si aumenta con el tiempo, y
lo hará, está ganando fuerza y músculo, punto.
Divertida. Muchas personas se vuelven adictas a aumentar de

peso en cada entrenamiento. Sentirá curiosidad por saber qué tan
lejos puede llegar con StrongLifts 5 × 5. Por primera vez, tendrá
ganas de ir al gimnasio y levantar más peso que la última vez. Tu
motivación se disparará por las nubes.
Sencillo. No necesitas un doctorado para entender StrongLifts 5 ×

5. Son solo dos entrenamientos con tres ejercicios cada uno.
Haces series de cinco y agregas peso cada vez. Hecho. Es incluso
más simple cuando usa la aplicación, ya que pensará todo por
usted para que pueda concentrarse en levantar objetos.
StrongLifts 5 × 5 se basa en el sentido común. Si eres un pensador lógico

como yo, este programa tendrá sentido para ti. Será obvio que este
programa es mucho más efectivo que las rutinas divididas de aislamiento
de un músculo al día con altas repeticiones en las que muchas personas
aún pierden tiempo y esfuerzo en 2017.
Videos de entrenamiento
Aquí hay dos videos en los que me pueden ver haciendo los dos
entrenamientos de StrongLifts 5 × 5. Estoy levantando las pesas que
estarás levantando en las semanas 8/9. También estoy completando
cada entrenamiento en menos de treinta minutos. Mira ambos videos y
escúchame respondiendo preguntas comunes.
https://youtu.be/EP2g3Sj3qSw
https://youtu.be/ro3Mh9o7JPU
Orígenes del 5 × 5
StrongLifts 5 × 5 se basa en la rutina 5 × 5. No inventé el 5 × 5; solo escribí
una guía definitiva sobre él en 2007 y creé aplicaciones para él en 2010.
No está claro quién inventó la rutina 5 × 5, pero parece que ha existido
durante casi 100 años. Aquí hay una breve historia sobre sus orígenes ...
En Muscle, Smoke and Mirrors , Randy Roach escribió que Milo Steinborn
trajo el Squat a los EE. UU. Desde Alemania en la década de 1920. Los
Power Racks aún no existían, así que colocó la barra verticalmente y
luego la dejó caer en la parte superior de la espalda. Milo podría hacer
sentadillas con 250 kg / 550 lb para repeticiones como esta ...
Los levantadores estadounidenses fueron derribados y pronto

comenzaron a ponerse en cuclillas también. El entrenador de
levantamiento de pesas Mark Berry ganó 50 libras de peso corporal al
ponerse en cuclillas. A finales de la década de 1930, en su revista
Strength, les decía a todos que se pusieran en cuclillas . Parecía haber
sido el primero en escribir sobre la rutina 5 × 5.
Dos décadas después en el Reino Unido, Reg Park fue 3x Mr Universe.

Podía hacer sentadillas con 600 libras, en banco de 500 libras y peso
muerto con 700 libras. En 1960 puso todo lo que aprendió en su libro
Strength & Bulk Training for Weight Lifters & Body Builders . Su programa
principal era una rutina de 5 × 5 que giraba en torno a las sentadillas.
Reg Park se convirtió más tarde en el mentor de toda la vida de Arnold

Schwarzenegger. Sus biografías Total Recall y The Education of a
Bodybuilder revelan que Arnold hizo mucho trabajo pesado. Era un
levantador de pesas olímpico competitivo y levantador de pesas antes de
convertirse en culturista. Lo más probable es que Reg Park también
hiciera que Arnold hiciera 5 × 5.
Meanwhile the Canadian weightlifter Doug Hepburn won Gold at the 1953
Olympics. He was big on 5×5 and could Squat 760lb, Bench Press 580lb
and Deadlift 705lb. Interestingly, Hepburn trained in Ed Yaricks gym in
California which Reg Park visited in 1949. They might have met…
Many people consider Bill Starr the father of the 5×5 routine. In 1976 he
popularized it in his book The Strongest Shall Survive. Starr called
his program “The Big Three” – aimed at football, it was centered around
the Squat, Bench Press and Power Clean for five sets of five reps.
I discovered the 5×5 routine in 2003 on the Internet. There was a forum
poster “John Smith” writing about it (he turned out to be weightlifting
coach Glenn Pendlay). And there was Madcow who talked to Pendlay and
wrote about 5×5 on the now defunct Geocities. Their writings sold me on
5×5.
In 2007 my mentor told me to start a website about lifting. I didn’t want to

at first, but then went for it. In June that year I wrote a definitive guide on
the 5×5 routine. People found it helpful, started to call it StrongLifts 5×5,
and somehow it became popular. In 2010 I created the first app for 5×5.
But I didn’t invent 5×5. The routine and its principles have been around
long before I was born. And it will be around long after I’m gone. Many
training programs come and go. But the 5×5 routine has stood the test of
times. The reason should be obvious – it’s simple, and actually works.
Program
Workouts
StrongLifts 5×5 triggers strength and muscle growth in your whole body
using two workouts A and B. You Squat every workout as first exercise
because that’s the backbone of the program. The next two exercises
change based on whether you do workout A or B. The workouts…
Workout A: Squat 5×5, Bench Press 5×5, Barbell Row 5×5
Workout B: Squat 5×5, Overhead Press 5×5, Deadlift 1×5
Do one workout per day. If this doesn’t feel enough then the weight is too
light. Be patient or increase the weight. Once the weight is heavy you
won’t be able to do more than three exercises without losing strength.
Bench tires your shoulders for OHPress, and Rows tire your back for
Deadlifts.
Alternate workout A and B every time you train. Start with workout A

today, do workout B in two days, then do workout A again. This means
some weeks you’ll do A/B/A, some B/A/B. If you don’t get this
then download the spreadsheets, or use the app as they alternate
workouts for you.
Wait at least one day between two workouts. This gives your body time to
recover, get stronger and build muscle to lift heavier next workout. Don’t
workout two days in a row – the weight will be harder to lift and you’ll
miss reps because your muscles aren’t fully recovered yet.
Do three workouts a week. Most people train Monday/Wednesday/Friday

but Tu/Th/Sa or Su/Tu/Th works too. As long as you wait at least one day
between two workouts, it’s fine. Try to train the same days and times each
week. This creates a habit that will increase your consistency.
You could do four workouts a week. You still have that day off inbetween
but progress will be slightly faster. Most people like having two days off in
a row though. And those who start with four usually switch to three later.
So stick with three. Your training schedule will be more consistent.
If you miss one or two workouts, continue where you left off. Let’s say you
train Mo/We/Fr and miss Friday. Do that workout on Saturday. No need to
lower the weight, you don’t lose strength that fast. The continue on
Mo/We/F the week after. Again, use the app, they take care of all of this.
Tenga en cuenta que estos tres entrenamientos por semana son un

programa de entrenamiento completo. No puedes hacer StrongLifts 5 × 5
encima de otro programa. Dañaría su recuperación y le impediría
aumentar de peso en cada entrenamiento. Te perderías las repeticiones,
te estabilizarías y no llegarías a ninguna parte. Haga este programa o el
otro, no ambos.
Ejercicios
En StrongLifts 5 × 5 haces cinco ejercicios: sentadilla, press de banca,
peso muerto, press de hombros y remo con barra. Cada entrenamiento
comienza con Sentadillas. Los otros ejercicios alternan cada
entrenamiento.
Ponte en cuclillas . La columna vertebral del programa. Las

sentadillas fortalecen las piernas y todo lo demás con pesos
pesados. La barra se mueve a través de un rango de movimiento
más largo que cualquier otro ejercicio.
Press de banca . El equivalente de la sentadilla en la parte superior

del cuerpo. El banco fortalece el pecho, los hombros y los brazos.
El peso es más pesado que en cualquier otro ejercicio para la parte
superior del cuerpo.
Peso muerto . Trenes que tiran mucho peso del suelo con una
columna neutra. Fortalece el agarre, las piernas y toda la espalda.
El peso es más pesado que en cualquier otro ejercicio de este
programa.
Prensa de arriba . Trenes levantando pesas por encima de la

cabeza. Fortalece tus hombros y todo lo que hay debajo de la
barra. El levantamiento más difícil de los cinco, aquí levantará la
menor cantidad de peso.
Remo con barra . Trenes tirando de peso hacia ti, como remar en
un bote. Fortalece toda la espalda y los brazos. Las filas son
trabajos de asistencia para los otros cuatro ejercicios.
Realiza estos cinco ejercicios porque le permiten levantar el peso más

pesado. Puede hacer sentadillas con más peso de lo que puede hacer
sentadillas frontales. Las sentadillas, por lo tanto, desencadenan más
ganancias de fuerza y músculo , por lo que están en el programa. Cada
ejercicio le permite levantar los pesos más pesados para trabajar sus
principales grupos de músculos.
Utilice una barra para cada ejercicio. Puede levantar el peso más pesado
con una barra. Por lo tanto, es la mejor herramienta para hacer que su
cuerpo desarrolle fuerza y músculo. También es la mejor herramienta
para progresar porque puede comenzar liviano con solo la barra y agregar
pesos tan bajos como 0.5 kg / 1 lb en cada entrenamiento.
La barra debe moverse libremente. No se puede conectar a una máquina

porque eso le quita trabajo a los músculos. Tienes que equilibrar el peso
tú mismo, no dejar que lo haga una máquina. También necesita un control
total sobre cómo se mueve la barra; una máquina no puede determinar la
trayectoria de la barra.
Así que no hagas StrongLifts 5 × 5 en la máquina Smith. Su barra fija hace

que tus músculos trabajen menos ya que no tienes que equilibrarla.
También lo obliga a realizar movimientos antinaturales que pueden
causar dolor y lesiones. Incluso la máquina smith 3D más nueva tiene el
problema anterior, por lo que tampoco es buena.
Las mancuernas tampoco funcionan para este programa. No puede hacer

sentadillas o peso muerto pesado porque sostener las pesas es el factor
limitante. Y la mayoría de las mancuernas suben 2 kg / 5 libras. Te obligan
a usar incrementos más grandes de 4 kg / 10 libras por entrenamiento. Se
estabilizará antes y con más frecuencia que con una barra.
Kettlebells don’t work for similar reasons. I can Squat 180kg/400lb with a
bar. The heaviest kettlebell is 48kg. And holding one in each hand is
harder than Squatting it so you’re not challenging your legs. Plus
kettlebells go up by 4kg. They’re great for cardio but don’t substitute a
barbell.
Safety concerns usually makes people prefer the smith machine or

dumbbells. But you’re not the first one to think about your safety. Many
strong lifters lift heavier weights than we’ll ever lift. Failing their weights
could kill them. Yet the rate of injury is low because they’ve already solved
this problem…
1. Levante el Power Rack. Los escaladores usan una cuerda para

atraparlos si se caen. Los StrongLifters usan un Power Rack para
atrapar la barra si fallan. He levantado mayoritariamente solo
durante más de 10 años en el gimnasio de mi casa. Fallé mucho,
pero nunca me quedé atascado debajo de la barra porque levanté
el Power Rack.
2. Arranque ligero. No pones cuatro platos en la barra porque lees

Puedo ponerme en cuclillas. Aprendes a caminar antes de intentar
correr. Comience con la barra vacía y agregue un poco de peso en
cada entrenamiento. A medida que aumenta el peso, también
aumentará su experiencia, comodidad y confianza con el peso.
3. Utilice la forma adecuada. Previene lesiones, mejora la eficiencia y

aumenta la fuerza y las ganancias musculares. Mantenga su
columna vertebral neutral para evitar lesiones en la espalda baja.
Mantenga los muslos y los pies alineados para evitar lesiones en
las rodillas. No ensanche sus hombros. Lea mis guías de

ejercicios.
Es posible que su gimnasio no tenga un Power Rack o incluso una barra.

No tengo una varita mágica para hacer aparecer una. Vaya a un gimnasio
real o construya un gimnasio en casa. De lo contrario, estás atrapado
haciendo un programa inferior al que tienes. Pero no bastardice este
programa. Hágalo según lo establecido o no lo haga todo.
La sustitución de cualquier ejercicio hará que el programa sea menos

eficaz. Presentará ejercicios que provocan menos fuerza y ganancias
musculares porque no puede hacer tanto peso. O utilizará máquinas en
las que no equilibre la barra. No hay mejores ejercicios que estos cinco.
Son los mejores.
La clave es utilizar la forma adecuada mediante un rango de movimiento

completo. Una media sentadilla no desarrollará las piernas como lo hace
una sentadilla adecuada ; tus músculos solo trabajan la mitad del
movimiento. Lo mismo ocurre con las medias repeticiones en banco: no
trabaja bien los músculos del pecho. Lea las guías para hacer bien los
ejercicios.
Utilice el mismo rango de movimiento en cada repetición, serie y

entrenamiento independientemente del peso. No acortes la ROM cuando
empieces a tener problemas solo para poder obtener tus repeticiones. De
lo contrario, no sabrá si puede levantar más porque se hizo más fuerte o
porque simplemente está engañando a la ROM. Mantenlo constante.
Orden de ejercicio
El orden de los ejercicios de StrongLifts 5 × 5 no es aleatorio sino a
propósito. Apégate a ello.
Empiece siempre con las sentadillas . Son el ejercicio más difícil y la

columna vertebral del programa. Si hace sentadillas en segundo o último
lugar, los hará más difíciles porque ya está cansado. Por lo tanto, es más
probable que los omita (especialmente si odia las sentadillas). Póngase
en cuclillas primero para que no pueda racionalizar su salida.
Press de banco o desde arriba a continuación. Esto le da a sus piernas y

espalda baja antes de que las necesite nuevamente en Barbell Rows y
Deadlifts . Si invierte el orden de los ejercicios, tendrá dificultades en esos
ejercicios. La parte baja de la espalda y las piernas estarán cansadas de
las sentadillas. Los necesita para filas y peso muerto.
Starting with Deadlifts tires your lower back for Squats. Squats tire it for
Deadlifts too. But you only Deadlift for 1×5 after Squats. Squatting for 5×5
is hard, and Squatting for 5×5 after Deadlifts is even harder. You’re going
to be tempted to cut your Squats short or skip them alltogether.
Sticking to the same exercise order every workouts also makes it easier to
track improvements. If you keep everything constant except the weight,
then you know that when you can lift heavier, it’s because you got
stronger. Not because you did this exercise first today and were more
fresh.
Squatting first makes you tired for the Bench/OHP. But your goal isn’t to
show strength. Your goal is to build it. Besides, powerlifters Bench/
Deadlift after Squats too in competitions. Get used to it.
Don’t Squat one set, Bench one set, Row one set and then go back to
Squats. Do five sets of five on one exercise before moving to the next one.
Stay focused on one exercise instead of rushing from one to the
other. You’ll have better technique which will help you lift heavier weights.
The Power Rack may not be free when you arrive in the gym. Or the Bench
might be taken when you’re done Squatting. I encounter these situations
all the time but never change the exercise order of my workout. Just ask
how much time he has left. You’ll get one of these replies…
1. Usually he’ll tell you he only has one or two sets left. Great – you
just wait. Gather your plates and stuff. Warmup for Squats maybe
with a few stretches. He’ll be done in five minutes so then it’s your
turn. Good you didn’t change the exercise order.
2. A veces acaba de empezar o todavía le quedan muchas series por

hacer. Esperar llevaría demasiado tiempo. Pregúntele si puede
unirse y hacer sus series mientras él descansa entremedio. Nunca
me han negado una vez en 18 años de entrenamiento. De hecho,
así fue como conocí a mi primer mentor. No seas tímido, hazlo.
No importa si levantas menos que el otro. He levantado con personas que

podían hacer sentadillas con 700 libras. No les importó. Mientras ayudes
a cargar la barra para sus sets, no te quejes y no pierdas el tiempo,
estarán geniales. Esta es la mejor forma de hacer amigos en el gimnasio.
De nuevo, hazlo.
Series y repeticiones
Hacer cinco conjuntos de trabajo de cinco repeticiones (5 × 5) en Se pone
en cuclillas , banco , Overhead Press y filas . Peso muerto solo una serie
de trabajo de cinco repeticiones (1 × 5). Calentamiento con pesos ligeros
antes de sus trabajos pesados.
5 × 5 significa cinco series de cinco repeticiones con el mismo peso.

Entonces, sentadillas 5 × 5 90 kg / 200 lb significa que haces sentadillas
con este peso durante cinco repeticiones en los cinco conjuntos de
trabajo. 1 × 5 significa una serie de cinco repeticiones, no cinco series de
una repetición. Así que Deadlift 1 × 5 140 kg / 300 lb es un conjunto de
trabajo pesado en el que tira 140 kg / 300 lb durante cinco repeticiones.
5 × 5 Deadlifts después de 5 × 5 Squats no funciona. El peso muerto usa

más músculos. El peso es más pesado y cada repetición comienza desde
un punto muerto más duro. Tirar pesado por 5 × 5 es brutal. En lugar de
acelerar tu progreso, lo ralentizarás al perder más repeticiones. Peso

muerto solo 1 × 5, es suficiente.
StrongLifts 5 × 5 usa series de cinco repeticiones, no ocho o diez

repeticiones como en 3 × 8 o 3 × 10. Eso no significa que hacer ocho o
diez repeticiones sea inútil. Pero no es eficaz para las personas que no
han desarrollado primero la fuerza básica, la masa muscular y la técnica .
He aquí por qué cinco repeticiones funcionan mejor:
Mayor peso. Cinco repeticiones hacen que tus series sean cortas.
Se acaban antes de que te canses. Entonces puedes levantar más
peso con cinco que con ocho o diez repeticiones. Los pesos
pesados activan más su cuerpo para ganar fuerza y músculo.
Tiene que fortalecerse y desarrollar músculo para levantar pesos
más grandes.
Más progreso. Puede agregar 2.5 kg / 5lb en cada entrenamiento

más fácilmente cuando hace cinco repeticiones porque puede
levantar más peso. Esto significa que puede aplicar una
sobrecarga progresiva durante más tiempo sin estabilizarse.
Levantarás más peso, te harás más fuerte y, por lo tanto,
construirás más masa muscular haciendo cinco.
Mejor forma. La serie más corta hace que sea más fácil
concentrarse en levantar objetos con la forma adecuada. Y como
se acaba antes de que te canses, puedes mantener esa forma
adecuada por más tiempo. Esto aumenta su eficiencia y seguridad
de elevación. Puede levantar pesos más pesados sin lesionarse.
The total reps is the same on 5×5 and 3×8 – 25 vs 24 reps. But the weight
is higher on 5×5. Let’s say you Squat 100kg for 3×8. You can Squat at
least 105kg if you do 5×5 instead. That’s why 5×5 makes more sense –
you’re working your muscles with heavier weight. This triggers more
growth.
Five sets also give you almost double the form practice than three sets.
The more you practice proper form, the more efficient you become. This
increases how much you lift and decreases injuries. The 1×5 Deadlifts
give you less practice but you can fix that by doing fives on your warmup
sets.
Rest Times
Rest as long as you need between sets to get five reps on your next set.
The first weeks of StrongLifts 5×5 you don’t need much rest time because
the weights are light. But as your work weight increases and becomes
more challenging, you’ll need to rest more. Here’s what I recommend…
1min30 if you easily completed five reps on your last set
3min if you struggled to get five reps on your last set
5min if you failed to get five reps on your last set
Rest times matter because ATP is your primary energy source for lifting.
Each set depletes your ATP stores. It takes three minutes for them to
recover 80%. Rest five minutes and you have 95% back. So resting longer
between sets gives you more ATP for your next set. It helps you lift
heavier.
Short rest times make you sweat more and cause more pump. But they
limit how heavy you can go by forcing you to lift with depleted ATP stores.
The goal of StrongLifts 5×5 is to lift heavy because that triggers maximum
strength and muscle gains. Rest longer so you can go heavy.
The drawback of longer rest times is that it makes your workouts take

longer. You can fix that by only resting longer when needed. You don’t
need to rest between exercises or light warmup sets – just set the
equipment, add weight and go. Keep longer rest times for your hard work
sets.
One way to know if you’re ready for your next set is by paying attention to
your breathing. Your heart rate will be elevated after a hard set and you’ll
be breathing heavily. When both go back to normal, it usually means
you’re ready for your next set. Don’t start a set still breathing hard.
My app has a built-in rest timer to guide you. It tells you how long to rest
between work sets, warmup sets and exercises. It suggests different rest
times if your last set was easy, hard, or if you missed reps. It also pings
you when it’s time to do your next set. Download the app here.
Stay focused between sets. You can sit on a bench, but I like to stand.
Review your form if you just taped yourself. Look at your training history in
my app. Maybe visualize yourself doing your next set with perfect form.
But avoid too much socializing as you’ll lose focus and track of time.
Lifting Tempo
Use the lifting tempo that lets you lift the heaviest weights with proper
form. Lifting slow is no good because it wastes strength. But lifting too
fast makes it harder to control the bar and lift with proper form. You must
be in control of the bar at all times. Just don’t be slow.
The first weeks of StrongLifts 5×5 you’ll have to lift more slowly so you
can practice proper form. But as you gain experience you can start
accelerating the bar on the way up. This recruits more muscle fibers and
helps you lift heavier weights. It’s not cheating but more effective.
Always lower the bar under control. Don’t lower it slowly because that
wastes strength. But don’t drop the bar either. Control it on the way down
so you can maintain proper form. The bar should go down faster than it
moves up. And the bar path should be as close to vertical as possible.
Lifting slow causes more pump and fatigue. But it also limits how heavy
you can go. The goal on this program is to lift heavy. You can lift heavier
when you lift fast. That’s why lifting fast recruits more muscle fibers – the
heavier weight forces more muscles to get involved to lift it.
Levantar rápido no significa que la barra se moverá realmente rápido. Tus

pesas de calentamiento más ligeras se moverán rápido. Pero sus
conjuntos de trabajo pesado no siempre funcionarán. La barra a veces
puede moverse lentamente en repeticiones duras, también conocidas
como grinders. El caso es que pones todas tus fuerzas en la barra
intentando acelerarla.
Tómate tu tiempo entre repeticiones. Descansa un segundo antes de

hacer la siguiente repetición para que puedas ponerte firme y respirar
profundamente. Esto también le dará algo de recuperación. No apresure
sus repeticiones o perderá la concentración y levantará con mala forma.
Pero tampoco espere demasiado o la siguiente repetición será más difícil.
Respiración
La regla general es tomar un gran respiro antes de hacer la repetición,
aguantarlo mientras hace la repetición y luego exhalar cuando haya
terminado su repetición.
Su presión arterial aumentará cuando contenga la respiración de esta

manera. Pero su cuerpo se acostumbrará a esto, especialmente si
comienza con la barra vacía y sube lentamente. Su corazón es un
músculo y se fortalecerá como todos los demás músculos.
Ignora a las personas que te dicen que inhales al bajar o exhales al subir y
tonterías similares. Todo eso libera presión, pero también debilita tu torso.
Hace que la zona lumbar sea más propensa a lesionarse.
El objetivo de respirar profundamente y contenerlo es crear presión en el

abdomen. Esta presión aumenta el soporte de su espalda baja. Hace que
su espalda baja sea más segura y menos propensa a lesionarse. Exhalar
durante las repeticiones hace lo contrario.
Esta es la forma correcta de respirar en cada ejercicio:
Peso muerto / Remo con barra . Baje el peso al suelo y espere a

que la barra esté quieta antes de realizar la siguiente repetición.
Use este descanso para restablecerse: columna neutra y pecho
hacia arriba. Luego respire profundamente y tire. Esto no debería
tomar más de un segundo para que no pierda el reflejo de
estiramiento.
Sentadillas / Press de banca . Ponga el peso en cuclillas y bloquee

las caderas y las rodillas. Levante el peso en banco y bloquee los
codos. Luego descansa un segundo para ponerte firme para la
siguiente repetición. Aprieta la barra, levanta el pecho y respira
profundamente. Luego haz tu siguiente repetición.
Prensa de arriba . Baja la barra a tu pecho. Descanse un segundo

para que sus antebrazos estén verticales al piso y levante el pecho.
Luego respire profundamente y presione la siguiente repetición.
Una técnica avanzada que funciona bien en el press de banca y sobre la

cabeza es presionar varias repeticiones con una respiración. No exhalar
significa que no pierde tensión. Pero debe poder contener la respiración
durante 2-3 repeticiones para que esto funcione. Intente esto más tarde
cuando tenga más experiencia.
Días de descanso
Haz tres entrenamientos StrongLifts 5 × 5 por semana. Espere al menos
un día entre dos entrenamientos. Si levanta el peso de lunes / miércoles /
viernes, tendrá cuatro días de descanso a la semana los martes, jueves,
sábados y domingos.
Los días de descanso son cruciales para obtener resultados en este

programa. El peso tensiona tu cuerpo en cada entrenamiento. Esto hace
que se fortalezca y desarrolle masa muscular para que pueda hacer
frente mejor al siguiente entrenamiento de peso. Pero su cuerpo necesita

tiempo para recuperarse, ganar fuerza y agregar músculo.
Workouts also cause fatigue. They increase your strength, fitness and
endurance in the long-term. But in the short-term they tire your body,
muscles and mind. You need rest days to start your next workout fresh.
Otherwise you can’t lift more weight than you did last time.
Doing two workouts in a row therefore doesn’t work. Your legs will still be
tired for Squats, shoulders still tired to press, back still tired to pull. Worse,
you could still be sore from your last workout if it was hard. This will make
you struggle to lift more weight. You’ll miss reps and plateau.
Your schedule may force you to workout two days in a row. Once in a
while is fine but every week will hurt your progress. If it’s the only way,
spread the workouts as much as possible – one early in the morning, the
other late in the evening the next day. This gives your body more recovery
time.
Rest days doesn’t mean bed rest. You can do any physical activity as long
as it doesn’t hurt your recovery by causing more fatigue. A walk or light
jog is fine. A marathon is not. Avoid high intensity activities where you go
all out. Give priority to the weights and you’ll make better progress.
This means if you’re used to go by bike to work, it’s probably okay to keep

doing it even on your rest days. Your body is already used to it. Your legs
might actually recover faster because this flushes blood and nutrients in
your legs. If you never biked to work, probably a bad idea to start now.
Progression
Increase the weight on every exercise where you did five reps on every
set last workout. So if you Squatted five reps with 100kg/220lb on all five
sets, then Squat 102.5kg/225lb next workout. It doesn’t matter if you
failed on other exercises. You did 5×5 Squats. So add weight to it.
Here are the increments to use:
Squat: 2.5kg/5lb – that’s one plate of 1.25kg/2.5lb on both sides of

the bar.
Bench/OHP/Row: 2.5kg/5lb. But smaller increments of 1kg/2lb

work even better. Especially if you’re small or female. You’ll
progress longer without missing reps and plateauing.
Deadlift: 5kg/10lb – that’s 2.5kg/5lb on both sides of the bar.

Deadlifts use big muscles so you can handle more. Once you
Deadlift 100kg/220lb, switch to 2.5kg/5lb per workout.
Free: download the StrongLifts 5×5 spreadsheet to get your first 12

weeks of training calculated for you. You’ll know the exercises,
weights, sets & reps to do. And the progress graphs will keep you
motivated. Signup to my daily email tips to get the spreadsheet. Just
click here.
Algunos gimnasios no tienen platos pequeños de 1,25 kg / 2,5 libras para

agregar 2,5 kg / 5 libras en cada entrenamiento. Pídales que consigan un
par o que compren su propio juego. Ponlo en tu bolsa de gimnasia y
llévatelo contigo en todo momento. Los platos pequeños no ocupan
espacio y pesan poco. Te ayudarán a progresar por más tiempo sin llegar
a estancamientos.
Lo que no funciona es agregar 2.5 kg / 5 lb solo en un lado de la barra.

Esto cambia el centro de gravedad. Tendrá que ajustar su agarre para
compensarlo, luego ajustarlo nuevamente cuando la barra esté cargada
de manera uniforme. Esto es pedir una mala forma, una carga desigual de
su cuerpo y una lesión. Solo consigue platos pequeños.
Lo que tampoco funciona es agregar 5 kg / 10 lb por entrenamiento (2.5

kg / 5 lb por lado). Funciona por un tiempo en SQ / DL pero no por mucho
tiempo. Y solo funciona unos pocos entrenamientos en Bench / OHPress.

El salto de peso es demasiado grande, por lo que rápidamente perderá
repeticiones, se estancará y se frustrará. Comparar:
Agregar 5 libras a una sentadilla de 500 libras es un incremento del

1%
Agregar 5 libras a una sentadilla de 200 libras es un incremento del

2.5% - 2.5 veces más
Agregar 5 libras a una prensa aérea de 100 libras es un incremento

del 5%, 5 veces más
Agregar 10 libras a una prensa aérea de 100 libras es un

incremento del 10%, 10 veces más
Agregar 2.5 libras a una prensa aérea de 100 libras es un

incremento del 2.5%
Agregar 1 libra a una prensa aérea de 100 libras es un incremento

del 1%
Cuanto menos peso levante, más difícil será agregar 5 kg / 10 lb en cada

entrenamiento. Puedes hacerlo en SQ / DL por un tiempo porque usan
músculos grandes (piernas, espalda). Como resultado, el peso es más
pesado. Pero Bench / OHP usa músculos pequeños (pecho, hombros,
brazos). El peso es menor, lo que dificulta los grandes saltos.
Es por eso que las mancuernas no funcionan para este programa. Por lo
general, aumentan en 2 kg / 5 libras. Esto te obliga a agregar 4 kg / 10 lb
por entrenamiento, ya que tienes uno en cada mano. Pasar de pesas de
50 libras a 60 libras es un aumento del 20%. Esto es demasiado,
demasiado pronto. Te hace perder repeticiones y estancarte.
Es más fácil progresar sin llegar a una meseta que tener que romperla.
Los platos pequeños retrasan las mesetas. Así que consigue un par de
1,25 kg / 2,5 libras. Luego, obtenga también placas fraccionarias de 0.5 kg
/ 1 lb para que pueda microcargar en el banco / OHP agregando solo 1 kg

/ 2 lb por entrenamiento. Cuanto más ligero eres, más necesitas esto.
The program progresses faster when using kg than lb. This is because the
default increment of 2.5kg equals 5.51lb. So if you use kg like me, you’ll
Squat 7.5kg/16.5lb more in 12 weeks than the guy using lb. This is fine for
SQ/DL. But you’ll need to microload sooner on Bench and OHPress.
The first two weeks you can add 10kg/20lb on SQ/DL, 5kg/10lb on
BP/OHP/Row. This accelerates your progress when the empty bar feels
too easy to start with. But lower the increments before you struggle to get
your reps. Remember avoiding plateaus is easier than needing to break
them.
Some workouts will be so hard it will seem impossible to get 5×5 next
time with more weight. But remember each workout makes you stronger.
So stick to the progression and increase the weight anyway. You’ll be
surprised how often the next workout turns out to be easier.
Starting Weights
Start light so your body can get used to Squatting, pressing and pulling
three times a week. Focus on lifting with proper form meanwhile. This will
prepare you for the heavy weights later.
Starting too heavy will cause soreness. You’ll feel like skipping your next
workout which is usually the beginning of the end. One skipped workout
often turns into two skipped workouts. Now you have to restart and lost a
week. This ruins your motivation and usually ends the program.
Some guys will start too heavy on Squats, because they’re used to cycling
or running. But this is irrelevant. The range of motion is smaller on
cycling/running vs Squats. Your legs will sore if you start too heavy on
Squats, even if you’re used to do triathlons or ironman.
Empezar demasiado fuerte también provoca mesetas. Si comienza con

su máximo de cinco repeticiones hoy, no podrá levantar más dos días
después ... y otros dos días después. Te perderás repeticiones, te sentirás
adolorido y terminarás atascado. Su peso inicial debe ser liviano para que
tenga espacio para agregar peso fácilmente para varios entrenamientos.
La idea errónea es pensar que las pesas livianas no desarrollan fuerza ni

músculos. Por supuesto, levantar objetos pesados es mejor. Y trabajará
para lograrlo con StrongLifts 5 × 5. Pero los pesos más ligeros hacen que
su cuerpo también gane fuerza y músculo. No es necesario que levantes
tu máximo absoluto cada vez.
El otro problema de comenzar demasiado fuerte es que fomenta la mala

forma. En lugar de practicar la forma adecuada con un peso fácil, debes
levantarlo a toda costa para obtener tus repeticiones. Esto genera malos
hábitos de técnica que causarán estancamientos y lesiones más
adelante, cuando el peso sea aún mayor.
Empezar fuerte es intentar acelerar tu progreso. Crees que te hará más

fuerte más rápido. Pero no es así porque terminas perdiendo repeticiones,
te duele, te saltas los entrenamientos y tienes que reiniciar con menos
peso. Pensará que el programa no funciona y tendrá ganas de dejarlo.
Recuerda la fábula del conejo que perdió la carrera ante una tortuga. No
querrás ser el conejo que comienza pesado, se pone adolorido / atascado
y luego tiene que reiniciar. Quieres ser como la tortuga: comenzar con
poco peso, aumentar de peso de manera constante y llegar más rápido
evitando el dolor y las mesetas en el camino.
Tus pesos iniciales dependen de tu fuerza y experiencia. Descarga mis

hojas de cálculo y aplicaciones , ellos calcularán tus pesos iniciales por
ti. Aquí está la idea básica ...
Si ha hecho estos ejercicios antes, con la forma adecuada,

comience con el 50% de su máximo. Entonces, si puede hacer
sentadillas 5x100 kg / 220 lb, comience con 50 kg / 110 lb. Esto
será fácil, pero dentro de dos meses estarás en cuclillas 110 kg /
245 lb por 5 × 5, más de lo que comenzaste.
Si nunca ha hecho estos ejercicios o no ha levantado peso en años,

comience con la barra vacía. Puede parecer ridículo por un tiempo,
pero el peso aumentará con cada entrenamiento. En tres meses,
estarás en cuclillas con 100 kg / 220 lb durante 5 × 5, más que la
mayoría de las personas.
Deadlift y Barbell Row no comienzas con la barra vacía. No puedes hacer

estos ejercicios con la barra en el aire. Cada repetición debe comenzar
desde el suelo. Comience con 40 kg / 95 lb en DL y 30 kg / 65 lb en Row
(peso de la barra incluido). Use placas de diámetro completo para que la
barra comience en la mitad de la espinilla en cada repetición.
Si la barra vacía es demasiado pesada para empezar, utilice una barra

más ligera. Este es un problema común en las mujeres que tienen menos
fuerza en la parte superior del cuerpo. Utilice la barra de 5 kg / 10 libras o
dos mancuernas ligeras. Agrega peso en cada entrenamiento. El
programa te hará más fuerte. Cambie a la barra cuando pueda levantar 20
kg / 45 lb.
Si el peso inicial es demasiado ligero, puede solucionarlo utilizando

incrementos más grandes para un par de entrenamientos. En lugar de
agregar solo 2.5 kg / 5 lb, agregue 5 kg / 10 lb o tal vez incluso 10 kg / 20
lb en SQ / DL. Regrese a los incrementos recomendados una vez que los
pesos se vuelvan más desafiantes.
Comprenda que gana poco al comenzar pesado, ya que los pesos

aumentan rápidamente de todos modos. Lo que pierde es el tiempo
dedicado a trabajar de forma adecuada con pesos más ligeros. Esto se
convierte en una gran ventaja cuando los pesos se vuelven pesados. Así
que sea conservador con sus pesos iniciales.
If you make the mistake of starting too heavy, you should go to the gym
anyway for your next workout, but lower the weights.
Warmup
Do several lighter warmup sets before your heavy work sets. Warmup with
the empty bar. Add 10-20kg/25-45lb and do your next warmup set.
Repeat until you reach your work weight.
Warming up increases how much you can lift while decreasing the risk of
injury. The warmup sets raise the temperature of your muscles and
lubricate your joints. They also give you form practice before lifting heavy.
And they prepare you mentally for the heavy weights to come.
Never jump into your heavy work sets without warming up first. The
weight will feel heavier and you’ll miss reps more. Worse, you can injure
yourself because your muscles are cold and you didn’t get to practice
proper form. Always warmup by doing several lighter sets first.
Cardio pre-workout isn’t enough. It raises your body’s temperature but

doesn’t let you practice proper form. You must still do lighter warmup-
sets. Also, too much cardio pre-workout will pre-exhaust your legs for
Squats. Skip the cardio and do lighter warmup sets – it will save you time.
The proper way to warmup is to start with two sets of five with the empty
bar. Add 10-20kg/25-45lb and do your next warmup set for 2-3 reps.
Keep adding weight until you reach your work weight. Don’t rest between
warmup sets to keep your workouts shorts. Only rest after the last one.
If your work weight is the empty bar, then you don’t need to warmup yet.
The weight is too light to get injured plus doing extra sets could tire you
out. If you insist on warming up, then do 2×5 body-weight Squats first. For
BP/OHP you can warmup by doing 2×5 with a lighter bar or two
dumbbells.
Deadlift and Barbell Rows need less warmup because they’re the last
exercise. You’re already warmed up by that point. Plus the starting weight
can’t be the empty bar because the weight has to start from the floor. So
you’re never warming up with the empty bar on Deadlift and Barbell Row.
The StrongLifts app has a built-in warmup calculator that gives you the
exact sets, reps and weights to warmup with. It gives you this for every
exercise and weight. You need StrongLifts Pro to gain access to it, but
you’ll see that this feature alone is worth the price.
Or you can use one of those free warmup calculators online. But they all
suck. The mistake they make is to make you do five warmup sets
regardless of how heavy your work weight is. Weaker people end up doing
too many warmup sets while stronger people don’t get enough.
Examples…
100lb Squat – 5x45lb, 5x45lb, 5x45lb, 3x60lb, 2x80lb, 5×5

100lb. Terrible – you lifted 1015lb before you even started. Too
many sets, too close weight jumps. This wastes strength. My app –
5x45lb, 5x45lb, 3x65lb, 5×5 100lb. That’s 41% less volume yet
you’re warmed up fine. Don’t be surprised to fail on Overhead Press
from doing too many warmup sets.
Sentadillas de 300 libras: 5 x 45 libras, 5 x 45 libras, 5 x 120 libras, 3

x 180 libras, 2 x 240 libras, 5 x 5 300 libras. Saltos demasiado
grandes de 60 a 75 libras, muy pocas series. 300 libras se sentirán
pesadas porque no se calentó adecuadamente. Mi aplicación -
5x45lb, 5x45lb, 5x95lb, 5x135lb, 3x185lb, 2x225lb, 1x265lb, 5 × 5
300lb. Más series pero eres más fuerte para que puedas tomarlo
sin cansarte. Saltos de peso más pequeños. Intentalo.
Esto significa que la calculadora de calentamiento en mi aplicación es

diferente. Le brinda menos series de calentamiento si su peso de trabajo
es ligero, por lo que no se cansa con las series de trabajo. Pero te da más
series de calentamiento si tu peso de trabajo es pesado para que no
termines dando saltos demasiado grandes. Esto es más efectivo.
El calentamiento prolonga el entrenamiento. Cuanto más fuerte sea, más

pesado será su peso de trabajo y más series de calentamiento. Mantenga
sus entrenamientos cortos al no descansar entre series de calentamiento.
Esto le dará un buen sudor sin cansarse demasiado ya que los pesos de
calentamiento son livianos.
La única excepción es su último conjunto de calentamiento. Descanse

antes de hacer su primera serie de trabajo. De esta manera, tendrás ATP
completo disponible antes de hacer esa serie pesada. En tus otros juegos
de calentamiento, solo agrega peso y listo. Utilice el temporizador de
descanso de calentamiento en nuestra aplicación: le indica cuánto tiempo
debe esperar para que pueda concentrarse en levantar objetos.
Respete sus series de calentamiento levantándolas como si fueran series

pesadas. Su entrenamiento no comienza cuando su peso de 5 × 5 está en
la barra. Su entrenamiento comienza con su calentamiento. Ponga el
mismo enfoque y esfuerzo en ellos. Si lo haces bien. sus conjuntos de
trabajo pesado se sentirán más fáciles.
Si el peso muerto 1 × 5 no se siente lo suficiente, calienta haciendo series

de cinco repeticiones en lugar de 2-3 repeticiones. Esto te da más
repeticiones para practicar la forma adecuada. También aumenta la
cantidad de peso muerto que haces. Pero evita el estrés de hacer peso
muerto 5 × 5 con mucho peso en cada serie.
Roturas
No es necesario que descanse una semana cada 12 semanas. StrongLifts
5 × 5 incluye muchos descansos ya con los cuatro días de descanso a la
semana. También obtiene descansos por levantar objetos pesados

cuando se descarga después de llegar a una meseta. Todo esto se
encarga de su recuperación. Así que sigue levantando y añadiendo peso.
Dicho esto, si entrenas tres veces a la semana, 45 semanas al año, una

semana libre aquí y allá no te hará daño. Esta es la regla 80/20 también
conocida como Principio de Pareto. Por lo general, me tomo una semana
libre de entrenamiento cuando me voy de vacaciones con mi familia o
amigos. Nunca perjudica mis ganancias porque soy consistente el resto
del año.
No pierde mucha fuerza si come adecuadamente y se mantiene activo

durante su descanso. De hecho, puede volver más fuerte con el descanso
adicional. Debería poder continuar donde lo dejó. Pero no dude en bajar el
peso tal vez en un 10% para volver a las cosas y evitar el dolor.
Caso diferente si te pasaste una semana de fiesta, bebiendo alcohol,

comiendo basura y apenas durmiendo. Apestará cuando regreses,
hablando por experiencia. Baje más el peso para que sea más fácil para
usted. O tal vez no ... para darte una lección y no volver a hacerlo la
próxima vez ...
Es fundamental que regrese al gimnasio lo antes posible después de su

descanso. Si regresa de las vacaciones el domingo, debe volver al
gimnasio el lunes. Ya tenías una semana libre. No querrás que te lleve
otra semana, ya que hace que tu regreso sea más difícil. No lo pienses,
solo vete.
Normalmente entreno entre Navidad y Año Nuevo. Pero si su gimnasio

cambia su horario de apertura, puede hacer su entrenamiento con
anticipación o saltearlo por una vez. Una vez más, no importa lo que
hagas entre Navidad y Año Nuevo. Es lo que haces entre Año Nuevo y
Navidad lo que hace.
Viajar mucho por trabajo es más difícil. Tendrás que entrenar o te

perderás demasiados entrenamientos. Suelo ir al gimnasio de Crossfit
local. Cada ciudad tiene una y tienen todo el equipamiento que necesitas.
Solo paga la tarifa de entrada al gimnasio abierto. No se moleste con los
gimnasios de los hoteles, por lo general apestan.
Por cierto, saltarse un entrenamiento no es un descanso. Descansos que

planifica de antemano: “Se acercan unas vacaciones, no voy a entrenar”.
Saltarse un entrenamiento suele ocurrir en el momento: "Hoy no tengo
ganas, al diablo". Los descansos regulares están bien. Saltarse los
entrenamientos no lo es, es racionalizar la pereza.
Tenga en cuenta que la aplicación StrongLifts le dirá con cuánto peso
comenzar después de su descanso. Realiza un seguimiento de cuánto
tiempo no ha entrenado y luego recomienda reducciones de peso
adecuadas. Esto evita repeticiones perdidas y dolor después de su
descanso. Descárgalo aquí .
Objetivos de fuerza
Las metas te dan dirección. Te recuerdan lo que debes hacer para llegar a
donde quieres estar. Eliminan las distracciones al mantenerlo
concentrado en lo que importa. Establezca objetivos de fuerza
INTELIGENTES ...
Específico: no hay ejercicios vagos para "fortalecerse", sino

ejercicios específicos: sentadillas, banca, etc.
Medible: ningún vago "aumento de mis sentadillas", sino la

cantidad exacta: 300 libras de sentadillas
Alcanzable: no puede ganar 30 libras de músculo en tres meses, el

límite natural es 2 libras / mes
Realista: no espere parecerse a Arnold y romper récords mundiales

después de solo seis meses
De duración determinada: establezca una fecha límite para sus

objetivos (cumpleaños, fin de año, competición, etc.)
Aquí hay algunos objetivos de fuerza INTELIGENTES que debe establecer

...
Intermedio
Principiante Intermedio I Avanzado
II
Ponerse en 100 kg / 220 140 kg / 300 160 kg / 350 180 kg / 400

cuclillas libras libras libras libras
Press de 80 kg / 175 100 kg / 220 110 kg / 240 120 kg / 265

banca libras libras libras libras
Peso muerto 140 kg / 300 180 kg / 400 200 kg / 440 225 kg / 500
libras libras libras libras
Press de 45 kg / 100 60 kg / 135 70 kg / 155 80 kg / 175

hombros libras libras
libras libras
Remo con 70 kg / 155 90 kg / 200 100 kg / 220 110 kg / 240

barra libras libras libras libras
Periodo de 1-6 meses 4-12 meses 6-18 meses 1-2 años

tiempo
Todos estos objetivos son máximos de una repetición, también conocidos

como 1RM. Las competencias de levantamiento de pesas y
levantamiento de pesas utilizan 1RM para comparar la fuerza entre los
levantadores y determinar los ganadores. Su 1RM pesa aproximadamente
20 kg / 45 lb más que su 5 × 5. Puede probarlo cada seis meses si tiene
curiosidad pero no es necesario.
Puede alcanzar el nivel de principiante con StrongLifts 5 × 5. Todo lo que

se necesita es ir al gimnasio tres veces por semana y hacer el trabajo.
También puedes alcanzar el nivel Intermedio I con StrongLifts 5 × 5. Pero
normalmente tendrás que cambiar a 3 × 5/3 × 3/1 × 3 para romper las

mesetas y llegar allí.
Más allá de eso, la mayoría de la gente necesita cambiar a programas de

formación más avanzados como Madcow 5 × 5 . También necesita más
dedicación: comer bien, comer mucho, dormir lo suficiente, perfeccionar
la técnica, ser constante, etc. No todos están dispuestos a dedicar tiempo
y esfuerzo, por lo que no todos llegan allí.
Esto no significa que deba cambiar a un nuevo programa de

entrenamiento cuando alcance estos objetivos de fuerza. Cambia de
programa cuando el actual deja de funcionar. Mientras el peso aumente
con el tiempo, continúe, incluso si ha alcanzado estos objetivos de fuerza.
Si no está roto, no lo arregles.
Periodos de impacto de la edad y el peso corporal. Los chicos jóvenes

progresan más rápido, más testosterona. Los grandes también progresan
más rápido, tienen músculos más grandes. Los viejos progresan más
lentamente debido a su recuperación más lenta. Las hembras progresan
más lentamente debido a la menor cantidad de testosterona y al menor
peso corporal.
Intenta mejorar. La mayoría de los chicos pueden alcanzar fácilmente el

nivel intermedio I en 12 meses. Esto te hará más fuerte que el 80% de las
personas. La fuerza que desarrollará agregará masa muscular a su
estructura a un ritmo de 2 libras / mes en promedio. Eso es 24 libras extra
de músculo magro en un año .
Tenga en cuenta que es poco probable que tenga un progreso lineal

constante. Al principio lo harás. Sin embargo, a medida que aumenta el
peso, eventualmente llegará a una meseta. Todo el mundo lo hace o
todos haríamos sentadillas 500 kg. Pero algunas personas llegan a la
meseta antes que otras. Esto explica el rango de los plazos.
Divide tus metas en mini-metas. Antes de poder hacer sentadillas de 400

libras, primero debes hacer sentadillas de 350 libras, 300 libras, 265 libras
y 220 libras. Concéntrese en su próximo paso en lugar de mirar hacia la
cima de la montaña. Su objetivo principal parecerá más fácil de lograr y
podrá verificar su progreso en su camino. Algunas ideas…
Fuerza relativa. Establezca como objetivos múltiplos de su peso

corporal. Digamos que pesa 80 kg / 175 libras. 1xbw = 80k5 /
175lb Sentadilla, 1.5x = 120kg / 260lb. Puede apuntar a 1x, 1.5x, 2x,
2.5x, 3x, etc.
Platos. Establezca "platos de niño grande" como metas. Primero,

un plato grande platos de 20 kg / 45 lb a cada lado de la barra en la
sentadilla. Luego dos platos grandes, luego tres y luego cuatro.
Total. Haz sentadillas de 350 libras, banco de 220 libras y peso

muerto de 430 libras para unirte al club de las 1000 libras. Haz
sentadillas de 140 kg, banca de 100 kg y peso muerto de 160 kg
para unirte al club de los 400 kg. Crea tus propios clubes.
Consistencia. Tres entrenamientos a la semana durante 12

semanas. Consulta el calendario en la aplicación . Trate de hacer
tres círculos rojos cada semana en los mismos días durante el
mayor tiempo posible.
Te recomiendo que establezcas la meta de Intermedio I para este día del

próximo año. Establezca las metas para principiantes dentro de los
próximos seis meses. Establezca también los objetivos de coherencia.
Ahora imprima esto y cuélguelo en algún lugar donde vea sus objetivos a
diario: en su refrigerador, baño, gimnasio en casa, lo que sea. Entonces
haz el trabajo.
Mesetas
Repeticiones fallidas
Failure is part of the game. You can’t add weight every workout forever.
Everyone plateaus eventually or this would be too easy. Failing reps isn’t
the end of the world, and doesn’t make you a failure.
Sometimes you fail reps because you’re having a bad day. You didn’t sleep
well last night. You didn’t eat enough today. You had a long day at work.
Your mind isn’t into it. You feel sick. It happens. What matters is that you
show up anyway. Do your best today, you’ll do better next workout.
Sometimes you fail reps because you’ve been making mistakes for a
while. You got away with it when the weights were light. But now that
they’re heavier they’re making you fail. The usual mistakes are rushing
through your workouts, trying to accelerate progress, and not recovering
properly…
Short Rest Times. Not recovering fully from the last set == more
fail.
Big Increments. Adding too much weight every workout == more

fail.
Bad Warmups. Doing too little warmup sets, too many, or none at

all == more fail.
Bad Form. Bad bar paths and not engaging maximum muscle mass
== more fail.
Skipped Workouts. Can’t trigger growth if you don’t lift consistently

== more fail.
Doing Too Much. Overdoing cardio/assistance hinders recovery ==

more fail.
Lack of Sleep. Sleeping too little hours hinders recovery == more
fail.
Lack of Food. Eating like a bird hinders recovery == more fail.
Some people start looking for a new program when they fail reps. They
think this one must be broken. The ones who get the strongest don’t give
up on a program that easily. They also take their technique, nutrition, and
sleep more seriously. They consider it part of their training – because it is.
This is a lot of work. But unless you’re a genetic freak or on drugs, you’re
going to have to work hard. In fact, the stronger and more muscular you
want to be, the more time and effort you have to put into this. If you don’t,
you’ll fail reps… and then your lifts, strength and muscle mass can’t
increase.
So if you’ve been eating one meal a day, sleeping five hours a night, doing

cardio six times a week, adding 5kg/10lb per workout, resting only 30sec
between sets, not warming up properly, and skipping workouts… then don’t
be surprised to fail reps. Fix all of that instead of switching program.
Anyway, the first thing you do when you fail a set is to rest longer. Rack the
bar and wait at least five minutes before doing your next set. Your ATP
stores must be fully recovered otherwise you’ll fail reps again. This is not
cardio but strength training. Rest longer so you can lift heavy.
Use the built-in rest timer in my app. Let’s say you missed the third rep on
the third set. Mark it as two reps done by tapping on the set circle several
times in a row (the reps will decrease). The app will recommend you to
rest longer before doing your next set so you get fives this time.
Double-check your equipment is set to catch the bar if you fail on the
Squat or Bench Press. You don’t want the weight to be even harder by
worrying about injury during your set. Squat and Bench in the Power Rack.
Set the safety pins at the proper height so they can catch the bar if you
fail.
If you’re afraid of failing, practice it a couple of times. Rock climbers

make beginners drop off the wall so they feel the safety of the rope. You
want to feel the safety of the Power Rack. Squat down, come back up,
then fail mid-way. Let the pins catch the bar. This builds your confidence.
Failing reps ends the set. If you miss the third rep on the third set, don’t try
to get the fourth and fifth reps later. Rack the weight, rest five minutes and
then do your fourth set. Then rack the weight again, rest, and do your fifth
set. It doesn’t matter if you fail to get five reps – you do five sets max.
The only exception is if you failed because you lost focus or balance. Let’s
say this made you miss the third rep on your third set. But then on your
fourth and fifth set you get 5 reps. Here you can do a sixth set of five reps
to replace your failed set where you only got two reps.
Never lower the weight mid-workout to get five reps more easily. You’ve
already lifted that weight for sets of five last time. You can already do it.
You now want your body to lift heavier weight. You need to lift that
weight for that. So stick with it and try again.
Don’t cheat when you fail reps. Don’t start doing half Squats and half
Bench Presses. Keep the range of motion the same on every rep and set.
The weight can only increase because you got stronger. Not because you
moved the bar over a smaller distance than before.
Same idea on the other exercises. Don’t start using your knees on the
Overhead Press – that’s a Push Press and takes work away from your
shoulder muscles. Don’t start bouncing on Deadlifts and Rows either – it
also takes work away by using the rebound of the plates against the floor.
Don’t let your form deteriorate to get the five reps at all costs. Maybe you
can get the rep if you let your back round, your elbows flare or your knees
cave in. But you’re increasing the risk of injury. And you’re building bad
technique habits. Your form should be 80% perfect on your heavy sets.
Switch to smaller increments of 1kg/2lb per workout on the Overhead and

Bench Press well before you start failing. Get small plates so you can
microload and avoid plateaus. Same on Squats – don’t add more than
2.5kg/5lb per workout or you’ll fail reps sooner.
Repeat the weight next workout for every exercise where you failed reps
on. So if you only got three reps on the last two sets of Squats with
100kg/220lb, you Squat 100kg/220lb again next workout. You don’t
increase your Squat weight because you didn’t get five reps on all five
sets.
You do increase the weight on every exercise where you did get five reps
on every set. Let’s say you fail on the Squat but don’t on the Bench Press
and Barbell Row. Don’t increase your Squat weight next workout – repeat
it. But add weight on Bench and Rows since you got 5×5 there.
If you don’t get it, just use my app. It tells you how much weight to lift next
workout when you fail. It repeats the weight on the exercises you fail only
while increasing it on the exercises you succeed. If you get 5×5 next time,
it then starts adding weight again. Download it here.
You’ll first fail on the exercises that use smaller muscles. Overhead Press
first, then Bench Press, then Squat, and finally Deadlift. If you fail in a
different order, your form is off. If you fail reps during the first 12 weeks,
you started too heavy, you’re adding too much weight, resting too little, etc
Deloads
Deload if you fail to get five reps on every set for three workouts in a row.
Lower the weight by 10% on that exercise next workout. Then add weight
every workout again. It will take several workouts to get back to the weight
you got stuck on. But this time you’ll succeed thanks to the deload.
Example – you failed to Squat 100kg/220lb for 5×5 three workouts in a

row. You missed reps on one or several sets for three workouts. Next time
you Squat don’t try to get 5×5 with 100kg/220lb again. Deload instead.
Lower the weight by 10% on Squats and do 90kg/200lb for 5×5 next
workout.
Only deload on the exercise you failed. So if you fail to Squat 5×5 but did
5×5 on Bench and Row, then only deload on Squat. And if you fail three
workouts in a row on Squat, but only failed one workout on Bench, then
deload on Squat but repeat the weight on the Bench Press.
You can also deload if you have bad form. If you can’t improve it at the
current weight, and adding weight continues to make it worse, then take a
step back. Deload 10% to work on your form.
Add weight every workout after the deload. It will take five workouts to get
back to that 100kg/220lb Squat. During those two weeks the weight will
feel easy. Take your deload seriously though – lift the weight as if it was
100kg/220lb. When you get back to that weight, you’ll get your fives this
time.
If you’re confused about how to deload, just use my app. It automatically

deloads the weight for you when you fail three workouts on an exercise.
This saves you having to figure this out and maybe do it wrong. Let the
app do the thinking and focus on lifting the weights instead.
Deloads work by giving your body extra rest to get stronger for the next
weight. There will be times on StrongLifts 5×5 where the weight will stress
your body more than it can handle. You’ll fail because you won’t be
recovered in time for the next workout with heavier weight. Deloads fix
that.
Deloads also prevent mental plateaus. Instead of keep hitting against that
brick wall, you stop trying after three failed workouts. Lower the weight
instead and work your way up again. The weights will be easy for several
workouts. This will build momentum and bring your motivation back.
What deloads don’t solve is failed reps caused by undertraining or bad

recovery. Failed reps mean you’re not strong enough for that weight yet.
There are two reasons why this could happen…
Undertraining. You’re not stressing your body enough to trigger it to

get stronger. Example: you’re skipping workouts or exercises. Your
lifts can’t increase if you barely do them. The stimulus has to
be there for your body to gain strength and muscle.
Overtraining. You stressed your body more than it can handle (by
starting too heavy or adding too much weight). Or you’re not
recovering well between workouts – if you barely eat or sleep, your
body can’t recover from that stress. So it can’t get stronger and lift
more.
Do your workouts and exercises consistently to trigger your body to get

stronger. Take small weight jumps so your body can handle the stress.
And get enough food and sleep so your body can recover from that stress.
If you don’t, the deload won’t be effective – you’ll keep failing.
3×5/3×3/1×3
Switch to three sets of five reps (3×5) when progress on 5×5 stops. Switch
to three sets of three reps (3×3) when progress on 3×5 stops. Switch to
one heavy set of three reps followed by two lighter back-off sets (1×3)
when progress on 3×3 stops. Don’t do endless deloads so you can stick
with 5×5.
5×5 doesn’t work forever. Nothing does. The stronger you get, the heavier
the weights you can lift, and thus the bigger the stress of each 5×5
workout. That stress eventually becomes too big for your body to recover
from by the next workout. You don’t get stronger in time so you fail reps.
Deloads give you extra rest to break plateaus. But they don’t decrease the
bigger stress from lifting bigger weights. This is why no one can do 5×5
forever. The heavier the weights you can lift, the more stress on your body,
the more recovery needed. Your training must change to handle this.
In this case, deload and switch to 3×5. The last two sets on 5×5 are the
hardest ones. You’re already tired from doing three sets. Doing two more
sets of five is grueling once you’re lifting heavy weights. That’s when you
drop those sets and do 3×5 instead – three sets of five reps.
By switching to 3×5 you can increase the weight every workout again. You
no longer have to repeat the weight or deload because you’re not failing
on the last two sets anymore. Your body recovers better with those two
grueling sets gone. And your workout takes less time again.
This is one way to know if it’s time to switch from 5×5 to 3×5. If your
workouts are taking two hours because you have to rest 10mins between
sets to get 5×5… you’re probably overdoing it. Don’t get stubborn about
sticking with 5×5. Switch to 3×5 so you can continue to make progress.
The workouts will be easier after you switch to 3×5. It will feel like a long
deload. But the weights will increase every workout. So you’ll run into the
same problem eventually. The stress from the now even heavier weights
at 3×5 will be too much for your body to handle again. You’ll fail to get five
reps.
Deload and switch to 3×3 – three sets of three reps. You can’t get five reps
on every set anyway so just do three. Then add weight every workout
again. It will be easier since you stopped failing. Plus the exercise stress
is lower so your body recovers better between workouts.
Eventually you’ll fail on 3×3 too. Deload and switch to 1×3 – one heavy set
of three reps followed by two lighter back-off sets with 5% less
weight. You’ll be able to add weight every workout again until you get
stuck. That is when it’s time to switch to a different training program.
Use my app – it will tell you when to switch to 3×5/3×3/1×3. Basically, if

you fail three workouts in a row at 5×5, deload. Fail three workouts in a
row again, deload + switch to 3×5. Three fails in a row at 3×5, deload +
switch to 3×3. Three fails in a row at 3×3, deload + switch to 1×3.
3×5/3×3/1×3 doesn’t apply to Deadlift because it’s only 1×5. Plus most

people get stuck on Squats before Deadlifts – so you’re unlikely to need to
change strategy here. On Barbell Rows switching to 3×5 can make sense
but 3×3/1×3 probably not as it’s more assistance work.
Madcow 5×5
Madcow 5×5 is the training program after StrongLifts 5×5. It uses the
same exercises and principles like progressive overload. The difference is
the weight increases every week not every workout. When you’re no longer
making progress on StrongLifts 5×5, switch to Madcow 5×5.
People often ask if I do StrongLifts 5×5. I did years ago but can’t now. My
lifts are too heavy for it. I’ve Squatted 147.5kg for 5×5. This is almost
twice my body-weight. There’s no way my body can recover in time to
Squat 150kg for 5×5 two days later… and then 152.5kg another two days.
I’d fail.
I wish I could still add weight every workout. But I need a slower
progression to get stronger. I need to add weight every week. This gives
my body more time to recover from the heavier weights stressing it. It
gives it a week to get stronger and build muscle to lift heavier next time.
This the principle of diminishing returns. Most people can take their Squat
from 0 to 100kg/220lb in three to four months. But taking it to 400lb
usually takes one to two years. At first you have newbie gains. But the
stronger you become, the slower gaining additional strength is.
This also means that what takes your Squat from 0 to 100kg usually won’t

take it to 180kg. Nothing works forever, not even StrongLifts 5×5. As your
strength increases and body changes, the only way to keep progressing is
to move to a different training program – in this case Madcow 5×5.
Switch when you’re stuck on StrongLifts 5×5. Deload and switch

to 3×5/3×3/1×3 first. Be consistent, use proper form, warm up properly
and rest enough between sets. Get plenty of sleep and food. Once you
reach a point where you’re not lifting more than last month, it’s time to
switch.
Some want to know the exact weight to reach first. Can’t say. It depends
on your weight, age, form, nutrition, sleep, etc. Many people get their
Squat over 140kg/300lb before switching to Madcow 5×5. You should be
able to get your Squat over 100kg/220lb at the very least.
Don’t switch to make it easier. Adding weight every week is easier than
every workout. But it becomes hard too. Besides, this is meant to be hard.
You need to stress your body for it to get stronger. That’s hard work. But if
you stick with it you get used to it. Working hard gets easier.
Don’t switch because you read crap about changing programs every 12
weeks to confuse muscles. StrongLifts 5×5 confuses your muscles by
using a different weight each workout – a heavier one. Changing
programs all the time only confuses you because you don’t learn what
works.
Some people get bored doing the same five exercises. The fun should be
in the journey of improving yourself. But if you need variety – do one or
two assistance exercises at the end your workouts here and there. Get
your variety that way instead of changing programs.
The main reason to not switch to Madcow 5×5 is because progress is

slower. It’s silly to add weight every week when you could do so every
workout. Add weight on the bar every workout as long as you have the
ability to do so. For most people that is until they can almost Squat
140kg/300lb.
Many people never get to Madcow 5×5. They do StrongLifts 5×5 six
months, usually from January to August. Then they quit for the winter. In
January they start StrongLifts 5×5 again to regain all the strength and
muscle lost. Not what I’d do but if you’re happy, fine.
Recovery
Soreness
You don’t need to get sore to get results on StrongLifts 5×5. Soreness aka
DOMS may happen. Pump may happen too. But they don’t mean you’re
gaining more strength and muscle from your workouts. The only thing that
matters is that the weight on the bar increases over time.
You’ll get sore if you start too heavy. Squats can cause leg soreness that
lasts up to a week. It doesn’t matter if you run a lot or play soccer. Those
aren’t Squats. Muscles must get used to new exercises. The best way is to
ease them in by starting light and slowly adding weight
Don’t skip your workouts if you’re sore. This will only make the soreness
last longer. It will be worst two days after your workout, and can last up to
seven days. If you wait for the soreness to be over, you’ll miss a week of
training. Bad start. Plus it hurts every time you move meanwhile.
Instead, stick to your training schedule and do your workouts. The

warmup sets will hurt. But by the time your work weight is on the bar,
you’ll hardly feel the soreness anymore. And your muscles will feel better
after your workout. Don’t believe me – give it a try next time you’re sore.
The reason this works is because lifting again moves blood into your sore

muscles. Blood contains nutrients that accelerate recovery. This gets rid
of the soreness faster. So if your legs are sore, try to do light Squats with
the empty bar the next day. They’ll feel better afterwards.
Any other activity that moves blood into your sore muscles will also help –
a good massage, a hot bath, sauna, hammam, etc. Make sure you also eat
properly and drink plenty of water so you get all the nutrients to help with
muscle recovery. And get your eight hours of sleep in.
If your legs continue to be sore, lower the weight and work your way back
up. This will give them a break so they can adapt to the frequency. And
quit doing anything else that stresses your legs until the soreness is gone
– temporarily drop the cardio, running, sports, etc. Do less.
I rarely get sore from lifting. If I get sore it’s because I did a new exercise.
If I don’t lift for two weeks, resume, and try to lift what I did before the
break, I’ll get sore. But outside of that it’s rare. You’re not training to failure
on StrongLifts 5×5 so soreness should be minimal.
Nutrition
Your body converts food to energy – calories. It burns these calories to lift
the weights, and recover from your workouts. Most guys need at least
3000kcal/day to gain strength and build muscle on StrongLifts 5×5.
Skinny guys with fast metabolisms may need to eat even more.
Here’s why: building muscle is low on your body’s priority list. If there’s a
shortage of food, your body will use it for critical tasks first. So you can’t
recover well on a caloric deficit. And if you can’t recover well, you can’t add
weight next workout. You miss reps which means you can’t progress.
Eating maintenance calories is better but not ideal. You’re not trying to
maintain your situation on StrongLifts 5×5 after all. You’re trying to
improve it by gaining strength and muscle. Eating over maintenance
ensures there’s no food shortage that hinders recovery between workouts.
Good calorie calculators will suggest guys 16kcal/lb for maintenance. If

you weigh 75kg/165lb that’s 2640kcal. But again, you’re not trying to
maintain but improve. And adding weight every workout is hard work. It
therefore makes sense to eat more. This brings us to 3000kcal/day.
If that number scares you, remember forms follows function. Your body

changes in response to the work you do. It gets skinny, fat, and weak from
a sedentary lifestyle. And it gets strong, muscular, and fit from lifting
heavy… BUT ONLY IF you give your body the food it needs to train hard and
recover.
I know you don’t want to get fat. Unfortunately it’s hard to build muscle
without gaining any fat. You have to eat more to build muscle. But you
need to eat less to lose fat. These goals contradict. If you try doing both,
you’ll either end up eating too little to build muscle, or too much to lose
fat.
This is why bodybuilders traditionally alternate muscle gaining and fat

loss phases. They eat more food during the bulk, but less food during the
cut. This is the simplest way to build muscle without gaining fat that
actually works… if you’re not obese, haven’t trained before, and don’t use
drugs.
Obese guys can indeed build muscle while losing fat when they start
lifting. Their bodies use their fat reserves to build muscle. They build
strength and muscle faster without needing as much food. And since
muscle is denser than fat, they end up looking slimmer at the same body-
weight.
People who have lifted before can also build muscle while losing fat.
Thanks to muscle memory you can regain lost muscle and strength faster
after a long break. If I quit lifting and resume a year later, I’d rebuild
strength and muscle faster than it took the first time – while leaning out.
And if you use drugs or have great genetics, then you can do things that
naturals and mere mortals can’t. But most people who try to build muscle
while losing fat end up spinning their wheels. They don’t progress because
there’s too much food to lose fat but not enough to build muscle.
You can get away with eating a caloric deficit the first weeks of
StrongLifts 5×5. If you start light, the weights will increase and you’ll gain
some muscle. But the heavier the weights get, the bigger the stress, and
the bigger the recover need. You’ll need to eat more to keep progressing.
You won’t like eating more if you’re an ex-fatty who worked hard to lose
fat. You’ll be afraid to gain it back. Same if you have six pack abs – you’ll
be afraid to lose it if your body-fat increases from eating
more. Unfortunately you can’t have it all at the same time. You have to
choose.
Choose muscle. You can easily lose 1lb of fat a week later. But you can’t
gain more than 2lb of lean muscle a month. And you need to lift heavy to
gain that much muscle. This requires eating a lot food. Besides, a low
body-fat is useless if you don’t build muscle mass first – you just end up
skinny.
Dedicate the next year to building strength and muscle. Your body-fat will
decrease if you started out obese. If you started skinny with single digit
body-fat, it will increase to lower double digits. But you can easily
decrease it in one year after you’ve added 24lb of lean muscle and Squat
300lb.
You might actually not even need to decrease your body-fat later. I don’t
have single digit body-fat levels. Neither do most athletes. Yet my abs are
visible. Bigger muscles stick out further. They can push through the fat
under your skin. So they can show despite a higher body-fat percentage.
Eat quality, nutrient-dense food. You need the vitamins and minerals to
help recovery. The occasional junk meal is fine. But you should eat mostly
quality food. Don’t eat junk food all the time – it builds bad habits that
will make you fat if you quit lifting. And it’s bad for your health.
You’ll need to eat three to four meals a day to get your calories. For
most people working 9 to 5 and training around 6, that will be breakfast,
lunch, dinner and an extra pre-workout meal. Dinner is your post-workout
meal. If you train in the morning, eat first so you can train harder.
Every meal should have vegetables. A lot of vegetables. Think half a plate.

The rest should be a good source of protein with carbs and good fats.
Example is chicken with broccoli, tomato, avocado and a big potato. Eat a
fruit for desert and you’ve hit all your macro and micronutrients to gain.
Protein
Protein is the main muscle building nutrient. Your body uses protein to
build new muscle. It also uses protein to repair damaged muscle tissue
after your workouts. You need about 0.82g of protein per pound of body-
weight (1.8g/kg). That’s about 126g of protein if you’re 70kg/154lb.
If you’re obese, your daily protein requirement may look too high with that
formula. Use your lean body mass instead (without the fat). If you have a
normal weight there will be little difference between your body-weight and
lean body mass. Just use 0.82g/lb in that case.
Protein shakes can be tempting. They take less time to prepare, and are
cheap. But they don’t keep you full long. And real food contains tons of
micro-nutrients on top of just the protein. You need the minerals and
vitamins to help recovery, as well as fiber to improve digestion.
Most of your protein should therefore come from real food. If you eat like
an omnivore this is easy. Eat some meat, chicken, fish or eggs with every
meal. A 250g/8oz steak for lunch will provide you with 50g of protein,
which is almost a third of your daily required intake.
Water
Your body uses water to cool you down through sweat during workouts. It
also uses water for muscle recovery from your workouts. About 70% of
your body is water. Your body uses it for every process. Not drinking water
is therefore like not putting oil in your car – it can’t function effectively.
Dehydration causes strength loss, joint pain, stiff muscles, tiredness and
constipation. Headaches are a common symptom. Think of hangovers the
day after drinking alcohol – it dehydrates. Many people get headaches
because they’re dehydrated. Drinking more water often fixes that.
The usual advice is to drink 8x8oz or 3 liters of water a day. But this is
aimed at the average sedentary joe. You lift weights and sweat. You need
to drink more to replace the water lost during workouts. And the warmer
the season or place where you lift, the more water you need to drink.
Remember you don’t just want to avoid dehydration. You want to optimize
for maximum strength and muscle gains. Your body has more critical
uses for water than your muscles. An abundant intake of water ensures
that you recover well between workouts and function effectively.
Waiting until you’re thirsty is usually too late. Better is to pay attention to
the color of your urine. It should be clear through the day (unless you take
vitamin B). You’ll pee more at first but your bladder will adapt to drinking
more. Plus going to the toilet will stop you from sitting for hours non-stop.
I start my days by drinking two glasses of water. I always take a bottle of

water with me to the gym, and sip on it during my workout. When it’s hot,
it’s usually empty by the end of the workout. I drink at least four liters of
water a day – that’s on top of the water I get from tea, fruits, vegetables,
etc
You may have a hard time with the taste of water, because you’re used to
soda. Stick with it to get used to it. You can add pieces of lemon to give
the water taste if you want.
Sleep
Your body releases muscle building hormones like testosterone and
growth hormone when you sleep. They help you recover from your
workouts. Sleep eight hours a night to maximize recovery.
Many people only sleep six hours a night. But this makes it harder to train
hard. You feel more tired and less motivated. The weight feels heavier and
more challenging. Getting through your workouts takes more out of
you. You fail reps more which slows or stops your progress.
Lack of sleep also hurts your recovery. You go through five stages when
you sleep. Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes. Your body releases growth
hormone during stage three and four. You get less cycles if you sleep six
hours than eight. More cycles is more hormones is more recovery.
Lack of sleep weakens your immune system. You’re more likely to get sick
and skip workouts. It also causes hunger and sugar cravings that make
you fat. And people who sleep less are more likely to be obese – one
simple reason is less time sleeping is more time you can spend eating.
You can get away with sleeping less than eight hours some nights. I’ve hit
PRs on five hours of sleep. But the more nights you don’t get enough
sleep, the bigger the negative effects. Eventually you have to repay your
sleep debt by sleeping an hour extra for every hour you didn’t sleep.
Keeping a sleep diary helps. I use the iPhone health app and bedtime
alarm. Set your wake and bedtime so you have your eight hours of sleep.
Your phone will notify you when it’s time to sleep. Then track your average
sleeping time in the health app. I’m getting close to eight hours.
Some other tips to help you improve your sleep so you recover better from
your workouts…
Dark Bedroom. Your brain has a built-in clock that regulates your
sleep. It’s influenced by light. Get black-out curtains or a good eye-
mask to tell your brain it’s time to sleep.
Stop Blue Light. TV, computers and phones emit blue light that
keeps you awake. Don’t use them in your bedroom. Enable
nightshfit on iPhone and f.lux on your computer.
Quiet Bedroom. Noise in the middle of the night disrupts your sleep
and wakes you up. Shut your ears by wearing ear plugs. You can
also use a fan or white noise generator.
Cool Temperature. Your body’s temperature drops when you sleep.

Get your room to 18C/60F to help this. Turn off the heather and use
blankets if needed instead.
Good Mattress. Invest in quality – you’re using it every day for

hours. Mattresses usually wear out and sag after ten years. Renew
them so you don’t wake up with lower back pain.
Good Pillow. Same idea – invest in quality stuff since you’re using it
every day. Get a good one that supports your neck so you don’t get
neck pain when you wake up.
Avoid Coffee and Alcohol. Caffeine is a stimulant that keeps you

awake. Avoid coffee, tea and chocolate before bedtime. Avoid
alcohol too as it helps falling asleep but hurts sleep quality.
Don’t Drink Late. If you drink too much water before going to bed,
you’ll have to wake up to pee. Stop drinking two hours before you
go to bed.
Consistent Sleep. Avoid staying up late on weekends and then

waking up early on weekdays. The is like getting a jetlag every
Monday. Wake up at the same time each day.
No Big Meals. It takes about three hours to digest food. Don’t

eat big meals before bedtime or you’ll struggle to fall a sleep. Move
dinner time earlier and eat light before bed.
If you can take a nap before doing your workouts, do it. Especially if you
had little sleep the night before, you’ll feel more energized after the nap.
But don’t nap after 5pm or for longer than 30mins. Otherwise you’ll
struggle to fall a sleep at night, and get tired again for the next day.
And relax. Psychological stress adds on top of the physical stress you get
from lifting weights. Being anxious about the weights you’re going to lift
today ends up making that workout harder. Take several deep breaths
before you do your set to calm yourself down.
Assistance Work
Assistance exercises target small muscles which grow more slowly like
your arms, abs and calves. Some people like to add accessory work for
these muscles on StrongLifts 5×5.
Assistance work isn’t necessary. StrongLifts 5×5 works every muscle by

using compound exercises. Your arm muscles work to pull the weight on
rows and push it on presses. They hold the bar on every exercise.
Meanwhile your abs support your spine. And your calves stabilize you.
You therefore don’t need to add exercises to work these muscles directly.
The 80/20 rule dictates that 80% of your results will come from Squats,
Bench, Deadlifts, OHPress and Rows. These lifts work a lot of muscles
with heavy weights. They therefore trigger overall muscle growth.
But most people don’t lift heavy. They try to make up for a lack of intensity
with quantity. Thing is, the only way you can do 5-7 assistance exercises
after the main ones is if you lift light. If you lifted heavy you’d be too tired
to do more than 1-2 extra exercises max.
Besides, the more assistance exercises you do, the longer your workout
takes. This makes it tempting to take shorter rest times between sets. But
that makes it harder to lift heavy as already discussed. It ends up hurting
your progress on the main exercises that trigger most growth.
If you insist on adding assistance work, then at least wait until you’ve

done StrongLifts 5×5 for eight weeks. Focus on increasing your strength
on the main exercises. Chances are that you won’t even want to do
assistance work after that. Because you’ll be happy with the muscle
gains.
Arms
Where’s the arm work on StrongLifts 5×5? It’s everywhere if you can think
past the absence of biceps curls and skullcrushers. Consider this…
Biceps. You pull the weight to you on Barbell Rows. Your arms bend
like when doing curls. But your biceps lift heavier weights because
they get help from your back muscles.
Triceps. You push the bar away on Bench/OHPress. Your arms

straighten like on skullcrushers. But your triceps lift heavier weights
by getting help from your shoulders and chest muscles.
Forearms. Your hands hold the bar on every exercise. Your

forearms grip the bar hard so you don’t lose it on Deadlifts. This
works your forearm muscles with the heaviest weights.
Your arm muscles also contract isometrically during Squats and Deadlifts.
This is similar to how your lower back muscles contract during these
lifts to keep your spine neutral. Your arms and back don’t move but
contract to keep the position. This makes them stronger and more
muscular.
That’s why the guy who can bench 100kg/220lb five times has bigger ams
than the one who can only bench 40kg/95lb. His muscles had to become
stronger and bigger to lift the heavier weights. And since his arms
hold and press the bar, they had to get stronger and bigger too.
Now I’m sure you can find someone who’s strong but has skinny arms.
You can also find guys with man boobs and girls who are flat-chested. But
most women have bigger boobs than men. And most strong people have
bigger muscles than weak people. You’re unlikely to be the exception.
Even if direct arm work was better, curling 100lb works your biceps
muscles harder than 50lb. So if you strengthen your arms by doing heavy
compound exercises, you’ll be able to do those curls with heavier weights
later. That allows you to work your biceps harder than before.
The best assistance exercise for your biceps is the Chinup. It works them
more than Rows because you grip the bar with your palms facing up. Your
elbows start straight and bend like on biceps curls. But you also bend at
the shoulder to pull your arm down – this engages your back.
Chinups work more muscles than curls. That’s why you can lift heavier
weight on Chinups. Every rep forces you to lift your own body-weight. This
is easily double what you’d lift on a biceps curl. Chinups trigger more arm
growth because they uses more muscle with more weight.
Dips are the best assistance exercise for your triceps. Your arms
straighten to lift the weight, like on skullcrushers. But you can engage your
chest muscles. More muscles working is more weight you can lift. Dips
trigger your triceps muscle to grow more than skullcrushers do.
If you want extra arm work, add Dips to workout A and Chinups to workout
B. Three sets is enough since the main exercises already work your arms.
Your program will look like this…
StrongLifts 5x5 with Arm Work
StrongLifts 5x5 with Arm Work
Monday - workout A Wednesday - workout B Friday - workout A
Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5 Overhead Press 5x5 Bench Press 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5 Deadlift 1x5 Barbell Row 5x5
Dips 3x10 Chinups 3x10 Dips 3x10
If you can’t do a single Chinup or Dip, do three sets of as many reps as you
can (don’t use machines). Once you can do 10 reps, switch to 3×5 and add
1kg/2lb each workout. My app will show you how to progress when you
upgrade to StrongLifts Pro. Use it to save yourself having to think about all
this.
Give your body time to get used to the extra arm work before adding more.
This way you can also see the impact adding Chinups and Dips has on
your arm development. A good strength goal to aim for on Chinups and
Dips is five reps with a big plate 20kg/45lb hanging from your waist.
After that you can add direct arm work if needed. The best isolation
exercises for your biceps and triceps are Barbell Curls and Skullcrushers.
Barbell Curl with the same Olympic bar you use for the Squat and Deadlift.
You can use the EZ bar for Skullcrushers but not for curls.
Two sets is enough with all the work your arms already get. Eight reps is
fine to get that pump you might be looking for (plus you’ll get 16 reps
total, close to the 15 on chinups/dips). It will also stop you from lifting too
heavy – these are small muscles, and they’re getting at ton of work
already.
Progress will be hard since these are isolation exercises and you’re doing
high reps. Just focus on doing the exercise correctly, with proper form,
moving your muscles over the full range of motion. Straight arms at the
bottom of curls, touch your nose with the bar at the top. Feel the muscle.
StrongLifts 5x5 with More Arm Work
Weighted Dips 3x5 Weighted Chinups 3x5 Weighted Dips 3x5
Skullcrushers 2x8 Barbell Curls 2x8 Skullcrushers 2x8
That’s five exercises per workout now which increases your gym time. DO
NOT train your arms on rest days! They need to recover from your last
workout so you can press and pull heavier next workout. If you tire them
further on your rest days, they can’t recover and you’ll fail reps next
workout.
The only rest day you could dedicate to arm work is Saturday if you train
Mo/We/Fr. This gives your arms Sunday to recover and get stronger for
your workout on Monday. Chinups and Dips first because they’re
compound exercises – you need to go heavy. Isolation at the end.
StrongLifts 5x5 with Extra Arm Day
Monday - Wednesday - Friday - Saturday -

workout A workout B workout A workout C
Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Chinups 3x5
Bench Press Overhead Press Bench Press Dips 3x5

5x5 5x5 5x5
StrongLifts 5x5 with Extra Arm Day
Barbell Row 5x5 Deadlift 1x5 Barbell Row Barbell Curls 2x8
5x5
Skullcrushers
2x8
Don’t be surprised if your legs turn bigger than your arms on StrongLifts
5×5. They’re supposed to. Your legs are large muscles. They’ll grow faster
and turn bigger than your arms. Don’t get confused by the captain upper-
bodies in your gym with big arms but skinny legs. They’re the abnormal
ones.
Arm work is by itself not enough to get 45cm/18″ arms. Let’s say you’re
60kg/135lb at 1m85/6’2″ – where’s the meat to increase the girth of your
arm? Unless you’re over-weight, you’re going to have to eat up. Most
people need to gain 5 to 7kg/10-15lb to gain an inch on their arms.
Abs
The main function of your abdominal muscles is to support your spine.
They contract to keep your spine neutral when you stand, move, Squat,
Deadlift, etc. The heavier the weight you lift, the harder your abs must
work to keep your spine neutral. This triggers your ab muscles to grow.
Your abs may not be visible if a layer of fat covers them. Most guys need
to lower their body-fat to 10% before they can see their abs. Endless
situps and crunches does not burn fat locally. You have to lower your
overall body-fat to see your abs. You do this mostly by improving your
nutrition.
But a low body-fat is useless if you don’t have abs to show for in the first
place. You have to build your ab muscles first. Better, lifting heavy can
make your abs so strong and muscular, that they stick out more. They can
then be visible even though you have more than 10% body-fat, like in my
case.
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as lower abs. Your lower and
upper abs contract as a whole. If your lower abs are bulging out, it’s either
just fat or you have bad posture – standing with excess arch aka hyper-
lordosis, usually from sitting too much. Learn to stand properly.
Extra ab exercises aren’t necessary on StrongLifts 5×5. But if you want to

add some, do hanging knee raises and prone bridges. Add one to each
workout. Two sets of eight on the former. Sets of 30-60sec for the latter.
Upgrade to StrongLifts Pro in my app and it will show you how to
progress.
Calves
Squats and Deadlifts work your calves – the muscles contract to
straighten your ankles when you lift the weight. The range of motion is
limited though compared to doing standing or seated calf raises. So it can
make sense to add these exercises to give your calf muscles extra work.
But it can be a waste of time if you have high calf muscle insertions. My
calves muscles hang high in the top third of my lower leg. The bottom two
thirds is all tendons and bones. The muscle bellies are strong and
muscular. But nothing can make them hang lower. This creates a skinny
look.
If you choose to add assistance exercises for your calves to StrongLifts

5×5, go hard and heavy. Your calves are used to a lot of stress from
walking every day. You’ll have to stress them harder than other muscles to
trigger growth. Make sure you go heavy with the weights.
And be realistic. If you have high calves like me, the muscles are unlikely
to ever stick out from every direction like some guys. Heck, I’ve dated a
skinny girl who weighed only 45kg but had bigger calves than me despite
not training. Like they say, if you want big calves, choose better parents.
Best thing in that case is to get over it. If anyone sees you in shorts and
makes fun of your calves, pull your shorts up and squeeze those big quad
muscles you’ve built with Squats. It will shut them up.
Cardio
Fat loss
Cardio helps fat loss by increasing the amount of calories you burn. Your
body burns calories to fuel your cardio. But it also burns more calories for
up to 48 hours after your cardio if you do HIIT. If the total calories you burn
is higher than the calories you eat, you lose fat.
But lifting weights is always more important than cardio. Many people try
to lose fat by doing cardio only. They usually lose a ton of muscle and end
up skinny-fat. Lifting weights prevents muscle loss and builds muscle.
It makes you look better. It therefore has priority over cardio.
Nutrition is also more important than cardio. Most people can’t out-train a
bad diet. One Big Mac has 540kcal while 30min cardio only burns 300kcal.
Unless you can train for hours like an athlete, you can’t burn enough
calories to lose fat. You have to improve your nutrition as well.
In fact, you don’t need cardio to lose fat. You can create a caloric deficit by
eating less while lifting weights. Cardio just allows you to eat
maintenance calories while creating a deficit. Or it can create a bigger
deficit to speed up fat loss. But you can get lean without doing any cardio.
I don’t do it.
Some people insist on doing cardio anyway, so here are your options…
HIIT. High Intensity Interval Training. Alternate intense exercise with

easy rest periods. Heart rate goes over 85% during intense bouts.
Metabolism increases for up to 48 hours after HIIT. But it’s hard to
do it more than 20mins. Example of HIIT: interval sprints.
LISS. Low Intensity Stead State cardio. Heart rate stays constant,
between 60-85% max. You can do LISS longer because of the lower
intensity. But your metabolism doesn’t increase much afterwards.
Example of LISS is riding the stationary bike for 45mins.
Low Intensity. Anything where your heart rate stays below 65% of

its max – like walking. It can be relaxing but it burns less calories
due to the lower intensity. You can make up for that by walking
longer but most people don’t have the time for it. And there’s no
afterburn.
LISS burns more calories. The intensity is higher than when walking. But
it’s lower than on HIIT so you can do it longer. The issue is that 45mins of
LISS after lifting is hard – you’re tired. And you can’t do it on your off days
because that’s for recovery. So you probably won’t do more than 30mins.
HIIT is therefore better. It’s hard to do it more than 20mins. But you burn
more calories through EPOC aka the afterburn – your metabolism is
higher for up to 48 hours after the cardio. Add a 5min warmup and 5min
cool down and you have 30mins total, burning just as much as with
30mins LISS.
The only problem with HIIT cardio is that it’s hard. You have to push
yourself to get the most out of it. This also makes HIIT cardio harder to
recover from. If you try to do this every day, it will hinder your recovery.
You won’t make good progress on StrongLifts 5×5 – you’ll miss reps and
plateau.
Do the minimum amount of cardio you need to get results first. This way
when you get stuck (and you will, everyone does), you can add more
cardio to get unstuck. If you do 6x cardio per week from day one, you can’t
do more later when you get stuck. More isn’t better – less is more.
Only competitive bodybuilders trying to get to low single digit body-fat

level need cardio six times a week. Most people don’t. And if you do it
anyway, you’ll add so much extra stress on top of the lifting that it
will hinder your recovery. Best case you plateau, worst case you get an
overuse injury.
Best is to start with two HIIT cardio sessions a week first. Monday
because you’re fresh from the two days off. Friday because you’re about
to get two days off. After a few weeks you can add cardio on Wednesday
too if needed. This gives you four rest days a week to recover.
StrongLifts 5x5 - HIIT Cardio Post Workout
HIIT Cardio HIIT Cardio
Don’t do cardio pre-workout. It will pre-exhaust your legs for Squats and
limit how heavy you can go. Lifting weight is more important than cardio
as already explained. Do your cardio at the end. Yes this is hard. Suck it up
or don’t do it. But don’t give cardio priority over lifting.
Cardio on your rest days is a terrible idea. When does your body recover
for your next workout if you train five days in a row? Never. If you’re not
fully recovered between workouts, then you can’t get stronger and lift
more weight next time. If you can’t lift more, then the program can’t work.
The only exception is Saturday. If you train Monday/Wednesday/Friday,

then HIIT cardio on Saturday works. You have Sunday to recover before
the next workout on Monday. You can add the second HIIT cardio session
on Wednesday so they’re spread apart. Like this…
StrongLifts 5x5 - Cardio Day
Monday - workout Wednesday - workout Friday - workout Saturday

A B A
Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 HIIT

Cardio
Bench Press 5x5 Overhead Press 5x5 Bench Press

5x5
HIIT Cardio
The simplest way to do HIIT cardio is on the stationary bike. Warmup five
minutes at a low intensity. Then pedal as fast as you can for 30 seconds.
Go back to an easy pace for 90seconds. Repeat for five rounds and cool
down with 5min at a low intensity. This will take you about 20mins.
The key is to push hard during the intensity bout. Increase the resistance
so you can pedal fast and hard. You should be out of breath within ten
seconds. Give it everything you have otherwise you won’t get most out of
this. This should be hard – you shouldn’t want to do this more than
20mins.
I don’t do much cardio but when I do I like to swing the kettlebell. 200 reps
in 10mins. Do sets of 20 reps and take as much rest as you need to make
it. Start with 16kg if you’re a guy and work up to 24kg. Use good form by
engaging your hips. Be warned this will get you sore the first time.
Heart Health
Lifting weights is good for your heart. It decreases your heart rate and
blood pressure. My resting heart rate has been around 50 for years
despite never running and barely doing cardio. Doctors are usually
surprised by this as the main thing I do is lifting heavy weights several
times a week.
StrongLifts 5×5 is not the typical routine where you do isolation exercises
like curls with light weights. The people who do such routines need to add
cardio. We do compound exercises that work our whole body. We increase
the weight progressively. And we reach high training intensities.
We’re actually doing cardio if you think about it. You’re Squatting heavy for
a set of five reps – it takes about 20 seconds. Your heart rate increases
and you get out of breath. After resting three minutes, you do your next
set. This like high intensity interval cardio – it trains your heart and lungs.
Everything under the bar gets stronger when you Squat heavy – muscles,
joints, bones. Your heart is a muscle. It gets stronger like every other
muscle. It has to so it can pump blood to your muscles and the rest of
your body when you lift heavy weights. This strengthens your heart
muscle.
It works like this: your muscles contract when you lift weights.
They compress your blood vessels which increases your blood pressure.
Your heart must pump harder against this resistance to deliver blood. This
strengthens it – your left ventricle increases in strength and muscle size.
Your blood pressure comes back to normal after your set is done. But it
also decreases over time. Lifting heavy weights strengthens your
muscles. Stronger muscles are more efficient – it takes more effort to tire
them. Stronger muscles therefore also put less demand on your heart.
As an example, think of walking up stairs. Each step is like a single leg

Squat. Double your Squat and your legs get twice as strong. Each step
now takes your legs half the effort. So they puts less demand on your
heart. Stronger muscles basically makes your heart more efficient.
The point is that your cardiovascular fitness will improve if you do

StrongLifts 5×5, and work to that 300lb/140kg Squat. It will become above
average level, and things like walking up stairs or even short runs will
become easier. There’s no need to do extra cardio to make your heart
healthy.
Endurance
Stronger muscles last longer. It takes longer before they get tired because
every movement takes less effort than before. So the stronger your
muscles, the longer you last and thus the further you can go. Increasing
your strength with StrongLifts 5×5 increases your muscular endurance.
Think about it – marathon runners rarely have to quit running because

they got out of breath. They quit running because their legs are tired.
Today’s athletes and teams understand getting stronger makes you last
longer. That’s why they all have STRENGTH and conditioning coaches.
Now of course, if you want to be good at long distance running or cycling,

you have to run/cycle long distances. Just like you have to Squat to
become good at Squatting, you have to run to be good at running – at the
minimum to improve the skill of running. To get more efficient at it.
The challenge is that it’s hard to get good at both. Strength training makes
weak endurance runners better at long distance running. But long
distance running doesn’t make weak lifters stronger at lifting. Instead it
hurts strength gains by making you less explosive and hindering recovery.
Strength and endurance are at opposite ends of the spectrum. There are
freaks who manage to get good at both. But most people can’t become an
elite powerlifter and elite long-distance runner at the same time. What you
need for strength is different than what you need for endurance.
Long runs will tire your legs for Squats. Hard 5×5 Squats will tire your legs
for running. You need to make a choice and decide which one you’ll give
priority for the next year. Otherwise you’ll spin your wheels and get good
at neither. Worst case you get an overuse injury from doing too much.
If you’re weak, choose strength. You can get fit faster than you can gain
strength. People who are already strong can get fit in a matter of weeks.
But weak long distance runners who never lifted weights need months to
increase their Squat to 14okg/300lb. So prioritize lifting.
You can do one long run on Saturday if you train

Monday/Wednesday/Friday. This gives your legs a day off before the
Squats on Monday. Then maybe add a HIIT session on Wednesday. But
watch out with doing too much. Your body needs to recover from all that
stress in order to progress.
Equipment
Home Gym
You don’t need bulky machines to do StrongLifts 5×5. You also don’t need
much equipment. All you need is a barbell, bench, plates and Power Rack.
That means you can do the full program at home in your garage,
basement or backyard if you have the space. It costs about $1000.
I bought a home gym in 2004. I put it in my parent’s garage since I’ve

always lived in apartments. I lifted for 12 years in my home gym, mostly
alone. Here are the benefits I found…
Freedom. Some gyms don’t have Power Racks, and forbid

Deadlifts/chalk. And you depend on the opening hours. With a
home gym you’re free to lift any way you want, with the music you
want. You can train late at night after a long day, in the early
morning or on holidays.
Save Time. You never have to wait for the Power Rack or showers
to be free. You don’t waste time travelling to the gym and back. You
don’t need to pack your gym bag and all that. You just walk to your
garage or basement – your equipment is there waiting for you.
Save Money. You don’t waste money on gym fees (I saved well over
$5000 in gym fees over 10 years). You also don’t waste money on
fuel to drive to the gym and back.
Save Ego. You’re not concerned about others. You don’t lift heavier
than you should to impress people. You’re lifting for yourself
without getting distracted.
Best Equipment. Athletes train with the best equipment. Yet gyms
often have cheap and bad bars. Most people don’t know the
difference and they misuse the bars anyway by dropping weight.
With a home gym you can buy the very best equipment on the
market.
The main drawback of having a home gym is that you need space. You
need a garage, basement or backyard shed big enough to put everything
in. Ceiling must be high enough for your rack to fit and to Overhead Press
inside. The place must be at least 3m wide so you can put plates on your
bar.
This is why I sold my home gym in 2016. My parents moved to a new

house which has no big garage. I live a simple life and travel a lot. I don’t
want a big house just to have a private gym. And gyms are better today
than 10 years ago. So since 2016 I train in gyms again. Home gym
drawbacks…
Space. You need about about 10m²/110 sq ft to put all your

equipment. Your ceiling needs to be high enough for your Power
Rack to fit. It also needs to be high enough to Overhead Press

(otherwise you have to press outside or do it seated on a bench).
Cost. You save money on gym fees in the long run. But there’s a
bigger investment of about $1000 upfront. And there’s also the real
estate cost of the extra 10m²/110 sq ft to own your private home
gym (which you only use three times a week for four hour max…)
Noise. The neighbours will not be happy from the noise you make
when doing heavy Deadlifts and Rows. You may have to build a
solid platform with big rubber mats. It may not be enough so you
might have to talk to your neighbours or train at specific hours.
Lonely. There’s no-one to help you when you fail. So you need to set
the safety pins of your Power Rack at the proper height on each
set. There’s also no-one to motivate you when you have a bad day
or keep you accountable. Discipline is more important.
Distractions. You no longer get distracted by other people in your

gym. But the people you live with may now distract you by coming
to talk to you while you train, or asking you to help with something.
You’ll have to teach them this one hour of gym time is your private
time.
The home gym years were great though. I trained with better equipment
than I could have ever found in gyms close by. I saved a ton of time too.
And I saved a lot of money. The resale value is great if you buy quality
equipment. And it lasts a lifetime – my brother still has my barbell.
If you have the space, do it. Your garage, basement or backyard shed will
do fine if the floor is solid concrete. Some people have even turned a room
in their apartments into home gyms. If the place is too small for a Power
Rack, consider a small Squat Rack or Squat Stands with saw horses.
And buy quality. You don’t want there to be any fear during your heavy lifts
that your equipment might not be secure. Buy the best equipment you can
get. This way you also don’t have to buy equipment again later. Quality
equipment lasts a lifetime and the resale value is great as I said.
Power Rack
The Power Rack has four vertical supports. It has two to four J-hooks to
set the bar in position for the Squat, Bench Press and Overhead Press. It
also has two lateral, horizontal safety pins to catch the bar if you fail. You
need a Power Rack to lift heavy and safely on StrongLifts 5×5.
You can’t Squat heavy without Power Rack. You need one to get the bar on
your back. You could pull the weight from the floor on your shoulders. But
that wastes strength and is a Front Squat. With the Power Rack you can
unrack the bar from the J-hooks on your upper-back.
You also need the Power Rack so you don’t get stuck under the bar. If you
fail on the Squat or Bench mid-set, the horizontal safety pins will catch the
bar. This increases safety but also confidence – you know you’re safe if
you fail. So you can go all-out, get more reps and make better progress.
I lifted weights for 12 years in my home gym. I was usually alone, without
spotter. I failed reps many times with heavy weights. But I never got stuck
under the bar because I Squatted and Benched in the Power Rack. The
safety pins always caught the bar when I failed. Here’s an example…
https://youtu.be/uSiqt3tEyP4
Even if you have a spotter, best is to Squat and Bench in the Power Rack
anyway. He might not pay attention or react fast enough when you fail.
The Power Rack is more reliable – it catches the bar every single time,
whatever happens. All it takes is setting the safety pins at the proper
height.
You don’t need the Power Rack for the Deadlift and Barbell Row. Each rep
starts on the floor and you can’t get stuck under the bar. If you fail, you
can return the weight to the floor. Unless you have limited space, it makes
no sense to Deadlift and Row in the Power Rack. Just do it outside.
You don’t need the Power Rack for safety on the Overhead Press either. If
you fail you return the bar to your chest. But the Power Rack helps you
getting the bar on your shoulders for each set. It saves you having to clean
it from the floor since you can take it from the J-hooks.
Most Power Racks come with a pullup bar. You can use it to add chinups
as assistance exercise for extra arm work… or for hanging knee raises for
ab work. You can usually also get dip bars for your Power Rack so you can
add Dips as assistance work for your triceps if needed.
Your Power Rack must handle 350kg/700lb so it doesn’t buckle during

heavy Squats. The safety pins must be adjustable so you can set them at
the proper height to catch failed reps. And it should have outside J-
hooks to take the bar out for OHPress (unless the rack is tall enough to
press inside).
Here are some Power Racks I recommend…
Rep Fitness. 700lb capacity, pullup bar, and adjustable safety pins
with outside J-hooks. No dip bars though so you’ll need to buy that
separately. I’d probably get this Power Rack.
Titan T2. 700lb capacity, pullup bar, adjustable safety pins and dip
bars. Cheaper than Rep Fitness. Comes with dip bars but
no outside j-hooks. Great reviews.
PowerLine PPR200X. 600lb capacity, pullup bar and safety pins

with J-hooks. No dip bars.
Body-solid Pro. 1000lb capacity, pullup bar and adjustable safety

pins. Similar to what I had.
You can build your own Power Rack if you’re into DIY. Many people have
done it from scaffold or even wood. It takes half a day’s work plus 100$
material to save 300$. If you earn more than that per hour, it’s smarter to
buy than build. But your milage may vary. You can find plans on the
Internet.
If your gym has no Power Rack, go to another gym or build a home gym.

StrongLifts 5×5 doesn’t work without Power Rack. You can’t lift safely
without one. If you can’t lift safely, you can’t lift heavy. If you can’t lift
heavy, you can’t get stronger. You can’t get stronger, can’t gain muscle.
I understand switching gyms can be inconvenient. The gym can be further

away and cost more. But this is what I would do. I’ve lived in different
countries and cities. I also travel a lot. Never do I end in gyms where I
can’t lift heavy, safely. I only train in real gyms because this is important to
me.
For example – I go to Hong Kong quite a lot. The best gym there is Pure
Fitness. They have Power Racks, Eleiko bars, platforms, chalk. Heaven.
But it’s about $300/month and almost $50 per drop in. I’m frugal and hate
paying that much. But I’ve done it many times so I can train properly.
Do you want to get real results? Is this really important to you? Or are you
fine wasting time and effort on a BS routine in a fake gym with shit
equipment? It’s not hard to get results with StrongLifts 5×5. But you need
the right equipment. If you really want this, you’ll do what it takes.
If you’re stuck with a one year membership, try to get out of it. Get it
cancelled or resell it. If nothing works then accept your loss and move on.
Your time is more valuable. You can earn the money back later but you
can’t get your time back. Cut your loss and go train in a real gym.
Squat Rack
Squat Racks are open Power Racks. They also have J-hooks to get the bar
on your back for Squats. But they’re usually shorter and have no pullup
bar. Some Squat Racks have safety pins, some not (which makes them
unsafe). I used one the first five years of my training career.
Squat Racks with safety pins are usually not adjustable. The pins are
fixed. If they’re too low for your build, you’ll need to Squat deep to reach
the pins. This will stretch your hips hard and can cause your lower back to
round. You can fix that by raising your feet (stand on plywood).
If the safety pins are too high for your build, you’ll hit them on the way
down. This will throw you off balance and mess with the next rep. Cutting
your depth short is not an option because you have to break parallel. The
only solution is to Squat outside the rack without safety.
This means you’ll need to ask for a spot on your heavy Squat sets. If he
knows what he’s doing, he can stand behind you and grab you by your
sides to help you lift the weight when you can’t. Two spotters on each side
of the bar is even better – but they have to know what they’re doing.
Squat Racks usually can’t be used for the Bench Press because the safety
pins are too high. So you’ll have to use the regular bench and ask a spotter
for help when the weights get heavy. You can use the Squat Rack for the
Overhead Press though to get the bar on your shoulders.
Power Racks are better than Squat Racks because of the adjustable
safety pins. But if your gym only has a Squat Rack then use it to get the
bar on your back (and ask for a spotter). If you have limited space in your
home gym, this looks like a great Squat Rack…
Rep Squat Rack. 1000lb capacity, adjustable safety pins, pullup bar,
supports dip bars.
Squat Stands
Squat Stands consist of two vertical supports. Each one has J-hooks to
help you get the bar on your upper-back for Squats. Olympic weight lifters
usually use Squat Stands. It allows them to Squat the weight and then lift
it overhead if they want to. I’ve used them quite a bit in Crossfit gyms.
The main drawback of Squat stands is that they don’t have safety pins.
Weight lifters drop the bar on the floor if they fail. But this takes practice.
It also takes the right equipment – without bumper plates you break the
bar and floor. Bumper plates cost more and take more space.
If you train in a gym, you’ll need to ask for a spot on your heavy Squat
sets. If you train alone in your home gym as I used to, best is to get a pair
of sturdy saw horses to catch the bar if you fail.
Squat stands take less space than Power Racks. They’re more mobile too
since you can move them away when done. If you want to do assistance
work like Pullups, raise the j-hooks and hang from the bar. If it’s too short,
get a doorway pullup bar or pullup station (this does takes more space).
You can use Squat Stands for the Overhead and Bench Press too. Just
watch out when you rack the weight – they can tip over if you rack it too
hard into the J-hooks. I prefer the Power Rack as I don’t need to ask
anyone for a spotter. But if you’re limited on space, this looks good…
Valor Fitness BD-9. 500lb capacity, mini safety pins (I wouldn’t trust
those)
Smith Machine
The smith machine is not a Power Rack. Don’t use a smith machine for
StrongLifts 5×5.
The bar moves freely in the Power Rack. But with the smith machine it’s
attached on rails. That means you don’t decide where the bar goes. The
smith machine does. It will force you into fixed, unnatural movements.
This can hurt your knees, back, shoulders, wrists, elbows and shoulders.
There are newer 3d smith machines that attempt to fix that by allowing
horizontal bar movement. But the bar is still attached on rails. So the
machine is still balancing the weight for you instead of letting you balance
it yourself. This takes work away from your muscles and is thus less
effective.
The smith machine looks safer since the bar is attached on rails. But it
has no horizontal safety pins to catch the weight. If you fail, you have to
quickly rotate your hands to rack the bar. It’s easy to miss the pins. If you
do, you’ll get sandwiched between the bar and the floor – like this guy.
One common mistake is to start with the smith because you can’t balance
the bar. But this doesn’t teach you to balance it since the machine does it
for you. When you switch to free weights later, you’ll still have trouble
balancing the bar. You’ll have to take weight off to train your balance.
This is like using training wheels to learn how to ride a bike. Sooner or
later you have to remove them. And when you do, you still have no balance
because you didn’t practice it. You’re just building bad habits. This is why
kids now use balance bikes instead of training wheels.
The only way to learn how to balance the bar is to practice it from day one.
You do this best using the tool you want to get good at balancing. Use the
bar, start light, add weight each workout. Set the pins of the Power Rack to
catch failed weight. Fail on purpose a few times to build confidence.
If your gym only has a smith machine but no Power Rack, switch to a real
gym or build a home gym. Don’t risk injuring your joints by forcing your
body into fixed movements with heavy weights.
Barbell
The best bar for StrongLifts 5×5 is a powerlifting bar. It will give you the
best comfort and security to lift heavy weights with confidence without
hurting your joints. If you’re building a home gym, get the best powerlifting
bar you can afford. You’ll use it on every exercise so don’t be cheap on
this.
Powerlifting bars are 2m20/7.2 feet long and 20kg/45lb heavy. If your bar
is shorter, it’s probably not a powerlifting bar. If it tips over when you put a
plate of 20kg/45lb on one side, it probably doesn’t weigh 20kg/45lb (stand
with it on the scale in your gym to check). Powerlifting bars have…
Rotating sleeves. The outer parts of the bar where you put plates
on are 50mm/2″. They rotate independently from the bar. This
reduces stress on your wrists, elbows and shoulders.
Knurling. The bar is covered with knurling to improve grip. The

center has knurling so the bar doesn’t slide off your upper-back
during heavy Squats. The part that touches your shins when you
Deadlift has no knurling. It’s smooth to avoid shin scraping.
28-29mm thickness. Thinner bars make your thumbs overlap your

fingers more when you hold it. This improves your grip for
Deadlifts, especially if you have small palms or short fingers.
Stiffness. The bar doesn’t bounce around when you Squat heavy. It

should be stiff for proper form. It should also handle up to
450kg/1000lb without breaking in two.
Many gyms use cheap bars to save money. Most people don’t know the
difference anyway because they don’t lift heavy or focus on form. Unlike
Power Racks, it’s not a program deal-breaker if you only have access to
cheap bars. But it can give you trouble in the long run.
Cheap bars often have no middle knurling, so they can slide down when
you Squat. The smooth part can be larger and thus harder to grip for
Deadlifts. Or the whole bar can have knurling and scrape your shins for
Deadlifts. Cheap bars usually bend more easily which can cause fear of it
breaking in two.
Some cheap bars have fixed sleeves. The bar can’t rotate independently
from the plates. The plates will spin on every rep and stress your wrists,
elbows and shoulders when you Squat and Press. Some gyms have fixed
weight bars which makes it impossible to add weight in small steps each
workout.
Your gym might have a powerlifting bar hidden in a corner. I’ve lifted
weights in gyms like that. The advanced lifters were fighting for the
best bars and coming in earlier, while the rest didn’t get what the big deal
was about. Ask the gym manager – you never know.
Note that powerlifting bars are different from weightlifting bars. Olympic

lifters use bars that are less stiff. They bend aka “whip” which creates
momentum – it helps them Squat more after they clean it, and lift more
overhead. For heavy Squats this is a bad idea as the bar moves too much
around.
The sleeves of weightlifting bars also spin faster. This helps Olympic
lifters get under the bar faster without releasing their grip. But it makes
the bar harder to grip on Deadlifts as it rotates more. It will roll down your
back during Squats as well, especially since these bars have no center
knurling.
If your gym only has weightlifting bars, then use it. It’s not ideal and takes
getting used to. But it’s better than nothing. If you’re building a home gym,
get a powerlifting bar. These are good…
Rogue Ohio Bar. After giving my first bar to my brother, I bought this

one. Great bar.
Cap OB-86PBCK. 28.5mm, center knurling, 1000lb capacity, black

finish.
Xmark XM-3817. 28mm, center knurling, 700lb capacity. Quite

cheap.
Troy Texas Power Bar. 28mm, 1500lb capacity, center knurling.
Good powerlifting bars are expensive. They can cost more than your
Power Rack. Save money on the plates, but not on the bar. Again, you’ll
use this on every single exercise. You want something that feels secure
and comfortable so you can lift heavy with confidence.
Dumbbells or kettlebells are no replacement for a barbell as already

explained. You can use heavier weights with a barbell. Heavier is more
stress on your body, and thus bigger strength and muscle gains. Db and
kb are fine as assistance, I use them. But they don’t replace barbells.
Collars
Put collars on the bar so plates can’t move while you lift. Your barbells can
have slippy sleeves. Or you press some reps uneven. Or you hit the safety
pins by mistake when you Squat or Bench Press. All of this can make the
plates move while you lift, and distract you from lifting with proper form.
Some people prefer to Bench Press without collars. If you fail mid-set, you
can then tilt the bar to one side. The plates will drop on the floor so you
can get away from under the bar. You can’t get pinned by the weight, but
the gym won’t like you dropping weight on the floor like that.
Best is to lift inside the Power Rack with the safety pins ready
for maximum safety. Then collar the bar so the plates don’t move and
distract you while you lift. You don’t want to have to change your form
mid-set to prevent moving plates to drop off the bar.
Spring Collars;. I use these. You have to squeeze the springs to

collar the bar. This works your grip like a gripper. They can be hard
to remove at first, but your grip strength will improve.
Clamp Collars. Easier to put on than spring clips since no gripping

is required. It uses a simple click system instead. But this means
you don’t get grip training between sets.
Make sure you buy 50mm/2″ collars so they fit on your powerlifting bar –
it has 50mm/2″ sleeves.
Plates
Start with about 120kg/260lb worth of plates. Together with your bar,
this will keep you busy for up to six months. The plate holes must be
50mm/2″ holes to fit your bar. The biggest 20kg/45lb plate must
have 45cm/17″ diameter for proper form on Deadlifts and Barbell Rows.
The best plates are round and made of solid cast iron. They’re also the
cheapest – some brands sell them for only $1 per pound. And they make
that old school sound when you lift heavy weights. Here’s the plate setup I
recommend you start with:
KG – 4x20kg, 2x10kg, 2x5kg, 2×2.5kg, 2×1.25kg.
LB – 4x45lb, 2x25lb, 2x10lb, 4×5lb, 2×2,5lb (4x5lb to OHpress 85-

90lb).
That’s 137.5kg/320lb if you include the bar. You’ll run out of plates after a
couple of months, first on Deadlifts. Just get an extra pair of 20kg/45lb to
keep progressing. Recommended iron plates…
CAP OP. 2″ holes, 17″ diameter, cheap
Rogue Olympic Plates. 2″ holes, 17″ diameter, probably higher

quality.
When you shop around for plates, you’ll find several other types and
materials. I recommend you stick with iron plates. But here’s an overview…
Grip Plates. These plates have grip holes. They’re easier to carry
because you can hold them like a bar, with your thumb overlapping
your fingers. But you don’t get grip work from carrying the plates. I
hate them. Let the plate work your grip instead of making them
easier to hold.
Hex Plates. These plates have 12 sides. They’re meant to prevent

rolling but don’t. The plates will land on the corners when you
Deadlift and Row. The bar will roll and cause bad form. Hex plates
are made for machines. Don’t use them for StrongLifts 5×5.
Rubber Coated. These plates are covered with rubber. They don’t
make noise when the plates cling when you lift. But they make
noise when you drop heavy weight. Plus they cost more. Just collar
the bar tight to reduce noise and get a rubber mat for your floor.
Bumper Plates. Made of solid rubber. Crossfitters use these so they

can drop the bar on the floor during Olympic lifts. You’re not doing
that on this program. Plus bumper plates are twice as thick as iron
plates. They take up more space, and are more expensive.
If you start with less than 60kg/135lb on Deadlifts and Rows, then get a
pair of full diameter plates. Buy two bumpers of 5kb/10lb that are the
same diameter as 20kg/45lb iron plates. The bar will start at the same
height on the lighter weights. You’ll practice proper form from the get-go.
And get a weight tree with 50mm/2″ holes to keep your plates organized.
Small Plates
You need small plates aka fractional plates for StrongLifts 5×5.
Fractional plates weigh 0.25-1lb each. You use them for microloading – to
increase the weight by 1kg/2lb on the Bench and OHPress. This makes
you fail less and progress more, especially if you’re weak, small or female.
Many gyms don’t have plates smaller than 1.25kg/2.5lb. Some only have
2.5kg/5lb plates. This forces you to add 2.5kg/5lb or even 5kg/10lb per
workout. But this doesn’t work on the Bench and OHPress as already
explained – the increment is a too big percentage. You’ll fail and get
frustrated.
The solution is to use fractional plates. Tell the gym manager to get a set
so you progress better. Or buy your own set and put it in your gym bag – it
doesn’t take much space or weigh much. Don’t add weight only on one
side. This shifts the center of gravity and causes bad form.
44 Sport Fractional Plates. .25, .5, .75, and 1lb.
Ader Fractional Plates. .25, .5, .75, and 1lb.
CFF Fractional Plates. .25, .5, .75, and 1lb.
Fractional plates are more expensive per pound. This is normal because it
costs more to make plates which are more accurate in weight (bigger
plates are often off by a pound or two). We’re not looking for accuracy
here though but slow increments. The weights will average itself out over
time.
You can also microload by puttting a small chain of 0.5kg/1lb on each

side of the bar.
Floor
Returning the bar to the floor on Deadlifts and Rows makes noise. Even if
you control the weight and don’t drop it, heavy weight always makes
noise. Don’t try to reduce it by lowering the weight slowly or keeping it in
the air between reps – it’s bad form and bad for your lower back.
Deadlift and Barbell Row on rubber mats instead to reduce the noise. This
will protect your floor against impact too. Just don’t expect miracles – it’s
weight.
Rubber Mat – I had one like this in my home gym
Rogue Deadlift Platform – great if you have the space
You can also build your own platform using horse mats and plywood.
Here’s an example.
Bench
You need a bench to Bench Press every workout A. You don’t need a
bench with uprights. Just get a flat bench and put it in the Power Rack.
This saves space but it’s also safer – you have safety pins to catch the
bar if you fail. Make sure the bench is centered before doing your set.
Your bench should be sturdy and handle at least 250kg/600lb. Keep in

mind that the bench capacity usually includes your body-weight. So if the
bench has a capacity of 300lb and you weigh 200lb, that means it can only
handle 100lb. This is not enough on StrongLifts 5×5.
Don’t take risks by buying a cheap bench with low capacity. The legs can
bend under the weight and potentially kill you. If you need convincing, read
what happened to this guy.
The bench should be 30cm/12″ wide. This gives you good upper-back
support so you can press from a strong base. The pad should be firm for
good power transfer. It should also be non-slippy so your upper-back can’t
slide while you Bench Press. It should help you stay tight.
To engage your legs, the bench should be 45cm/17″ tall. A shorter bench
will put your knees higher than your hips when you setup. This makes it
harder to use your legs. On the other hand, if your legs are short, you can
raise your feet by putting a plate under it. Good benches…
Rep Fitness Flat Bench. 1000lb capacity, 17.5″ tall, 12″ wide. I’d get
this.
Adidas Flat Bench. 600lb capacity, 17″ tall, 12″ wide.\
You don’t need an adjustable bench to do incline or decline. Your whole

chest works when you Bench. Your upper-chest works when you OHPress.
Plus adjustable benches often have gaps where you put your glutes.
This makes it harder to setup properly and bench heavy when putting
it flat.
You also don’t need leg attachments. Squats work your legs harder. Abs
you can work separately by doing hanging knee raises from the pullup bar.
Leg attachments just get in the way of your legs when you setup for the
Bench Press. Keep it simple and get a regular flat bench.
Chalk
Chalk is white powder that improves your grip for lifting. You put it on your
palms to absorb sweat and increase friction. This stops the bar from
moving around when you have sweating hands. You control the bar more,
lift with better form, and hold the bar longer (this is crucial on Deadlifts).
Chalk also decreases callus build-up from lifting. It creates a smooth

surface for the bar by filling up your skin folds. Less skin gets trapped
under the bar as a result. You get less and smaller calluses from lifting
weights. You also stop tearing calluses when you Deadlift heavy.
Babypowder is not chalk. That’s talc and decreases friction. Powerlifters

put babypowder on their legs when they Deadlift so the bar goes up faster.
But they never put it on their hands because that makes the bar slippy and
harder to hold. Babypowder worsen your grip instead of improving it.
Board chalk is also not the same as gym chalk. Board chalk is made of
calcium sulphate. Gym chalk is made of magnesium carbonate. It’s the
same white powder rock climbers and gymnasts use. You can find
chalk in most rock climbing shops. Or you can order it online, links…
GSC Gym Chalk. Eight blocks for a total of 1lb. This should last you
several months. Break one in peaces into a bucket. Then put it on
your palms so it fills up your skin folds. It’s normal to have to re-
apply chalk on your next set by the way.
Primo Chalk Bucket, 1lb chalk in a convenient bucket. Double the

price but higher quality. I’ve had eczema from chalk in the past.
This one seems to be easier on the hands.
Beasty Liquid Chalk. Liquid chalk leaves no traces. The chalk is

dissolved in alcohol. Put it on your palms like hand sanitizer. After
10sec the alcohol evaporates and your hands are chalky. Use this if
your gym doesn’t allow chalk – it leaves no dust and works better
than gloves.
You won’t need chalk the first weeks of StrongLifts 5×5. But once the
weights get heavy, you’ll need chalk for Deadlifts to hold on the bar. If it’s
hot in your gym or you easily get sweaty hands, you’ll also need chalk on
the other exercises so the bar can’t move around and cause bad form.
Wash the chalk off your hands after your workout. Chalk dries out your
skin – that’s how it works. Your skin can get beat up in the winter if you
leave it on too long. My skin is prone to eczema’s so I always wash it off
quickly when I’m done. Consider moisturizing your hands to prevent dry
skin.
Shoes
The best shoes for lifting have hard soles. They can’t compress under the
weight. This improves your balance, power transfer, and technique. You
can lift heavier without hurting yourself.
Running shoes are terrible for lifting. The soles have air or gel filling to

absorb impact when you run. They compress differently on every rep you
lift. But you can’t predict how and thus can’t control the bar. Lifting with
running shoes causes bad form. It’s like lifting weights on a trampoline.
Lifting barefoot is better but not ideal, Your foot can slip when you Squat
or Bench because you have no traction. Your arch also gets no support,
which can be a bad idea if you’re flat footed like me. And many gyms don’t
allow barefoot lifting because it’s unclean and unsafe.
Best is to wear shoes with soles made of hard plastic or dense rubber.
Thin soles put you closer to the floor. They shorten the distance the bar
travels when you Deadlift, helping you pull heavier. Flat soles help you
involve your posterior chain more on Squats and Deadlifts. Check these…
Chuck Taylor. I lifted in these for 10 years. Flat soles, good traction,
cheap. But the sole is made of rubber so it compresses a little.
They’re also narrow which can be uncomfortable if you have wide
feet like me (the reason I stopped using them eventually).
Reebok Lite TR. Similar to Chuck’s but wider and with better ankle
support. They’re bulkier, more expensive and can get hot. I lifted in
these for three years.
Reebok Nano. My current shoe for lifting weights – version 6. Hard

sole, fairly flat, strong Kevlar canvas. Light and take little space for
traveling. Look great.
Olympic lifters use weightlifting shoes. They have hard soles made of

wood or hard plastic that don’t compress. The heels help them reach
parallel more easily by putting their shins more incline. And the metatarsal
straps running across the shoe keep their foot from moving around.
Some powerlifters also use weightlifting shoes. I Squatted with rogue

wins for a while but didn’t like them – they made me lean forward. My
friend Mike Tuschcherer who Squats 700lb had flat soles put on his
weightlifting shoes. This gives him the stability of the metatarsal strap but
without the heel.
It seems like your build will determine if weightlifting shoes work better
for you. Weightlifting shoes are expensive though. Best is to start with a
simple shoe first and take it from there.
Belt
Belts help you lift heavier weights by increasing lower back support. They
give your abs a surface to push against. Your abs contract harder which
increases pressure in your trunk. This creates support for your lower back
and spine. You can easily Squat/Deadlift 20kg/45lb more by wearing a
belt.
Wearing a belt isn’t cheating. You’re not taking work away from your abs.
You’re making them work harder by lifting heavier. This is similar to how
chalk improves your grip – your forearms work more not less because the
weight is heavier. Same with your abs when wearing a belt.
Some people think belts make your abs weak. They can’t be weak
because they’re keeping your spine neutral against a heavier weight. In
fact, the more you can lift with belt, the more you can lift without. And
you’ll train your abs both ways anyway by only using the belt on your
heavy sets.
But belts don’t protect your spine against bad form. Pulling with a round
back can cause injury despite wearing a belt. The injury could be worse if
you lifted heavier because you thought the belt made your back
bulletproof. Always use proper form. Don’t wear a belt to cover up back
pain.
You don’t need a belt the first weeks of StrongLifts 5×5. The weights are
light, and you should focus on proper form first. But once it becomes
harder to add weight every workout, start wearing a belt. It’s most useful
on the Squat, Deadlift and Overhead Press. I rarely wear it on Bench and
Rows.
Your belt should be the same width in the front and back. Bodybuilding
belts are no good because they’re usually smaller in the front. The point is
to give your abs a surface to push against. Turn the belt around or get a
proper belt that is 3-4″ wide across.
Single prong belts are easier to put on/off than two prongs. Belts with
prongs are easier to adjust than lever belts. If you wear your belt
looser/tighter on some exercises, you’ll need a screwdriver to adjust a
lever belt. With prong belts you just move the prong to the next notch.
Get a 10mm thick belt unless you’re a really big guy. Check these…
Ader Powerlifting belt. 10mm thick, 4″ wide, single prong. Good

price.
Flexz Powerlifting belt. 10mm thick, 4″ wide, single prong
Bestbelt Athlete Belt. Many people like these belts, quality.
Inzer Forever Belt. I have this one. 10mm, 4″wide, single prong.
Most belts will be stiff at first which can feel uncomfortable. You have to
break it in like with a new pair of leather shoes. Roll and unroll the belt on
itself a couple of times to accelerate the break-in.
Always warmup without belt. Put it on for your last warmup sets and
heavy sets only. And remove your belt between sets – don’t walk around
with it like the captain upper-bodies. It looks silly.
Accessories
First the stuff you don’t need, and should stop using…
Mirrors. They only show you the front view. They can tweak your
neck if you turn your head to check the mirror aside of you. And
they cause bad form. Athlets don’t check their form in a mirror in
soccer, football or tennis. They learn to listen to how their body
moves. If you want to check your form, get a gorilla pod instead
and tape yourself with your phone.
Gloves. They make the bar thicker and harder to hold. They stink
like old socks after a couple of workouts. They wear out quickly
and add an unnecessary expense. Use chalk instead to improve
your grip and reduce calluses. And shave your calluses of with a
pumice stone.
Straps. Using straps on every exercise and set will weaken your
grip. Let your grip get stronger instead of covering it up with straps.
Use chalk, grip the bar hard, and mix grip on deadlifts.
Bar pads. Useless with heavy weights. If the bar hurts when you
Squat, you’re holding it wrong, Fix your form. Start light so your
upper-back can toughen up like the skin on your hand does.
This stuff you can consider…
Dip Belt. This is a belt with a chain to attach weight for chinups and
dips. You should do these exercises like every other compound
exercise – heavy. Get a dip belt to add weight once you can do
them without weight. Don’t do endless reps or you just train
endurance.
Knee Sleeves. They lubricate your joints by trapping heat around

your knees. This makes them less likely to get injured. Knee
sleeves can also give you the confidence to Squat if you have bad
knees. If you’re a bit older best is to wear knee sleeves. But use
good form.
Wrist Wraps. They can give small wrists extra support (I never used
them though). But make sure you grip the bar properly on Squats
and presses first – straight wrists, no bending.
Common Mistakes
Starting Too Heavy

The biggest mistake on StrongLifts 5×5 is starting too heavy. It doesn’t
give your body time to adapt to Squatting three times a week and get
stronger. You get sore and want to skip workouts instead. You miss reps
and get demotivated. You think the program doesn’t work and want to
quit.
Most people want to start heavy to accelerate their progress. But

they usually get the opposite. If you barely get your reps on your first
workout, you can’t lift 2.5kg/5lb more two days later. If your legs get
extremely sore from the first workout, you can’t Squat again two days
later. You fail prematurely.
Starting heavy also shifts the focus away from practicing proper form. If

you struggle to get your reps early on, you’ll be tempted to lift with bad
form so you don’t fail. But this builds bad technique habits. It will make
you hit a plateau, or worse, get injured as the weights keep increasing.
It’s not a waste of time to start light. Yes, lifting heavy is better. But you
must learn to walk before you can run. Let your body get used to
Squatting three times a week first. Focus on lifting with proper form while
the weights are light. This work will pay off once the weights become
heavy.
And the weights become heavy fast. You’re adding 30kg/60lb to your

Squat each month, 15kg/30lb to your presses, and 60kg/120lb to
Deadlifts. But everyone’s progress slows after while. So you end up at the
same place in one year whether you start with an empty bar or
60kg/135lb.
Strength training is a marathon, not a sprint. You don’t win this game by
trying to go as fast as you can. You win by sticking to it as long as you
can. It takes time to get stronger and learn proper form. And you can’t
gain more than 2lb of a muscle a month. Patience is therefore key.
The people in the gym don’t care about the weights you lift. They’re
focused on themselves. And they’ve been beginners too. If anyone laughs
at you for starting light, let them laugh. 12 weeks from now, you’ll be
Squatting two plates. Their laughter will turn into amazement.
Don’t start with your five rep max. Start with an easy weight so you can
focus on form and build momentum. If you miss reps the first week or
even month, you started way too heavy. Back the weight down to give your
body time to recover and get stronger.
This advice applies to any program, StrongLifts 5×5 but also Madcow 5×5
later.
Changing The Program
The typical mistake here is substituting exercises – Front Squats instead
of Squats, Sumo Deadlift vs Deadlifts, Incline Bench vs OHPress, etc. Or
changing the sets and reps by doing three sets of eight reps vs 5×5 to get
more pump and soreness. Or doing 5×5 Deadlifts instead of 1×5.
If your tooth hurts, you probably don’t try to fix it yourself. You go to a
dentist who has knowledge and experience dealing with tooth pain. So
why would you try to fix your weakness and out-of-shapeness by creating
your own program? What makes you think you have expertise on the
subject?!?
The priority on this program is to get stronger at the big five –

SQ/BP/DL/OHP/ROW. To get strong at these exercises you have to
master proper form and go heavy. To master proper form you have to do
the exercises a lot. To get stronger you have to do sets of five. The
program works best as is.
The 5×5 routine has been around for almost 100 years. StrongLifts for 10
years. Tens of thousands of people have done this routine. Everything I’ve
learned is in this guide. There’s nothing you can do that someone else
hasn’t tried before. Nothing you can improve. This program is already
optimized.
You can learn through trial & error – by thinking you know better and do it
your own way. Or you can save yourself time and effort by doing the
program as laid out. This saves you making the same mistakes we’ve
made before you. It helps you gain strength and muscle faster.
Do the program as laid out for at least 12 weeks before changing

anything. Wait until you can Squat 300lb/140kg before you create your
own program. Gain experience first.
Adding Too Much Stuff

The usual mistake here is adding a ton of assistance exercises to hit every
muscle. Especially smaller muscles that don’t need much work in the first
place. Some people will try to do the big five exercises in one workout. Or
they do cardio 5-6x per week on top of lifting to lose fat faster.
But the more stuff you do, the bigger the stress on your body, and thus the
bigger the recovery need. If your muscles can’t recovery properly, they
can’t get stronger and lift more weight next workout. You miss reps.
plateau and get frustrated. Your strength and muscle mass can’t increase.
Doing tons of exercises also forces you to lift lighter weights. You couldn’t
do so much if the weights were heavy – you’d be exhausted. You have to
lift lighter weight to do more exercises in one workout. But heavy weights
build more strength. And more strength is more muscle.
Plus what are you going to do when you plateau? If you do 10 exercises
for your arms from day one, what do you do when they’re used to that and
no longer grow? What do you do when you’re no longer losing fat doing
cardio 6x/week? Everyone plateaus eventually, but you have nowhere to
go.
You’re just making it more likely to quit. Self-discipline is like a muscle.

The more stuff you do, the more you tire it out. Your mind needs breaks
too. Anyone can lift for three hours and do cardio six times a week. But
few people can do that for a year. Most people burn out and quit.
Less is more when you start lifting. You don’t need much to gain strength
and muscle. The minimum effective dose is low. All it takes is doing the
big fives exercises and adding weight each workout. If the workouts feel
too easy, add weight or increase the increments. Or just be patient.
The stronger you get, the more work you can handle, and thus the more
you can do. You’ll actually have to do more work to keep progressing. But
by then you’ll probably be happy to only do three exercises per
workout. Don’t understimate the program – it looks easy, but it’s hard
work.
Lifting in a Bad Gym

You can’t do StrongLifts 5×5 without free weights. Leg presses or smith
squats take work away from your muscles. They don’t make you balance
the bar like free Squats. Worse, they force you into fixed movements that
can cause injuries. Free weights are more effective and safer.
You also can’t do this without Power Rack. You need to get the bar safely
on and off your back to lift heavy. You can’t be wasting strength by
cleaning it first (this limits how heavy you can Squat anyway). And you
can’t be afraid to fail and hold back because there are no safety pins to
catch the bar.
Dumbbells don’t work for this program either. You can’t Squat heavy with
dumbbells – holding them is the limiting factor, not Squatting the weight.
And you can’t use small increments because dumbbells usually go up by
2kg/5lb. You’ll just plateau sooner, get frustrated, and want to quit.
You need to lift heavy to gain strength and muscle. The barbell is the best
tool for that because you can use the heaviest weights. But you need
something to catch the weight if you fail. Without Power Rack you can get
stuck under the weight and get killed. Really.
Your current gym may not have the equipment you need to do StrongLifts
5×5. Switch to a real gym or build a home gym. But don’t bastardize this
program by doing it with machines or dumbbells. It won’t work. You’re not
doing StrongLifts 5×5 if you’re not using proper equipment.
Yes, switching gyms can be a major inconvenience to you. But this isn’t

meant to be easy. You’re not the first or only one to deal with this problem.
Many people do, including me. If you’re not willing to do what it takes, best
is to look for a different program – this one is clearly not for you.
Adding Weight Too Fast

StrongLifts 5×5 doesn’t work if you add 5kg/10lb per workout. This works
on Deadlifts until you reach 100kg/220lb. It works if the starting weights
feel too light. It works if you’re coming back from a big break. But it
doesn’t work long, especially not on pressing exercises that work smaller
muscles.
Your body needs to recover to get stronger and lift heavier next workout. It
can’t recover in time if you stress it with huge increments. Adding
5kg/10lb to a 50kg/100lb press or 10kg/20lb to a 100kg/200lb Squat is a
10% increment. This can work once or twice but not every workout. It’s too
much.
Taking bigger jumps won’t make you gain strength and muscle faster. It
will make you plateau faster. It will cause bad form. Worse, it can get you
injured. Tendons take longer to recover than muscles. Big jumps can
cause nasty pains that take weeks or months to recover. This slows your
progress.
Get small plates if your gym doesn’t have any. Get fractional plates too so
you can add 1kg/2lb per workout to your bench/ohp. Don’t wait until you
hit a plateau. Get the plates today so you don’t hit a plateau in the first
place. This saves you time wasted on failing and deloading.
Lifting With Bad Form

Bad form causes pains and injuries. The most dangerous mistakes are
pulling with a rounded spine, Squatting with caved knees, benching with
flared elbows, and arching on the OHPress. It can help you get more reps
and lift more. But you’re taking risks. If you get hurt, you’ll slow your
progress.
Bad form also hinders strength gains. You have to move the bar in a
vertical line because that’s the shortest distance. But you also must
involve as many muscles as you can. More muscles working is more
weight you can lift. Good form increases efficiency while bad form

reduces it.
Bad form hinders muscle gains. You can lift more with half reps. But it
doesn’t work your muscles through a complete range of motion. It
therefore doesn’t work to cut your depth short on Squats, not touching
your chest on bench, not touching the floor on pulls, and not locking your
OHPress.
The program starts light and easy. But the weight increases every
workout. Small mistakes will turn into big ones fast if you don’t address
them early on. Read all the guides on this website. And practice good
form from day one. Don’t use bad form or shorten the ROM to get your
reps.
Not Lifting Heavy

Lifting the same weight over and over again makes you weaker. You need
to give your body a reason to gain strength and muscle. If you don’t
challenge yourself by trying to lift heavier as much as you can, your
body will get lazy. The weight you keep lifting will become harder to lift.
That means if your first two sets of five were hard, you don’t lower the
weight for the next three sets. You stick with the weight even if that
means you won’t get fives on the next three sets. You already can lift the
previous weight for 5×5. You have to try to lift this weight for 5×5 to get
stronger.
That also means if you did 5×5 last time, you add weight next time. Even if
it was hard last time. It doesn’t matter if you think you won’t make it. You
don’t know until you try. Recover properly before your next workout. Then
go to the gym, set the safety pins and go after those fives.
Many people have been surprised to find out their next workout with more
weight was easier than the last one. But it should be obvious why – your
body is getting stronger every workout. And sometimes you’re just having
a bad day. That’s why you should stick to the plan and try.
Don’t be afraid of failure. Your confidence can’t increase if you avoid what
you’re afraid of. Everyone fails, I’ve failed a lot. Lift in the Power Rack. Set
the safety pins. Ask for a spot maybe. Heck, fail on purpose a few times
so you can experience how it feels. But don’t avoid failure.
Some people don’t add weight because they’re OCD about their form. If
your form is 80% perfect, add weight. As long as you’re not making
dangerous mistakes like lower back rounding, flaring elbows on bench,
knees caving in on squat or arching on ohp… keep going.
The 20% smaller form mistakes, try to fix while adding weight. Work on it
during your warmup. But don’t stick with light weights to achieve 100%
perfect form. Anyone can have perfect form with light weights. It takes
strength to have perfect form with heavy weight. Gotta lift heavy for that.
Finally, every now and then there’s some guy who quits the program
because it didn’t add muscle for him. Looking closer it usually turns out he
didn’t do the program for longer than a few weeks… and never got his lifts
beyond a 80kg/175lb Squat, 60kg/135lb Bench and 100kg/220 Deadlift…
It should be obvious that you can’t have the legs of a 140kg/300lb

Squatter if you lift half that. You can’t have the chest of a 100kg/220lb
bencher if you bench half that. And you cant have the back development
of someone who Deadlifts 180kg/400lb if you lift half that. Duh.
It’s not the program’s fault if you don’t lift heavy and then don’t gain
muscle. This is normal. You have to lift heavy to gain in muscle size. So do
the work.
Skipping Workouts
Each workout triggers your body to gain strength and muscle. So your
body can’t get stronger if you skip workouts all the time. It can’t lift heavier
weights. You struggle instead and fail reps.
If you miss one workout, you can usually resume the program where you
left off. But skipping two workouts in a row can cause strength loss. Skip
three workouts and you’ll have to lower the weight to get your five reps on
every set next workout. This slows your progress.
StrongLifts 5×5 works best if you do three workouts a week. Two can

work, but not one a week. And one workout every 10 days definitely
doesn’t work. Look, there are 168 hours in a week. This program only
needs four hours of your time. Get your priorities right and make time for
this.
Decide the days and times you’ll train. Then stick to it whatever happens.
Sore, not motivated, tired, or sick – it doesn’t matter. Stick to your plan and
go. Maybe you have a bad workout, maybe not. But bad workouts are
always better than skipped ones – you never regret going to the gym.
Yes, this is extreme. But quitting always starts by skipping one workout. It
usually turns into two. Then you rationalize you’ll restart next week. But
next week becomes the week after. Before you know it you haven’t trained
for a month. This is how most people quit – it might sound familiar.
Skipping workouts is therefore a slippery slope. It reinforces the bad habit

you want to break – not going to the gym. You want to build the good
habit of going to the gym. The only way to do this is by practicing going to
the gym over and over again whatever happens.
Stick to your plan. Say no to people. And don’t make excuses.
Rushing Your Sets
You’ll sweat more if you rest only 30 seconds or superset exercises. But
you’ll lift with depleted ATP stores. And your form will deteriorate because
you get tired. Short rest times make it impossible to lift heavy, and they
increase the risk of injury. You need to rest up to five minutes to get
strong.
The goal of StrongLifts 5×5 is to lift heavy – not get a sweat, pumped, or
out of breath. If you want to sweat, then do HIIT cardio after your workout.
If you want pump, then add assistance work for that. But rest as much as
you need on the main exercises so you can lift heavy and get stronger.
If you only have half an hour to train, then only Squat. Don’t rush your
workout to get it all in. Squats work your whole body and are the
backbone of the program. Do them properly and skip the rest.
If you keep running out of time in the gym, then change your schedule.
Don’t squeeze your workout during lunch time. Unless you have a two hour
break to lift and shower, you’ll have to rush through your sets eventually.
Train at a different time or consider a home gym to save time.
Respect your warmup weights. Don’t skip them. Don’t rush through them
thinking only your work sets matter. Take them seriously by putting the
same effort and focus into it. Lift the light weight as if it was heavy. This
will better prepare your body for the heavy weights and avoid injury.
Eating Too Little

Your body needs to recover from your workouts to get stronger. Food
contains the material to recover your muscles. When there’s a lack of
food, your body uses it for critical tasks first. So your muscles can’t
recover well to get stronger. You have low energy, fail reps, and can’t add
weight.
Skinny guys are often afraid to gain fat. Maybe you have a low body-fat
and don’t want to lose your abs by eating more. But lifting heavy is easier
with more muscle mass. There isn’t enough if you’re 1m82/6’2″ but only
60kg/135lb. I’m shorter and weigh almost 20kg/45lb more. Gotta eat.
People who’ve been fat before are often afraid to get fat again. Maybe you
did cardio and strict dieting to lose fat. And you now want to build muscle
to look better. But the idea of eating more scares you. You’re not
supposed to eat junk food like when you were fat though. And you lift
weights now.
Obese guys usually want to lose fat/weight fast. The usual mistake is to

cut too many calories. Eating 1500kcal/day can work when the weights
are light. But your fat loss and strength will both plateau eventually – your
calories are too low to cut further, and you can’t recover well to lift heavy.
Most people need at least 3000kcal/day. If you’re obese, you’ll build

muscle while losing fat. But most people need to choose between building
muscle or losing fat. Choose muscle first since it’s harder than losing fat.
You need to lift heavy to build muscle. So eat up for proper recovery.
But don’t eat like a pig. Don’t eat mostly junk food. That builds bad habits
that will make you unhealthy and fat in the long run. Eat quality food. Real
food not shakes. Three to four meals a day.
Popular Questions
Will StrongLifts 5×5 work for me?

It has worked for me and my two brothers. It has worked for several of my
friends. It has worked for girls I dated. It has worked for anyone I’ve given
this program to. I get emails every day from people from all over the world
saying this program is the best thing that ever worked for them.
So I’m confident StrongLifts 5×5 will work for you too. It will work really
well if you…
Never entered a gym. You’re intimidated by free weights, scared of

injury, or just weak. This program starts light and focuses on form.
You slowly get comfortable with the weights while avoiding injury.
Your strength and confidence increase as the weight increase.
Never used free weights. You’ve gone to the gym before but only
used machines. Maybe you’ve benched with free weights but never
did Squats, Deadlifts, and OHPress. You’ll learn these lifts now by
starting light, doing them a lot, and adding weight each workout.
Resume after a break. You’ve done these exercises before. But you
quit last summer. Or you haven’t lifted since high school. This
program will get you back into shape fast. You’ll get in even better
shape if you’ve never used this kind of structured training program.
Now I’ve never seen StrongLifts 5×5 not work. I’ve seen stories on the
Internet of people saying this program didn’t work for them. But it’s usually
because…
This is NOT for experienced lifters. Don’t do this if you can Squat

300lb and Deadlift 400lb right now. You can’t add weight every
workout with those weights. That’s why I don’t do StrongLifts 5×5
anymore – my weights are too heavy. Do Madcow 5×5 instead.
This is NOT for know-it-alls. You have to do the program as laid out

for it to work. If you do it your way by changing things, it won’t
work. You have to be coachable. And you should re-read this guide
every couple of weeks to catch things you missed the first time.
This is NOT for wussies. This program won’t work if you skip
workouts. Not work if you skip Squats. Not work if you don’t
increase your lifts. You will not become strong and big unless you
lift heavy weights. This takes hard work.
So if you’re 60kg/135lb at 1m82/6’2″… you barely eat to avoid fat gains…

your Squat is stuck at 80kg/175lb after 10 weeks… and you’re not happy
with how your body looks… this is NORMAL. You’re not eating enough, not
lifting heavy enough, and not being patient enough.
How long does it take to see results?

Strength gains are almost immediate. You’ll see the weight on the bar
increase every workout. If you start with the bar, don’t miss one workout
and get your reps every time, you’ll Squat 100kg/220lb in 12 weeks and
130kg/265lb in 16 weeks. That’s stronger than most guys.
The maximum amount of lean muscle you can gain naturally is 2lb per
month. So if you’ve never lifted before, you can gain 10lb of lean muscle
mass in 20 weeks and 24lb by next year. Note that this is LEAN muscle –
weight gains can be higher due to increase in water retention.
If you’ve lifted before and are coming back from a break, you’ll gain
muscle faster. Thanks to muscle memory you’ll regain the muscle you lost
during your break faster than you build it the first time. Your strength will
come back faster as well, and you’ll lose fat at the same time.
Obese guys will also build muscle while losing fat. Your shirts will get
tighter in the shoulders, neck and back. But your pants will get loose
around the waist. Your body-weight may not change or even increase due
to the muscle gains. But you’ll look better because muscle is denser than
fat.
Don’t rely on mirrors to track your body’s changes. Your mind can play
tricks on you. Many lifters have bigorexia – they keep seeing a skinny guy
in the mirror despite increasing their muscle size. It’s like anorexic women
seeing someone fat in the mirror while they’re skinny.
Plus your body doesn’t change as fast as the weight on the bar. The mirror
can make you think you’re not making progress when you are. You don’t
notice because you’re looking at it every day. But people who haven’t seen
you in months will notice how your body has changed.
Take pictures instead. Front, back, side. Full body, from head to toe. Every
two weeks so your body changes are large enough to notice. Be
consistent with how you take them – same camera, lightning, clothes,
distance, time of the day. This makes it easier to see changes.
If you do this, you’ll see enough body changes after 12 weeks to motivate
you to continue. Because it will take most people at least a year to achieve
dramatic changes. Again, it takes on average a year to add 24lb of lean
muscle naturally. You can’t accelerate this. So you have to commit long-
term.
What’s the science behind this program?

The main theory is the stimulus – recovery – adaptation cycle. Stressing
your body causes fatigue. It triggers it to recover. If the stress wasn’t
excessive your body adapts to better handle that same stress in the
future. This is the old saying “what doesn’t kill you make you stronger”.
This means that if the stress is excessive, your body can’t adapt to the
stress. You get more fatigue which could lead to overtraining. On the other
hand, if there’s too little stress, then your body has no reason to get
stronger than it already is. You don’t improve because you’re
undertraining.
Think of lifting in hot weather. The heat is a stressor. You sweat to keep
your temperature down. You lose water and must drink to recover. Your
sweat glands adapt to better deal with heat. You become more efficient by
sweating earlier. This cools you down faster so you can train harder for
longer.
Think also of sedentary lifestyles. Lack of physical activity is an absence

of stress. Your body, bones and muscles weaken because they have no
reason to be strong. This saves your body resources and energy. But your
flexibility also decreases because what you don’t use, you lose.
Think of tanning too. Your skin becomes pale in the winter. And it will burn
if you fly to a sunny beach and spend the whole day in the sun. You’ll have
to stay in the next day so your skin can recover. This is like starting this
program with too much weight, getting sore and having to skip workouts.
But you’re less likely to get burned if you only spend 15mins in the sun.
Your body has time to produce melanin to protect your skin. It darkens
so you can stay in the sun longer. This is like starting light on this program
to avoid soreness, and then gradually increasing the weight.
People love to say everyone is different. Sure some people get darker,

some burn faster. Some are naturally strong, others are weaker. Some
people handle stress better. But anyone can adapt and get stronger. Just
start with a small dose and slowly increase it. This is progressive
overload.
The stronger you get, the more stress you can handle. Champions lift
heavier weights than beginners. But this causes more fatigue. It takes
them longer to recover between workouts. That’s why they can’t add
weight every workout anymore. It takes them longer to keep getting
stronger.
The barbell is the best tool to stress your body and cause adaptation. The
weight is heavier, and you have to balance it. The big five barbell exercises
use a lot of muscle. This causes a bigger hormonal response because the
stress is higher. You get a bigger adaptation as a result.
How much stress is too much, how much too little? This is where this is
more art than science. You look at your progress. But best is to be
conservative. If the stress was insufficient, you can always fix that
with progressive overload – add weight. If it’s excessive though, you’re
stuck.
Check the recommended books if you want to educate yourself more.
Does StrongLifts 5×5 build muscle?

Yes. You can gain 24lb of lean muscle the first year if you’ve never done a
training program like this one. That is by only training three times a week
and without using supplements or drugs.
Here’s how it works: your skeletal muscles are attached to your bones
by tendons. When you Squat down your hip and knee joints bend. When
you Squat up, they straighten. This movement is powered by your
muscles which contract to bend and straighten your legs against the

weight.
The heavier the weight on your back, the harder your muscles must
contract to Squat the weight. The harder they have to work to resist
gravity on the way down too. This stress triggers your leg muscles to get
stronger and bigger to better handle that weight next workout.
Most people are confused because they only see five compound
exercises. There aren’t any isolation exercises to work muscles directly.
But this is why this program works better to build muscle – you’re doing
the big five exercises which work your whole body with heavier weights.
Some people think this program only builds strength. All the gains are
“neurological’… Of course your central nervous system adapts to the
training just like your bones, tendons, heart, etc. But only a fool would
think your muscles are excluded from that adaptation. If you’ve lift heavy,
you know better.
You have to eat though. Lifting heavy stresses your muscles. Your body
needs to recover before it can add muscle. It can’t do that if you eat like a
bird. No program will add muscle on your frame if you eat like a bird. No
rep range of exercise will. You have to eat more to gain muscle mass.
This is not bodybuilding program. You’ll build muscle. You’ll good naked if

you eat properly. Girls will like it – they always have with me. But you won’t
look like those guys in magazines or on instagram. Many of them use
drugs but won’t tell you. You’re naive if you think they train naturally.
If you insist on bodybuilding, you’ll get better results by doing this program
first. One, you’ll learn to lift with proper form on the main exercises. Two,
you’ll increase your strength and muscle mass. So you can do the high
rep, isolation at a higher intensity later than if you started with that.
Most guys will never go there though. Because this program builds a great
body, builds strength, and takes less time. It’s also a simpler and saner
way to train.
Read the guide on how to build muscle
Can I gain mass with StrongLifts 5×5?

Yes, if you eat more calories than your body burns. Adding muscle mass
and getting bulky comes down to increasing your body-weight. To gain
weight you have to eat more calories than your body burns. You need to
create a caloric surplus. You do that by eating more food.
There’s no training program, rep range or exercise that will make you gain
20lb/45lb. Because that’s the minimum you’re going to have to gain if
you’re a skinny 60kg/135lb at 1m82/6’2″. Lifting can help you gain weight
by making you hungry post workout. But you still have to eat the food.
Maybe you’re skinny and think you eat a lot. You don’t or you wouldn’t be
skinny. Weigh yourself every week. If your weight doesn’t go up, eat more
until it does. If you have a high metabolism like me, you may have to eat a
lot more to gain mass. Be consistent – don’t eat less some days.
Stay away from weight gainers. They’re full of sugars and will make you
fat and fart. Eat quality food instead. Carbs like potatoes and oats are
your friends. Eat at least three meals a day. You’re probably only
eating one or two now. Wake up earlier so you can start with a big
breakfast.
Read the guide on how to gain weight for skinny guys.
Can I lose fat with StrongLifts 5×5?

If you’re obese, you’ll lose fat while building muscle. Your body will burn
calories to lift the weights. It will also burn more calories post workout for
muscle recovery (this will increase your metabolism). And your body will
use your fat reserves to build muscle so you can lift heavy.
Your body-weight may not change. It can increase because of the muscles
you’re building. But your clothes will fit differently – pants will become
looser around your waist. And your shirts will get tighter in the neck,
shoulders and back. You’ll look more athletic because muscle is denser
than fat.
Obese guys usually stop worrying about their weight after a while. They
realize they don’t really care about that number on the scale. They just
want to look good and be healthy. And if they get addicted to getting
stronger, they’ll prefer to stay big because that helps them lift heavier
weights.
If you’re not obese, the lower your body fat, the harder to lower it further
on this program. You have to eat less to lose fat. But you have to eat more
to build muscle. If you eat too little, your muscles can’t recover well
between workouts. You can’t add weight, and the program can’t work.
Doing StrongLifts 5×5 on a caloric deficit to lose fat is therefore a bad

idea. It will work the first few weeks when the weights are light. But not
when the weights get heavier. You should be eating at least maintenance
calories, and then add some cardio to help fat loss.
Remember a low body-fat is useless if you don’t have muscle to show for.
And you can easily lose 1lb of fat per week later, but you can only gain
0.5lb a week now. So gain muscle first. Get your Squat to 140kg/300lb.
After that you can focus on lowering your body-fat if it’s still needed.
Does this program work for guys over 40?

Yes. Your body doesn’t recover as fast as that of younger people. But
you’ll gain strength and muscle, even if you’ve never lifted or are in your
70s. Your age will only be a problem if you think it is.
Older people keep telling me StrongLifts 5×5 has been like a fountain of
youth. If your body feels old, you feel old, and you behave like an old
person. But if your body feels young, you feel young, and you behave like a
younger person. Here’s how this program helps you achieve that…
Build muscle. You lose muscle from inactivity and sedentary

lifestyle as you age. You also lose muscle as part of the aging
process – up to 10% per decade over 50. Lifting weights decreases
muscle loss from aging by building muscle. You’ll gain a lot of the
lost muscle back.
Lose fat. Inactivity makes you fat, especially if you don’t eat less
although you move less. The lost muscle is replaced by fat, and you
become skinny-fat. This program reverses that by building muscle,
burning calories and boosting your metabolism. You lose fat.
Build strength. Inactivity and muscle loss turn you weak as you

age. You lose balance and coordination. Your joints become weak
and you lose flexibility. This program reverses that by building
strength, improving balance and strengthening joints. You get less
injured.
How much strength and muscle can you gain? More than you think. Go to
a powerlifting competition. There are age categories for guys in their 40s,
50s, 50s, 60s, and even past 70s. The 40y old often lift more than younger
guys because building strength takes time. They’ll inspire you.
The longer you’ve been inactive, the lighter the weights you’ll have to start
with to avoid soreness. If the empty bar is too heavy, start with a lighter
5kg/10lb bar. If that’s still too heavy to Squat, do body-weight Squats for a
few workouts. Move to the bar once you’re stronger.
The empty bar can be too heavy to Overhead Press as well. Try with a
lighter bar of 5kg/10lb. If that’s still too heavy, substitute the OHPress by
the Bench Press. Bench every workout for three-four weeks to increase
your upper-body strength. Then add the Overhead Press back in.
Add weight slowly. Maximum 2.5kg/5lb per workout. 1kg/2lb is even

better, and a must for the Bench and OHPress. Use proper form to avoid
injuries. The program will get you stronger just like it does for younger
guys. But you’ll need to modify StrongLifts 5×5 sooner to keep making
progress.
Here’s why: you recover slower than younger guys. So you need to modify
StrongLifts 5×5 to increase recovery between workouts. Your body can
then get stronger and lift heavier without injuries.
Switch from 5×5 to 3×5 as soon as you struggle to get your reps. You
don’t have to wait until you fail three times or deload. Just switch already
to decrease the stress of your workouts. If you feel sore all the time
despite not starting too heavy, you should definitely switch.
The next change is to get more rest days. You could take two rest days
between workouts. Instead of lifting Mo/We/Fr, you’d lift on Mo/Th/Su,
then Wed/Sat, and then Tu/Fr. But this changes your training schedule
every week. So it’s not ideal for building a long-lasting gym habit.
Better is to simply train twice a week, Monday and Thursday for example.
This way you have two rest days before your Thursday workout, and three
rest days before your Monday workout. You’ll do about the same amount
of workouts in a month, but your training schedule will be consistent.
StrongLifts 5x5 for Older Guys
Monday - workout A Thursday - workout B
Squat 3x5 Squat 3x5
Bench Press 3x5 Overhead Press 3x5
StrongLifts 5x5 for Older Guys
Barbell Row 3x5 Deadlift 1x5
You’ll make progress for several workouts until you start struggling to get

your reps again. You can then switch to 3×3 and 1×3 to improve your
recovery. Or you can switch Madcow 5×5 to give you a break from adding
weight every workout, and switch to slower weekly increases instead.
Your progress will be slower compared to younger guys training three

times a week. But you probably aren’t in a hurry anymore. Your priority is
more likely to be healthy. Slowing your progress will keep you healthy by
improving your recovery. You’ll avoid soreness, pains and injuries.
Keep in mind turning 40 doesn’t mean you HAVE TO do these changes. A

72y old need these changes more than a 57 old, and he needs it more
than a 40y old. I’m 36 and still Squat three times a week. I’m just more
careful to avoid injuries. Look at your progress to decide what to do.
Does StrongLifts 5×5 work for women?

Yes. The bar doesn’t know you’re a woman, and doesn’t care. And your
body reacts to stress like men do – you gain strength and muscle in
response to the stress of the bar weight to better deal with that stress
next time. So women should lift weights like men, and do StrongLifts 5×5
like men.
The only difference is that you’ll never get the strength, size and muscle
mass of a man who trains equally hard. Men have about seven times
higher testosterone levels than women. Men also have more upper-body
muscle mass than women. And most men are taller and bigger than
women.
That’s why men don’t compete against women in sports. It wouldn’t be

fair, just like making a 52kg powerlifter compete against a +140kg heavy
weight wouldn’t be fair. All male strength records are higher than
women’s. The top 20% women only lift what the bottom 20% of men lift.
So you won’t get big and bulky. It’s hard enough for guys, it’s even harder
for you. Because you don’t have the same size and testosterone levels to
work with. Some women solve that by taking anabolic steroids. But you
probably don’t want to grow a moustache.
This program will get you toned instead. This term is often misused in

fitness circles. Women are usually told to lift light weights for high reps to
get muscle definition without bulk. But definition comes down to a low
body-fat. And bulk requires being a man or taking steroids. So that’s BS.
Muscle tone really means the tension of your muscle at rest. When you sit,
your muscles contract partially to maintain posture. Toned muscles look
harder at rest. But lifting light weights doesn’t build hard muscles. It build
soft ones. Lifting heavy builds hard muscles and thus tone.
Anyway, if the empty bar is too heavy, start with a lighter one of 5kg/10lb.
If you don’t have one, Goblet Squat until you’re strong enough to Squat the
bar. If you can’t Overhead Press the bar, Bench Press instead to increase
upper-body strength. If you can’t Bench the bar, bench light
dumbbells first.
I’ve seen girls who could Bench Press the empty bar for 5×5 the first
workout, despite only weighing around 45kg/100lb. I’ve seen girls who
couldn’t even Bench the bar for one rep. But the newbie gains are with
you. You’ll be able to Bench it for 5×5 within a few workouts if you stick to
the program.
Since you have less testosterone, muscle and size than men, your
progress will also be slower. Stick with adding 2.5kg/5lb per workout on
your lifts. Get fractional plates so you can add only 1kg/2lb per workout
on your Bench Press and Overhead Press. This will improve your progress.
Can teens do StrongLifts 5×5?

Yes, I started in my late teens. Even kids can do this program – Chinese
weightlifters often start as early as age six. This is a huge competitive
advantage as they have at least ten years of technique practice by the
time they’re 18. The sooner you can start lifting weights, the better.
Lifting weights will not stunt your growth. Arnold Schwarzenegger started
lifting weights at age 15 and he’s 1m82/6’2″. Lou Ferrigno and Dave
Drapper also started young but are over 1m80/6″ tall. Same with athletes
like Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Karl Malone and Michael Vick.
Some people say lifting weights can stunt your growth if you fracture your
growth plates. First, how does that even happen? Dropping the bar on
you? Never happened to me in 18 years of lifting. If you start light, lift in
the Power Rack and don’t do anything stupid, you can’t break a bone by
lifting.
Two, fractures are more common in contact and collision sports. Kids

playing soccer get tackled all the time. Broken bones happen more than in
the gym where it’s just you and the bar. And yet we don’t have an epidemic
of kids turned into deformed dwarfs. The fractures seem to heal fine.
If you believe fractures can stunt your growth, then you should be more
afraid of contact and collision sports than lifting. If you do these sports
then it’s smart to lift weights too because that increases bone density and
strengthen joints. This protects you against fractures and injuries.
But lifting weights won’t stunt your growth. This myth probably started in
the 80s with Olympic lifter Naim Süleymanoğlu aka Pocket Hercules. He
was only 1m47/4’10” but could lift +180kg/400lb over his head.
Some people concluded the heavy weights stopped him from growing…
This is like saying basketball players are tall because they jump. It’s not
correlated but selection bias. There’s way more compression when you
run or jump than lift, and your spine handles it fine. Lifting weights can
actually make you look taller by improving your posture so you stop
slouching.
The main cause of stunted growth is malnutrition. Outside of that your

height is mostly genetically determined. You’ll keep growing until you’re
about 21, regardless of lifting weights.
Lifting weights is good for teens. It builds discipline and improves work

ethic that helps with studies later. It gives them a healthy lifestyle that
keeps them from unhealthy ones like drugs and drinking. And it gives
over-active kids an outlet for their higher activity level that beats taking
pills.
The key is to start light. Get a 5kg bar or even a broomstick. Focus on

proper form to build good habits and avoid injuries. If it’s your kid,
supervise him every workout to check his form (make sure you know
proper form). Praise him for good form and discourage bad form
immediately.
Most important, don’t force the kid. I like lifting, you may like lifting, but not
everyone does. The kid may not like it. If he’s not having fun, he won’t be
motivated. This can lead to technical errors that can cause injury. Or he’ll
just hate you for forcing him. He needs to have fun first and foremost.
Can I get results with StrongLifts 5×5 if I have bad

genetics?
Yes. StrongLifts 5×5 works especially well for people with bad genetics,
for which never worked before. This is because most people with bad
genetics have imitated routines from people with good genetics –
typically one muscle a day isolation split routine crap. That rarely works
for naturals, especially those with bad genetics.
I suggest you stop worrying about your genetics. I have what people
consider “bad genetics” – skinny wrists, skinny ankles, small shoulders,
naturally skinny (ectomorph). Despite that I’ve been able to gain 43lb of
muscle, Squat 419lb, Deadlift 500lb. I won’t break world records, but I’ve
reached an advanced level making me stronger than the average gym
goer.
My point is, bad genetics doin’t mean you can’t improve. It must means
you won’t get as strong and muscular as the best of the best, and that
results will take longer. But most people aren’t competing, and aren’t on
tight deadlines. You can get much stronger than the average person, and
you have the time. So it doesn’t matter.
More important, there is nothing you can do about your genetics. You
cannot change them. What you can change is the actions you take. You
can make the decision to go to the gym week after week, no matter what.
That you can control. Your genetics you cannot.
Funny thing is that if you do the work of going to the gym week after week,
people will end up thinking you have good genetics. People who didn’t
know me before think that I’ve always been sporty and stronger and
whatever. They’re surprised when I tell them I started out skinny and not
able to do one pushup.
You can get results despite your genetics. You do that by focusing on your
training instead of whatever genetic limitation you have. You may not be
able to ever Squat 500lb. But you can definitely Squat 300lb, even with bad
genetics. And that is stronger than the average gym go-er.
Will this make me slow for sports?

No. It will make you faster, more powerful and more explosive. The big five
exercises strengthen your whole body, including your legs. Stronger legs
last longer because each step takes less effort. They can do more work in
a given time. In physics we call this power (P=w/t) aka explosiveness.
What about the added bulk? Doubling your Squat will increase your
muscle mass. But the added bulk isn’t enough to slow you down. Gaining
strength and muscle is like putting a bigger engine in your car. It weighs
more, but you’re still going faster. Because you’re more efficient and
powerful.
Gone are the days where athletes would only practice their sports.
Ronaldo and Nadal lift weights. Tiger Woods benched 300lb. Every athlete
and team now has a STRENGTH and conditioning coach.
Strength improves balance and coordination, reduces injuries, and makes
you more explosive.
If you do sports but don’t lift weights, you’re putting yourself at a

disadvantage in 2017.
Isn’t Squatting 3x/week too much?

It is if you start with your five rep max on the first workout. You’ll get sore
legs and won’t be able to Squat again two days later. This program will
look impossible to do because you started too heavy. The trick is to start
light to let your body get used to Squatting three times a week.
I used to hammer my legs every Monday by doing almost a dozen of

exercises for high reps. I was often sore for a week. So when I discovered
the 5×5 workout in 2003 I didn’t get how anyone could Squat two more
times in the same week. I know now – you stop training for failure.
Most weight lifters Squat several times a week. I once Squatted every day
for 50 days. Sprinters usually sprint several times a week. Runner run
several times a week. Cyclists ride their bike several times a week. Only in
bodybuilding are you supposed to only train legs once a week. It’s BS.
If you can’t Squat three times a week, you’re not overtrained. You’re
undertrained. You’re in bad shape that’s why you can’t do it. Start light, let
your body get used to it, and you’ll be able to do it too.
Can I do 5×5 Deadlifts?

You can do whatever you want. The question you should ask is whether
that will get you better results. Will your Deadlift increase faster? And the
answer to that is no.
First, there’s a big overlap in the muscles used on the big fives. Deadlifts
are like half Squats. Rows strengthen your back. Presses strengthen
your arms. Your whole body gets strong. So your Deadlift increases fine
with only one heavy set of five. You don’t need more. This has been
proven.
Two, you can lift heavier weights on Deadlifts than any other exercise.
And each rep starts from a hard dead stop. Deadlifts are therefore more
stressful. 5×5 Deadlifts are harder to recover from than 5×5 Squats. If you
don’t recover from all that stress, you can’t get stronger. You fail and
plateau.
Three, you lack experience. People who do 5×5 Deadlifts always come to
their senses later. When you have to fight to get your 5×5 on Squats, and
fight to get your 5×5 on presses, you don’t want to end your workout with a
5×5 Deadlift. You’re happy to finish with one heavy set of five.
If you like Deadlifts, warmup with sets of five like my app suggests. This
give you more sets without the stress of sets across with the same
weight. You won’t hurt your recovery and plateau.
Does StrongLifts 5×5 work with Dumbbells?

No. StrongLifts 5×5 is a barbell program. The main idea is to add
2.5kg/5lb each workout. You can’t do this with dumbbells because they
usually go up by 2kg/5lb. This forces you to add 4kg/10lb per workout
which is too much. You’ll fail miss reps quickly, get frustrated, and fail to
make progress.
Even if you have dumbbells with smaller increments, you still can’t Squat
heavy. The hardest part is holding the dumbbells, not Squatting them.
Let’s say you’re so storng you can Squat with 100lb in each hand. That’s
still only 200lb on your legs. I Squat double that with the bar.
The point is that it’s easier to lift heavier weights with barbells than
dumbbells. That’s why you’ll get the best results by doing the main
compound exercises with barbells. It will also give you the best
progression because you can use smaller increments.
This doesn’t mean that dumbbells are useless. I like dumbbell exercises
and do them. But I only use dumbbells for assistance exercises – like high
rep dumbbell bench press at the end of my workout, after having done
heavy Barbell Bench Press first. I don’t substitute heavy barbell bench
Press by dumbbell bench press.
If you only have dumbbells or only want to use dumbbells, please do a

specific dumbbell program.
Does StrongLifts 5×5 work with Machines?

No. All the results of StrongLifts 5×5 that I’m promising only apply if you
use free weight barbells. They do not apply if you lift inside a smith
machine (bar attached to rails), weight-stacked machines, and other
machines like the bowflex. Using those equipments inside of barbells will
lead to inferior resuls and maybe injuries.
The main benefit of using barbells over machines is this
Barbells force you to balance the weight yourself. Machines

balance the weight for you. The smith machine for example has the
bar attached to rails. You don’t need to balacnce it, the machine
does. That means the machine is taking work away from your
muscles. You want your muscles to do all the work when lifting
weights. Because the more muscles work, and the harder they
work, the stronger and more muscular you’ll be.
Barbells allow you to use natural movements. Because since the

bar is not attached to rails, you can decide where the bar goes.
With smith machines and other machines, the machine decides
where the bar goes. This can force your body into unnatural
movements that can injure your joints and lower back – especially
once you start to go heavy.
Back in 1999, when I started lifting, I trained mostly on machines for the
first years. I did a lot of smith machine squats and chest machine press
and all of that. One day the smith machine was taken, I decided to do free
squats, and to my surprise I couldn’t lift what I could lift on the smith
machine. I couldn’t balance the weight, it was heavier.
I switched to free weights after that. Because that experience made me

understand that free weights have to be superior to machines because the
movement feels harder. It is harder because more muscles have to work
to balance and lift the weight, since no machine is assisting you.
If you want to do StrongLifts 5×5, and you want to get the best results, use
free weights. If your gym doens’t have free weights, switch to another
gym. I understand it may not be practical, but that is what I would do –
because I want to train as efficiently as possible, and you need barbells for
that.
Some people don’t care about efficient training, they don’t care about
getting the maximum strength and muscle they can. They just want to get
a little “fitter”. To me that’s boring. But if you’re fine with then, then choose
a machine-based program. Don’t bastardize StrongLifts 5×5 by using
subpar equipment.
What if my gym doesn’t have barbells to do

StrongLifts 5×5?
What I would do is stop going to that gym, and go to a real gym.

StrongLifts 5×5 is a free weight, barbell training program. It uses barbells
because that’s the most effective way to get stronger. Machines,
dumbbells, smith machines, cables, are not as effective and thus inferior
solutions.
You can be stubborn and use inferior equipment anyway. But your solution
doesn’t scale: you won’t be able to progress like people using free weight
barbells. You will fail reps sooner, especially if you use dumbbells. You’ll
get pains if you use smith machines because you’ll struggle to squat and
bench with proper form.
Many people have been stubborn before you, and come around later.
When you come around and decide to use free weight, you’ll have to start
from scratch. Because form is different when you have to balance the bar
yourself. So you’ll have to start light again to learn how to do exercises
correctly.
It’s a big waste of your time. Just do it right from the get go. Cancel your
gym membership, and go to a proper one. You paid for a year? They don’t
want refund you? Tell them to keep the money. Take your loss and join a
proper gym anyway (I can’t believe who will continue to go to a bad gym
because they paid for a year – take your loss).
If you insist on keep going to your gym, and use that bad equipment, then
do another routine. I will not help you adapt StrongLifts 5×5 to your
equipment, because that would be ineffective and a waste of time. I hate
wasting my time, so I’m not going to help you waste yours. Come back
when you have proper equipment and I’ll be happy to help you then.
How Can I Mix StrongLifts 5×5 with Crossfit?

StrongLifts 5×5 is already a full training program. You should not mix it
with another program. You need the rest days between StrongLifts 5×5
workouts to get results. If you train on rest days, your body can’t recover,
and without recovery it can’t get stronger and build muscle.
So doing StrongLifts 5×5 three times a week, and then Crossfit 5x/week
won’t work. Do StrongLifts 5×5 three times a week, or do Crossfit
5x/week. If you insist on doing both, then do StrongLifts 5×5 on mo/we/fr,
and Crossfit Saturday – yes, only one Crossfit session.
I’ve never done Crossfit, but train in Crossfit gyms since I sold my home
gym. Most casual Crossfitters I’ve met should get stronger, build muscle
and improve their form. You probably do too. So do StrongLifts 5×5 for a
few months, then go back to Crossfit – it will be easier.
Should I take a week off StrongLifters 5×5 every

8-12 weeks?
No. The program is only 3 workouts per week. That means you’re already
getting four rest days a week. Add the extra rest days that most people
take by skipping a workout here and there. And then consider the deloads
once youstart failing reps. Rest is built into the program, and you’re
already get enough.
Besides, a week off training is not going to make you stronger. It’s going to
cause detraining. The weight is going to feel heavier when you resume
training, and your form will be off due to the lack of practice. You’re going
to lose strength and skill. So everything will be harder.
If you want a break, then do a lighter week where you lift 10% less or only
do two sets or only go to the gym twice, something like that. But don’t stay
at home doing nothing. That’s just being lazy. Your workouts will be harder
the week after which can make you lose motivation.
Do I need a training partner for StrongLifts 5×5?
No. I’ve been training mostly alone since I started lifting in 1999. Most
people will drag you down, so you’re often better off alone.
If you can find someone who has been lifting for some time, who has
results to show for, who knows how to train properly, and lifts decent
numbers… then I recommend you train with him. My early mentor was like
that, and I learned a ton from him.
Your best friend who want to start lifting with you is usually a bad training
partner. He’s a beginner like you, doesn’t have any lifting knowledge or
experience. He will be of no help. He can just drag you down by not
showing up, complaining about how lifting is hard, implant bad ideas like
let’s skip today’s workout, distracting you with other workouts, etc
There’s no question that you train better with a trainingpartner than alone.
I’ve had my best workouts with training partners. The problem is that good
ones are hard to find. Most people just “don’t have it”. They won’t push you
train hard, won’t motivate you, won’t inspire you, won’t add anything.
That’s why you are usually better off alone.
Do I need a spotter to do StrongLifts 5×5 safely?

No. I’ve lifted weights without spotter for the majority of the past 19 years.
Spotters are no guarantee for safety. Most people don’t know how to spot
properly. Or they may not pay attention and fail to spot you when you miss
reps. Even if you have a great spotter, your may not always be able to train
together due to conflicting schedules.
Power Racks are always available, and more reliable for Squats and Bench
Press. You just set the safety pins at the proper height so that they can
catch the weight when you fail. Done.
For Deadlifts and Rows you don’t need a spotter since you can’t get stuck
under the bar. If you can’t lift it, just return the weight to the floor.
You don’t need a spotter for Overhead Press either. If you can’t lift the
weight overhead, you just return it to your shoulders and rack the bar.
The bar will not fall on your head if you fail on the Overhead Press. The
hardest part is the bottom – getting it from shoulders past your forehead.
If you get past your head you can lock it out safely. If you can’t get it past
your forehead, you just return it to your shoulders and rack the weight.
What’s the best time to workout?

The one you stick to. It doesn’t matter what time of the day is best. If you
can’t stick to it long-term, your program won’t work. Train at the time that
works best for you and your schedule.
Most people train in the evening because they work nine to five. You may
have to wait for the Power Rack to be free, which increases the time you
spend in the gym. I never have this problem though as I just ask if I can
train inbetween. I’ve never been refused in 18 years of lifting.
Some people avoid training on Monday and Tuesday. The gyms are
always more crowded because people want to make up for pigging out on
the weekend. But that means you’ll have to train Saturday or Sunday. I
prefer to have my weekend off so I usually train on Monday/Tuesday.
You can try to get there before everyone else. Start work an hour or two
earlier if you can. This way you can already leave around four and start
lifting before the crowds arrives. This also prevents working out too late
which can keep you up by raising your body temperature.
Training in the morning is best if you have unpredictable work hours.

Whatever happens the rest of the day, you already did your workout.
You’re more consistent because a longer work day no longer causes you
to skip your workout. You progress better as a result.
It’s not easy though. You have to wake up earlier. Your gym has to be open
early enough so you can get your workout in before work. The gym won’t
be crowded but that also means less or no spotters. And if you had a hard
workout in the morning, you can feel tired afterwards and need a nap.
Some people feel weaker in the morning. This is either from not sleeping
properly the night before, or from not giving it enough time to adapt. I
once Squatted around 400lb for 50 mornings in a row. While I do seem
stronger in the afternoon/evening, it’s not by much. You can do it.
Eat before your morning workout so you can train harder. Keep the meal
small so you don’t feel sick while you lift. Eat at least 45min before going
to the gym, first thing on waking up, so it can go down. If you don’t have
the time, have a protein shake instead – liquid food digests faster.
Whatever time you choose, make it consistent. Choose the same days
and times every week. This creates a habit that will pull you to the gym
over time, instead of you pulling yourself there. It works even better if you
workout right after or before work, so you go from one to the other.
Note there is no maximum workout time. You don’t have to finish within

45 minutes to avoid muscle breakdown. The idea behind that is to not do
gazillions of exercises like some people. Take as much time as you need
to do your exercises properly and get your reps.
Should I workout if I’m sick?

I do. Now I’m rarely sick because lifting weights boosts your immune
system. I happens maybe three times a year. But I usually train anyway,
don’t feel much weaker, and feel better post workout.
This is controversial. Some say you shouldn’t stress your body more by

lifting weights, so it can fight the sickness. Others say you should stay
home to not make others sick. I say if I only trained when all was perfect, I
wouldn’t train much. Consistency is key and requires training when sick.
The only exception is if you have the flu. I caught it years ago, tried to lift
but was just weak. I spent the rest of the week in bed, sleeping most of
the day. This is one of the rare times where I didn’t train due to sickness. If
you catch the flu, it’s probably best to take several days off.
But not if you have a cold, running nose, sore throat or mere headache.
Just go. You’ll probably feel better afterwards. Obviously clean the
equipment when you’re done if you train in a gym.
How heavy you should lift depends on how you feel. Rule of thumb is to
always go to the gym and try. If your warmup sets feels good, keep going.
If they feel terrible, only do your warmup sets and call it a day. Or do one
heavy set of five instead of the full five. And skip all the assistance/cardio.
If you catch the flu and take a week off training, you’ll have to lower the
weight when you come back. Take 10% off on every exercise to deal with
the strength loss. If you barely ate anything while you were sick, you’ll
probably need to take 20% or more off. You’ll get the strength back
quickly.
What if I don’t feel like lifting today?

Lift anyway. It doesn’t matter how you feel. Motivation is over-rated.
If I waited to lift only when I felt like it or was motivated, I wouldn’t train
much. Now I do love lifting and enjoy it a lot. But there are plenty of times
where the motivation isn’t there. But the presence of motivation doesn’t
determine if I go to the gym or not. My schedule does: I have fixed days
and times were I go to the gym. I don’t deviate from it.
To some people that sounds extreme. It doesn’t sound like a big deal to
skip today’s workout. You can go tomorrow after all. But most people who
think that way will not go tomorrow. Or the day after. Everyone who quit
training, it started with one silly workout they skipped.
I know this. And that’s why I don’t skip workout. That is also why I’ve been
so consistent since I started lifting in 1999.
If you try this, you’ll see that sometimes, you didn’t feel like training, went
to the gym anyway, and once you started Squatting, you become
motivated. I think it’s because you overcame that inertia, so know you
start feeling good about it.
Other times, it’s just going to suck. That’s fine. Just do your best. You’ll
notice that once you’ve finished your workout, you’ll be happy to have
trained anyway. You’re always happy to have gone in the gym afterwards.
Fact is, feeling unmotivated doesn’t mean you’ll have a bad workout. Nor
does feeling motivated guarantees you’ll have a great workout.
If you lack motivation over long periods of times (week, months),

something is probably off with your training. But for day to day decision
making about going to the gym, how you feel doesn’t matter. Stick to your
plan, and go.
What if I’m embarrassed to go the gym?

Nobody cares about how much you lift. I’ve been weak, now I’m stronger,
it doesn’t make much difference. Most people mind their own business,
and a lot of people don’t understand what a 400lb Squat is anyway. I have
friend who Squat over 700lb, and nobody bats an eye when they train in
regular gyms.
Now there may be the occasional jackass who may give you weird look or
laughs from the corner. Screw him. You’re going to go from empty bar to
100kg/220lb Squat within 3 months. You’re going to end up Squatting

more than him. Let him laugh and hope he’ll remember you. You’ll have
the last laugh in three months.
Yes I’m telling you to use negative feelings to motivate you to change.
Because I believe it’s good to feel embarrassed and ashamed about being
weak and skinny.I was embarrassed when I lost arm wrestling to all my
friends in my teens. But that feeling of shame was what motivated me to
take action and work on getting stronger.
Just go, ignore the other people, follow the program. You’ll get stronger.
Should I lift if I’m sore?

Yes. It’s counter-intuitive, but this will help getting rid of the soreness
faster. By lifting again, you flush blood and nutrients to the sore muscles.
This helps them recover faster.
Most people will prefer to not lift when they’re sore. They prefer to wait
until the soreness is gone. But soreness doesn’t mean the strength isn’t
there. And by not lifting, the soreness and discomfort will last longer. Plus
you’re skipping workouts which breaks consistency.
Try it: go to the gym, warmup, and you’ll see that the muscles will feel
better. And make sure you didn’t start too heavy. The first workouts should
be easy. Don’t make the mistake of starting with your max.
Can I do StrongLifts 5×5 every day?

No. Because as explained above, your body needs rest days to recover
from the stress of lifting weights. If you train every single day, your body
doesn’t get to rest properly for the next workout. After a while you’ll start
missing reps and fail to add weight each workout. That’s when you’ll start
taking rest days anyway.
Most people don’t need to train every day to get results. You get plenty of
results by training three times a week already. I’ve been training since
1999 and don’t train more than four times a week. You can get stronger
and more muscular than most people with just three workouts a week.
Impatience is bad when it comes to lifting. But if it’s impatience that

makes you want to do StrongLifts 5×5 every day, then add more weight
each workout instead. Use bigger increments of 5kg/10lb for a while. This
will make you progress at double the rate, like when training every day, but
while getting rest days between workouts.
Can I do workouts for arms/ab/back/etc on off

days?
No, because then you’re not getting any rest. Your body needs rest days
as explained all over this guide. You need both workout AND rest days to
get results on StrongLifts 5×5. The program doesn’t work if you don’t get
any rest – especially once the weights get really heavy, which they will
quite fast.
If you really want to add extra exercises for arms/abs, then do them at the
end of your workout as described above. Your workouts will take slightly
longer, but this way you have four rest days a week. If you don’t have time
to do them post-workout, then do those things on Saturday (assuming you
train mo/we/fr). This way you have 3 full rest days.
I have to start over due to bad form. How much

weight do you suggest?
Depends on what kind of technical errors you were making. In general:
Range of motion errors – like you did a half Squat instead of

breaking parallel. Correcting that means the same weight is going
to be harder. Because it will travel a longer distance now. In these
cases starting with about a third of what you were doing before is
probably best (about 70kg if you were doing 100kg)
Bad form – knees coming in on Squats or back rounding on

Deadlifts, or using a too narrow/wide grip on bench/oh press.
Sometimes you can fix these without lowering the weights. Try it. If
you can’t, then drop the weight by 20%, and slowly increase the
weight again.
You do not have to start from scratch with the empty bar! (unless you
caught yourself using bad form 2-3 weeks in, and so your weights are still
light). Only lower the weight as much as you need to be able to perform
and maintain proper form.
Can I Squat less deep if I think I’m going to stall?

No. The range of motion has to be the same on every rep, every set, every
workout. Otherwise you don’t know if you can lift more weight because
you’re getting stronger, or because you’re using a different range of
motion.
The less deep you Squat, the easier it will be to Squat the weight because
it travels a shorter distance. The minimum distance the bar must travel for
the rep to be valid, is until your hips are lower than the top of your knees at
the bottom of each Squat rep. You don’t need to go lower than that. But
you need to go at least that low.
You do not have to Squat all the way down until your hips touch your
ankles (ass-to-grass). If you were doing that, stop doing it, and progress
will be easier for a few workouts. But you’ll probably need to adjust your
form a little, as it’s going to feel different.
What you don’t do is turn your proper form, parallel Squats into half
Squats. Nor do you start doing half bench presses when that gets hard,
you continue to touch your chest on each rep and lock your elbows at the
top. You use the same range of motion all the time.
If you think you’re going to stall, and you’re afraid of failing reps, then
consider it a fail, deload appropriately, and work your way back up.
How should I train if I’m traveling for work and

only have access to hotel gyms?
Most hotel gyms don’t have barbells and power racks. They usually only
have light dumbbells and tons of cardio equipment. StrongLifts 5×5
doesn’t work with dumbbells as already discussed – doing dumbbell
Squats and Deadlifts is a plain waste of time. I hate wasting my time with
less effecgtive stuff, so I’d rather do nothing than that.
Now I travel a lot, but never train in hotels. What I do is to go the local
Crossfit. Most major cities have one. Crossfitters Squat and Deadlift like
us. Their gyms are huge and have barbells/ and racks to Squat/Deadlift
heavy. So I go to the local crossfit and train there.
You don’t have to join the Crossfit classes. Just go during open hours, and
do your StrongLifts 5×5 workout. Pay the daily drop-in rate and do your
trianing. This way you’re not skipping workouts, not doing subpar training
that causes strength loss, you can just continue to progress.
I’ve been training only in Crossfit gyms since I sold my home gym in 2016,
and it has worked great.
What if I hate Squats/Rows/Bench/whatever?

Usually, the exercise you hate is the one you should do the most.
Whenever people hate an exercise it’s because they’re bad at it. They’re
weak at that exercise, or they can’t figure out how to use proper form. So
they want to substitute the exercise for an easier one – like Rows for
dumbbell rows.
The first problem with that is that you’re never going to get good at that
exercise if you don’t do it. If you want to get good at that exercise, if you
want better form, if you want to get stronger at it, you need to do that
exercise more. A lot of strength depends on skill, and skills comes
through deliberate practice.
The second issue is it’s the wrong way to deal with being stuck. Getting
stronger is a linear process on paper where you simply add weight each
workout. But in practice that journey is paved with lots of ups and downs.
Plateaus are what causes those ups and downs.
You hating that exercise because you can’t figure out its form is your first
plateau. You will encounter many other plateaus later because plateaus
are part of strength training. How do you expect to push through future
plateaus when you’re giving up on the first one?
Weakness and bad form are things you need to figure it out. You’re not
going to get anywhere if you can’t figure out how to do a Squat. There’s no
substitute for this exercise. You either figure how to do it, or you waste
your time with inferior exercises like a leg press or lunges.
Of course if Bench Press keeps hurting your shoulders, then do close grip
bench press instead. But try to at least figure out why it hurts. In many
cases the issue is bad form. Most people never address that bad form but
directly go for substitutions. That’s just lazy.
Will Smoking Hinder My Gains on StrongLifts 5×5?

Probably not. I smoked for 10 years, and gained strength and muscle
regardless. Then again, I was a weekend smoker. In the long run it’s better
for your health to quit smoking. Right now just start lifting. You don’t have
to fix everything at the same time.
If you decide to quit later on, I recommend Allen Carr’s Stop Smoking.
Reading that book made me quit cold-turkey in 2006. I haven’t touched a
cigarette since then, and am glad I don’t touch that crap anymore. I never
liked it anyway.
Will Alcohol Hinder My Gains on StrongLifts 5×5?

Depends how much alcohol you’re talking about.
If you get drunk every night because you go out with colleagues after
work, you’re going to have a hard time the next day in the gym. Alcohol
hurts sleep quality and dehydrates. You’ll feel less motivated, struggle to
train hard, and will feel weaker. It’s very tempting to skip workouts with
that kind of lifestyle.
Guys also tend to eat junk food after drinking a lot of alcohol. That is on
top of the massive amounts of sugar added to alcohol nowadays. None of
that is helping you to build lean muscular body.
One trick is to drink massive amounts of water before going to bed. This
prevents dehydration from alcohol. You’ll wake up to pee a lot, and will
feel tired the next day. But at least you don’t wake up with a headache and
will be able to eat. That will make lifting easier after a night drinking.
But the obvious solution here is to stop drinking so much. I rarely drink,
and friends know. If I just met the guy and he doesn’t know I don’t drink, I
just tell him I don’t. I can have fun without. And then I don’t drink. That’s all
the explanation I usually need.
If you have the occasional drink here or there, alcohol is obviously not an
issue. I rarely drink, but when I do it’s one drink max.
How to Convince my Friend to do StrongLifts 5×5?

Let your results do the talking. When you can Squat +100kg/220lb, and
have gained several pounds of muscles, you’ll get his attention. He’ll want
to know what you’re doing, and give it a try so that he’s not “being left out”.
You can also send him the link to this guide, so that he can read himself.
Is it okay to lift in cold weather?

Yes. I trained in a cold garage for 12 years. My home gym was in the
garage of my parents. Winters usually don’t get colder than -10° C (14°
Fahreheit) in Belgium. But my parent’s garage was an old building and
badly insulated. So whatever the temperature outside, was the
temperature I had to lift in.
The biggest challenge when it’s cold, is that it’s harder to motivate
yourself to step in the cold and lift. Your inner voice is going to tell you to
skip the workout. The way I dealt was to come home from work, dress
warm, go to the gym, start lifting.
Don’t give yourself time to think by winding down after work first. You
won’t want to leave that warm environment after. Keep moving by lifting
immediately after work.
Dress warm to handle the cold. I would wear a woolen hat and gloves,
thick pullover, and long paints. You’ll need to warmup a little more to
increase your body temperature. A 5min jog can help for that (I would just
run a few circles in the garage).
The bar will feel cold on your hand, which is why I would wear woolen
gloves. Once the bar is warm from your body temperature, you can
remove the gloves so you have better bar control. If you can, you can also
keep the bar in your home where it’s warm, and only take it out when it’s
time to lift.
Usually by the time you’ve warmed up for Squats and do your first warmup
set, your body temperature should be high enough that you don’t need the
woolen hat and pullover anymore. I would often remove them for my set,
then put it back on during sets.
I’m 35. Am I too old for this?

I’m 37. I’m stronger and more muscular than in my 20s. I have less injuries
thanks to smarter training and less ego. I haven’t seen any issues related
to now getting close to 40. I’ve been lifting for 20 years now and plan to
lift for the next 20 and more.
If you’re afraid of injuries, that can happen whatever age – make sure you
warmup properly, and use proper form. If you’re afraid of not making gains
– you will make gains.
It seems like some guys think they’re too old for doing this. I think it’s
because you’re doing this that you feel old. It’s your old people thinking
that cause old people behavior, that makes you feel old. Start lifting and
you’ll start feeling younger.
What about stretching?

Lifting weights doesn’t decrease flexibility. This is a myth spread by
people doing mostly isolation. Powerlifters and Olympic lifters have to
be flexible otherwise they couldn’t bring their hips below their knees when
they Squat. Regularly doing Squats actually maintains flexibility.
If you’ve been sedentary for years, you might need to stretch. What you
don’t use, you lose. If you never move your muscles through a full range of
motion, they tighten up. So you lose the ability to move properly which can
cause bad form. Common examples include…
Tight hips prevent your knees to stay out when you Squat. This
causes lower back rounding aka butt wink on Squats – which
causes back pain. Stretching can help you keep your knees out so
your spine stays neutral. It also helps breaking parallel more easily.
Tight shoulders prevent you to lockout the bar over your shoulders
on the Overhead Press. It has to stay in front which is harder. Your
spine can compensate by arching to get the bar balanced over your
shoulders. But this can cause lower back pain.
Stretching can help you regain the mobility you lost. It can improve your
technique if limited range of motion was causing bad form. This can
eliminate nagging pains and help you lift heavier weights. After that, doing
exercises like Squats with proper form help you maintain that flexibility.
But stretching isn’t always the solution for bad form. You do need proper
mobility to Squat with your knees out. But you also need to control your
muscles while you move so you achieve proper form. That control
requires a conscious effort from your part, as well as strength.
Stretching doesn’t teach you to stay tight. You’re not generating force like
when you do heavy Squat. You’re relaxing. So don’t be surprised if your
Squat doesn’t improve despite starting yoga. You may regain lost range of
motion, but you still have to Squat to improve your Squat technique.
Stretch movements, not muscles. Compound exercises work several

muscles at the same time. It therefore doesn’t make sense to do stretches
like toe-touches. That’s the equivalent of an isolation exercise. Do
stretches that work several muscles at the same time, like the Squat
stretch.
You can stretch pre-workout (I don’t). But it doesn’t replace your warmup.
You still have to start with an empty bar and work your way up. This works
better because you can practice proper form. It warms up your
muscles and prepares you for the heavy weights using lighter weights.
I mostly do the Squat Stretch (hips/ankles) and passive hangs

(shoulders/spine). I do the former after Squats, the latter between sets.
You don’t need gazillions of exercises – keep it simple.
Flexibility comes faster than strength. Stretching takes more work at first
and can be uncomfortable. But if you do it consistently you’ll improve in a
matter of weeks. It takes less work after that as the exercises of
StrongLifts 5×5 will help you maintain flexibility.
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3/12/21 11:32 StrongLifts 5 × 5: Hágase más fuerte levantando pesas solo 3 veces por semana

StrongLifts 5 × 5: obtenga pesos de

El programa de entrenamiento de fuerza StrongLifts 5 × 5 consta de dos

Entrenamiento A: sentadilla , press de banca , remo con barra

Entrenamiento B: sentadilla, press de hombros , peso muerto

La mayoría de la gente entrena los lunes, miércoles y viernes. Esto le da

Comience StrongLifts 5 × 5 haciendo el ejercicio A. Vaya a casa, coma y

StrongLifts 5x5 Semana 1

StrongLifts 5x5 Semana 1

Lunes - Miércoles - Viernes -

Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5

Press de banca 5x5 Prensa de arriba 5x5 Press de banca 5x5

Empiece la semana dos con el entrenamiento B porque terminó la

StrongLifts 5x5 Semana 2

lunes miércoles viernes

Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5 Sentadillas 5x5

Prensa de arriba 5x5 Press de banca 5x5 Prensa de arriba 5x5

Continúe alternando los entrenamientos A y B. Las semanas tres y cinco

Comience ligero para que su cuerpo pueda acostumbrarse a ponerse en

máximo de cinco repeticiones. Puede ingresar sus mejores

Si nunca ha hecho estos ejercicios antes, no los ha hecho en años, o se

Cuclillas , prensa de banco , Overhead Press : 20 kg / 45 libras (el

Peso muerto : 40 kg / 95 lb (la barra vacía con un plato de 10 kg /

Remo con barra : 30 kg / 65 lb (la barra vacía con 5 kg / 10 lb en

5 × 5 significa que haces cinco series de cinco repeticiones con el mismo

Tenga en cuenta que el peso muerto es solo una serie de cinco

Si quieres hacer más de 1 × 5 Deadlift, lo mejor es calentar haciendo

calentamiento). Esto te da más volumen de peso muerto sin la intensidad

Aumente el peso en cada entrenamiento en cada ejercicio en el que

StrongLifts 5x5 Semana 1

Lunes - A Miércoles - B Viernes - A

5x5 20kg / 45lb 5x5 22,5 kg / 50 lb 5x5 25kg / 55lb

Remo con barra

5x5 30kg / 65lb 1x5 40 kg / 95 lb 5x5 32,5 kg / 70 lb

StrongLifts 5x5 Semana 2

Lunes - B Miércoles - A Viernes - B

5x5 27.5kg / 60lb 5x5 30kg / 65lb 5x5 32.5kg / 70lb

5x5 22,5 kg / 50 lb banca 5x5 25kg / 55lb 5x5 25kg / 55lb

1x5 45 kg / 105 lb 5x5 35 kg / 75 lb 1x5 50 kg / 115 lb

Gratis: descargue la hoja de cálculo StrongLifts 5 × 5 para calcular

Todos los pesos incluyen la barra porque la levantas. Entonces,

Las primeras semanas se sentirán fáciles. Pero el peso aumentará

Su objetivo es aumentar de peso en cada entrenamiento durante el mayor

1.5 Orígenes del 5 × 5

7.2 Rack de alimentación

9.10 ¿Puedo obtener resultados con StrongLifts 5 × 5 si tengo una mala

El resultado típico que puede esperar si hace StrongLifts 5 × 5 como se

Más fuerza. Ganarás fuerza en cada ejercicio StrongLifts 5 × 5.

Más músculo. Tus músculos se volverán más fuertes y más

Más resistencia. Sus músculos durarán más antes de cansarse

Más poder. Los músculos más fuertes pueden hacer más trabajo

Más fitness. El músculo cardíaco se fortalecerá como cualquier

Más flexibilidad. La movilidad de la cadera aumentará porque

Más salud. Tu testosterona aumentará. Su colesterol, presión

Menos lesiones. Su densidad ósea aumentará y mejorará su

Más confianza. La gente notará su nuevo cuerpo y fuerza. Algunos

retroalimentación positiva, el respeto que obtendrás y los cambios

Más tenacidad. Agregar peso en cada entrenamiento es un trabajo

Descansar. Cada entrenamiento estimula la fuerza y la ganancia de