How did you find StrongLifts.com & why did you stay?

[JediRed]

I found this site, through googling about how to gain weight and strengthen my back and legs. I was also looking for guides on technique and this website came up. I've tried (on and off over the years) many different programs in Mens Health and bought books, read thousands of articles on the net and this one has had the biggest effect in the shortest time (I only started in April).

You also get the feeling that you're surrounded by like minded, everyday people not the typical meat head you get on some other forums.

My aim is to be stronger (and I won't complain if I get bigger )for life and I subscribe to Mehdi's belief that you're only as strong as your biggest weakness. I don't enjoy squats and my legs are probably the weakest aspect of my physique, so I force myself to do them because that's the only way I'm going to reach my goal.

I look forward to sharing the journey with more of you on this forum.

BTW - I go to the YMCA gym in central london, UK - does anyone from this forum go there?

[mmenegay]

I googled "squatting with knee pain" and this site came up. I read it over and decided that I liked what I read, since it starts from a point where anyone can do it.

I also like that the movements are basic....some would have you start with Snatches and the like. I don't have room for that sort of thing at the gym, but I do have a squat rack and a bench!

I wish I had found this site before I hurt my knees, but hopefully I can fix what caused the injury now that I have!

[JediRed]

Hi mmenegay,
What knee pain do you get? Do you get it on the side of your knee (tendons or cartilage)? What have you done or are doing to remedy it?

[Portillo]

This is the most friendly and helpful strength training/bodybuilding forum i ever been to. Thats why i stayed.

[tuffnutts]

Saw mention of StrongLifts 5x5 from posts in bodybuilding.com and t-nation.com forums.

TN

[BusterG]

Had trained on and off over the years with bodybuilding routines. I hated how overcompicated everything was and wanted to get away from the mentality of muscle measuring and "who's got the biggest pecks", just a big pissing contest IMO.

I love the simple philosophy of strength training and this forum contains heaps of great expertise. I agree that it's moderated very well too. You don't seem to get the BS as with some other forums. Great site.

[PZilla]

I found this site from another board member of a different forum.

[ollie6215]

I am not sure to be honest I cant actually remember. I think it was to do with nutrition many months ago. I was looking through my bookmarks this afternoon and decided to look through the website in more detail. I wish I had. Now I have downloaded the PDF 5x5 workout guide to my phone so I can read it on the fly. Also I am going to try to use this as my place for bodybuilding from now on (forum wise) There is so much junk on the web about lifting weights but this place seems to be clean!!!!!

Can't wait to dig in.......

[shaw557]

Recomendation on Bodybuilding.com..
Have been looking for a Strength/Mass routine that would fit what my instincts were telling me.
Do less Quantity, Make it Quality..
Don't overtrain
Eat!

[yashp]

I don't remember how I found stronglifts, but I adopted 5x5 almost immediately after I read about it, since I was a beginner and I had read enough elsewhere to know that I would be wasting my time with bodybuilding splits and isolation exercises. Best decision I ever made. I'm surprised it has taken me this long to join the forum.

[n3il89]

I started working out in the Fall of 2008 and was the typical beginner. I didn't know anything and just did random exercises that seemed fine. I ended up working out 6-7x per week (mix of weight lifting and cardio) and lost a lot of body fat but didn't see the gains I wanted.

I heard about the 5x5 in April of 2009 and did it off and on for a while. I really didn't read the ebook or look at the site at all. My friend told me about it and it sounded interesting so I decided to try it out. I'm a college student so finals hit and so did my workout schedule but I started back up in the summer. I started in mid June and haven't looked back. At my lowest weight I was around 135 lbs and now I'm hovering around 150 lbs. I'm 5'7 and my goal is to be at 165lbs.

I just started trying to cook for myself and eating healthy which is no simple task while in college. Hopefully, I'll reach my goal my the fall and stop being a skinny guy for the rest of my life.

[earthshaker]

stumbled upon it via google & a guy @ the gym recommended it as well.

[earthshaker]

sorry, here is the full post:

stumbled upon it via google & a guy @ the gym recommended it as well.
i've been going to the gym for 7 years, working out about 4-5 times a week, without any real focus or goals or knowledge, and without getting stronger, or leaner, or getting any worthwhile results. i just started the stronglifts program a week ago. i never used to do full squats, they looked dangerous and intimidating, but now that i've begun them - i love them, it's like an itch that needs to be scratched! i'm still using lightweight as i learn technique & form. i used to also leaf through those stupid muscle mags and try & emulate some of their workout routines with bicep curls, shoulder lateral raises, etc. no more of that silliness. i can tell now with all the compound moves on stronglifts that compounds moves are more than enough. i can feel that the stronglifts workouts elicit an full endocrine, muscular, and skeletal response. my body feels taxed. i feel pumped. i wish i would have stumbled on this site years ago!
i have tight hips and need to stretch between squat sets. the hip stretches on this site have been really helpful.
thanks!

my starting stats:
35 yrs. 5'8" 70 KG
SQ 60 KG 5x5
DL 80 KG 1x5
BP 60 KG 5x5
OHP 25 KG 5x5
Chin-ups 8/8/7

[strong4rugby]

Been doing stronglifts for about 3 weeks now and love it. A guy at work told me about it and the amazing progress he'd made with the program over the course of 4 months so I thought I'd give it a try as I was getting bored with the normal bodybuilding routines I'd been doing for the past 13 years or so. I'm a rugby player but vanity always kept me doing the sets of 8-12 instead of training for strength and power. How ironic that after just 3 weeks on stronglifts I'm getting the "hard muscle" look I'd been after for years!

I'm about 6'1" 215 (started the program at 210!). I didn't max my lifts before the program but plan to see where I'm at in about 3 more weeks--I'm hoping to ride stronglifts to a 405 bench press. My PR is 350 from about 10 years ago, but a teammate challenged me to a race to 405 so we'll see what happens.

Thanks for all the info on the site, it's been really helpful in diffusing the myths I'd believed in for so many years. I've been raving about the program to several teammates and co-workers and am even going to start my wife on it next week!

[Rugger]

Been doing stronglifts for about 3 weeks now and love it. A guy at work told me about it and the amazing progress he'd made with the program over the course of 4 months so I thought I'd give it a try as I was getting bored with the normal bodybuilding routines I'd been doing for the past 13 years or so. I'm a rugby player but vanity always kept me doing the sets of 8-12 instead of training for strength and power. How ironic that after just 3 weeks on stronglifts I'm getting the "hard muscle" look I'd been after for years!

I'm about 6'1" 215 (started the program at 210!). I didn't max my lifts before the program but plan to see where I'm at in about 3 more weeks--I'm hoping to ride stronglifts to a 405 bench press. My PR is 350 from about 10 years ago, but a teammate challenged me to a race to 405 so we'll see what happens.

Thanks for all the info on the site, it's been really helpful in diffusing the myths I'd believed in for so many years. I've been raving about the program to several teammates and co-workers and am even going to start my wife on it next week!

Monster bench press!

Make sure you put the effort into getting your squat up there with your bench though, that's the lift that will give you the most for rugby. Nothing quite like hitting a ruck and blowing multiple people off the ball, or smashing into the line like a cannon ball.