So many people say 5x5 is bad for size gains.

[nuno]

i do believe that this program routine is great, why?

since i start reading websites, magazines, i knew that to gain weight is necessary calories, rest and training. Lets be honest, a muscle is like a rope, the more we push it, more time is necessary to recover, we are costumed to see those pro bodybuilders training 2 times for day, but have more drugs that you can image, ronnie coleman told in an interview that he takes more then 50 pils for day.

SL is the best because he bets in compound movements instead of isolated movements. Even guys like arnold, ronnie, lee priest, kevin levrone they all did bench press, dead lift and squat.

compounds movements increase testosterone levels, testosterone is responsavel to get you big.

another thing i read about bodybuilding is to avoid catabolism, in order to do that must avoid spending more than 45min of training, because passing that period the levels of catabolism became higher so when you think you are getting bigger, in fact you are getting smaller.

SL bets is a small routine program to perform in less then 45min.

thats my perspective.

[Shoke]

I'm 15 180, 5"8.

I'm skinny fat atm around 17-20% body fat.
I want to bulk for one more month then cut.

No offence, but if you're 180 lbs, 20% bf, and only 5"8, I don't think you really need to be eating 4000 calories.

[JP1994]

I'm 15 180, 5"8.

I'm skinny fat atm around 17-20% body fat.
I want to bulk for one more month then cut.

No offence, but if you're 180 lbs, 20% bf, and only 5"8, I don't think you really need to be eating 4000 calories.

Haha, thats not offensive no worries. I'm cutting now anyway. .

I hate being the shape I am and need to change. argh.

[JP1994]

Bad for gains? Either I'm doing my washing wrong and my shirts are shrinking, or...

Haha, good line man. I like that.

[Golgo13]

JP, let me see if I can give you some food for thought.

I'm 44 years old. Doing a traditional BB split when I was your age and into my early 20's increased my strength in some areas, and increased my size...somewhat. However, after doing 5x5 off and on for three years I can tell you that I'm stronger and bigger now than when I was half my age. As I've mentioned on this board before, about 3 1/2 years ago I got sick and lost weight/size/strength. At 6 ft tall I dropped to 154lbs. I then started doing 5x5 training. Within three or four months family and co-workers were saying the much needed things we need to hear, "wow...your getting big, you been working out or something?" I've put 30+ lbs back on so far.

Now let me address BBing for moment. Your 15, I'm 44 so I've been on the planet 3x as long as you. So I've gotten to experience a bit more than you so far. Forget about the plethora of BBing magazines out there, they are a scam. Most of the mags are ads and the information in them are easily obtained online for free. Next, the workouts they have in pro BBing involve juicing for enhanced recovery. If you don't juice...you won't look the same even if you have the genetics to do so. And the advice on not juicing is sound. Not only is it stupid, it affects your health. Next, supplements, the before and after ads that you see are more than likely shot ON THE SAME DAY and then photo shopped!

http://www.martialwarrior.com/index.php?topic=4076.0

http://www.martialwarrior.com/index.php?topic=4048.0

Lastly, 5x5 was a staple for many bodybuilders in decades past and they had tremendous physiques with nothing more than what this site preaches. Better than the steroid freaks in pro BBing! Look at it this way, follow what James says to the 'T' above and see where you are by summer. Then you will see what we're talking about. Will you come away empty-handed? Not if you follow the program and get it done. It really is that simple.

So much truth in one post that it's almost scary.

You are the man.

[ExoduS]

People who say that 5x5 is bad for size gains have conclusively proved that they have 0 knowledge about the matter and should stay quiet.
Done a lot of good things for me: http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs200.snc ... 6555_n.jpg
(Only supplements I use are: Men's centrum multivitamin, fish oil, and vitamin D-3 cause doctor recommended it).
No creatine, no whey protein, no bulls**t, just milk, tuna, turkey, cottage cheese, spinach, carrots, peanut butter, oranges, apples, yogurt, green tea, black tea, red meat occasionally, berries occasionally, eggs occasionally.

[JP1994]

People who say that 5x5 is bad for size gains have conclusively proved that they have 0 knowledge about the matter and should stay quiet.
Done a lot of good things for me: http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs200.snc ... 6555_n.jpg
(Only supplements I use are: Men's centrum multivitamin, fish oil, and vitamin D-3 cause doctor recommended it).
No creatine, no whey protein, no bulls**t, just milk, tuna, turkey, cottage cheese, spinach, carrots, peanut butter, oranges, apples, yogurt, green tea, black tea, red meat occasionally, berries occasionally, eggs occasionally.

No starches?

And was all those gains off SL?

If so, then I'm definately sticking to it lol

[ExoduS]

Well yea, I do it pasta, potatos, rice etc... Forgot to mention those, I focused just on really healthy and important things.

Well I have been working out for past two years. I actually worked out hard. I had some short successes and failures. This is how I looked this summer:
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs155.snc ... 5317_n.jpg
As you can see, I had some muscle, extra fat in all areas. Not really looking good.

Then I decided to change the way I workout, way I eat, and some other changes as well. So I started some split routines with healthy nutrition, and boom I started losing fat, maintained muscle, but my strength was not so impressive. I was jealous (not ashamed to admit) to see kids in the gym lifting so much more weight than me, and being same size as me, or even smaller. Then one person who I talked to about working out and lifting time to time said - "I have a website for you, I think you'll like it." Guess what website that was? I think I joined this forums one or two months after I discovered this website. I red stronglifts ebook in about a day, then I red all the articles I could find, they I watched all the videos to learn proper forms, then I red all advices here on forums I could find, and now I can't even keep up with how my body is progressing. Strength is going up, fat is going down. I feel amazing.

[Mehdi]

@Exodus
How about you make a quick post summing all the stuff down you just wrote? With before/afer pic? Would be more than happy to link to it from elsewhere so other people see what's possible. You'd be an inspiration for them. Just start a new thread with the info and I'll take care of the linking to your thread.

[JP1994]

@Exodus
How about you make a quick post summing all the stuff down you just wrote? With before/afer pic? Would be more than happy to link to it from elsewhere so other people see what's possible. You'd be an inspiration for them. Just start a new thread with the info and I'll take care of the linking to your thread.

Yeah this would be cool.

I will take notice of it

And Stronglifts is the bomb, I will be using it.

[ExoduS]

I will do it soon. Anyway, where should I start the thread? I guess under "Stronglifts 5x5" ?

[Mehdi]

Yes.

[Tuplad]

Afaik, you DO get bigger on SL. That's just what I heard though

[ridethecliche]

You can reach a balance.

You can do 5x5 for strength and add isolation exercises to hit the muscles and do the bodybuilding things. They aren't mutually exclusive.

[Berbatov]

Dude I know what your problem is , you are 15/16 years old . Don't worry you will grow , also your mind will "grow" .