StrongLifts 5x5 Success Stories

[juzu]

Hi, i'm new here, but i would like to write my story here. It isn't one of those true cinderella stories, but close enough

Before i started 5x5 i was recovering from small knee injury about month and day i could train my legs i started 5x5. My personal bests was:

OHP: 5x37,5kg
DL: 5x110kg
Squat: 5x70kg
And my own weight was 68kg/174cm

I could do 5x5 about 11 weeks before my shoulder was injured due too much pressure for so small area. It's been 1,5 months since i stopped doing 5x5 and my shoulder isn't recovered yet. So after shoulder injury i could train my legs only. Quite boring, but i got much more strength them, now.

So, those numbers after 5x5 in 11 weeks was:
OHP: 5x47,5kg / 3x50kg
DL: 5x117,5kg
Squat: 5x77,5kg
My own weight was 73kgs.

I have been squatting like small animal, training my legs like no other after that injury and i have managed great improvement in that area. In 1,5month my squat is now much higher: 5x90kg / 1x110kg and my own bodyweight is something between 73-75kgs.

For me this 5x5 was much more successful than any other methods. My .. how do you say? Technique is totally different than before (in good way) and also i gained some strenght.

This is my $.05

[cameronplatt]

Having just finished the first 3 months of SL5x5, I figured I would post about it here.

The Questions:

How much muscle mass did you gain? How is your body fat? Body-weight?
I put on about 8-9 pounds of muscle. My body fat dropped 4% and my weight has stayed the same.

How do you feel compared to when you started this program?
I feel great. More confident, sexier, more alive and energetic. My GF loves the change in all aspects.

How do you feel when you go the gym? How's your motivation?
I don't feel like an outsider there anymore. My motivation has waned in the past few weeks, but I'm getting back on it.

What's your best advice for someone starting StrongLifts 5x5?
Set attainable goals so that you can acheive them and feel good about it. Constantly meeting my goals and setting new ones is one of the best ways to get me going to the gym...

Here's the stats:

Body composition: ( December 3 / March 4):
Body Fat: 26.5% / 22.5%
Weight: 226# / 225#
Neck: 16.5" / 16.5"
Bicep (slack): 13.75" / 14.5"
Bicep (flex): 14.5" / 15.625"
Chest: 41.5" / 43"
Waist: 39" / 36.5"
Thigh: 24.5" / 25.5"

Lifting records:
Squat 5x5: 95# / 300#
DL 1x5: 115# / 350#
Flat bench 5x5: 135# / 170#
OHP 5x5: 60# / 120#
Pull-ups (1st set max): 2 / 9
Dips (1st set max): 10 / 16
Inverted row (1st set max): 8 / 16
Bicep curl (3x10): 65# / 90#
Tricep ext (3x10): 70# / 95#
Shrugs (3x12): 160# / 190#

[Yupingkun]

THE GIRLS ARE LOVING IT

[gundlach]

I just finished a two month contest at our gym for fat loss. I stumbled onto S/L 5x5 in a search for fat loss on Google. I have been working out for years, and doing the typical cardio machines and a few weights and apparatus.

I have made more progress in two months than I have in four years. I came in second in the contest, only because the winning guy lost 27 lbs. I lost 10, and 10% bodyfat. I had the least to lose from the start, but went from 20 to 17.9 %. The diet had a lot to do with it, but the strength increase is great and contributed too.

Thanks to Mehdi, and all the forum members that encouraged me. I plan on sticking with this program for a long time. My incentive is greater, as I see results and want to improve. Below are my stats so far.

Age - 55
Height - 5-11
weight - 205 lbs

squat - 245 lbs
press -225
Overhead - 105
dead lift - 235
pullups - 10
pushups - 30

How do I compare to others my age??

[Erebus]

Hi, my name is Axel and im a 25 year old guy from norway.

Oh my god, I dont know where to begin. Mehdi has changed my life in so many ways, since I started reading about this 5x5 program 1.5 months ago. I was bloated, 95 kiloes/210 Pounds. fat percentage of 17-18%, and my physical condition was horrible, I got winded just running 100 meters in a half-paced way.

I used to gym a bit in my late teens until I was 20, then 5 years of studies and girlfriend evenings with pizza coke and smoking took its toll on me. My waist expanded massively, I used to be a 32" European waist, went up to 38" by this summer, and to quote my father, my ass was "up on my back". Ghetto booty...

Now, the few years I DID workout it was non-serious at best, I think you all remember the times when u simply wandered between different machines, doing a little bit here and a little bit there, no goal no progression just mindless workouts which usually ended when u just "couldnt be arsed" doing any more sets.

Ive never done any squats, deadlifts, overhead presses etc prior to last month, as such my strength in these where abysmal at best.

When I broke up with my girlfriend 1.5 months ago, I told myself that I would litterarily get my shit together, but rather than simply doing the usual splits I was after something that improved my CORE strength. so after a bit of browsing I ended up here, and decided to give it a go with the beginners program, and well, the rest is history.

Im 6.2" - 1.88 cm tall.

These pictures are taken 3-4 days ago, at around 182 pounds and a fat % around 10.5%. As im writing this im probably around 178-179, and I reckon Ill stabilize fully around 175 within a week, which has been my goal all along.




Mehdi, u have changed my life, and for this I thank you!

[vernfritz]

As I type this, I just met my goal of squating my bodyweight 86kg(190lbs). I felt like I had to tell someone!

I started SL 13 weeks ago. I still haven't started a training log but take my word for it. I missed one workout in that time frame and stalled on squat twice. I can't believe I've come this far. It wasn't that long ago I remember the weights feeling so light and wondering what it will be like when they're heavy. My current squat weight may not be heavy for most of you but it sure is challenging me.

My next goal is to join the 100kg club. Wish me luck!

[Hawk]

Week five
Third attempt BP on 5 5 75 kg succeeded today.I have struggled with 75 kg two times before but today I switched and started with BP.Then inverted rows 10,10,10.
Last time I did 87,5 Squat. Today I squatted extra deep with 50 kgs.Ass to the grass.Pushups 10,10,10 on a Vibplate and with handles and real deap.Reversed crunches 10.Dragonflag 5 and rev.crunch 10..Legs are feeling good and stronger.I had my doubts about squatting three times/week.I will try to go deeper like I did today.Normally I put a bench behind and touch the bench with my thighs when squatting.Wednesday it will be workout B.I´ll go for:Frontsquat 60 kg 5 5.OH press 42,5 third attempt.DL 90 kg no problem.Pullups 6,5,5.Neckbridge 20 sec. and Plank 30 sec.All over I think this is a great workout that suits everyone,even old guys like myself!
Body weight 76 kgs.Age 63.Location Sweden.

[cardsfan]

My name is John I am 36 years old

I just finished a 10 week Beginner program. I have lifted pretty much for the last 18 years. This is my 4th run at Stronglifts. I will do another 8 week run up to the Holidays after taking the next week off for rest. I think in 2010, I may try and Intermediate. NO program has given me the strength results that this one has. You don't run into the strength curves like you do when you train with higher reps.

For instance, I did bench 315 lbs 9 yrs ago for a single. However, I struggled on the squat and deadlift due to a bad back. Well the reason my back was bad 1. I did not go down far enough on the squat and did not deadlift at all because my back always hurt. Likely from very poor squat form and only going down halfway.

My #'s are
Squat 325 x 5 Got 330 for 4 today for my new max
Bench 255 x 5 On Wednesday I did a 300 lb single- new max
Deadlift 305 x 5 On Monday I did 315 for 6- new max
I am a little over fat. My bodyfat is around 25%. My diet could be cleaned up some. I am married with 2 toddlers so sometimes I eat whatever. Weigh 225 at 5 ft 11 in.

Thanks for this program. I'm not the biggest and strongest guy at our local YMCA but I will say people do talk to me and I feel somewhat respected in there. Guys are impressed to see this bald guy lifting over 300 lbs

[Mehdi]

Awesome progress Cardsfan. Realize it's not a 10week program though. You keep doing it until you stall & deload at least 2x on Squats, then you switch to an intermediate program.

[goodprogram]

I'm now able to bench press my own body weight. I used to be 87 kg and now I'm down to 82.4kg, I've lost the 'love handles' around my waist, my friends say I don't slouch anymore. I used to have recurring knee soreness but the squats and deadlift have sorted that out. My neck always used to be sore but the pull ups, and shoulder presses seems to have sorted that out.

I've probably taken longer than most to get to this point, but I built the weight up slowly (i had a big hernia repair 2 years ago and don't want to go through that again.) So to me, the program works if you stick to it. My gym partner wandered off the program adding his 'expertise' and now he says he's gaining unwanted weight and can't figure out why.

Thanks, Mehdi.

[WhiteGorilla]

Hi, my name is Axel and im a 25 year old guy from norway.

Oh my god, I dont know where to begin. Mehdi has changed my life in so many ways, since I started reading about this 5x5 program 1.5 months ago. I was bloated, 95 kiloes/210 Pounds. fat percentage of 17-18%, and my physical condition was horrible, I got winded just running 100 meters in a half-paced way.

I used to gym a bit in my late teens until I was 20, then 5 years of studies and girlfriend evenings with pizza coke and smoking took its toll on me. My waist expanded massively, I used to be a 32" European waist, went up to 38" by this summer, and to quote my father, my ass was "up on my back". Ghetto booty...

Now, the few years I DID workout it was non-serious at best, I think you all remember the times when u simply wandered between different machines, doing a little bit here and a little bit there, no goal no progression just mindless workouts which usually ended when u just "couldnt be arsed" doing any more sets.

Ive never done any squats, deadlifts, overhead presses etc prior to last month, as such my strength in these where abysmal at best.

When I broke up with my girlfriend 1.5 months ago, I told myself that I would litterarily get my shit together, but rather than simply doing the usual splits I was after something that improved my CORE strength. so after a bit of browsing I ended up here, and decided to give it a go with the beginners program, and well, the rest is history.

Im 6.2" - 1.88 cm tall.

These pictures are taken 3-4 days ago, at around 182 pounds and a fat % around 10.5%. As im writing this im probably around 178-179, and I reckon Ill stabilize fully around 175 within a week, which has been my goal all along.




Mehdi, u have changed my life, and for this I thank you!

Damn, don't look so sad, you're ripped!