StrongLifts 5x5 Success Stories

[Mehdi]

Success Stories

• Anybody Else in Awe of Your Changes?
• Visible Body Effects on 5x5
• 3 months...13 weeks...39 workout...an overview by Guru
• I Did It by DLONG
• 8 Weeks of Progress -- Happy! by MrWalk
• 2 Months of Stronglifts by Wildcard
• Six Monthly Update by Rere
• Sean's 10 Week Journey Through Stronglifts 5x5 with Tips by Sean
• David's 4 Week Progress by sirdavidalot
• 1 month on stronglifts by deanm
• End of Week Seven by icenine
• Tips for those on stronglifts. And yours?? by Changed
• From 29% body fat to 8% in 4 months by SentientBean
• End of Week 7 by ArtF
• end of 11th week on stronglifts by deanmn
• 10 Weeks on StrongLifts5x5 by grassburn
• Stronglifts 6 months by JimmyB1
• One year of SL by Bobu
• 12 week retrospective of the program by wrenchhands
• My Story by xct84
• 12 Weeks of StrongLifts 5x5 Completed by Nubcake
• 100 kilo squat club by nburge
• Results 9 weeks in by andvanwyk
• From Rotund to Ripped: 3 months progress by iLift5x5
• 5x5 Complete! by Torance
• Skinny to Strong: my stronglifts story (with pics) by kiwipete
• My success story by blackjer
• Success in 5x5 by Mwilli
• 7 weeks of Stronglifts 5x5 by knoted
• One year in ... a retrospective on SL 5x5Beg. for 9 months by Holvoetn
• One year of Stronglifts by markg
• Week 7 Progress by DavidNguyen
• 6 months of Stronglifts - Evaluation by Frankenstein
• 8 month progress by trungie
• My progress and looking back 9 weeks in by m4ntis
• Stronglifts 5x5 after 6 months by Shaunc
• What Stronglifts Has Done for Me by jakemcmillan
• My experience so far by Exodus
• Thanks Stronglifts 5x5! by gantengx
• A success story for any curious visitor by Warriorpoet
• My Experience with SL 5x5 by blop
• 20 weeks of Stronglifts experience by intransmission

Your Success Story?
Click here to start a new thread and post your experience doing StrongLifts 5x5:

• How much muscle mass did you gain? How is your body fat? Body-weight?
• How do you feel compared to when you started this program?
• How do you feel when you go the gym? How's your motivation?
• What's your best advice for someone starting StrongLifts 5x5?
• etc

[phillipsjosh2415]

I would love to be the first to respond to this post. 
* How much muscle mass did you gain?  * How's your body fat?
I do not know my exact muscle mass gained/fat lossed.  I started out doing the Stronglifts 5x5 and eating healthy 6 weeks ago.  I still weigh exactly the same.  However, my belly is way smaller, my pants fit looser around the waist, and my muscles are definitely more defined.  I have obviously lost body fat but maintained the same bodyweight.
* How do you feel compared to before? Strength, endurance, flexibility, general health, sleep, confidence, etc?
I feel WAY better than before.  I used to get up in the mornings and take 10 minutes just to get to the bathroom because my knees hurt (osteo-arthritis) and back was stiff.  The stiffness has dramatically decreased. I am way more flexible. I have always been able to bend over and touch my toes but it used to take some getting warmed up first.  Now, I can get touch them easily without any warmup. When I started I could not do one single pullup or chinup. I have worked up to 3 sets of 2 reps on these now in 6 weeks. When I started I could do 5 bw dips. I have worked up to 8 dips and have only incorporated them into the workout a couple of weeks ago. I can honestly say I feel better and healthier than I have felt in a long time and I am just barely getting started.
* How do you feel when you go the gym? How's your motivation?
I work out in my home gym at 5:00 AM (get up at 4:30) so I don't feel so "motivated" at that time, but I feel great when I get done.  It is such a feeling of confidence that I made my body do something good for it instead of just letting it lay around and be lazy like I have let it do for years now.  I can honestly say that I am more motivated about working out and eating healthy than I have been since I worked out seriously in my early 20's.  (I am 41 now). 
* If you trained before: what do you think of this routine vs. what you did before (what did you before btw?)
I did mostly bodybuilding type routines (lots of isolation exercises, higher reps, usually overtraining) in the past.  I worked out with these types of routines very seriously and consistently for 4 years (from 19 to 23 years old).  I loved working out but I would give so much to have had this workout back then.  I believe I would have gotten so much more for my effort.  About 5 years ago I did Bill Phillips' "Body for Life" workout and diet.  I did it exactly as laid out in his book. I did lose a lot of fat and probably looked better than I have since I worked out in my 20's, but I lost a lot of weight doing it and I am confident a lot of it was muscle. I went from 260 lbs to 235 lbs in about 10 weeks.  I don't think I ate enough on that diet, and I think I overtrained a little. (Not enough rest to recover).  However, I can't say much because I let things distract me and I ended up not sticking with it.  I eventually gained all that weight back and more.  I love the compound muscle building exercises in Stronglifts 5x5.  I believe everybody should at least start out with this program or something similar.  If they want to switch to a different type of training like endurance or bodybuilding later, fine, but build a good strong foundation first.  When I was young I was trying to build a house without laying a good strong foundation first.  
* What would be your advice to people who want to start weight lifting using a strength training program based on your results during the last months?
My advice to beginners would be simple: Do Stronglifts 5x5 EXACTLY as it is laid out! Don't add or remove exercises, sets, reps or anything else. If you're a beginner, just do it as it is laid out and you will make gains. Forget about bodybuilding, all the fancy machines at gyms, all the new and improved exercises you have never heard of before, and just do these basic compound strength building exercises until you reach the "intermediate" level (which is a lot farther away than you think). I am 41 years old and do have some experience with weightlifting, but I have never done an actual strength training routine until this one. What I would give if I could go back to my teenage years when I played sports in high school with the knowledge I have now.
One final word. I get the feeling that sometimes people think that if you talk positive about something you must be getting some kind of compensation out of it. I have said a lot of positive things about Stronglifts 5x5 both in this post and in other comments. For the record, I am not affiliated with Mehdi or this website at all. I am just a user that discovered the website and forum about six weeks ago and I love it. I am just a middle aged, hard working family man, that got tired of the way I look and feel (after being so athletic all my life) that I decided to do something about. Just so happend I found this website and workout about that time. That is why I am so positive about it. It was just what I needed when I was looking for a positive change in my life.

[Eddie]

How much muscle mass did you gain?  * How's your body fat?
A few other of my m8s go to the gym, they so bodybuilding and have not realy prgressed a lot over a year, they have big arms where mine are still coming and big forarms where mine are small. But over11 weeks that i was doing 5x5 i looked bigger and a log of people could see the differance with my shoulders.
How's your body fat?
I didnt eat right, i was just eating loads! what ever had protein in it i just eat, as a result i got fat, now after christmas im really fat!
How do you feel compared to before? Strength, endurance, flexibility, general health, sleep, confidence, etc?
I did feel alot better, my felexability is still poor in my legs though. I do feel alot stronger than i was.
What would be your advice to people who want to start weight lifting using a strength training program based on your results during the last months?
What ever you do dont think that starting with an empty bar is too easy. I no it feels it but you will stall on the excersises sooner than you think, especially overhead press.
What i found hard

• Stalling, i have now come to the point where im stalling on alot of my excerises. I have done a big deload on all my excersises after chrismas where i took a week out, mostly because i was poorly.


• Motivation, i havent got a gym partner. Going to the gym i didnt need motivation there i love it. When your stalling on excersises sesion after session its a real de-motivator! You no if you dont go up on the bar, your not going to get bigger.


• Not havent a squat rack, this is a main factor, you do need one! i use the smith machine for heavy weights and overhead press rack for light weights.

Futre plan
Now after christmas i have stopped smoking 7 days so far, its quite hard but to get rid of this fat im going to have to do some serious cardio! Ive started dong

• 5mins rowing


• 5mins Cycling


• 5mins Running


• 10 mins swimming

After each session, going up 1min every week. Im so unfit at the moment its unreal, and i look at my stomache in discust! Im going to try and cut as many carbs as i can out my diet, but i carnt stop eating white bread i get cravings for it. Im scared if i try and stop too many things at once i will just fall and go back to where i started. Ive done a big deload on all excersies and forcing my self to do abs every workout.

[mcl]

# How much muscle mass did you gain? How is your body fat? Body-weight?

I'm not sure, since I just bought a set of calipers last weekend, but I've been doing StrongLifts 5x5 for a month now, and have made (IMO) significant strength gains. My body is definitely reshaping, just going by visual impact (sadly, I didn't take a photo before I started, but I do have an extreme before (when I was close to 303 lbs) and after (yesterday) posted in my training log linked in my signature. My current bodyfat is 24% according to the caliper (and 44% according to my Tanita scale, which is obviously wrong). I'm 6'1", 39 years old.

# How do you feel compared to when you started this program?

MUCH stronger, more flexible, happier, and I have more energy. I look forward to getting to the gym, and actually have the urge to workout on my off-days (but I don't, so I can recover!). I'm addicted.

# How do you feel when you go the gym? How's your motivation?

My motivation's still very high, because I like to challenge myself. Some days I don't feel that I have enough energy to do my lifts, but I do them anyway. Some days I've got other stuff bugging me, but I take the gym as an excuse to escape and focus on me for a bit. I also really enjoy seeing the strength gains in my journal (I keep a paper journal using a Moleskine notebook, and copy the data into my online log), and in the mirror. Soon, I hope to see it in my body composition as well.

# What's your best advice for someone starting StrongLifts 5x5?

Don't quit,
don't get discouraged,
don't listen to other people in the gym,
don't get carried away with trying to lift the big weights or being seen in the gym with a bunch of plates on the bar. Don't overdo it,
don't work out on recovery days.
DO read as much as you can about proper form, and apply it every time you lift.
Don't break form just to get a bigger weight up.
DO read as much as you can about nutrition, and apply it.
DO track what you eat, and make sure your macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat) are where they should be.
DO experiment with your diet, and find what works best for you.
Don't watch the scale. Look to body composition instead.
Don't ever think you can't do something because you're too <insert excuse here>.
Don't expect results overnight, or in a week, or even in a month. It took you years to get where you are, it's going to take that long to get where you want to be.
Don't lie to yourself,
and Don't think cheating is acceptable.

[oi_joe]

my gains.

body weight increase of 7 kilos, muscle too. BW now 65 kilos.

squat went from, lousy 70 kilo quarter squats, to a 100 kilos full squat. 5RM 92.5 kilos

bench and row, 80 kilos

OHP, 50 kilos

deadlift, 130 kilos

chin up, BW + 40 kilos, total 105 kilos

dip, BW + 20 kilos, total 85 kilos

great program.

[klue]

Alright, I had a great moment today that I need to share! Here's my story:

I started stronglifts back in April. Before that I was working out for about a year and half, so I was in decent shape. When I started stronglifts, I decided to start from the very start: Using just the bar.

By far the most embarassing workout that I did was the SECOND workout. The first workout was alright, cause no one really looks funny if you're squating just the bar, they probably think you're just warming up. But the 2nd workout gets attention the moment you put on those puny 1.25kg plates onto a 20kg bar. To make matters worse, my gym doesn't even have 1.25kg plates, so I have to bring them myself. During that workout, some arrogant know-it-all started talking to me, as if he was just curious about why I was squating so little, but the whole time he was just patronizing me, "why do you bring your own weights?" and "comon..you could at least squat 40kg, why don't you use some 10kg plates?" Whatever..I did my workout.

About 2.5 months later I went in for a workout on a busy monday evening. The squat rack taken by the same arrogant fool and his more friendly workout buddy who were barely half-squating 110kg. The guy recognized my face and my take-with-me-1.25kg weights. I asked how long they would be busy, but they were just starting. The friendly guy invited me to join in with them, but the arrogant one was against it, saying, "Nooo..this guy squats baby weights.." His friend asked me, "how much do you need to squat?" "77.5kg" I said. Having said that his friend kinda had to laugh at me, and asked why I wouldn't just squat 80kg for simplicity. Whatever..I did my workout.

After that I continued increasing my squat until I eventually stalled at 102.5kg (at a BW of 82kg). After deloading and building back up I went for a workout today and had to do 90kg. And guess what, the guy was at the gym, busy with some other stuff. He saw me at the squat rack and watched me do some of my sets, probably curious how much I was going to squat today. After the 2nd set with 90kg, the guy came up to me and finally gave me his respect. He admired the progress that I made, and admitted that he wouldn't be able to squat 90kg as deep as I do. It was a nice moment that I had been looking forward to for some time now .

[klauitzsex]

[*]How much muscle mass did you gain? How is your body fat? Body-weight?
I'm only a few weeks into it but I really like it, I don't weight myself much But startout out I was 160ish with some pretty good experience under my belt, but no where near where I wanted to be. Since I been doing it, I've seen my shoulders get a bit bigger, and finally my rear delts are noticeable and im finally gettin those all-round shoulders, and the back of my shoulders just aren't flat, instead they got tone now. Body fat hasn't changed much really, infact I think i've got leaner if anything..the squat does wonders, that exercise fucks you up

[*]How do you feel compared to when you started this program?

I feel i've gone back to basics to what weight training is all about. I never used barbells for exercises because I was upstairs in a small home gym. Now i'm down in the workshop on a concrete floor so I started doing 5x5. I was on and off with weights after gettin nowhere gains wise , so I kinda stopped. Now i'm back full time 3x a week and my motivation , spirits and enthusiasm have sky rocketed. it's brilliant.

[*]How do you feel when you go the gym? How's your motivation?

I love gym time, it's down in my workshop, so I go down anytime I want (After pre workout meal), slap on my music...and work away. GOod stuff. I love proper squatting, which I can do now because i'm not on a second floor of a house, so slammin a barbell down is no prob.

[*]What's your best advice for someone starting StrongLifts 5x5?

go for it, the 'basic' exercises pretty much give you a good physique, I'm only into a lil bit but i can see where it's coming from when it says it builds and equal physique. I'm sure when I eat more and lift more, I'll start seeing some good gains. Great workout, really fun, no messing about, and freee!

[bigkevo]

I don't really feel I've started the program in earnest yet because I am still waiting for my {free, company} gym to finish their overdue upgrade and bring in the power rack. I've been using the smith machine. (I know... I feel so guilty... but it's better than sitting on my ass.) Take squat figures with a grain of salt, but all other numbers are pure iron and muscle. Further discalimer, I also took a one month vacation durig this four months and was temporarily sidelined with an injury. Excuses aside, I've seen more progress from this program in four month than any other excercise program in my life.

5x5 stats
(Starting)-current

Squat (100lbs)-200lbs
bench (145lbs)-185lbs
bentover rows (80lbs)-135lbs
dips (3-2-2) - 11-11-10 with 15lbs added
overhead press (80lbs)- 135lbs
deadlift (90lbs)- 220lbs
chins (3-2-1) - 8-6-4
pullups (2-1-fart) - 5-3-3

some are approximate (I should really start a log)

I have focused more on my body and made a conscious effort to eat cleaner. I have kept about the same weight, but my body composition has gone from 9 months due (I am a man here, mind you) to rather toned looking. It's as though I gave birth to a little beer keg and now I am filling back into my body. Kidding aside, my wife cannot stop commenting about my improved posture and strength. I've made several contributions to this forum, but I keep forgetting to say the thing I mean the most: Thank you Mehdi... your program and your commitment to providing free information and support have changed my life forever. You da' man...

[asindhidude]

I am involved in rowing at school, and I started 5 x 5 this past April and used it at home to stay in shape over summer. When I started, I could only squat 135 and bench 125, but now those numbers are 235 and 190 respectively. Naturally, I am very happy.

[ashutoshindia]

I am following this workout all the way from India particularly because I find the info quite practical and matches my thinking. Its just been 15-16 days. I have made good progress in terms of strength and being active.

I used to workout seriously about 5-6 years back and have been highly inactive for the period. This time I started working out again and thought lets see MAYBE I can still workout well. Honestly, when I started I felt weak and embarasses with huge stomach and chest fat.

I dont know about muscle mass I gained and fat I lost or not as its just been 15 days and dont know how to measure them. But the weights I am lifting have certainly gone really high. My bodyweight hasnt changed from 93 KG but my posture has improved. height is 5'10". I am already lifting
Bench - 65 KG
Squat - 70 KG
Dips - from 1 to 6 now
pull ups - from 1 to 4 now


What worries me is that it may be too fast for me although I feel great pushing the body to lift more. But by this speed I will be lifting my bodyweight by end of 30 days. WOW...

My body fat is 40% as per a machine I have which measures on the basis of some biological resistance......And I feel stronger and better and much more active....but I really would like to lose weight....dont like carrying such a heavy body....Is this the right workout to lose fat and weight....It seems I am going to get more weight soon....Also I will like to ask, although this isnt the right place to ask such a question, should i be drinking skimmed milk or not...with my whey in the morning and before the workout...and maybe before I go to sleep....I avoid milk for fear of bulking up but think it boosts my energy levels......confusing data all over....goal is to lose fat for sure... Ideal weight would be 75 Kgs....with least fat and max muscle......

[ken20008]

How much muscle mass did you gain? How is your body fat? Body-weight?
I dont know the answer for the first two. My bw is 74.8kg, and i have been doing SL5x5 for 3 weeks, my squat is currently at 57 kg, bench 60kg, deadlifts 57kg, row 30 kg. I feel stronger now, even though i broke<textarea name="message" id="message" rows="15" cols="76" tabindex="3" onselect="storeCaret(this);" onclick="storeCaret(this);" onkeyup="storeCaret(this);" class="inputbox">How much muscle mass did you gain? How is your body fat? Body-weight?
I dont know the answer for the first two. My bw is 74.8kg, and i have been doing SL5x5 for 3 weeks, my squat is currently at 57 kg, bench 60kg, deadlifts 57kg, row 30 kg. I feel stronger now, even though i broke some rules of the program, now im back sticking to it religiously, and by eating as clean as possible, i have not lost weight but my stomach has gone down a lot. I feel fuller earlier, i feel better, im more energetic. My arm and chest muscles benifitted the most visually. Arm size is the same, but the triceps and biceps are harder, my fat there has dropped. My chest and shoulders are beginning to look defined. My back still sucks, but its improving with every workout.

How do you feel compared to when you started this program?
Before i started the program, i was already working out regularly for 3 weeks. However, it was endless biceps curls, triceps extensions, and worse of all, machines. I had never tried using a barbell for anything, and feared the bench press (i thought the bar would fall on me).
However, i found this excellent website in time, and tried doing the workouts. Injured myself the first time, went back here, read through the articles again, and started doing. Now i feel so much better, and i have something concrete to do at the gym, which is better than endless bicep curls.

How do you feel when you go the gym? How's your motivation?
I feel GREAT when i go to the gym. Pumping iron (or rubber, in my case) has made me forget all other stuff, just my body and the weights. Its great for destressing, better than anything. My motivation lies in getting the weights up and up, as well as adding that 2.5kg each side, everytime.

What's your best advice for someone starting StrongLifts 5x5?
Never, ever, try to start with weights, especially if the exercises are not something you are used to.
Technique is king. Quality over quality. I had a friend. I taught him how to do back squats. He found the 5kg per side i prescribed him way too light, so he placed 10kg per side instead. I and him alternated between sets. I had no problem, cause i was already used to it. He got sore legs for the next few days and dared not touch the squat again.

This program does wonders, DO it!

[Bubonic]

I just started the program last week, and already my shoulders have swollen up to the point where people have made comments about it.
Never did the overhead press before, and I feel like I've missed out enormously!

Anyways I'll get back to you guys in about 4 months when real concrete results will abound.

[Strive]

my first post here, updated with details:
feedback-for-2-year-beginner-t11292.html

summary:

I started at 182lbs
Deadlift--- 365lbs (3x2)
Back Squat (ATG)--- 240lbs (5x5)
Bench--- 200lbs (3x4)

after 11 weeks

I'm now 196lbs
Deadlift--- 380lbs (1x2)
Back Squat (ATG)--- 315lbs (5x4)
Bench--- 210lbs (4x4)

My 200lb bench was a very rare occurrence, normally hovering 180-190 in a split routine. I've been lifting over 200 consistently now for the past couple weeks. My overhead press stalled, but my squat hit 315 for the first time in my life, and I'm not slowing down there yet. I'm recommending this program to anyone trying to gain strength, weight, or both.

[potto]

It's December 24th. Christmas Eve. I have just left the gym, and it's 2 months since I started the strong lifts programme.

I joined the gym on the 1st September this year. That was a big step because for the 4 years before then I had done zero exercise and had sat at a desk day in day out, eating what I wanted, when I wanted. I weighed 70kg (154lbs) at 5 foot 10 (1.8m), but still looked frail. On top of this I was developing a pouch around my stomach and a layer of fat was starting to overlap my belt. Not a great look for a 23 year old man trying to mack the hos.

The duration of September was spent getting to grips with the standard gym isolation machines. This mainly involved copying what I saw other people doing. Mixed with a bit of cardio here and there, and with my new found knowledge of nutrition, I started to get into shape. My posture got better, I toned up, my shirts were a little tighter, and people started asking questions. I developed a split routine and looked forward to Tuesdays because this was my 'bicep day' and I would get that nice pump in my arms, just like the men in the magazines.

I developed a thirst for knowledge and although 90% of the information I found promoted the traditional split workouts, every so often I would come across information telling me that so called 'compound' lifts were the way to go. I delved deeper into the rabbit hole, and stumbled upon stronglifts.com

I was instantly sold. The information was so conscise and clear for beginners. What I liked most about it was the non-compromising stance of the programme. "I don't want to do this.. can I do xx instead" "No" "OK, so can I do curls on Tuesdays" "No". This confirmed in my mind that SL was a recipe for success and a proven formula. Stick with the instructions on the tin, get results. Simple.

I started stronglifts sometime in mid October. It was hard. The first time I benched on the free weights (previously using Smith machine), I had to drop 30% of my weight. And even then my core lacked the strength and I lacked stability so much that I nearly slipped off the bench. I felt defeated and that I was back to square one. Perserverance saw me through and as the weeks went by I concentrated on my form and began to up the weight. I was amazed at how quickly progress came and I seemed to be adding more and more weight each workout. Meanwhile I started to notice those in the gym on splits were stuck benching and curling the same weight they were 6 weeks ago when I first joined. I was the only one in the gym squatting.

Of course this is all just talk and mental masturbation without the stats:


Weight
Before SL.................. 70kg/154lbs
2 months into SL......... 80kg/176lbs
Increase................... 14%


Bench press
Before SL.................. 50kg/110lbs
2 months into SL......... 70kg/154lbs
Increase................... 40%

Squat
Before SL.................. 40kg/88lbs
2 months into SL......... 85kg/188lbs
Increase................... 112%

Deadlift
Before SL.................. 60kg/132lbs
2 months into SL......... 87kg/191lbs
Increase................... 45%

Chip ups/Pull ups.. from zero to 3 x 7 (on a good day

I have completely changed my diet also. My favourite meals are fish and vegetables. I snack on carrots and nuts and have ditched chocolate for protein bars and shakes. Most days I am pumping 3500 clean calories into my system, which has no doubt helped me bulk. It's not always easy, but it has become a ways of life and I could never go back to my old ways of skipping breakfast and getting by on 2 meals a day.

The only problem is that my old clothes no longer fit me.. expensive hobby!

Here's the before and 'after'.

[Ghost]

Well.. Here's my story to anyone bored enough.

Now, I've never been happy with my physique strength or endurance wise, even though I was ranked as 'good' in the condition tests that were held while I was in the army.
The test results were as follows with my BW being 72 kg

pushups: 42 in 60 secs
sit ups: 50 in 60 secs
back muscles (don't know the correct name for that exercise in English, basically involved just raising the upper body from the ground while lying on your stomach with your hands behind your neck: 65 in 60 secs
pull ups: 16 (no time limit)
distance jumping from stationary position with both legs: 240 cm
Cooper test: 2800 m

The event that made me decide to get into strength training was when I was riding at a motocross track. I went for a jump that I had previously cleared fairly easily but this time I had a little too much wheelspin in the preciding corner and consequently landed a bike length too short. That made my bike to land on flat and bounce over the landing, rear wheel going into different direction the front wheel was, causing some serious wobble/high siding, which I almost managed to save had I been just a little stronger to hold the bar with my hands. The result was that I flew right smack into a dirt wall with my bike following me and hitting my lower back. Being the lucky bastard that I always am while riding I only got the wind knocked out of me without anything severe being broken.

After a few hours of searching for info in the internet I was still at a loss due to the huge amount of contradicting claims and advices. Other sites said that isolating muscles is the way to go while others vowed on using the whole body and the same with machine vs free weights etc. you all know how it is. So, with all that different info I tried to make a training program using heavy enough weights to get perhaps 3 to 4 reps each set, with 2-5 sets depending on the exercise. Being the total beginner I was I made a couple of very bad mistakes. Now, I had some kind of a plan but still nothing clear and well defined, also lacking in goals making the motivation for going to the gym the hardest task of working out. After a few weeks I decided to search again for more specific info and that's when I stumbled upon stronglifts.com, and as potto, was instantly sold. Nowadays I have huge motivation for going to the gym since I have clear goals and the progress is easily seen everytime I lift just a little heavier weights than before.

Now I'm on my 4th week on the 5x5 program and already I can see a difference every time I look in the mirror. I started on light weights because I wanted to learn the techniques since I haven't done many of the exercises with the barbell. Basically, the only things I was a little familiar with was the bench press and deadlift. So far the results have been really promising.

Squat: from 40 kg to 62.5 kg
Bench: 40 to 52.5
Deadlift: 40 to 77.5
overhead: 37.5 to 42.5
Pull up/chin up: BW to 13.75
Press row: 20 to 47.5

I've had to replace inverted rows to press rows and push ups to dips because of the limitations of equipment at the university's gym I go to and it's easier to add weight on those two exercises, but as I understand these were in 5x5 program before, so I figured it won't destroy the routine. I have to thank you Mehdi for making this program/keeping this site up. It's literally changed how I perceive training/exercising.

I still need to up the calory intake so I gain some weight, but it's not easy to effectively double the amount I'm eating in a day, working on it though. Guess I just need to get used to the huge food costs everytime I go to the grocery