SL Member Branimir (23, USA): lost 25lbs (220lbs to 195lbs) in 6 months while gaining muscle and increasing his Squat to 275lbs for 5 sets of 5 reps.
NOTE by Mehdi. Here's more proof that the StrongLifts Methods work. SL Member Branimir (23, USA) went in 6 months from 220lbs to 195lbs while gaining muscle and increasing his Squat to 275lbs. Here's his amazing success story...
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Branimir aka "Exodus", 23, New Hampshire USA.
After being lazy for so long I started working out in 2008, dreaming to get in best shape of my life in about 6 months. I failed because of lack of planning, lack of discipline and lack of valid information.
I was overweight, on the verge of obesity. I worked out for about 1 and a half years and my weight dropped only 10lbs. My strength increased because I was beginner, but nothing major was going on. I looked almost the same.
SL Member Branimir. Left: January 2009. Right: summer 2009 after 1 and a half year of training, 10lbs lighter but no dramatic physique transformation yet.
Of course I bought creatine, whey, fish oil, flaxseed oil, some other pre-workout bullshit and guess what? Nothing happened, except that my liver and kidneys were probably crying and asking me why I was punishing them with that junk every day. I gained some muscle, but at what expense?
I quit using creatine and preworkout stuff. Took awhile to get used to working out clean again, but I managed to do it. I was still wasting my time with some split routine workouts, with a lot of triceps extensions, biceps curls, calves work, leg extensions, hamstring curls, annoying long ab workouts...
All this gave some results, but nothing major. I did Squats when I was bored (with horrible form). I did Deadlifts... Wait, I didn't do Deadlifts. I thought the Deadlift was something that hurt your back and was useless.
I figured I was doing something wrong. So I started reading how to get big and lean. I finally learned Squats are important! I learned good nutrition is number 1, without it you can throw everything else away. I learned rest and sleep are more important than actual training. But all that was still not settling in, because information came from a lot of sources.
I started losing fat, maintained muscle, but my strength was not impressive. I was jealous (not ashamed to admit) to see kids in the gym lifting more weight than me, and being same size or smaller. One person who was was deadlifting 405 lbs and weighed at least 20 lbs less than me said - "I have a website for you, I think you'll like it." Guess what website that was? I got home, went on StrongLifts.com, started reading Mehdi's book, then everything else on the website, then applying all I learned.
Now most important: results. I am stronger, faster, leaner, healthier, happier. My weight went from 220 lbs to 195 lbs, but that's not so important. What's important is that while my weight (FAT) went going away, I got stronger, and I am still getting stronger. I can't even keep up with how my body is progressing. Strength is going up, fat is going down. I feel amazing.
- Body-weight: 200lbs @ 5’10″
- Bench Press: 240lbs (5×5)
- Squats: 275lbs (5×5)
- Deadlifts: 315lbs (1×5)
- Overhead Press: 145lbs (5×5)
SL Member Branimir. Left: November 2009, early stage of StrongLifts 5x5 . Right: December 2009 several months into SL5x5.
People who say that StrongLifts 5x5 is bad for size gains have conclusively proved that they have no knowledge about the matter and should stay quiet. SL5x5 has done a lot of good things for me.
Not long time ago, some kid was impressed by my strength and body so he asked me what I do and how I do it. I told him I do StrongLifts 5x5. He said I was bullshitting him, no way I do 4-5 exercises per training session. So I said, let's try it one day. He is one of those kids who can Bench Press more than he can Squat (and does partial Squats), and don't know what Deadlifts are.
So he put 90lbs on a bar, did 5 funny Squats and said to me that was easy. I told him: "Do those Squats right, all the way down", and I even thought him hip drive, how to place the bar without a pad. I told him to lower that weight, cause it was too much. So he got the form almost right, but refused to lower the weight. He was benching funny as well, so I showed him to bench properly.
I didn't see the kid in the gym for a week. I finally saw him and he started complaining to me how he was soooo sore, couldn't move his legs and arms for 3 days, and went back to his old workout, because he "can't" do SL 5x5. "Bro I can't." I just said ok, and continued with my workout.
How much will something work is up to you. Up to your discipline, concentration and determination. Never say you can't do something - you can. Approach it with attitude: "I can't do it yet," or "I have problems doing it, please help me," or just be honest and say: "I don't want to do it."
Remember to start StrongLifts 5x5 with low weights, lower than what you think is enough. Get the form right, stick with the right form at all costs. Do NOT give up when weights get really heavy. That's when you get strong, when you grow and all other good things happen.
Be persistent, eat big, train hard, have a right mindset and results will come.
-SL Member Branimir aka "Exodus", 23, New Hampshire, USA.
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Read Also. Check the next posts by Branimir inside the StrongLifts Community to learn how he achieved his physique transformations and gains...
- People Say 5x5 is Bad for Size Gains. Branimir's original post and picture that caught everyone's attention including mine.
- My Experience so far. Branimir's success story written upon my request. He answers several questions of SL Members on how he did this.
