Comments on: 5×5

By: Luella Timmermann

Luella Timmermann — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:35:28 +0000

I have to admit that i sometimes get bored to read the whole thing but i think you can add some value. Grats !

By: Adrien

Adrien — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:13:21 +0000

It actually is 10lb for deadlift, but I think the 5lb per session on squats is good for me because I can work on form. (Also, my max squat right now isn’t that high.)

By: JT

JT — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:12:14 +0000

One thing I would tweak is adding 10 lbs a session to your squat and deadlift. If not it will take forever to hit your maximum.

By: Adrien

Adrien — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:20:11 +0000

Thanks! So far I love it and plan on doing the whole thing. I get most of my motivation from seeing strength gains, so this is a great program for me.

By: JT

JT — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:17:05 +0000

5×5 routines are perfect for building off-season strength. I do some cycling, climbing, trail running and hiking and 5×5 routines are my workout of choice from November to January. Once you have your base of strength then go into specific workouts for your sport.

Be forewarned, 5×5 routines are so simple that most people can’t keep doing them. After 3 weeks they get bored doing 3-4 simple exercises that they start adding stuff and lose focus. Do the routine as it is written and do it for at least 8 weeks.

By: Sahara

Sahara — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:37:11 +0000

That sounds better! Have fun!

By: Adrien

Adrien — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:29:22 +0000

Sorry! I didn’t explain well. You use the same weight for all your sets per exercise, not the same weight for all the exercises.

Kevin, cool! I’ll check it out.

By: Sahara

Sahara — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:26:48 +0000

I foresee a problem with the idea of using the same weight for all the exercises on any given workout. There’s just no way to bench the same weight you can squat. You should be able to deadlift more than you can squat (so fewer sets on the DL don’t look so sensible); and squat OR DL tons more than you can press overhead. While it won’t be hurting anything to use the weight appropriate for your weakest move, it also won’t really be doing anything to challenge the stronger ones.

Am I misunderstanding the prescription?

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:31:55 +0000

If you want a good routine aimed at mountain biking, try the dumbbell workout from mtbstrengthcoach.com. it’s not free, but it’s specifically tailored for building on the bike strength and mobility and can be performed with a single set of adjustable dumbbells and stuff you have around the house. I’ve been on the routine consistently for about 4 weeks now and can already feel a difference in my bike handling.