LEGS WORKOUT Saturday | 5x5 Workout Program For Mass Muscle Size | Increase Strength

What Is The Best 5x5 Workout? Be Specific. Include Frequency, Sets, Reps, Rest Between Sets, Etc.

To begin with, the principal of 5x5 is obvious, five reps each set for five sets. As for the exercises done, the 5x5 method recommends working each body part at least twice a week. This means compound exercises should be mostly used with a few isolation exercises included to fill in any gaps.

So in order to create an efficient 5x5 program, you want to use compound exercises as much as possible with isolations to only hit muscles that aren't fully worked with compound exercises.

Once you scan RaviyaFitness.blogspot.in muscle and exercise database and put an efficient combination of exercises into a program, the end result looks like this.

As you can see from the above workout, every muscle is worked in an equal fashion. Isolation exercises are kept to only filling in gaps that compound exercises miss.

Here are some tips that may prove useful when using the 5x5 routine:

 Warm-Up:

Warm-up exercises may be done and are recommended because of the heavy weight this routine will have you lifting. Lifting weight with warmed up muscles will allow you to lift more weight than you would with cold muscles. To warm-up your muscles, simply do a set with about half of the weight that you will do for the normal set.

For instance if it's time to incline bench press and you will use 200 pounds for the normal set, add a 45-pound plate on each side and do a warm-up set. If you are about to do weighted pull-ups, to warm-up you could do a set of pull-ups with only bodyweight.

 Adding Weight:

The key point to this workout is remembering to increase the weight used every week. Since the number of reps and sets don't change, every week you should add at least 5 total pounds (2.5-pound plate on each side) for each exercise. That is how you make progress, by forcing yourself to add weight each time in the gym.

You'll notice a couple of weeks after forcing to add the 5 extra pounds that the previous weight will seem like baby-weight.

 Click Image To Enlarge.
Add At Least 5 Pounds For Each Exercise Every Week.

 Switching Exercises:

These exercises are not set in stone, other exercises can be substituted in if need be. Three reasons you might want to substitute different exercises in are: because you don't have access to certain equipment, some exercises may be too difficult at the moment (weighted pull-ups), or you just completed a routine that included some of these exercises and want a change of pace.

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Whatever your reason is for substituting an exercise in, you can find a list of exercises for each body part at this link.

 Diet & Rest:

Depending on your goals, the proper diet will vary. There are various articles on Bodybuilding.com describing how to correctly diet.

To find information on a bulking diet, visit this link.

If you are interested in cutting, visit this link.

For information on the science of sleep and how to improve sleep quality, visit this link.

Part 2:Who Would Benefit From Such A Workout? Who Would Not?

The benefits of 5x5 training vary, so the people that would benefit from 5x5 vary. A 5x5 program is a simple routine that is aimed for building functional strength. Thus a great and probably the best benefactor of 5x5 training would be a beginner.

Beginners start off weak and should be focused on increasing their strength first of all, something that 5x5 does best. Add in the fact that the routine is simple and it makes it all the more attractive to a beginner.

However a beginner isn't the only person who would benefit. Seasoned lifters will find success in this program because of the ability to switch their routine up.

It is common knowledge that muscles strive to adapt to the environment, and is the reason they grow when worked out. It is also known that doing the same routine for a long time will accustom your muscles to the exercises, decreasing their growth. This means an experienced lifter can have a welcomed change in routine by switching to 5x5. It is even a greater benefit when used during the bulking months, where more muscle outweighs a leaner body.

The people who would not benefit the most are those that are in a cutting phase. While muscle size and strength would still be gained when doing 5x5, it is not the optimal routine because the low reps focus solely on strength.

Usually a bodybuilder in the cutting stage is looking for a more defined physique, something that is achieved with moderate reps and moderate weight due to the increased blood flow to the muscles.

Someone else that wouldn't greatly benefit is a casual lifter. Casual lifters are usually looking to improve their body image and do not keep up with the latest research on bodybuilding. Thus using the heavy weight required with 5x5 could bring injury upon the lifter if done with improper form.

A casual lifter may watch the movie Rocky and go to the gym that day looking to do heavy behind the neck presses without the knowledge that they can be detrimental to your shoulders.

Part 3:What Method(s) Can Be Applied To The 5x5 That Would Be More Appropriate For More Advanced Trainers?

The 5x5 program does not have to be simple and concrete; some bodybuilders rather customize their workouts to match their goals. One method that can be applied is called "Cluster training."

 Cluster Training:

The idea behind cluster training is simple, and can be a great tool for breaking out of a plateau. All you do is take ~90% of your 1-rep max and do a rep followed by 10 seconds of rest, do that until you've completed your 5 reps.

So for example if you were doing bicep curls with 135 pounds, just take 90% of that (~120 pounds) and do 5 reps in cluster fashion.

I wouldn't solely rely on cluster training, however I'd recommend it one week out of every four or so. It's just a way to switch up your training and possibly increasing your strength more so than a normal set would.

 One Day, Full Body:

If you are naturally gifted with a high recovery rate and want a change of routine, you may want to switch to a full body program. This is where you work your entire body in one day, three times a week (ex. Mon, Wed, Fri).

When doing this it's important to remember workouts should still be kept to no more than an hour apiece. This means you'll have to cut out more isolation work and incorporate more compound exercises each day.

An advantage to doing a one day, full-body routine is that you are able to work each muscle three times a week, as opposed to twice a week. It also has a disadvantage though, like I mentioned you will have to cut out isolation work and do more compound exercises. This could work your muscles less since you won't be hitting them directly. It's all about knowing your body and what works best for it.

Part 4:How Much Cardio If Any Would Be Beneficial For This Type Of Workout?

Unless you are in a cutting phase, which I don't think is optimal for 5x5 training anyway, then cardio should be kept to a minimum. The only reason I'd recommend a day of cardio a week is to keep your endurance up. Otherwise cardio just burns a large amount of calories, hindering your bulking goals.

If you do decide to do cardio on a bulking diet, remember to eat enough calories to compensate for the calories that will be burnt during cardio. Carbohydrates are most recommended to be consumed before cardio, to give your body something to use for energy as opposed to using muscle.

A basic cardio workout would be a 20-minute run, punching bag or stationary bike ... Anything that will raise your heart rate for a long duration, increasing your endurance. Many in-depth articles on cardiovascular exercise can be found here.

Conclusion

To conclude, 5x5 training is a welcome change from the standard workout program. Beginners and experienced lifters alike should try it; remember stronger muscles equal more size gains in the long run.

You may currently be in a routine that includes bodyweight dips for 12 reps. As of now you can only do 12 reps, however I can guarantee you after doing an extreme functional strength program such as 5x5, 12 bodyweight dips will seem like nothing.

It is easy to get comfortable in a routine and never break away from it. Remember that once you get comfortable in a routine, your muscles also get comfortable, and comfortable muscles don't like to grow. So I'd highly recommend giving 5x5 a try, freshen up and simplify your workouts!