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Starting strength routine to get fit using weights

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Jun 17, 2014 8:37:00 PM

stronglifts-5x5-squat

 

Starting strength routine to get fit using weights

If you prefer to go to the gym instead of training using your body weight outside or at home like shown in this post the 5x5 routine might be a good fit for you. Crossfit and marathon training plans usually incorporate advanced workouts, which are not a good fit for beginners.

Crossfit uses a lot of pull ups in their routines. You might feel like you have to do a little work before you embarrass yourself in front of a group. The 5x5 schedule can be done without any help and at any time without having to attend a class. Pros are the simplicity of the program and quick progression with direct motivation as you lift more in every workout. A downside is that the equipment has to be either bought or gained access to by a gym membership.

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You will find an app to track your progress and further instructions on Stronglifts. Full credit for the routine goes to Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger's mentor. A big shout out to Mehdi, who runs a tight ship on his blog promoting Reg Park's routine in the modern age.

From my personal experience I have to agree with Mehdi that weight lifting routines which just attack one muscle a day and need a lot of repetitions are not the most efficient way of getting stronger. In addition good training has a simple structure. Lift more, run more and read more and you will see the results.

In my teens I used to do Judo semi professionally and had to bulk up from 146 pounds (73 kg) to 162 pounds (81kg). Back in the day I had a 5x8 program as I still had not completed my growth phase and we wanted not to get too heavy on the bones. This routine worked for everyone in our team who had to move up a weight class. Time for that gain combined with a creatine boost and low calorie diet was six months.

Only doing 5x5 might not be the best approach to get fit overall, but mixing in some cardio should do the trick. The 5x5 only takes 30 minutes, so you should be able to fit a run in. Driving down to the gym for just half an hour of training might work for some people, but for me that would be not worth the petrol. Read Mehdi's blog to get his opinion on adding running to the routine. I personally combine strength and running in every workout with good results all around.

A good starting strength routine if you are not able to pull your own weight yet. I will try it from ground up as my squat form needs serious work.

 

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Topics: Starting strength routine