How to do Stronglifts 5x5 without a spotter

When doing Stronglifts without a spotter it is paramount to have good technique and common sense. In this article I will explain how both is expressed in detail when doing Stronglifts by describing technique, setup, what to do if you fail and why you should stay calm at all times during a lift. Even if you think you have good technique maybe do a little refresh here and take home some extra knowledge around rack setup and how to behave when a fail occurs.  

When to do Smolov Jr

Smolov Jr. is a single lift program in which you only do one of the three major lifts in powerlifting. It is best used when you are slightly injured or you want to boost a specific lift. 

What is Smolov Jr ?

In its essence, Smolov is a high frequency, high load, focused rep scheme for advanced lifters to push one of their main lifts. Usually, it is used in powerlifting. The Smolov Jr name is a result of the program being a the base cycle of its bigger brother. It lasts for a month and can be used as a bridge or focus program between two bigger cycles. 

Extensive 8 month wendler review

I ran the Wendler program for eight months and added 30kg to my squat, 20kg to my bench press and 20kg to my Deadlift ending at a 150kg squat, 140kg bench press and 190kg Deadlift. I recommend it for intermediate lifters, not for beginners. It is a good addition for athletes who do other sports then lifting to gain strength. It is not optimal for powerlifters who have to prepare for a meet in a year. If you have questions / comments / want to share your own experience, please leave a comment.

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Stronglifts 5x5 vs Crossfit

This question has to be seen against the goals you set for yourself. While Crossfit most likely is the better option for looking good and getting generally fit if you are already resonably fit, Stronglifts is the better option for beginners who want to get strong and have this as their main goal. For losing weight I personally think neither is the optimal choice as running long distances beats both in this context based on my own experience. 

When to start Wendler 531

What is Wendler ?

Skip this if you are a rugelar reader of my blog ;). Jim Wendler is a lifting program for intermediates who want to develop general strength. It utilises the deadlift, squat, bench press & overhead press to develop strength in the gym. These lifts are performed in sets of five, three and singles. If you ant to know more about the structure of the program please refer to the explanation of the Jim Wendler calculator.

What program to do after Stronglifts 5x5

This is a short overview of the Texas method, Madcow 5x5 and Jim Wendler 531 program which are popular programs to follow the Stronglifts 5x5 program. This is not a full list or extensive list of all the programs, but rather a short overview for you to dive deeper from.  

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Which Wendler book should I read ?

There are currently three books from Wendler available. I personally have read 531 and beyond 531 and not the most recent adaptation especially for powerlifting. Short answer to this question is to read both. Reason behind this is that both books are entertaining, informatrive and make you a better lifter as you get insight into a lot of experience. If you are limited for time, even though the books are not long, here a bit more help.

Wendler 531 for crossfit

As CrossFit does not utilize the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press to a great extent and dynamic lifts like the snatch, push press and clean and jerk are utilized more, I personally think there are more specific programs out there to achieve your goals in CrossFit. That being said, if you experience a lack of strength on a constant basis to be on the competitive level you want to be, 531 can bump your strength levels up considerably by adding another half an hour to your session. 

Stronglifts for powerlifting

All in all Stronglifts 5x5 is only an option for powerlifters who are very early in their career and even then it might not be the optimal option if you are fully committed to the specific lifting that comes with being a powerlifter. If you are still on the fence on what you want to do in the gym or want to postpone the decision whether you go for for strength or muscle mainly, 5x5 is a very good middle way to travel down.