Super Squats 5 X 5

http://oldschooltrainer.
com/super-squats-how-to-gain-30-pounds-of-muscle-in-6weeks-reloaded/
SUPER SQUATS: HOW TO GAIN 30 POUNDS OF MUSCLE IN 6 WEEKS

RELOADED
One of the oldest and most famous of all old school minimalist bulking routines by far is Randall J.
Strossens Super Squats program from the late 1960s It is common to gain 20-30 pounds of
bulk in as little as 6-8 weeks. The core of this training routine is one 20 rep set of squats, just one
set, and supersetted with pullovers. Add to this two to three sets of some bench presses, rows
and some overhead presses and the routine is complete. Using these full body compound
movements will force your body to use all of its stabilizer muscles and burn calories as well as no
other.
Quoting Strossen on diet: In addition to the 20-rep squats, trainees are advised to eat a lot of
wholesome food, drink at least two quarts of milk a day, and to get plenty of rest in between the
twice- or thrice-weekly workouts. Thats it: one set of 20-rep squats, a couple of other basic
exercises, plenty of good food, milk and rest. But, oh, those squats!
Now, lets just stop there for a minute. Since this book was published in the late 60s, this is
obviously very outdated diet advice. Not to mention, milk, in itself might not be good for you, or
most people, especially with the alternatives we have today, like brown rice and hemp protein,
and at least better quality whey proteins and supplements like creatine etc.
Gallon-of-milk-a-day nonsense aside, the routine itself is a pretty good minimalist approach to
putting some muscle on with relatively few exercises or even one you can use to get back in
shape as the high-rep squats offer an incredible metabolic boost.
The routine is performed Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and should take no longer than 30-40
minutes. Start off with full ATG squats and hit a few warm up sets of 10 reps or so.
On the one 20 rep squat set, you want to choose a weight that you could do comfortably for about
15 reps. The following five are to be done rest-pause style, doing the first 15 reps, then taking
three or so breaths and then another rep, then three or so more breaths and another rep and so
forth until all 20 reps are complete.
After this, you grab a moderately heavy dumbbell and do one set of cross bench pullovers for 20
reps as well, using a weight that will allow you to complete all 20 reps in good form.
Strive to add 5 10 pounds a week to the squats, and you will gain some serious bodyweight.
Again quoting Strossen about doing only one set of squats: Make no mistake about it, however,
this one set of 20-rep squats is not your ordinary cup of iron tea: Whatever our recipe might lack
in complexity of volume will be more than recouped in intensity. What follows is the original is a
reworking of the classic routine.
The Super Squat Routine The Original:

Press behind neck 3 x 12
Squat 1 x 20 supersetted with Pullover 1 x 20
Bench press 3 x 12
Rowing 3 x 15
Stiff legged deadlift 1 x 15
Pullover 1 x 20
The above routine is the ultimate hard gainers routine and was done 2-3 times a week.
The Super Squat Routine Reloaded:

Workout A
Squat 120 supersetted with
Cross bench dumbbell pullover 120
Bench press 26-8 supersetted with
Bent barbell rows 26-8
Military press 26-8 supersetted with

Barbell curls 26-8
Cooldown: crunches 2x fail
Workout B
Squat 120 supersetted with
Cross bench dumbbell pullover 120
Dips 2x fail supersetted with
Chins 2x fail
Hang cleans 26-8 supersetted with
Barbell triceps extensions 26-8
Cooldown: reverse crunches 2x fail
The Diet:
Breakfast
4 eggs
2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 glass of milk with whey powder
Snack
One cup oatmeal
Lunch
Sandwich (with meat or chicken or tuna, and cheese)
one or two pieces fruit
Snack
One or two pieces fruit
cottage cheese or other cheese
Supper
Meat (i.e. chicken, beef, pork, etc.)
Whole wheat pasta, rice, potatoes or sweet potatoes
green vegetables
Snack
One cup whole grain cereal, cream of wheat/rice or grits
http://www.gym-talk.com/20-rep-squat-routine-review/
The 20 Rep Squat Routine Review
Before the advent of modern bodybuilding, with its isolation machines, designer supplements and
toxic chemicals, there was a secret weapon which bodybuilders used to grow freakish amounts of
muscle in a short space of time.
This was a weapon so holy and so powerful that it was inscribed on two stone tablets on the
slopes of Mount Sinai while Moses was still on the boob.
Sadly, however, it is a weapon that is largely ignored in the air conditioned gymnasiums of today.
And, before you go looking, this isnt something that you can find online or buy from Tattoo Stan
in the alley behind UK Best Kebab.
What is it?
Its simple, good old-fashioned hard work.
And as far as workout regimes go, they dont come much more basic, tougher or devastatingly
effective than the infamous 20 Rep Squat Routine.
Overview
The 20 Rep Squat is one of the most famous old-school bulking routines, and for good reason.
When performed correctly it will help you build unprecedented levels of muscle at
anextraordinary rate.
And like many of the most proven and effective muscle building programmes out there, its beauty
lies in its simplicity.
The winning formula is essentially:
High Rep Squats + A Shitload Of Milk = HUGE GAINS
Indeed, this routine is also known was Squats and Milk as, in addition to ballbreaking repetitions
of squats, it prescribes a gallon of milk a day (GOMAD).
On this programme youll easily be drinking enough milk to put your local dairy farm out of
business.
And, mark my words, your quads will become so vast that wearing jeans will no longer be an
option.
Those who complete the routine will be referred to in regal tones as the Quadfather, Thighly
Cyrus, Calfin Harris, Liam Kneeson, Quadzilla, Arnold Squatsaloadaweightanegga, Leg Dennis
(that was awful), or simply that t**t who hogs the squat rack.
(If you have any other leg-related nicknames, please fire them off in the comments below.)
A word of caution, though:
20 Rep Squats is seriously tough.
Youll need some massive mental cojones to persevere as it makes most muscle building protocols
look like your mums Icelandic Body Sculpting class, i.e. a croc of shit.
History
The origins of the 20 Rep Squat routine date back to the 1930s when American weightligting
coach Mark Berry began to tout the benefits of high repetition squats in Alan
CalvertsStrength magazine.
Using this new approach, Berry had been able to encourage muscular growth at monstorous
and previously unheard of rates in his athletes.
Inspired by Berrys findings, a young lifter by the name of Joseph Curtis Hise (later nicknamed
Daddy of the Squat) began experimenting with squatting for 20 reps.
In his method, the first 10 reps would be performed as normal, and the last 10 reps would include
3 deep breaths between each squat.
Hence the other term for the routine Breathing Squats.
After performing 20 reps, Hise suggested that the lifter should feel like he has just run
2 miles at full speed.
And thus, the 20 Rep Squat routine was born.
It has since stood the test of time, having been championed by John McCallum in 1968 and
in Randall J. Storssens popular 1989 book Super Squats.
The latter claimed that 20 Rep Squats

could pack on 30lbs of muscle within 6 weeks!
20 Rep Squats was also the routine of choice for muscle legend Tom Platz, who used it to build the
best legs in bodybuilding.
Platz claimed to have squatted 585 pounds for 23 reps!
The Science
Your quads are largely made up of Type II A muscle fibres which respond very well to high rep
work.
This is the reason why cyclists and speed skaters even in the endurance disciplines have such
titanic legs.
Just check out the quads on German cyclist Robert Forstemann and youll see what I mean!
Consequently, bodybuilders also favour putting their quadriceps through high rep hell to maximise
growth potential.
The Workout
The cornerstone of every workout in this programme in performing 1 x 20 reps of squats.
Importantly these 20 Breathing Squats must be performed at your 10RM.
Doesnt make any sense, huh?
Well the key is in the title Breathing Squats are quite the different beast compared to your
typical squat.
As mentioned above, with Breathing Squats, once you hit failure at 10 reps you then take a series
of 3-5 deep breaths after every subsequent rep.
This will allow you to mentally and physically recharge for the next rep, enabling your body to
recruit higher-threshold motor units than it would if there was no rest between reps.
As such, its not uncommon for the set to last 4-5 or even more minutes.
When it comes to the precise routine, there are several variations of the 20 Rep Squat to choose
from, depending on your preferences.
Each variation inlcudes 1 set of 20 reps on squat as its mainstay, in addition to a combination of
basic push/pull movements.
John McCallums Original 20 Rep Squat Routine (1968)
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Behind The Neck Press
12
Squat
20
Pull Over
20
Bench Press
12
Bent Over Row
15
Stiff Legged Deadlift
15
Shrug
15
Pull Over
20
Scaled Down 20 Rep Squat Routine (Recommended for Beginners)

Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squat
20
Pull Over
20
Overhead Press
Power Clean
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Squat
20
Big 3 20 Rep Squat Routine
Pull Over
20
Bench Press
2-3
10
Pull Over
20
Bent Over Row
2-3
15
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Power Clean
Squat
20
Overhead Press
2-3
12
Chin Ups
To Failure
Dips
10
Deadlift
15
Power 20 Rep Squat Routine
Notes
Duration
The 20 Rep Squat routine should last for 6 weeks and comprise 2/3 sessions per week.
Start off with 3 sessions but if recovery becomes an issue step it down to 2.
This routine should be used sparingly as it is extremely challenging.
As a rule of thumb, you shouldnt return to it for at least 6 weeks after you have completed the
first cycle.
Personally, however, I would leave it much longer than that.
Weight Selection & Progression
The primary goal is to add 5lbs (roughly 2.5kg) to the barbell every session.
Most people are able perform 20 reps of their current 5RM by week 6.
So, to calculate your starting weight, work backwards and subtract 2.5kg from your 5RM for every
session.
If you are working out 3 times per week that is 18 sessions in a 6 week cycle.
18 x 2.5kg = 45kg
So if your current 5RM on squat is 130kg you would commence proceedings with a weight of 85kg
and add 2.5kg to the bar every session.
Warm Up
Before each set of Breathing Squats make sure you perform a few sets of 10 reps with a much
lighter weight as a warm up.
I also include at least 15 minutes of stretching and mobility work before I even square up to the
squat rack.
Squatting Rules
Squat DEEP (below parallel) for maximum range of motion.
No Smith Machines.
No lifting belts or straps.
If you are not laid out on the floor crying after 20 reps you didnt go hard
enough!
Breathing
Breathing correctly while performing your squats will help you bust out those last 10 reps.
Youll more than likely get through the first 10 reps without much fuss, however the next 10 will
be a different story.
Slow down and take deep gulps when you hit the peak contraction of the movement.
Take a big breath during the eccentric contraction and exhale deeply during the concentric
contraction.
Safety
Because you will no doubt be in a horrible place between reps 10 and 20, there is a big chance of
failure.
Its is therefore essential to squat with safety pins or a spotter.
Pull Overs
Once youve finished your squats, crawl over to a bench, grab a dumbbell, and bust out 20 pull
overs on a light weight.
Old school lifters such as Arnie performed dumbbell pull overs as they believed it expanded their
ribcage and added size to their chest (although there is no empirical evidence for this).
This movement also functions as a gentle cool down after your grueling trip to Squat City.
Other Exercises
For the rest of the exercises, use a weight which you can successfully complete 20 reps with.
These should be nowhere near as taxing as your 20 reps on squats.
Rest Days
If youre up to it, include stretching and light cardio on your rest days to ease the DOMS, which is
going to pretty severe.
GOMAD
Drinking a gallon of milk a day (thats roughly 8 pints) is another staple of the 20 Rep Squat
Routine.
If you want to feel like an old school lifter, which is part of the fun of the routine, keep to the milk.
Just be careful not to drink just before your workout, as you will throw up.
If 8 pints of milk a day seems a little excessive, by all means factor in other protein sources and
supplements, provided you are still getting enough calories in.
Thoughts
The 20 Rep Squat Routine is an insanely difficult routine and as such I would only recommend it
for intermediate to advanced lifters.
Beginners will more than likely suffer from injuries due to their form breaking down, plus theyll
lack the high intensity which will yield the best return on investment.
As well as crucifying you physically, it also takes an intense mental toll.
In fact I would say 20 Rep Squats is more challenging mentally than it is physically.
As the old adage goes, the mind will always quit before the body.
And youll need to dig into some serious mental reserves once you go past the first 10 reps of
your 10RM and every muscle in your body is SCREAMING Go f**k yourself, Ive already maxed
out!
Plus, once you are done with the 20 reps on squat, its very hard to summon the motivation for
the other exercises.
The sight of another barbell will make you feel like youve just been used as a cock
holster by Ronnie Coleman.
However, having said all this, 20 Rep Squats is well worth breaking the pain barrier for.
This is a routine that I have performed on and off for the last few years and the gains have always
been ridiculous.
In terms of productivity it blows every other leg workout out of the water, delivering
results which are far superior to the standard bodybuilding splits youll find in most
muscle magazines.
However, because it is so tough, its very easy to burn out, so I would recommend the 20 Rep
Squat routine as an occasional shock to the system.
Use it to supercharge your workout every now and again I wouldnt build everything around
squats and milk.
And a word about the milk: the first time I did this routine I followed the GOMAD schedule
religiously.
And I put on a MASSIVE amount of weight a lot of it fat and was constantly bloated.
After all, I was drinking 56 pints of full fat milk a week.
Im pretty sure that lots of families in my neighbourhood had to go without tea, coffee and cereal
while I was on this programme.
I will also say that unlike what some others on the Internet have noted, this is primarily a
hypertrophy and not a strength workout.
While your 1RM might naturally increase (mine didnt), 20 Rep Squats mainly targets endurance,
work capacity and, of course, physical mass.
As such, Id recommend following up 20 Rep Squats with a good old fashioned 55 routine to
keep your body wondering what the f**k is going on.
Summary
20 Rep Squats is an unforgiving routine that will push you to the edge both physically and
mentally.
However, if you can get through it in one piece, muscle gains will be behemothic.
Ultimately, I would say that two of the most important factors in this programme are diet and
attitude.
Turbocharge your calorie intake and approach every workout like a Rocky montage and youll be
well on your way to Gainsville.
All in all, a simple, painful and incredibly effective way of getting BIG.
http://www.theironsamurai.com/the-secret-to-bulgarian-training-in-olympic-weightlifting/
THE IRON SAMURAI
... & the Funky Functors

The Secret to Bulgarian Training in Olympic Weightlifting
by Nick Horton
(Make sure you check out my updated 5 Myths of Bulgarian Weightlifting)

It is an understatement to say that Olympic weightlifters are obsessed with Bulgarians. No, not
the people, or the great food (my Step Dad is Bulgarian, I can testify), or the copious
consumption of vodka (well maybe a bit of that). No, Olympic weightlifters are obsessed with
Bulgarian weightlifters, and even more so with their previous head coach Ivan Abadjiev.
Much of this obsession culminates in an attempt to use the Bulgarian method of training in some
manner on their own. The problem with this is two-fold. First, it is hard to pin down just what
the method was in the first place that catapulted a tiny nation of only 8 million people into
weightlifting superstardom and kept them there for decades. Second, whatever the exact
methods used by the Bulgarians, we do know that they were far out of the zone of practicality for
most Americans.
That said, it is still instructive to first evaluate just what the Bulgarian system was actually like.
And then to find a way to incorporate some of the best of it into your training.
While you cant train exactly like a Bulgarian, you CAN get much stronger applying some of the
same principles upon which their system was founded.
Also, this is my own interpretation of the stuff that is out there about the Bulgarian system. As
I mention below, there is little to go on, so were forced into the position of interpreters of scarce
data (like paleontologists). Not enviable, but inevitable.
[side note: It is a fact that the Bulgarians along with nearly ever other dominant country in
sports used a shite-ton of steroids and other drugs. Abadjiev hasnt shied away from this fact,
though he calls them (cryptically) recovery agents. The two main reasons you CANNOT train like
a Bulgarian are: 1) you dont have the time, this was their job; 2) you arent on a bunch of drugs
that enable you to recover so fast. Im not going to make this a steroids post. I still believe you
can gain a lot from a modified Bulgarian approach. But, it would be naive to pretend that steroids
didnt play a big part. That said, most of the countries have their lifters on steroids, so the
Bulgarians were hardly unique in this respect. In other words, drugs were a necessary, but not
a sufficient, condition for their success.]
What Is the Bulgarian System?
Sadly, Ivan Abadjiev has never written a book outlining precisely how he trained his lifters (in the
late 90s there was talk, but it never came to fruition). And none of his lifters have come out with
a tell all book, either. Were left with interviews of Abadjiev and his lifters, a few articles, some
writings by those that have spent time with them (e.g. guys like Randall J. Strossen),Glenn
Pendlay, and John Broz (to name a few). It isnt perfect, but we do have a few things to go on.
See my reference list at the bottom for a few good reads.
Adaptation
The first key principle that we can glean about the Bulgarian
system is the principle of Adaptation. The point is simply that
you adapt in direct response to a stimulus. Different stimuli
produce different adaptations. The adaptations that come
from sub-80% lifts are different that the ones that result from
>90% lifts.
The point then, under this idea, is to focus your energy at the
top-end weights in training so that you encourage the proper
adaptations that are the most sport-specific.
In a general sense we know this to be true. How specific we
can take it is debatable. But, on the balance, Abadjiev is on
to something. If you want to prepare to lift heavy weights, it makes sense to lift heavy weights.
Specialization
The next principle is Specialization. Exercises that are not directly related to the sport shouldnt
be relied upon. The thinking is that they dont result in the right adaptations, for one. But, the
other reason is that Olympic weightlifting is one of the most unique sports on the planet. No
other sport requires maximum intensity, high level technique, at such a rapid pace. It doesnt
matter how good your technique is at 80% or even 95% of max. All that matters is how good
your technique is at 100% of max weights.
The only way to train yourself to handle yourself with utmost technique at high intensity at max
weights is to do just that with the competition lifts themselves. No exercise can mimic them.
They are your prime strength builders and technique builders. Add in some front squats and
youre good.
Abadjiev even dumped the back squat:
Our athletes do not do any supportive exercises they stay with full clean and jerk, snatch, and
front squat. We have found that taking back squat out is more effective for the healthy lifter.
Sticking with the three lifts named above as the only training for the advanced and healthy lifter.
If the athlete is injured they will do back squat or parts of the lift the full lifts (ie. high pulls, push
press, etc). You must be extremely careful with the stresses you put on your athletes. You must
have direct benefits from each exercise because the athlete has limited recovery capacity. IA
Competition Mode
Abadjiev believed that the best training experiences were contests themselves. He had his lifters
in so many contests that they were happening nearly every 3 weeks! And in the weeks leading
into the contests, they were still attacking max weights. Training sessions mimicked contests
except that they were worse, because you had to take more attempts at weights you missed, not
to mention you still had a ton of squatting to do.
Make your training sessions as much like contests as you can in terms of intensity, exercise
selection, and reps. And then compete as often as humanly possible.
Intuitiveness
A point that is often overlooked is the importance in their system of intuition. Since there is
virtually no variety in training at all, it becomes paramount that the lifter learns to interpret what
their body is telling them its the only periodization available to them. On days they feel good,
they should push it and go for broke. On days they feel crappy, lay off. Youll be back in a few
hours anyway.
The other mental point is a total willingness to embrace failure. Under this system, athletes will
miss and miss and miss. All the time, missing. They go in, go heavy as hell, and fail. As time
goes on, they fail at higher and higher weights, thereby increasing the weights with which they
succeed.
It is through missing that you learn the character of a lifter.
With intuition, lifters create their own version of periodization:
Lifters might take as little as 1, or as many as 10 attempts at maximum. They might hit a
maximum and immediately drop back to 80% before progressing back up (sometimes with minor
adjustments in the weights attempted). Alternatively, after one or more maximum attempts they
may perform drop down, flushing sets at various intensities. Additionally lifters change the order
of exercises or repeat exercises within the same session to add extra stimulus where required.
Finally, the coach might change the training frequency in a given week to permit greater time for
recuperation. These and other variables can be continually adjusted to keep training both mentally
and physically stimulating (See Appendix). It should be stressed that Bulgarian lifters utilize daily
training maximums rather than absolute (best ever) maximums. On a given day, depending on
fatigue and arousal levels, these two loads could vary significantly.
[Im going to refrain from the myriad jokes that could result from the arousal level comment!]
Examples of Routines
Most of the time when someone says Bulgarian training they mean the following: Lift as heavy
as you can on singles on the classical lifts, 3 times a day, 6 days a week.
That is a gross oversimplification that leads to some wildly problematic
training and overtraining. Abadjiev was highly worried about recovery
capacity or more accurately, the lack thereof. While his lifters had the
benefit of recovery agents (roids!), constant massage therapy, icebaths, etc, they still werent machines. No one, even on steroids, can
lift like that. No one.
Instead, there were heavy days/workouts, and lighter workouts. On the
heavy days, one might do ton of lifts at the maximum. But, on a light
day or workout, they may only do power snatches and power cleans and
front squats. Or full lifts, but lighter. If doing the power versions, those
would be to maximum, but because a power clean is necessarily lighter
than a full clean, you are still doing a light day!
One of the more frequently seen examples is the most basic:
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
9am 12pm: snatch to heavy single; half-hour break; clean and jerk to
heavy single; half hour break; front squat to heavy single.
They may also include back-off sets (singles of course) in the 90% range of whatever the heavy
single was. (When I say up to a heavy single, I mean full-on as if it were a contest. Keep going
up till you miss, then try it again.)
3pm to 6pm: same as morning.
9pm: Front squat to heavy single.
Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
Same as Monday, but only do power versions (or light full versions). Also, dump the evening front
squats.
Sunday
9am: Front squats to heavy single.
Yep, every day even the Sabbath.
Another option that Ive seen is to do only Snatch and Front squats on Mon/Wed/Fri, only Clean
and jerk and Front squats on Tue/Thur/Sat, then Front squats on Sunday. Go heavy when you
feel like you can, lighten it up when you have to. Keep recovery in mind. (I particularly like this
model, its intuitive, and basic, and easy to implement.)
How to Use the Bulgarian Ideas to Your Advantage
There are only a few components to juggle when writing a training routine: exercise selection;
sets; reps; volume; load; frequency; and intensity are the main ones.
The Bulgarian training system kept the exercise selection down

to a minimum: snatch; clean and jerk; front squat; and
sometimes the power versions (at one point they did a lot of
back squats, but they took them out eventually). They kept
the reps exclusively to singles and doubles. The sets varied
depending on how they felt. The volume (sets x reps) was
low. The load (sets x reps x weight lifted) was moderate. But,
the frequency and intensity were both very high.
The key to the system is high intensity, high frequency,
specificity, and an intuitive approach to volume (more sets
when feeling good, less when not).
You can take from that menu what you think will benefit you
most.
Heres an example of one of my all-time favorite Bulgarian
variations for people who can hit the gym every day, but not
for very long. It is particularly well suited to older athletes
(post-40) whose recovery may not be what it used to be.
A-day
am/pm: Snatches, Front squats
B-day
am/pm: Clean and Jerks, Front squats.
Alternate these workouts 4 to 6 days a week. (Workout should take between 20 to 40 minutes.)
Do only singles or doubles. Work up to as heavy a lift as you can on the classical lift for the day,
then if you feel good, do some back off doubles at 90%. Front squat to a max-ish weight
(remember not to miss!). Do 1 or 2 back off doubles on a good day.
On days you feel strong, youll be able to do a lot. On days you are dragging, let it be. Just work
up to a heavy lift, then front squat whatever you can for a single and go home. If the crappy days
are really crappy, thats normal. Dont feel bad. Thats part of the program.
You can do the workout only once a day or twice a day, depending on what you have time for, and
what your goals are. Its a simple and intuitive training routine that most anyone can thrive on.
Is it realistic for you? Maybe not. If you can only come in 3 times a week, youll need to make up
for the lack of frequency with higher volume in each workout. And you cant just do 1 classical lift
in each workout or youd only be doing it 1 to 2 times a week which isnt enough.
If that is you. Do both lifts all three days, go heavy and hard and finish with back squats. Same
workout every day you come in. You can progress remarkably far with this. Go up to something
heavy on the classical lift, do some back off sets (2 to 6), move on. The workouts should be less
than an hour and 15 mins.
My Current Favorite Compromise
The fact is that most recreational lifters only have so much time to lift. A variation that Ive used
with success with my lifters at PDX Weightlifting is the following 5 day routine:
Monday
Snatch
Clean and Jerk
Back Squats
Some upper body work
Tuesday
Power Snatch
Power Clean
Front squat
Wednesday
Clean and Jerk
Snatch
Clean Grip Deadlifts or RDLs
Some upper body
Thursday
Power Snatch
Power Clean
Front Squat
Friday
Off
Saturday
Snatch
Clean and Jerk
Back Squat
some more upper body
Everyday, every lift (except RDLs), go to a max. On Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, do
backoff sets of doubles or singles starting at 80% and working your way up if you can. Do this for
snatch, C+J, and squats, but NOT for Deads. For RDLs only do 5s.
The Downsides of the Bulgarian System
There are at least four major downsides to the Bulgarian system.

The first is injury rates. It is a fact that lifting at the maximum of your ability every day, all year,
is not good for you. Its hard on your joints, its hard on your muscles, and your connective
tissues. There is a reason that Ivan Abadjievs nick-name is The Butcher.
I am a big believer that if you are never missing on the Oly lifts, you are going too light. I
advocate (in intermediate and above lifters only!) missing regularly. It teaches you more about
your flaws than anything else, and it confers great mental fortitude skills. Taking 2 or 3 attempts
on the snatch and clean and jerk at your heaviest weight for the day should become routine.
But, I dont think you should miss on any other exercises ever! Thats a lofty goal, that wont be
met. But, missing on other exercises is far more dangerous. When you miss on an Olympic lift,
you were only under tension for a few nano-seconds. Your technique broke down, and you
dumped the bar. Its not something that puts your body under great strain. It was not a miss at
the muscular level, it was at the technique level.
The same cannot be said of other exercises like front squats, where the action is slow, and your
muscles are under tension for far longer. In these cases you miss because you couldnt put in
enough force. You strain to put in max force, fail at the muscular level, and something pops
No fun. The Bulgarians missed front squats all the time. But, that doesnt mean you have to.
The second is more pedestrian, but arguable nearly as important: boredom. When all you are
doing are the 5 lifts snatch, clean and jerk, power snatch, power clean, and front squats. Thats
it. Forever. You get bored. There is just no way out of that. If youre a top lifter, getting paid to
lift, then fight the boredom. But, if you aint whats the point again?
Variety is not only the spice of life, it is the spice of lifting. Most of us really enjoy doing other
exercises too. We dont want to skip doing deadlifts or Chin ups just because it isnt directly
related to performance of the Oly lifts. Come on! Thems fun to do!
Third, the Bulgarian program is not at all good at producing sarcoplasmic hypertrophy an
increase in the fluid in your muscles. This is the kind of muscle size that bodybuilders have. It
looks good, but it doesnt make you all that strong in comparison to your appearance.
But, I say, who cares?
Im going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are NOT a high-level Olympic weightlifter
(National level at least), and that you NEVER will be (neither am I, by the way). Most of us will
always be intermediates. Forever. And that is totally fine. Most of us are doing this because it
is fun. We aint going to the Olympics.
So, if we pop out of our weightclass, are bigger than we should be to be supremely competitive,
etc who cares? While sarcoplasmic hypertrophy doesnt result in massive strength gains it is
good for you in other ways. For one, it increases you metabolism, so it becomes easier to stay
lean. It also looks good.
Lets face it, this is America. We dont like to put the value of function over the value of form. If a
guy has large arms and shoulders, hell be more inspired to keep at it. Similarly, if women notice
that their butts and legs are more shapely because of lifting theyll be more likely to stay.
Consistency is key. Paying attention to aesthetics increases consistency. Its a fact, and it cant
be ignored in the American market.
Finally, number four. Most lifters need a lot more work on assistance exercises to perfect their
technique. Remember that when we are talking about the Bulgarian system, were really talking
about the top lifters in their system. You and I are not that, and never will be (at least thems the
odds).
I like to divide the lifting world into two camps: Divers and Pullers. Divers are aggressive on the
3rd pull and get themselves under the bar very fast. But, they tend to cut their 2nd pull short,
and so leave the bar out front too much and will miss out front (there are lots of other reasons
people miss out front of course, but this is a big one). Pullers love the 2nd pull. They got lots of
power when it comes to getting height on the bar. But, they dont even bother with a 3rd pull.
They instead try to race the bar down and lose. If they cant power it up, they cant make it.
Over time, each type will get better and better. But, certain assistance exercises make a major
difference (pulls for divers, full-muscle snatch/clean for pullers, etc).
It comes down to your goals and your level. The Bulgarian system in its entirety is for very
advanced lifters only. The rest of us should take from it what we can, but not get carried away.
Conclusion
Im still a fan of Bulgarian-ish lifting, even though much of it is not applicable to us. I like heavy
singles; I like sticking to the basics; I prefer frequency + intensity over high volume; and I agree
that if you dont train at the high end of performance regularly, you wont be ready when it
counts.
But, there are downsides that cant be ignored. Take what is useful, discard what isnt, said
Bruce Lee. Applies perfectly well here.
To get an idea about how my ideas on this subject have been changing, make sure you read my
posts about our 2-times a day experiment and my Bulgarian Primer.
References
Abadjiev, Ivan. Competition as an Integral Part of the Training
Cycle.http://www.mikesgym.org/programs/uploads/abadjiev1.pdf
Abadjiev, Ivan. Lecture. http://www.theironsamurai.com/2010/05/21/ivan-abadjievlecture-bulgarian-olympic-weightlifting/
Drechsler, Arthur. 1998. The Weightlifting Encyclopedia: A Guide to World Class
Performance. A is A Communications.
Everett, Greg. 2009. Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide to Coaches and
Athletes.Catalyst Athletics, LLC.
Klose, Thomas. 2000. Evgueniy Popov: The Bulgarian Buffalo. MILO: A Journal for
Serious Strength Athletes. Vol 8, Number 1. pp. 98 103.
Strossen, Randall J.. 1999. Bulgaria 1998. MILO: A Journal for Serious Strength Athletes.
Vol 6, Number 4. pp. 83 86.
Strossen, Randall J. 2000. Petar Tanev: A New Passport and a Golden Year.MILO: A
Journal for Serious Strength Athletes. Vol 8, Number 1. pp. 118 122.
Woodhouse, David. Ivan Abadjiev + the Bulgarian
System. http://weightliftingexchange.com/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=438&Itemid=60 You can also download it here.
You can find some opinions about the Bulgarian methods as interpreted by Mike Burgener, Glenn
Pendlay, and Steve Gough on these audio podcasts here.
http://rutinasyentrenamiento.blogspot.pe/2011/11/super-sentadillas-dr-randall-j-strossen.html
Super Sentadillas (Dr. Randall J. Strossen)

El Dr. Strossen en su libro "Super Squats", propone un mtodo basado en la sentadilla respiratoria
con el cual, segn dice su libro se pueden ganar 14 kg en 6 semanas. El sistema consiste en una
serie de 20 sentadillas, con un peso inicial de igual al de nuestro 10 RM, seguidos por 20 pull
overs con poco peso y algunos ejercicios bsicos que redondean el programa.
Para poder completar la serie de sentadillas entre cada repeticin hay que hacer tres o ms
respiraciones profundas, para podernos recuperar del esfuerzo as lograr las 20 repeticiones con
un peso mucho mayor al 20 RM. Los pull overs que siguen son para forzar ms aire a nuestros
pulmones y as expandir la caja torcica.
En cada sesin hay que subir el peso siempre y cuando lleguemos a hacer las 20 repeticiones, en
los dems ejercicios subir si se completan todas las repeticiones prescritas. En lo pullover el peso
es que menos importa sino la amplitud del movimiento.
El programa se debera llevar a cabo entre 6 a 8 semanas segn se entrene tres o dos veces por
semana respectivamente, pero puede llevarnos un poco ms si en alguna sesen no subimos la
carga. Conviene tomarse unas semanas hasta llegar a las 20 repeticiones, dado que es probable
que la primera vez que intentemos solo completemos 14 sentadillas respiratorias con nuestro 10
RM.
Como sta es una rutina pensada para gente que le cuesta ganar peso (Hardgainers), es probable
que a ectomorfos extremos le resulte excesivo el volumen aunque slo entrenen dos veces por
semana, por eso tambin existe una versin abreviada del programa, que en muchos casos puede
ser ms efectiva que la original..
La alimentacin sugerida es un buen supervit calrico y de proteinas, est la imfaltable
recomendacin de un galn de leche por da pero esto ciertamente no es para todos. Lo
importante es meter varias comidas por da con muchas protenas y carbohidratos.
Rutina Super Sentadillas:
1. Press: 3 x 10 reps.
2. Press de Banca: 3 x 12 reps.
3. Remo con Barra: 2 x 15 reps.
4. Curl con Barra: 2 x 10 reps.
5. Sentadilla Respiratoria: 1 x 20 reps.
6. Pullover: 1 x 20 reps.
7. Peso Muerto Rumano: 1 x 15 reps.
9. Elevacin de Talones: 3 x 20 reps.
10. Elevacin de torso: 1 x 25 reps.
Enlace a planilla de clculo con la: Rutina-77.
Rutina Abreviada Super Sentadillas:
1. Press de Banca: 2 x 12 reps.
2. Sentadilla Respiratoria: 1 x 20 reps.
4. Remo con Barra: 2 x 15 reps.
Enlace a planilla de clculo con la: Rutina-78.
Enlace a entradas relacionadas:
Sentadilla Respiratoria y circuito metablico.

Sentadilla Respiratoria rutinas varias.
Rutina para el Trabajador Harry Paschall
Rutina de Cargada Jerk Respiratorio.
Los programas aqu expuestos son sugerencias para individuos sanos y que conocen la correcta
ejecucin de los ejercicios. De no ser as se recomienda consultar son un profesional.
http://rutinasyentrenamiento.blogspot.pe/2011/07/sentadilla-respiratoria-y-ejercicios-de.html
Sentadilla Respiratoria y Ejercicios de Autocarga
Cadenas muy practicas como lastre. Gentileza de Smitty de DieselCrew.com

Esta rutina busca complementar los beneficios de las series lagas de sentadilla con los de los
ejercicios de autocarga, organizados en forma de circuito, en una forma similara a los principios
de enternamiento metablico.
Vale aclarar que si pasamos de 10-12 repeticiones para los dominadas o fondos, y 15-20 para los
abdominales, podemos lastrar cada uno de los ejercios para aumentar la intensidad y en
consecuencia bajarn los repeticiones, o jugar con la carga entre entrenos (un da con lastre, otro
sin lastre, y un tercero con una carga de la mitad del primero).
Rutina:
1. Sentadilla Respiratoria: 1x20 reps.
2. Pullover Respiratorio: 1x20 reps.
3. Circuito Metablico:
3 veces.
3-1. Dominadas Pronadas: al fallo con buena tcnica.
3-2. Fondos en Paralelas: al fallo con buena tcnica.
3-3. Elevaciones de Torso: al fallo con buena tcnica.
Enlace a planilla de clculo con la: Rutina-63
Ojo el fallo que se busca en el circuito no es el total sino que se parece ms al fallo menos 1 o 2
repeticiones.
http://rutinasyentrenamiento.blogspot.pe/2010/08/sentadilla-respiratoria-otra-forma-de.html
Sentadilla Respiratoria otra forma de ganar volumen:
La sentadilla respiratoria (Breathing Squat) es el principal componente de muchas rutinas de

aumento de volumen utilizadas a partir de los aos 30 aproximadamente. Muchas de las cuales
se siguen utilizando dado su gran eficacia.
Este ejercicio consiste en realizar (despus de un calentamiento) una nica serie de 20 (o un poco
ms repeticiones) con un peso con el cual usualmente podramos hacer 10 o 14 repeticiones. Para
poder completar la serie es necesario dar por lo menos tres profundas respiraciones despus de
cada repeticin, de all el nombre de este exigente movimiento. De esta manera no slo se
ejercitan las piernas, sino tambin se busca una expansin de la caja torcica, y un gran efecto
anablico y metablico. Es importante tratar de incrementar el peso en la barra en cada sesin.
En este tipo de rutinas, a la sentadilla respiratoria por lo general le sigue en forma casi obligatoria
una serie 20 repeticiones de un ejercicio de expansin pectoral. Usualmente algn tipo de
pullover liviano (pullover respirarorio), aunque algunos optan por aperturas planas tambin con
poco peso, dado que lo fundamental es lograr un buen estiramiento de la zona.
La rutina se completa con uno o ms ejercicios como para redondear el programa, con series y
repeticiones variables segn objetivos. Al menos deberamos agregar un movimiento de tirn y
uno de empujn, como se ven en los programas de entrenamiento expuestos a continuacin.
Obviamente ningn crecimiento se logra sin un supervit calrico y con la cantidad de nutrientes
apropiados, siendo la leche el alimento ms recomendado para acompaar a este tipo de rutinas
en algunos programas se recomienda hasta cuatro litros diarios.
Muchos especialistas han escrito sus programas basados en la sentadilla respiratoria, entre ellos:
Sentadilla y Leche (Squat & Milk) de John McCallum, Super Squat del Dr Randall J. Strossen, PGE
(Programa de Ganancias Extremas) de Natural Gainer, etc. Ac van uno ejemplos no muy
conocidos.
Rutina de Mark Berry (aprox. 1930):
1. Sentadilla Respiratoria 1 x 20
2. Pullover Brazos Extendidos con Barra 1 x 20
3. Press de Hombros Tras Nuca (siempre de pie) 1 x 10
4. Curl con Barra 1 x 10
Hacer series previas de aproximacin calentamiento, entrenar tres veces por semana o da por
medio.
Rutina de R Eels (aprox. 1940):
2. Curl con Barra 1 x 10
3. Peso Muerto 1 x 10
4. Pullover Brazos Extendidos con Barra 1 x 20
5. Press de Banca 1 x 10
En este caso las sentadillas se hacen slo con el peso corporal, y se pueden agregar alguna
repeticiones ms como para tener una progresin (no mucho ms de 35).
Rutina Norman Fey (aprox. 1950)
1. Hang Clean & Press 1 x 12 (con respiraciones profundas)
2. Pullover en Banco Curvo con Mancuernas 1 x 20
3. Press de Banca 1 x 12
4. Curl con Mancuernas 1 x 12
5. Remo con Barra 1 x 20
6. Aperturas en Banco Plano 1 x 20 (con respiraciones profundas)
7. Peso Muerto 1 x 20 (con respiraciones profundas)
http://rutinasyentrenamiento.blogspot.pe/2011/08/harry-paschall-rutina-para-el-hombre.html
Harry Paschall Rutina para el hombre que trabaja:
Bosco haciendo elevaciones de pecho despus de las sentadillas.

Este programa es uno que est publicado en uno de las notas de Paschall donde dice que es una
rutina que suele utilizar el mismo. Es apta para realizarla dos o tres veces por semana y no
debera llevar mucho ms de una hora realizarla.
Rutina "For the Working Man"
1. Sentadilla con brazos extendidos:: 1x8 reps.
2. Curl con barra: 1x8-10 reps.
3. Curl con swingbar: 1x15 reps. (puede reemplazarse por el curl de concentracin).
4. Peso Muerto Rumano con Encogimiento de Trapecio: 1x10 reps.
5. Press en Banco Inclinado: 1x10 reps.
6. Patada de Burro con mancuernas: 1x15 reps.
7. Sentadilla Respiratoria: 1x20 reps.
8. Elevaciones de pecho "Bosco": 1x20 reps. *
9. Remo de Pie agarre cerrado: 1x10 reps.
10. Side Bends: 1x15 reps.
11. Prensa Vertical: 1x10 (puede reemplazerse por peso muerto a caballo u otro ejercicio de
pierna pesado).
12. Curl "Bosco" Zottman: 40-50 repeticiones circulares.
Enlace a planilla de clculo con la: Rutina N69.

* Al finalizar las sentadillas tomarse de la barra y con los pies debajo de esta inclinarse hacia atras
conlos brazos estrirados y hacer presin con las manos hacia abajo para elevar el pecho (ver
figura).
http://rutinasyentrenamiento.blogspot.pe/2011/01/peary-rader-rutina-de-cargada-y-jerk.html
Peary Rader: Rutina de Cargada y Jerk Respiratoria.
Tapa de Iron Man de los 70.

Peary Rader nacido en Estados Unidos el 17 de octubre de 1909 es el levantador y posteriormente
autor que ms ha escrito sobre la sentadilla respitaria y su eficiencia casi infalible para ganar
volumen.
Se sabe que empez a hacer levantamientos a los 12 aos, a pesar de ello despus de un tiempo
entrenando pesaba aproximadamente 60 kg con 1.80 m de estatura. Esto lo llev a probar un
nuevo ejercicio la sentadilla, pero acompaada de varias respiraciones profundas. Finalmente
pudo superar los 95 kg y convertirse en un verdadero forzudo.
En su campaa como profesional, intervino en varios campeonatos y fue campen por siete aos
el la liga del Medio Oeste en la categora pesada, Entre sus mejores marcas se encuentran,
Cargada y press a una mano 100 kg, a dos manos 127, sentadilla 205 kg (raw).
En 1936 junto con su esposa Mabel funda la revista Iron Man, fue una fuente de informacin
sobre entrenamiento, nutricin y salud por ms de 50 aos, hasta que fuera vendida en
1986. Actualmente se sigue editando y est dedicada principalmente al culturismo.
Si bien son famosas las rutinas Rader basadas en sentadilla respiratoria, tambin hay algunas
otras variantes en la que se utilizan otros ejercicios como en este caso.
Rutina
1. Cargada y jerk respratorio 12 rep
2. Pullover respiratorio 15 reps
3. Cargada y jerk respratorio 10-12 rep (con menos peso que la serie anterior)
5. Cargada y jerk respratorio 15-18 rep (con menos peso que la serie anterior)
7. Cargada y jerk respratorio 15-18 rep (esta cuarta biserie es opcional)
Enlace a planilla con de clculo con la Rutina-36
Cada cada cargada debe partir desde el suelo y terminar en l, una vez depositada la barra
ponerse de pie y hacer entre 3 a 6 respiraciones profundas y empezar la nueva repeticin.
(Seguramente ms de uno est pensando "esto es entrenamiento cluster". Si lo es pero 30 aos
antes que se hablara en T-n).
Los pullovers deben hacerse con un peso liviano y su principal objetivo es la expansin torcica.
Entrenar 2 veces por semana,(podran ser 3 veces si tenemos muy buena recuperacin).
Descansar entre 2 o 3 minutos entre biserie. No agregar otros ejercicios.
Como la cargada y jerk son bastantes tcnicos se podra reemplazar por peso muerto, cargada y
pushpress, cargada y sentadilla frontal o cargada, sentadilla frontal y push press (esta opcin es
extremadamente dura),
http://rutinasyentrenamiento.blogspot.pe/2010/09/metodo-5x5.html
El Mtodo 5x5
Mtodo 5x5
Si los sistemas de entrenamiento fuesen helados el mtodo de 5x5 sera el de Dulce de Leche,
obviamente tendramos distintas caractersticas segn la heladera que equivaldran a los autores
de rutinas, y a su vez distintas opociones de un mismo autor segn el objetivo buscado. (del
mismo modo que una heladera ofrece Dulce de Leche Tentacin, Dulce de Leche Granizado o con
Almendras).
La idea bsica es muy simple cinco series de cinco repeticiones, generalmente de utilizan
ejercicios multiarticular (quizs la nica excepcin sea algn curl de bceps). Lo que vara entre
sus distintos sabores son los movimientos elegidos, su orden y la progresin utilizada.
En estos das nadie dudara en decir que el 5x5 es una rutina de fuerza, si bien con un rango de
series y repeticiones as seguro que ganaremos fuerza, tambin ganaremos, dependiendo de la
alimentacin, volumen. De hecho Reg Park, en famoso culturista ingls mentor de Arnold, basaba
sus entrenos en este sistema. Y el pesista canadiense Doug Hepburns cuando en sus programas
utilizaba este esquema era para lo que el llamaba rutinas de bombeo y congestin.
Una aclaracin importante es que el tipo de volumen ganado con este tipo de rutinas, es sin entrar
en disquisiciones fisiolgicas (al menos en este post), diferente al de las tpicas culturista. El
msculo as conseguido es ms denso y duradero, la fuerza conseguida es ms funcional y en
aspecto general es el de una persona que es tan fuerte como parece.
En futuros artculos, vamos a ir presentando distantas variedades de este muy efectivo de este
mtodo de entrenamiento.
Rutina Bsica 5x5
Da 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sentadilla
Press de Banca
Remo con Barra
Ejercicio opcional
Trabajo Abdominal
Da 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Enlace
Peso Muerto
5x5
Press
5x5
Dominadas Lastradas 5 x 5 (Jalones o Asistidas si an no nos salen).
Ejercicio opcional
Trabajo Abdominal
a planilla de clculo con la: Rutina 10
5x5
5x5
5x5
Despus de un calentamiento general hacer la primer serie con un peso fcil, subir la carga, hacer
la segunda, subir peso hacer la tercera, cuarta y quinta con el mismo peso (podramos empezar
con un 70 a 75 % de 1RM), seguramente completaremos las tres series sin problemas y para la
siguiente sesin que hagamos los mismos ejercicios podremos incrementar la carga (en general 5
a 2,5 kg en ejercicio de pierna y 2.5kg en ejercicio de torso). En algn momento quizs no
podramos completar las tres series de 5 rep, entonces no subiremos el peso hasta que no
podramos completar las 3 x 5 con el mismo peso. Si estamos estancados y no progresamos por 4
o 5 sesiones quizs sea tiempo de tomarnos una semana de descaso y variar la rutina. El
descanso entre series para este tipo de rutinas es de 3 a 5 minutos y si tenemos suficiente
material quizs podamos hacer los ejercicios 2 y 3 alternando series para achicar un poco el
descanso.
Los ejercicios opcionales son exactamente eso. Si segn nuestros objetivos creemos que
necesitamos un complemento a la rutina bsica podemos agregar algn ejercicio de aislacin,
pero siempre con criterio y sin pasarse con el volumen (de 2 a 4 series). Por ejemplo si
entrenamos tres veces por semana, un da podemos hacer un ejercicio de agarre, dia algn
trabajo de directo de bceps y en la siguiente sesin vuelos laterales; y mantenerlos por lo el
tiempo que sigamos esta rutina. Otra opcin bien elegir cada da uno distinto y no repetirlo todas
la semana, por ejemplo Dia1: Paseo del Granjero (200 pasos)/ Da2: Vuelos Posteriores (3x12)/
Da3: Curl Martillo (4x8)/ Da4: Gemelos (3x15)/ Da5: Encogimientos Trapecio (3x10)/ etc.
Los abdominales los podemos agregar al final y podemos seguir esquemas similares a los de los
ejercicios opocionales. Podemos ir variando entre elevaciones de tronco lastrados, side bends,
giros rusos, elevaciones de pierna (preferentemente colgados), planchas y eventualmente algn
espinal. De 2 a 3 series es ms que suficiente. Con los ejercicios bsicos hay un gran estmulo de
los abdominales en forma isomtrica.
Es una rutina muy demandante a nivel del sistema nervioso central, por lo tanto dejar siempre por
lo menos un da de descanso entre sesiones, comer bin y tratar de dormir por lo menos 8 horas
diarias. Si hacemos otro deporte o mucho aerbico quizs convenga cortar los ejercicios
opcionales.
Enlace a entradas relacionadas:
5x5 de Bill Starr para principiantes.
Entrenamiento de Reg Park.
Rutina 5x5 de Glenn Pendlay.
Rutina de Potencia de Bill Starr.
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
StrongLifts 55: The Simplest Workout To Get Stronger, Build Muscle and Burn Fat Squat, Bench
and Deadlifts are the main exercises of StrongLifts 55 Stronglifts 55 is the simplest, most
effective workout to get stronger, build muscle and burn fat. Thousands of people have used the
StrongLifts 55 workout to change their bodies and lives. The program is easy to follow and only
takes three workouts a week of about 45 minutes. Stronglifts 55 uses five free weight compound
exercises: the Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, Overhead Press and Barbell Row. You do three of
these exercises each workout, three times a week, for about 45 minutes per workout. You Squat
every workout, three times a week. 55 stands for five sets of five reps. These are the sets and
reps you do on every exercise except Deadlifts. Deadlift is only one set of five reps (15) because
doing more would beat you up. Plus, Squatting three times a week will get you stronger at
Deadlifts since it works similar muscles. Unlike most bodybuilding routines, your goal on
StrongLifts 55 isnt to reach failure, get pumped or be sore. Your goal is to add weight. Heres
how: start light, focus on proper form and add 2.5kg/5lb each workout for as long as you can.
This is the simplest way to get results fast.
Introduction Summary of Stronglifts 55 StrongLifts 55 consists of two full body-workouts:
Workout A: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift, You
train three times a week, alternating workout A and B, and resting at least one day between two
workouts. You never train two days in a row because your body needs days off to get stronger.
Most guys train Monday, Wednesday, Friday. But you can lift Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or
Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday. As long as you train three times a week, and take at least one day off
between two workouts for your body to recover, youll get stronger. The first time you do
StrongLifts 55 you start with workout A. Two days later you do workout B. So first week is
A/B/A, second week B/A/B, third week A/B/A, and so on. Like this StrongLifts 5x5 Week 1
Monday Wednesday Friday Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Bench Press 5x5 Overhead Press 5x5
Bench Press 5x5 Barbell Row 5x5 Deadlift 1x5 Barbell Row 5x5 StrongLifts 5x5 Week 2 Monday
Wednesday Friday Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Overhead Press 5x5 Bench Press 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5 Deadlift 1x5 Barbell Row 5x5 Deadlift 1x5 Week three of StrongLifts 55 is
like week one, week four like week two, week five like week one, etc. If it doesnt make sense,
download the StrongLifts 55 spreadsheets to get a 12 week overview. If youd like me to email
you a copy of these StrongLifts 55 spreadsheets for free, click the link below Click here for
StrongLifts 55 spreadsheets (kg) Click here for StrongLifts 55 spreadsheets (lb) 55 means
five sets of five reps with the same weight. This excludes your lighter warmup sets. 15 is one
heavy set of five reps, after youve warmed up, and applies to Deadlift only (Squatting 3x/week
will get you stronger for Deadlifts because it works similar muscles. No need for more sets). Your
goal isnt to get pumped or sore (although thats possible once the weights get heavy). Your goal
is to increase the weight each workout. If you get five reps on each set, add 2.5kg/5lb next time
you do that exercise (so 1.25kg/2.5lb on each side of the bar). If you get 15 on Deadlifts, add
5kg/10lb next time. Dont start too heavy or youll get sore legs and feel like skipping workouts in
week one. Start light to let your body get used to Squatting three times a week. Remember youre
adding 2.5kg/5lb per workout or 30kg/60lb per month on Squats. The weight will increase fast. No
need to start too heavy. If youve done free weight exercises like Squat, Bench and Deadlift
before, with proper form, start with 50% of your five rep max. If youve never used free weights,
havent lifted in years, or you have no idea what a five rep max means, start with these weights:
Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press: 20kg/45lb. Thats the empty Olympic bar. Deadlift:
40kg/95lb. The empty bar with a plate of 10kg/25lb on each side. Barbell Row: 30kg/65lb. The
empty bar with 5kg/10lb on each side. You start heavier on Deadlifts and Barbell Rows because
you cant do these exercises with proper form holding an empty bar in the air. Each rep must start
with the weight on the floor. Heres how your first two weeks of StrongLifts 55 will look like if you
start with these weights. StrongLifts 5x5 Week 1 Monday Wednesday Friday Squat 5x5 20kg
Squat 5x5 22.5kg Squat 5x5 25kg Bench Press 5x5 20kg Overhead Press 5x5 20kg Bench Press
5x5 22.5kg Barbell Row 5x5 30kg Deadlift 1x5 40kg Barbell Row 5x5 32.5kg StrongLifts 5x5 Week
2 Monday Wednesday Friday Squat 5x5 27.5kg Squat 5x5 30kg Squat 5x5 32.5kg Overhead Press
5x5 22.5kg Bench Press 5x5 25kg Overhead Press 5x5 25kg Deadlift 1x5 45kg Barbell Row 5x5
35kg Deadlift 1x5 50kg All weights include the weight of the bar because you lift it. So Squat 55
27.5kg is 3.75kg on each side of the Olympic bar. It also means five sets of five reps using 27.5kg
on all five sets. If you get five reps on each set, add 2.5kg on your Squats next time. Thats a
plate of 1.25kg on each side of the bar. On Deadlifts increase the weight by 5kg/10lb per workout
thats 2.5kg/5lb on each side of the bar. The Deadlift uses more muscles than other exercises,
youll have an easier time progressing on it. So use bigger increments, then once you reach
100kg/220lb, switch back to the regular 2.5kg/5lb per workout. If these weights feel or look
easy, remember youre adding 2.5kg/5lb each workout. That means youll Squat 50kg/110lb in
four weeks, 80kg/175lb in eight weeks and 100kg/220lb in 12 weeks for 55! Thats more than
what most guys Squat in your gym. Think long-term and youll get stronger. Now youll add weight
each workout longer than you think. But not forever. After a while youll struggle to get five reps.
Eventually youll miss reps. Just try again next workout. If that doesnt work, theres more ways to
break through plateaus. But right now what matters is that you get started! Videos of Stronglifts
55 I wanted to show you Stronglifts 55 is so simple and easy, anybody can do this. So I
created two videos in which Im doing the full StrongLifts 55 workouts A and B. In these videos
youll see me lifting the weights youll be lifting in weeks 8/9. Im also answering common
questions about Stronglifts 55 . Notice I complete each workout in less than 30 minutes. Note: if
youd like to see me lift heavier, heres a video where I Squat 170kg. History of StrongLifts 55
Stronglifts 55 is based on the 55 routine of Arnold Schwarzeneggers mentor, Reg Park. Reg
Park was the first guy to write about 55 in 1960. Many people have written about the 55
routine during the last 60 years, before I was even born. So I didnt invent this :) I stumbled on
the 55 routine in 2003. I was doing bodybuilding split routines at that time and got fed up
training up to six times a week, spending two hours in the gym, hitting failure on each set, waking
up sore every day, etc. Unfortunately I didnt know any other way to train During Summer 2003
I went on holiday to Turkey with two friends. Some guys who didnt look like they lifted weights
challenged us to armwrestling. I lost against all of them (again!). This made me realize I was
strong in the gym, but not outside. It was all fake gym strength. Puffy, bogus muscles. Lots of
show, but zero go. So back in Belgium I googled how to get stronger. And thats when I
discovered that to gain strength, you have to Use free weights, not machines. Do compound
exercises, not isolation. Add weight, not train for pump and soreness It made sense. So I
searched for a routine that had all these ingredients to get stronger. And thats when I found a
guy on a forum raving about an oldschool routine. It was called 55 I was skeptical. 55
looked too simple three exercises, three times a week, 45 minutes per workout. There was no
isolation, no high reps, no machines, no failure training, no pump, nothing. And yet this guy
claimed Id get stronger by training LESS and doing LESS? It seemed too good to be true But I
gave it a try and it turned out to be true. And so 55 became the foundation for everything I did.
I even told my friends to do 55. It was so simple and easy. Plus, we all got stronger. In 2007 one
of my friends told me to start a website on how to get stronger. I was reluctant since I could
barely write English. But I got tired seeing guys waste their life (as I did) on bodybulding split
routines without getting stronger. So I stopped making excuses and created Stronglifts.com In the
beginning Stronglifts was just me telling people the basics: free weights, compound exercises, add
weight, Squat, etc. But they asked for more: they wanted a routine to get stronger. So I shared
what had worked for me and all my friends: the 55 routine from Reg Park. It started with an
article Beginner Strength Training Program. People tried it and got stronger. Within a few
weeks, that post had 200 comments. Some Members of my online community began referring to
this routine as StrongLifts 55. It sounded simpler. So I began calling it that too. Today
StrongLifts 55 is all over the Internet. Every lifting forum has guys who used my program to get
stronger. Some call me the 55 guy. Great, but I didnt invent this. I simply put info together,
built 55 apps to track your workouts, and spread the word about 55. Real credit goes to Reg
Park. Reviews of StrongLifts 55 Heres a video from Elliot Hulse from strengthcamp reviewing
and recommending the StrongLifts 55 program for gaining strength, building muscle and burning
fat. I didnt pay or even ask for this. More reviews of StrongLifts 55 Muscle and Fitness
StrongLifts 55 review The Art Of Manliness review of StrongLifts 55 (by Brett) Gym -Talks
Review of StrongLifts 55 If youve posted a helpful review of StrongLifts 55 on your site, send
me the link through the contact form. How To Get Started The best way to find out if StrongLifts
55 can get you stronger, is try it for 12 weeks. The program is free so you have nothing to lose.
Heres the best way to get started Watch the videos youll see its so simple, anybody can do
this. Grab my spreadsheets it will motivate you to see how strong youll be in 12 weeks. Find a
gym you only need a power rack, bench, bar and plates. Search for a gym today. Install my 55
apps theyll show you which exercise to do, with how much weight, and how long to rest
between sets. Available for free on iPhone and Android. Rated +4.5 stars. Get my daily tips
many guys read my daily motivational emails first thing in the morning. They keep telling me it
gives them a kick in the butt to hit the gym. Get my daily tips here. And, get off your butt. Dont
just read read read. Do my StrongLifts 55 program this week. Its only by taking action that
youll get stronger.
Goals Getting Stronger In Ancient Greece, the wrestler Milo From Croton got stronger for the
Olympics by carrying a newborn calf on his back each day. As the calf grew bigger, he carried a
heavier weight. This training stimulated Milos body to get stronger and build muscle. It turned
him into the strongest guys of his time. Maybe its just a legend, but the story illustrates how
StrongLifts 55 will get you strong: you dont start heavy, hit failure and try to get pumped. You
start light, do your workout with proper form, and add a little bit of weight each time. Do this as
long as you can, and youll get stronger. Dont worry, you wont have to use a calf. But youll lift to
build real world strength. Not that fake gym strength but strength usable outside the gym.
Some call it functional strength. Heres how Free Weights. Machines balance the weight for you
which leaves your stabilizing muscles weak. But free weights force you to balance the weight
yourself which strengthens your stabilizers. This develops real-world strength. Its why Stronglifts
55 uses free weights. Compound Exercises. You rarely do single-joint movements like curls in
the real world. Carrying or picking up heavy objects always engages several muscles. So to get
stronger you must practice exercises that mimic real-world movement Deadlifts, Squats, all
StrongLifts 55 exercises. Barbells. Its easier to Squat with 180kg on your back than with a
dumbbell of 90kg in each hand. Its also easier to add 2.5kg/5lb each workout when using barbells
than dumbbells. Stronglifts 55 uses barbells because you can lift the most weight and progress
more easily. 5 Reps. You can use more weight if you do five reps than 8, 10 or 12. The more reps
you do, the more tired you get and the worse your form becomes. Drop the reps and you can lift
more weight with better form. StrongLifts 55 uses sets of five so you can lift heavier and get
stronger. Frequency. Strength is a skill world champion Mike Tuchscherer told me once. The
more you do an exercise, the better your form gets and the more efficient you become at lifting.
Youll do each exercise several times a week on Stronglifts 55 because thats key to getting
stronger. Then theres mindset strength training is a marathon, not a sprint. Dont be the hare
who starts heavy to get quick PRs. Youll gets sore, feel like skipping workouts, and plateau early
on. Be the tortoise: start light, add a little bit of weight each workout, and get stronger at a
steady pace. If you can Squat 140kg/300lb, with your hips going lower than your knees on each
rep (parallel), youre too strong for StrongLifts 55. You need a more advanced program. But if
you cant Squat 100kg/225lb using free weights and proper form, StrongLifts 55 is the simplest
program to get stronger fast. Building Muscle Unlike many guys believe, you dont need to train a
muscle directly for it to grow. You dont need to do a dozen of exercises each workout to hit your
muscles from every angle. And the best way to gain muscle is NOT to train until failure to get
pumped and wake up sore. Instead, just get stronger. Because the stronger you are, the more
weight you lift, the more muscular youll be. Lifting heavy forces your body to add muscle to your
frame. Thats why the 140kg Bencher usually has a bigger chest than the guy struggling with
60kg. More strength is more muscle. This is also why the most successful bodybuilders ever, from
Reg Park to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Ronnie Coleman, could Deadlift over 700lb. They knew the
secret to gaining muscle is to get stronger by lifting heavy. Heres a video where I show why
strength is key to building muscle. Many guys think you cant build muscle with StrongLifts 55
because its only three exercises. But the key to building muscle isnt the amount of exercises, its
the intensity. Squatting 100kg for 55 is a workout by itself. Youre happy you dont have to do
more than three exercises per workout. Heres why: the Squat is a compound exercise. It works
several muscles at the same time. Same for Bench Press: its NOT a chest exercise. Whats
holding the bar? Your hands. Whats moving? Your arms. Ever heard of leg drive? Your whole
body has to work to bench a heavy weight. But most guys dont go heavy. They just curl, curl and
curl. Thats why they can do so many exercises per workout you cant do that with heavy
compound exercises. Worse, many guys favor their arms and chest while ignoring their legs and
back. This leads to imbalanced physiques and shoulder pain. StrongLifts 55 is different. You
wont get an imbalanced physique because youre working your whole body using compound
exercises. And you can go heavier than with isolation exercises like curls, flies or leg extensions.
As a result, youll get stronger and finally build muscle. Better, youll build that muscle while
training less. Because youre getting a full body workout with only five exercises. So no more gym
rat, no more one muscle a day, no more five times a week B.S. Just three workouts, done. And
you can actually have a life outside the gym. Heres how StrongLifts 55 will work each muscle in
your body using only three compound exercises per workout, three times a week, for about 45
minutes per workout Abs. Your abs have to work hard at keeping you from collapsing under the
bar when you do heavy Squats, Deadlifts and Overhead Press. Stronger abs are the secret to six
pack abs. Note that you do have to eat right as well. Otherwise your abs will be hidden behind a
layer of fat. Shoulders. Both the Overhead Press and Bench Press will work your shoulders hard to
lift the weights up. Nothing worked for me to build wider shoulders until I started to Overhead
Press. Chest. Getting your Bench Press to 100kg/225lb will have the biggest impact on getting a
bigger chest. You dont need to do incline, decline or all that B.S. Just go flat and go heavy. Arms.
One, your biceps works hard when doing heavy Barbell Rows. Two, your triceps works hard when
pressing heavy (bench, overhead). Three, youre holding the bar on each exercise, squeezing it
hard during heavy weights. So your arms will get tons of direct and indirect work to get bigger.
Forearms. Again, your arms grip the bar hard on every exercise. That and heavy Deadlifts will
make your forearms grow bigger. Forget about high rep wrist curls in every direction. Traps.
Shrugs suck. If you want ski-slope traps, just Deadlift heavy. Take before/after pics for proof. Your
traps will be huge once you can pull 4 plates (180kg/400lb) off the floor. Thighs. Get your Squat
to 3 plates (140kg/300lb) and youll have to buy new pair of jeans. You might even tear a pair of
shorts in the gym (note: I cant be held responsible for this). Back. Forget about wide lat
pulldowns and all that. Heavy Deadlifts and Barbell Rows will hit your upper-back hard. Youll build
size, strength and that v-shape everybody wants but few achieve. Calves. Squats and Deadlifts
will work your calves. But dont expect miracles if you have high calf attachments as I have. There
isnt much muscle to work with in this case, mostly tendon. Calves are largely genetics. I got over
it and accepted myself as I am. I recommend you do the same. Note that Stronglifts 55 is NOT a
bodybuilding program. NOT for bodybuilders. Many bodybuilders use massive amounts of drugs
and look like mutants. This site isnt about that. StrongLifts is for guys who want to build a lean,
athletic physique by getting stronger drug-free. Losing Weight Every now and then I get an
email from a bigger guy whos panicking. Usually hes been doing StrongLifts 55 for seven
weeks, everything is going well except hes not losing weight, but GAINING. Wtf?!? The top
picture illustrates how this can happen. Two guys, same height, same weight, same BMI. But
different look. One guy is all muscle, the other all fat. I bet youd prefer to look like the left guy. In
that case, remember: the stronger you get with Stronglifts 55, the more muscle youll gain.
Muscle is denser than fat so this is a good thing. Youre going to look smaller at the same weight,
like in the picture. But you might see no difference on the weight scale at first although you look
better. Heres why: the average lean muscle gain for new and drug-free lifters is 0.5lb of per
week. For weight loss: its recommended to lose 1lb of fat per week max (you need to eat 20%
less per day for that). Now unless you go strict on your diet, you wont lose 1lb of fat a week with
StrongLifts 55. The weights are too light for that in the beginning. But youll gain muscle from
day one. This explains why its common for heavier guys to see little change on the scale, but
huge differences in the mirror and how clothes fit: youre gaining muscle and losing fat at the
same time. But you cant know that by just looking at the scale. Especially since your body-weight
fluctuates daily based on water retention, bowel content, bladder content, fat loss, muscle gain,
bone gain, etc. Its easy to look at the scale and think youre doing bad when youre actually doing
great! Anyway, the key to losing weight is to increase how many calories you burn with StrongLifts
55. How? Increase the weight on the bar. Lifting heavy is easier if you weigh more. So aim for
that 140kg/300lb Squat. When youre Squatting that for 55, youve become a fat burning
machine. Beyond that, you can add half an hour of cardio after StrongLifts 55 to burn extra
calories and speed up weight loss. But prioritize lifting weights you need to build muscle. Oh,
and dont do cardio on your off days, your body needs recovery. You need those legs for Squats.
And clean up your diet :-) Ive seen many bigger guys change their goals at one point. They let go
of trying to reach a number on the scale as they saw their strength increase. Heres why: its not
about how much you weigh in the end. Its about becoming healthier, looking better and getting
stronger. So lift heavy. Losing Fat The top picture shows the importance of lifting weights for
losing fat: muscle is denser than fat. Lifting weights builds muscle. Lifting weights also burns
calories and boosts your metabolism. So if you start lifting youll build muscle, lose fat and look
slimmer at the same weight without eating less. Meanwhile most people try to lose fat by eating
less, without doing exercise. But few people can stick to low calorie diets for a long time. Most get
hungry, crack and end-up fatter than before. The few who can stick to these diets burn muscle
from starvation. They end up skinny-fat, weak and unattractive. Other people try to lose fat
through exercise. Theyre the cardio-bunnies in your gym. Cardio six times a week, then McDo
post-workout. They dont realize half an hour cardio only burns about 400 calories, the equivalent
of a Big Mac. Hit McDo post-workout and you just made that half hour of cardio insignificant. Now
cardio is great for speeding up fat loss because it increases how many calories you burn. But
unless youre training six hours a day like Michael Phelps, you cant out-train a bad diet youll
have to eat right. And lifting weights should always have PRIORITY over cardio for fat loss. Heres
why: Lifting weights burns calories. Your body burns energy to lift weights. The heavier the
weights, the higher the intensity and the more calories you burn. Especially if you do full body
exercises like Squats. This is why lifters can eat more than average people without getting fat.
Lifting weights boost your metabolism. They call this afterburn or EPOC. You burn more calories
the hours after youre done lifted weights. This helps you lose fat. Lifting weights builds muscle.
Cardio doesnt. Nor does a low calorie diet. Only lifting weights does the stronger you get, the
more weight you can lift, the more muscular youll be. Lifting weights prevents muscle loss. Low
calorie diets and excess cardio BURN muscle. This leads to the unhealthy and unattractive skinnyfat look. Yet lift weights builds muscle and prevents muscle loss from dieting, aging, etc. It makes
you healthier and more attractive while losing fat. Lifting weights makes you look slimmer. Check
the top picture again muscle is denser than fat. So by lifting weights youll build muscle, lose fat
and look slimmer than before at the same weight. Theres one more way Stronglifts 55 will
help you lose fat. People who lift weights stick to their diet better than those who dont exercise.
Lifting weights has a domino effect. It motivates you to live healthier and eat better. By eating
better you can lose fat with StrongLifts 55 without doing boring cardio. Adding Bulk Some guys
(and many women) think touching a barbell is enough to turn bulky like Arnold overnight. Yet Ive
been lifting for 14 years, Squat 190kg/419lb, and am anything but bulky. Heres why: when guys
talk about bulk or size they mean gaining weight. Yes, youll build muscle by lifting weights.
But muscle is denser than fat. Plus lifting heavy weights burns calories and boosts your
metabolism. So lifting weights can make you more athletic (but smaller) at the same weight. That
means just Stronglifts 55 isnt enough to get bulky. If you want to get bigger, if you want
size, you must gain weight. You must increase your body-weight. How? By eating more. Food
contains energy calories. Eat more calories than your body burns, lift heavy, and youll get
bulky. Now its true StrongLifts 55 can burn so many calories at heavier weights, it can make
you hungry and eat more. But unless you actually eat more than before, you wont get bulky by
just lifting. I havent. So you have to eat more to gain weight. The simplest way if youre skinny
as I was before lifting weights is to eat more meals each day. Start with three. After a month,
four. Month later, five meals a day. Dont rush it, give your body time to get used to eating more.
Be the tortoise, like with the weights. And stay away from weight gainer supplements. Theyre
usually full of sugars that will make you fat and fart. They also dont get you into the habit of
cooking your own meals and eating more. The goal is to get strong and muscular permanently.
Not revert to skinny and weak after a few weeks. Exercises All exercises on StrongLifts 55 are
using free weights. Doing any StrongLifts 55 exercise on a machine like the leg press will build
less strength than free weights. Same for the smith machine where the barbell is attached on
rails. This is because unlike free weights, machines balance the weight for you. Many guys are
intimidated by free weights and think machines are safer because you cant drop the weight. Yet
machines force you into fixed, unnatural movements. They lock you into the same movement
every time. This causes pattern overload and chronic injuries in the knees, shoulder and back.
StrongLifts 55 uses barbells. Dumbbells are less effective because they usually go up by 2kg.
You cant sustain this progression for long. Its also impossible to Squat heavy with dumbbells. Leg
strength rarely is the limiting factor, holding the weight in each hand is. So use free weights,
barbells. Squat The Squat is the main exercise on StrongLifts 55. Bend through your knees with
the bar on your back, and come back up. You Squat every workout on StrongLifts 55. Squat
inside the Power Rack for maximum safety. The Squat is a full body, compound exercise. You
Squat by putting the barbell on your back and bending through your knees. Squatting works your
hamstrings, quads, glutes, adductors and calves directly. But your abs and lower back also have
to work to keep the bar stabilized under the weight. The Squat is king of all exercises. It releases
more testosterone and growth hormone than exercises like the leg press. Thats why Squats are
crucial for getting stronger and building muscle. Nothing I did in the gym worked until I started to
Squat. You have to Squat. And youll Squat 3x/week on StrongLifts 55. Many people are afraid
Squatting will hurt their knees. Yet Ive been Squatting for 14 years and my knees are fine. So are
the knees of all my Members. Squats are even effective for rehabilitation from ACL injuries. The
key is to Squat with proper form. That means: Move your hips back think sitting on a toilet,
pushing your hips back on the way down Push your knees out dont let them cave in, keep your
knees aligned with your toes Hit parallel go down until your hip joint is lower than the top of
your knees Squatting parallel will strengthen your knees, not hurt them. Its Partial Squats, only
going down 90, that will hurt your knees. Partial Squats work mostly your quads, not your
hamstrings. This creates muscle imbalances and results in knee pain. Partial Squats are also less
effective for getting stronger. There are many different style of Squats. On StrongLifts 55 youll
do a low bar Squat. Putting the bar lower on your upper-back, between your traps and rear
shoulder muscles, shifts the stress from your knees to your stronger hips. So you can lift more
and get stronger Squatting low bar. The safest way to Squat is in the Power Rack. The safety pins
will catch the weight if you miss a rep so you cant get stuck under the weight. If your gym has no
Power Rack, find a real gym. Or buy a Power Rack for your home as Ive done. You must be able
to Squat safely alone to get stronger. For more information about how to Squat, read my how to
Squat guide. Bench Press On StrongLifts 55 you Bench Press every workout A, after the Squat.
Lower the bar to your chest, then press it back up until youve locked your elbows. Bench Press
inside the Power Rack for maximum safety. The Bench Press is a compound upper-body exercise.
You do it by lying on your back, lowering the bar to your chest, then pressing it back up until your
elbows are locked. The Bench Press works your shoulders, triceps and chest. It also works your
abs and back to stabilize the bar, and your biceps to hold it. The Bench Press is the most popular
exercise in the gym. Its also the upper-body exercise you can lift the most weight on, more than
the Overhead Press. This makes the Bench Press the most effective strength and mass builder for
your upper-body. Youll do it every other StrongLifts 55 workout. Many guys hurt their shoulders
Benching. Usually theyre benching with bad form: bodybuilding-style, with elbows flared 90, to
get a bigger chest stretch. Dont bench like this on StrongLifts 55. Tuck your elbows about 75.
This way youll get stronger without hurting your shoulders. You must use a full range of motion
when you Bench Press. Using a full range of motion builds more strength and muscle than
partials. Dont do half reps, dont be a Half-way Harry. Go all the way down until you touch your
chest. And lock your elbows at the top so your skeleton holds the weight. Theres no incline or
decline benching on StrongLifts 55. You cannot isolate your upper or lower chest. Your chest
contracts as a whole. Your upper-chest has to work hard when you bench heavy. So by taking
your Bench Press to 100kg/220lb, your entire chest will grow bigger. To avoid getting stuck under
the weight, bench inside the Power Rack. The safety pins will catch the bar if you fail a rep. If you
dont have a rack, ask somebody to spot you. Or dont put collars on the bar so you can tilt it to
one side if you get stuck. The plates will drop on the floor though, power rack is better. Fore more
information on how to Bench Press, read my guide on how to Bench Press. Deadlift On StrongLifts
55 you Deadlift every workout B after the Squat and Overhead Press. Pull the bar from the floor
to your hips with a neutral back. The Deadlift is a full body, compound exercise. You do it by
picking up the weight from the floor to your hips. This works your hamstrings, glutes, quads and
adductors. But many other muscles have to work during heavy Deadlifts: your grip to hold the
bar, your back to keep your spine from rounding, etc. I think Squats are king but Deadlifts are
definitely queen. The Deadlift is the exercise youll lift the most weight on. It works even more
muscles than the Squat. And it will release a ton of growth hormone and testosterone in your
body. So Deadlifts are crucial for getting stronger and gaining muscle. Many guys fear hurting
their back doing Deadlifts. Heres the key: dont let your lower back round. Keep it neutral. Thats
how you build a strong lower back without getting hurt. Thats also how you build the habit of
picking stuff off the floor with safe form, avoiding injuries outside the gym. One trick is to think of
Deadlifts as a push exercise Lift the weight off the floor by pushing through your feet (as if
doing a leg press). Keep the bar in contact with your legs. Once the bar reaches knee level, thrust
your hips forward. The lift ends when your hips and knees are locked. No need to lean back at the
top. Youll do the conventional Deadlift on StrongLifts 55, with your stance about hip-width
apart. You wont do sumo Deadlifts because the point is to strengthen your lower back. No
Romanian or Stiff-legged Deadlifts either because you can lift more weight doing a conventional
Deadlift. Deadlifts is only one set of five reps not 55 like the other StrongLifts 55 exercises.
55 Deadlifts after 55 Squats is too hard. Deadlifts are a different beast than Squats because
each rep starts from a dead stop. If you do 55 Deadlifts, youll quickly start missing reps and
plateaus. The recommended starting weight if youve never Deadlifted is 40kg/90lb. That means
youll have to use small plates which put the bar closer to the ground. Since the bar should start
at mid-shin level, and you shouldnt keep it in the air between reps, raise the bar by putting 2
plates flat under the weight. If youd like more information on how to Deadlift, read my guide on
how to Deadlift. Overhead Press The Overhead Press: lift the bar from your shoulders over your
head. Keep your legs locked at all times. The Overhead Press is a full body compound exercise.
You do it standing by pressing the weight from your shoulders over your head until your elbows
locked. The Overhead Press works your shoulders, triceps and upper-chest. It also works your
legs, back, abs and traps to stabilize the weight. The Overhead Press is the best exercise to build
stronger, bigger shoulders. It also keeps your shoulders healthy the Bench Press works mostly
your front shoulders. But the Overhead Press strengthens your back shoulders as well. By
alternating the Bench and Overhead Press you avoid imbalances. Some people are intimidated by
lifting a weight overhead. They fear the weight will drop on their head. Yet the Overhead Press is
the safest of all exercises: if you cant lift the weight, it wont leave your chest. Just start light,
add 2.5kg/5lb each workout, your confidence will increase. You can get lower back pain if you let
your lower back hyper-extend. Like with the other exercises, you must keep your back neutral
when you Overhead Press. Keep your ribcage down and squeeze your glutes hard. Dont let your
lower back arch and you wont get back pain. Overhead Press with your feet about hip-width apart
so you have maximum stability and strength. Dont do a Military Press with your heels together or
your strength will plummet. Dont do a Push Press either, your legs must remain locked from start
to finish otherwise its cheating. Press from the rack. If you dont have one, clean the weight from
the floor on your shoulders. If your ceiling is too low, press outside. If you cant, do the Seated
Press. But keep your lower back neutral, its easier to get hurt on the Seated Press. And it wont
build strong abs like the Overhead Press. If youd like more information about the Overhead Press,
read my how to Overhead Press guide. Barbell Row The Barbell Row: pull the bar from the floor
against your chest while youre bent over. Keep your lower back neutral. The Barbell Row is a full
body compound exercise. You do it by pulling the bar from the floor against your lower chest in a
bent-over position. This works your upper-back, traps, lats and biceps. The muscles of your lower
back, abs and legs also have to work hard during Barbell Rows to stabilize the weight. Barbell
Rows are the best exercise to strengthen your upper-back. This improves your Bench Press by
increasing stability when lying on the bench. Barbell Rows also keep your shoulders healthy and
injury-free by strengthening your rear shoulder muscles so you dont get imbalances. To avoid
lower back pain, you must keep your lower back neutral when you Barbell Row. Keep your chest
up so your lower back doesnt round. But dont hyper-extend by excessively arching your lower
spine. Raise your chest while keeping your ribcage down so your lower back stays neutral. Start
each rep with the bar on the floor, like on Deadlifts. Push your knees out to make room for the bar
to travel upwards. Your torso can come up slightly on the way up but dont turn your Barbell Rows
into Deadlifts. If your torso comes up more than 15, the weight is too heavy. The recommended
starting weight if youve never done Barbell Rows is 30kg/65lb. That means youll have to use
small plates which put the bar closer to the ground. Since the bar should start at mid-shin level,
and you shouldnt keep it in the air between reps, raise the bar by putting 2 plates flat under the
weight. If youd like more information about Barbell Row, read my guide on how to Barbell Row.
Equipment I lifted in a commercial gym for five years before building my home gym. In 2004 I
bought my own equipment and put it in my parents garage, about 23km from my apartment in
Brussels. Ive been lifting there for over 10 years now. So thats no gym fees in 10 years and one
of the best investments in my life. Thats whats cool with StrongLifts 55: you dont need bulky,
expensive machines. Just a barbell, bench, plates and rack. You dont need much space either. You
can do StrongLifts 55 in your garage, basement or shed. One of my friends does StrongLifts 55
in his apartment on the fourth floor. That means you can do StrongLifts 55 at home, get
stronger, and save a ton of time and money. No more money wasted on gym fees No more money
wasted on fuel to get to the gym No more time wasted driving to the gym and back No more time
wasted for equipment to be free Plus, you train the way YOU want, whenever YOU want, listen to
the music YOU want, without anybody to disturb or judge you while you lift. Investing in a home
gym is a no-brainer for serious lifters. It can also be your only option if your local gym doesnt
have the equipment you need to get stronger. Power Rack If you want to get stronger without
getting hurt, you need a Power Rack. A Power Rack has four vertical supports. You use the
uprights to get the bar on your back for Squats and in your hands for Bench Press. You cant get
the bar on your back for Squats without rack unless the weight is light. So you need a Power Rack
to Squat heavy and get stronger. Unlike smith machines, the bar isnt fixed on rails inside a Power
Rack. You can Squat and Bench heavy without getting forced into unnatural movements that could
hurt your shoulders, knees and back. If youre training alone at home, without trainingpartner,
you need a Power Rack to get stronger without getting hurt. Power Racks have two horizontal
safety pins. These pins will catch the bar if you miss a rep during a heavy Squat or Bench Press.
Watch this video for an example. Ive missed dozens of reps on the Squat and Bench Press during
the past 10 years. I often missed them training alone in my home gym, without trainingpartner.
Yet I never got hurt because the pins caught the weight. Thats why a Power Rack is key to getting
stronger without getting hurt on StrongLifts 55. Free weights look intimidating. Many guys prefer
machines because the weights cant fall of you. Yet in 14 years of lifting the bar never dropped on
me. The key is to start light, lift in the power rack and add a little bit of weight each workout. Use
proper form, keep your ego in check, and whatever you do No smith machine. The weight is
attached on rails and forces your body to go straight up and down. These fixed, unnatural
movements will hurt your shoulders, knee and back. And since youre not balance the weight
yourself, the machine is, youll build fake gym strength. Avoid. No 3d smith machine. This latest
invention confirms people were getting hurt on the smith machine. Sure now the bar can move
horizontally, not only vertically. But the machine is still balancing the weight for you. So its
inferior to free weights for building real world strength. No cybex or similar bs machine. Nothing
beats free weights to get stronger, gain muscle and lose fat quickly. If youre scared of getting
hurt using free weights, start with the empty bar to build your confidence. Then lift in the Power
Rack with the safety pins set. If you dont have much space, get Squat Stands with saw horses to
catch the weight. I prefer a Power Rack because its more sturdy and has a Pullup bar. But Squat
Stands will work to get stronger. Here are several recommended Power Racks for StrongLifts
55 Atlas Power Rack. Good: cheap. Bad: no free shipping. This rack has 4.8 stars reviews on
amazon. Rep Fitness. Great Power Rack from the price handles 700lb and comes with two pullup
bars, flat bench and Dips attachments. 4.9 stars (they also have a Squat Rack that takes less
space link). PowerLine PPR200X Power Rack. Good: handles 600lb, outside uprights, safety pins,
pullup bar, cheap. Bad: too short to Overhead Press inside. This rack has 4.6 stars reviews on
Amazon. Free shipping. Body-solid Pro Power Rack. Good: handle 1000lb, chinup bar. Bad: more
expensive than the PowerLine PPR200X Power Rack. This rack is similar to what I have. Titan
Power Rack. Handles 700lb, 28 holes, chin-up bar, less than $300. Rogue R3 Power Rack. Good:
pullup bar, high quality. Bad: you must bolt it down, more expensive. Short Power Rack. If you
have a low ceiling, this shorter Power Rack will fit under a 6 ceiling. If youd like to know which
power rack I use, Ive put a guide together with all the equipment Ive got in my home gym. If
youd like me to send you a copy of this guide, click here Olympic Barbell The Olympic Barbell is
your most important piece of equipment. Youll use it during every StrongLifts 55 workout to
Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, Overhead Press and Barbell Row. But not all gyms have Olympic
bars. Some have shorter bars with fixed sleeves weighing 7 to 15kg and lacking knurling. These
bars bend easily, hurt your wrists and decrease grip strength. If you want to get stronger, you
need an Olympic barbell like in the top picture. Heres how its different: 2m20 long (7 feet) 20kg
heavy (45lb) 28mm diameter 50mm revolving sleeves great knurling for grip handles heavy
weights If you have no idea if your gym has an Olympic bar, weigh it. Stand on a scale with the
bar and check how heavy it is. If its 20kg/45lb then its most likely an Olympic bar. Another way
is if you load the bar with a plate of 20kg on one side. Olympic bars wont tip over, regular bars
will. The temptation is huge to go cheap when buying a barbell. But youll get what you pay for.
An Olympic Barbell will feel more secure, improve your grip strength and eliminate joint stress.
Heres why: Olympic Barbells are safer. Ive trained with cheap bars that already bent when you
put 100kg on. This doesnt feel safe. Heavy weights are intimidating enough. Dont make it worse
by using cheap bars that can break mid-set. Olympic barbells feel more secure because they can
handle heavier weights and dont bend as easily. This increases your confidence under the bar.
Olympic Barbells improve grip strength. Ive also lifted with bars that were smooth in the middle.
They make it impossible to Deadlift heavy, especially if you have sweaty hands. My Olympic bar
has knurling to improve grip strength. It even has central knurling to keep the bar in position on
my back when Im Squatting heavy. Cheap bars have little or no knurling. Olympic Barbells wont
destroy your hands. Cheap bars with knurling usually turn out to be like cheese graters. Too
aggressive, shredding the skin of your hands on each rep and even tearing callus. On the other
hand, Olympic Barbells have great knurling that improves your grip during heavy Deadlifts without
shredding your hands, shins and thighs apart. Olympic Barbells dont hurt your joints. Cheap bars
often have fixed sleeves. The end of the bar where you put the plates on cant spin. This increases
the stress on your wrists and elbows and can result in pain. Not with Olympic Barbells the plates
and sleeves spin as you lift the weigh up. This is safer on your joints and improves grip strength.
If you buy a cheap bar anyway, youll most likely invest in an Olympic Barbell once youre
stronger. So cheap turns expensive. Better to get a quality bar right away. Ive used my first
Olympic barbell for 10 years. Then I gave it to my brother when he built his home gym. A quality
bar will last a lifetime. Youll find two kinds of Olympic bars: Power Bars. These bars are stiff and
wont bounce when you Squat or Deadlift heavy. They usually have a center knurling to keep the
bar positioned on your back for Squats. And they have one single ring on each side of the bar to
mark off where to grip the bar for Bench Press. Weight lifting Bars. These bars arent as strong as
power bars because youre not doing snatches and cleans as heavy as Squat or Deadlifts. Weigh
lifting bars bend more easily and will bounce with the weigh (they call this whip). The sleeves
also spin faster so you can get under the bar quickly without releasing your grip. And it can bear
multiple drops from overhead position without breaking. But weightlifting bars are far more
expensive. I have both bars and always use the power bar when I do the exercises of StrongLifts
55. Heavy Squats with a weight lifting bar just feels weird. It feels as if the bar is bouncing
around at the bottom. So get a power bar. A quality one will cost you about $300. Heres what I
recommend: Rogue Power Bar high quality, best of the best. Troy Texas Power Bar. Handled
1500lb, center knurling. Body-solid Olympic bar. If you want to go cheap, I wouldnt buy it. Cap
Barbell. Tested at 1500lb, black. But lacks center knurling for Squats. Spring clips. Put this on
your bar so your plates cant move around. Lock-jaw collars. Some people find this easier to than
spring clips. Rubber Mat. To protect your floor, use this rubber mat. If youd like to know which
barbell I use, Ive put a guide together with all the equipment Ive got in my home gym. If youd
like me to send you a copy of this guide, click here. StrongLifts 55 doesnt work with kettlebells
or dumbbells. The goal is to get stronger. You must lift heavy for that. You can lift the heaviest
weights with barbells. So use barbells for StrongLifts 55. Olympic Plates Olympic plates have
50mm holes to fit on your Olympic bar. The biggest 20kg/45 plates are 17 diameter to set the
bar at the proper height for Deadlifts and Barbell Rows. Iron plates are the best. Theyre also the
cheapest youll find. But if youre wondering about other plates, heres what I think of them Grip
plates. Regular plates force you to pinch the weight to carry it around. This improves your grip
strength for Deadlifts. Grip plates dont because they have holes to carry the weight. I dont buy
the safety argument, just grab a regular plates with two hands and youre fine. Rubber coated. I
had rubber plates for 10 years. They make less noise but not when you put 180kg back on the
floor. The rubber also cracks over time. Grip is friendlier though, it doesnt hurt if your finger ends
between two plates. But for noise, just get a rubber mat. Bumper plates. Made of solid rubber.
Designed for exercises like the snatch so you can drop the weight without breaking your floor.
With StrongLifts 55 youll be returning the weight to the floor under control. So you dont need
expensive bumpers that take a lot of space. Hexagonal plates. Designed for machines, not
barbells. The weight will land on the corners if you use them for Deadlifts and Barbell Rows. This
will make the bar roll and mess your technique. Better to use round plates so you dont get
bleeding shins and lower back pain. Keep it simple. Get cheap iron plates. And since youre going
to get stronger faster than you think with StrongLifts 55, get about 140kg/300lb to get started.
Heres the setup I recommend: 4x20kg plates 2x10kg plates 2x5kg plates 22.5kg plates
21.25kg plates Add the bar (because you lift it) and thats 137.5kg or 303lb total weight.
Olympic Barbells weigh 20kg/45lb. For pounds I would recommend these plates: 4x45lb, 2x25lb,
2x10lb, 45lb, 22,5lb (4plates of 5lb so you can hit 85-90lb on the Overhead Press). I dont
recommend 25kg plates. I bought four when I got my home gym. But people kept getting
confused when they saw my 180kg Squat videos BS! Thats no four plates!. So I gave the 25s
to my brother and got 20kg plates instead. No more confusion and the math is easier. Any guy
who trains three times a week consistently can reach a 140kg (300lb) Deadlift within a year. My
little brother did it in seven months weighing only 70kg. So youll need extra plates after a few
months to keep getting stronger. Just get an extra pair of 20kg and youre good until the next big
PR. What I recommend: Olympic Plates Ader Olympic Plates Rogue Ader Olympic Plates Rogue
York Olympic Plates Weight Tree holds up to 500lb 2 plates, keep them organized. Rubber Mat
to protect your floor If youd like to know which plates I have and how many, Ive put a guide
together with all the equipment Ive got in my home gym. If youd like me to send you a copy of
this guide, click here. Fractional Plates Fractional plates are small weights of 1.25kg and less.
Many gyms only have bigger plates of 2.5kg. This forces you to add 5kg on each side. This can
work for a while on Squats and Deadlifts. But not forever, and definitely not on the Bench Press
and Overhead Press. Heres why: the Bench and Overhead Press use smaller muscles than Squats
and Deadlifts. This is why you cant Overhead Press what you can Deadlift. This is also why youll
struggle on the Overhead Press first. And this is why adding 5kg on the Overhead Press is harder
than on a Deadlift. Consider: Adding 5kg to a 100kg Deadlift is a 5% increase. Adding that same
5kg to a 40kg Overhead Press is a 13% increase more than double! But adding 2.5kg to a 40kg
Overhead Press is a 6% increase closer to what you add on Deadlift. Same idea for Bench.
Ironically, the weaker you are, the harder adding 5kg each workout is. Thats why youll miss reps,
hit plateaus and get frustrated early into StrongLifts 55 if you add 5kg each workout. You need
small plates of 1.25kg especially if youre lighter like me or a woman. Small plates are
expensive. But thats what youre paying for. It costs more to create plates at a tighter weight
tolerance. So dont get caught up with the price per kg. Plates I recommend: Ader Fractional
plates Rogue Fractional Plates lb Rogue Fractional Plates kg Iron Woody Fractional Plates kg You
can also put two chains of 1.25kg on each side of the bar. Or glue two washers together. Or add
small ankle weights. I dont use any of that though. If youd like to know which fractional plates I
use, Ive put a guide together with all the equipment Ive got in my home gym. If youd like me to
send you a copy of this guide, click here. Bench You need a bench to Bench Press each StrongLifts
Workout A. But you dont need a bench with uprights since youll bench inside the Power Rack.
This is also safer if you bench alone, without training partner, and dont want to get hurt. The
safety pins will catch the bar if you get stuck with the weights. The key is to get a sturdy bench.
Legs of cheap benches can bend and kill you (proof). Keep in mind that the max weight of a
bench often includes your body-weight. So if youre 75kg, a bench tested at 150kg can handle
maximum 75kg on the bar safely. Thats not enough when doing StrongLifts 55. You need a
heavy duty bench. One that handles at least 300kg. It should be 30cm/12 wide so you have
great upper-back and shoulder support for maximum strength. Heavy dutch benches will be about
17 high. If youre short, put something under your feet to get to the proper height. Avoid
benches with leg attachments. One, theyll get in the way of your legs when you setup for
benching. Two, youll get plenty of leg work doing heavy Squats, plenty of ab work doing heavy
Overhead Presses. So those leg attachments will be of no use, just a waste of money. You also
dont need an adjustable bench since youll flat bench on StrongLifts 55. Theres no decline or
incline. Dont panic taking your bench press to 100kg will make your upper-chest grow more
than anything else. That and walking with your chest up. Were not bodybuilding here. So get a
simple flat bench. Heres what I recommend for StrongLifts 55: Adidas Flat Bench handles up
to 600lb Rogue Flat Bench Press handles up to 1000lb Rep Fitness Flat Bench handles 1000lb,
great price If youd like to know which bench I use, Ive put a guide together with all the
equipment Ive got in my home gym. If youd like me to send you a copy of this guide, click here.
Chalk Chalk is a powder you put on your hands to lift more weight. Its the same powder
gymnasts and rock climbers use. Chalk improves your grip strength by stopping moisture from
sweat. It also minimizes callus formation by filling up your skin folds which otherwise get trapped
under the bar. Chalk is not baby powder. Baby powder is usually made of talc, a lubricant. Some
powerlifters put baby powder on their legs to reduce friction when doing heavy Deadlifts. But
theyll never put baby powder on their hands because that makes the bar slippery and thus harder
to hold. Chalk is also not the same as blackboard chalk. Blackboard chalk is usually made of
calcium sulfate. For StrongLifts 55 you need chalk made of magnesium carbonate. You wont
need chalk the first weeks of StrongLifts 55 when the weights are light. But once the weight
increases youll struggle to get five reps on Deadlifts. The bar will slip off your hands, it might not
even want to move off the floor. Use chalk and youll get an instant boost in grip strength. I like to
do all my warmup sets without chalk. Powerlifting legend Andy Bolton told me he does this to get
extra grip work. Then on my heavy work sets Ill rub my hands with chalk to improve my grip. To
minimize callus formation fill up your skin folds with chalk so your skin cant get trapped under the
bar. Some gyms dont allow chalk because it leaves dust everywhere. The best alternative is liquid
chalk. This is magnesium carbonate dissolved in alcohol. The alcohol evaporates when you put the
liquid chalk to your hands, leaving a clean film of chalk. So liquid chalk doesnt turn the place
messy. Some people use eco ball. Ive used chalk balls for rock climbing but didnt like it. Ended
up tearing it apart because it didnt leave enough chalk on my hands. Regular chalk seems
superior. Heres the chalk options I recommend: Chalk Liquid Chalk (8 ounce) Liquid Chalk (1.5
oz) If youd like to know what kind of chalk I use, Ive put a guide together with all the equipment
Ive got in my home gym. If youd like me to send you a copy of this guide, click here. Dont use
gloves with StrongLifts 55. They make the bar thicker and harder to grip, can cause wrist pain
and wont stop callus. Callus are a byproduct of lifting heavy, just like muscle is, so get over it.
Use chalk, grip the bar properly and shave your callus of once a week done. Dont use straps on
StrongLifts 55 either. Doing every exercise and set with straps will weaken your grip. You want
to strengthen your whole body, including your grip. Best way to do that is lifting without straps. I
routinely pull 200kg with my bare hands, using chalk only. You can do it too. Shoes I started
Squatting in running shoes like most guys. Funny looking back, Id never do that today. Running
shoes are for running. Theyre not for Squatting. If you do StrongLifts 55 with running shoes
anyway, youll get knee pain, hurt your back and hit plateaus. So dont Squat with running shoes.
Heres why: running shoes often have soles with air pockets, gel or other spongy material. This
cushions your feet when you run. The sole absorbs impact each time your foot hits the ground.
And while this may or may not be a good idea for running, it definitely is NOT for lifting weights.
Squatting with running shoes is like Squatting on a trampoline. The spongy sole will compress
under the weight. This makes it impossible to control your technique and lift with proper form.
Bad form is the number one cause of knees and back pain when Squatting. It also causes
plateaus. The point is: you need shoes with hard soles. Soles that dont compress under a heavy
weight. Test it: Squat a set barefoot. Without a sole that compresses between your foot and the
floor. I do this all the time with new lifters reluctant to lose the running shoes. Their Squat form
improves instantly. Which doesnt mean I recommend lifting barefoot. Its just a test. In fact, I
would never Squat barefoot. You need traction when lifting heavy. Your feet must stay locked in
position. Lifting barefoot or in socks offers zero traction. Your feet will slip. This isnt optimal for
lifting heavy. In 2004 I heard Louie Simmons raving about Chuck Taylors. So I dropped the
running shoes and bought a pair. Chuck Taylors have flat soles, solid traction and theyre cheap.
Ive Squatted in Chuck Taylors for 10 years and hit my 190kg Squat PR with them. Its the best all
around shoe for StrongLifts 55. Thats why youll often see half the room wear Chuck Taylors at
my StrongLifts seminars. I even have a pair I wear outside the gym. Theyre that comfortable.
Make sure you get a snug fit so your foot doesnt move around. I feel the high tops fit better than
low tops for Squatting. Converse Chuck Taylor I also have lifting shoes. But I dont like them for
low bar Squats because the heel throws me forward. I have another pair of shoes that Ive been
using lately and that works better for my wider feet. I still recommend Chuck Taylors but if youd
like to know which shoes I wear now, Ive put a guide together with all the equipment I use. If
youd like me to send you a copy of this guide, click here Belt A belt allows you to lift more
weights. It works by giving your abs something to push against. Your abs contract harder as a
result. This braces your core and supports your back in lifting the weights. Unlike many guys
think, your abs dont become weak if you lift with a belt. They get stronger. But belts dont
prevent injuries from lifting with bad form. If you Deadlift with a round back, youll hurt it. If you
hyper-extend at the top, youll hurt it too. And thats regardless of the belt. Injuries with belts can
be even worse because the weight you lifted with bad form was heavier thanks to that belt. The
point is proper form is crucial to get stronger without getting hurt. Dont wear a belt if you get
back pain from Deadlifting. The belt will give you a false sense of security and encourage you to
keep lifting with bad form. This will make it worse. Instead fix your bad form so you get stronger
pain-free. This is why I do not recommend wearing a belt when you start StrongLifts 55. Practice
good form first, make sure your back stays neutral when you lift, build a good foundation. After
the first 12 weeks you should have good form and Squat about 100kg. Then you can add a belt to
help you get stronger and break through plateaus. Wear it on your last warmup set and 55 sets
only so your abs get trained both ways. Dont wear it the whole workout. When looking for a belt,
get one thats the same width all around. Remember the point is for your abs to have something
to push against. A bodybuilding belt that is narrow in the front doesnt work for getting stronger.
Get one thats 4 all around. Single prong belts are easier to put on that double prong. Prongs are
easier than a lever when you need a different setting on each lift (no need for screwdriver). 10mm
thick is perfect unless you weigh over 250lb (then go with 13mm). Heres what I recommend:
Ader Powerlifting belt Bestbelts high quality, custom made, pre-broken in. Rogue Ohio Belt Inzer
Forever Belt If youd like to know which belt I use, Ive put a guide together with all the
equipment Ive got in my home gym. If youd like me to send you a copy of this guide, click here.
My Home Gym Setup People often ask me which equipment I use. So Ive created a guide with the
exact power rack, bench, barbell, plates, shoes, etc I have. If youd like me to send you a copy of
this guide, click here. Frequently Asked Questions What does 55 mean? 55 means five sets of
five reps with the same weight. So Squat 55 100kg is five sets of five reps using 100kg on all
five sets. Do not jump cold into this weight but warmup with lighter sets first. What does 15
mean? 15 means one set of five reps. It doesnt mean five sets of one rep. So Deadlift 15
120kg is one set where you Deadlift 120kg for five reps. Rest between your reps should be one
second at the floor (no bouncing). Dont wait 10 seconds between your reps otherwise youre
doing singles which isnt the same as a set of five reps. Why only 15 Deadlifts, not 55? Deadlift
is only one set of five reps instead of five sets of five like the other StrongLifts 55 exercises. This
is because Deadlifts take more out of you. Heres why: Deadlifts has each rep starting from a dead
stop Deadlift uses more muscles than any other exercise Deadlift allows you to lift heavier weights
than other exercises Most experienced lifters agree 55 Deadlifts are harder than 55 Squats. Its
even worse when you have to Deadlift for 55 at end of your workout, after a brutal 55 Squat
session. You can get away Deadlifting for 55 on StrongLifts 55 when the weights are still light.
But it will beat you up once the weights get heavier. It will make you plateau on Deadlifts, Squats
and so on. Once your Deadlifts get heavy, youll be happy to end your workout with only one set
of five reps, not 55. Keep in mind Squats and Deadlifts work similar muscles. Getting stronger at
Squats will get you stronger at Deadlifts. You rarely need more than one set of five reps to
increase your Deadlift to 180kg (400lb). My little brother got his Deadlift to 170kg/380lb in seven
months doing only 15. If you love to Deadlift, do five reps on your warmup sets. So 15 140kg
Deadlift would look like 5x60kg, 5x80kg, 5x100kg, 5x120kg, 5x140kg. This gives you several sets
of five, but with the weight increasing instead of being the same for 55. This gets you more work
without the stress of 55 140kg. How much weight should I start with? If you start too heavy,
youll get sore legs which can make you feel like skipping workouts in the first week. Better to
start light so your body get used to Squatting three times a week. The weight will increase quickly
anyway since youre adding 2.5kg/5lb per workout (thats 30kg/60lb per month on your Squat). If
youve done the Squat, Bench and Deadlift before, with good technique, you can start with 50% of
your five rep max. If youve never done these exercises, or you havent lifted in years, or you
have no idea what I mean with a five reps max, just start with these weights: Squat, Bench
Press, Overhead Press: 20kg/45lb. Thats the empty Olympic bar. Deadlift: 40kg/95lb. The empty
bar with a plate of 10kg/25lb on each side. Barbell Row: 30kg/65lb. The empty bar with 5kg/10lb
on each side. You should indeed start heavier on the Deadlift and Barbell Row because you cant
do these exercises holding an empty bar in the air. The weight should rest on the floor at the start
of each rep, so start with weight on the bar. How long should I rest between sets? Enough to get
five reps on your next set. You wont need to rest much between sets the first weeks of
StrongLifts 55 when the weights are still light. But as the weight gets heavier and more
challenging, youll need more rest between sets. Heres what I recommend: 1min30 if getting five
reps on your last set was easy 3mins if you struggled to get five reps on your last set 5mins if you
missed a rep on your last set 3-5 minutes rest after a challenging set of five reps is key to get
stronger. It gives your central nervous system time to recover between sets. If you only wait a
minute after a hard set, you risk missing reps on your next set and plateau. Wait 3-5 mins and
youre more likely to get your five reps and get stronger. If you have an iPhone, iPod, or Android
phone, track your workouts using my free StrongLifts 55 app. It has a built-in timer which will
tell you exactly how long to rest between sets so you get stronger. Otherwise pay attention to
your heart rate. Im often breathing heavily after Squatting a hard set of five. When my heart rate
is back to normal, that usually means Im ready for my next set. To keep your workout short as
the weights get heavier, dont rest between your warm-up sets. Put the weight on the bar and do
your next set. Then rest longer between your sets of five. What should I do between sets? Stay
focused. Avoid talking with people or playing with your phone (unless its for using my app, haha).
Socializing is great before or after your workout, but not during. You dont want to get distracted,
end up resting 15 minutes between your sets, get cold and lose focus, and then miss reps. What
works is to sit on a bench and visualize yourself doing the next set with proper form. I like to
stand or walk a bit around between my sets. But I dont like it when people start talking too
much, especially on Squats. You have to stay focused because this is key to get stronger. Dont
superset your exercises. Dont Squat five reps, then Bench five reps and go back to Squatting five
reps. You must rest between exercises so your body can recover for the next set. If you superset
your exercises youll exhaust yourself and will lift less weight. The goal is to lift heavy. Rest
between sets so you can lift heavy. How long should I rest between exercises? You dont need to
rest between exercises. I unload the bar after Squats, set my equipment for the Bench or
Overhead Press and warmup with the empty bar. By the time Im doing my 55 work weight, my
CNS is recovered. Ive also found not resting between exercises keeps my workout shorts. Check
the videos of StrongLifts 55 workout A & B youll see I dont rest between exercises. How fast
should I lift? Whats the tempo? Theres no tempo with StrongLifts 55. The first weeks, when the
weights are light, lift the weight under control. Dont go too fast yet because that makes it harder
to practice and maintain good form. But dont go too slow either. Just control the bar on the way
up and down. After your first 12 weeks, once you have more experience and good form, lift as fast
as you can on the way up. Youll be able to lift more weight and get stronger if you lift fast on the
way up. Control the weight on the way down, dont drop it it. But dont be slow on the way down
either. Do not lift slow thinking youll build more muscle that way. Lifting fast on the way up is key
to lifting a lot of weight and get stronger. The stronger you are, the more muscular youll be. So
go fast but controlled on the way up once youre confident about your form. How should I warm
up? Start with two sets of five reps with the empty bar on Squats, Bench and Overhead Press.
Then add 10-20kg (25-45lb) and do 2-3 reps. Keep adding 10-20kg, doing 2-3 reps on each set,
until youve reached your 55 weight. Dont rest between these warmup sets to keep your
workout short. This means you dont do any warmup sets for the Squat, Bench and Overhead
Press the first weeks of StrongLifts 55 because your 55 work weight is the empty bar or close
above it. But once youre lifting 30kg/65lb for 55, warmup by doing two sets with the empty bar
for the Squats, Bench Press and Overhead Press. Empty bar warmup sets dont work for Barbell
Row and Deadlift. The bar has to start at mid-shin level for proper form, you cant hold it in the
air. Plus, since youre doing compound exercises, your whole body is warmed up already by the
time you have to Barbell Row or Deadlift. So you can start heavier here. If youre confused about
how to warmup, download the StrongLifts 55 apps for iPhone and Android and check the
warmup feature. It automatically will tell you how much weight to warmup with and for how many
sets and reps, whatever your work weight is. Never do a heavy 55 weight without doing lighter
warmup sets first. The 55 weight will feel heavier, you can miss reps and could get hurt. Start
with the bar and work your way up so you warmup your muscles and can practice proper form.
This will make the 55 weight easier and youre less likely to get hurt. Cardio pre-workout is not
enough and can work against you. Its not specific to Squatting, doesnt let you practice proper
form. So you still have to warmup with the bar. Worse, too much cardio pre-workout will preexhaust your legs and make it hard to Squat heavy. So warm up with the bar. How should I
breathe? Dont think about it and youll do it right. Lifting weights isnt the same as running.
Staying tight is key to lifting big weights without getting injured. Thats why if you pick something
heavy from the floor, youll automatically take a big breath and hold it before you lift it. This
technique is called the valsalva maneuver. Big breath, hold it, lift, then exhale. By taking a big
breath youll increase the pressure in your abdomen. This in turn reduces the risk of lower back
injuries because your core is tighter. Heres how I recommend you do it: Squats. Take a big
breath at the top of your Squat, before you go down. Hold your breath on the way down, hold it at
the bottom of your Squat, then breathe out at the top. Bench Press. Take a big breath at the top.
Do as many reps as you can with good form, breathe out at the top when you need to. Ill often
do three or even five reps with a single breath. Deadlift. Take a big breath at the bottom before
you pull. Hold it on the way up. Exhale at the top while staying tight. Or hold your breath at the
top and exhale when the bar is back on the floor. Overhead Press. Take a big breath at the
bottom, and do as many reps as you can with good form. Breathe out when you need at the top
or at the bottom (top is better but tricky). Barbell Row. Take a big big breath at the bottom. Do as
many reps as you can with good form. Exhale when you need at the bottom, when the bar is on
the floor. Do NOT exhale at the bottom of your Squat. Youll lose tightness and could hurt your
lower back. If you want, you can exhale by grunting on the way up if you want (I do that
sometimes on hard Squat set). But make sure youre tight at the bottom of your Squat. Your
blood pressure will indeed increase if you hold your breath. However it will go back to normal once
your set is over. Plus weight lifting is proven to improve blood pressure. Can I change the order of
exercises? No. The exercise order isnt random. Its set this way because thats how it works best.
Heres why: Squat first. Because its the most important exercise to get stronger. If you do them
at the end of your workout, when tired or hurried, its easy to skip them. Do them first, when
fresh, and youll Squat consistently. If the Power Rack is taken, wait or ask if you can train in
between. Bench/Overhead Press second. So your legs and lower back get a break. You need these
muscles again on heavy Deadlifts and Barbell Rows. Pressing first gives your body time to recover.
Row/Deadlift third. Because you need your legs and lower back again. But since you pressed first,
they had time to recover from the heavy Squats at the start of your workout. Reversing Squat and
Deadlift, by doing Deadlift first, is not a good idea. Most guys find Deadlifts easier if they Squat
first. But they dont find Squat easy if they Deadlift first. So stick to the exercise order. And dont
hesitate asking to train inbetween if the Power Rack you might find a trainingpartner. Can I
do workout A and B on the same day? No. You might be able to get away with this in the
first weeks when the weights are still light. But as the weights get heavier, the Squats will
by itself get you too exhausted to even think about doing more than three exercises per
workout. So doing the two workouts the same day would never work in the long run. If
you feel like doing more because the workout feels too light, then just increase the
weight. Add 5kg/10lb per workout instead of the usual 2.5kg/5lb. This will quickly increase
the intensity of the StrongLifts 55 workout and make it more challenging. Its not about
the amount of exercises you do, but the intensity. Can I train two days in a row? No. Your
body and mind need days off to recover. You might be able to get away with training two
days in a row the first weeks when the weights are still light. But as the weight on the bar
increases, youll need those days off inbetween two workouts to recover, get stronger and
gain muscle. And youll be happy you have days off the recover. If you feel like doing
more because the workout feels too light, up the intensity by increasing the weight. Add
5kg/10lb each workout or more, then go back to the 2.5kg/5lb increments once the
workout is challenging. What if I fail to get 5 reps? If you havent already done five sets
on this exercise, wait five minutes for your central nervous system to recover. Then do
your next set with the exact same weight and try to get five reps. Take a big breath and
lift fast on the way up. This will help you get your reps. If you missed reps in any of your
five sets, you do not increase the weight by 2.5kg/5lb next workout for that exercise. You
lift the same weight again. So if you did 5/5/5/4/3 x 100kg on Squats (missed reps in set
four and five) you do 55 Squat next workout. What if you miss reps on Squats but not
Bench Press or Barbell Row? Then you add 2.5kg/5lb on Bench and Rows next workout A.
But you dont add weight on Squats since you missed reps on that exercise. You only
repeat the weight for the exercise you missed reps on, not all of them. Here are some
other mistakes you got to avoid: Never do more than 55 with the same weight. If you
only got three reps on the fifth set, you dont do a sixth set to try to get the five reps you
missed. Five sets max, not more. Never lower the weight during a workout. If you get five
reps on the first set, but only three on the second, dont lower the weight. Keep the
weight for the next three sets and do your best. Never increase the weight if you missed
reps. If you didnt get five reps on every single set, you must lift the same weight again
for that exercise next workout. Dont increase it. If all of this sounds like Greek to you,
download the free StrongLifts 55 apps for iPhone/iPod or Android phones. Theyll tell you
how much weight to lift on each exercise if you fail a rep. What if I keep failing at the
same weight? You take a step back in order to take two steps forward. Heres how: if you
fail to get 55 on an exercise three workouts in a row, lower the weight by 10% for that
exercise only. This is called a deload. And it will give your body extra rest as well as avoid
mental plateaus. So if you failed to get 55 on Squats with 100kg/220lb three workouts in
a row, deload to 90kg/200lb next workout. This weight will feel light but take it seriously.
Focus on proper form, lift fast on the way up and breathe correctly. Add 2.5kg/5lb each
workout until youre back to 100kg/220lb. Youll make it. Note that you only deload on the
exercise you failed to get 55 three times in a row. If you plateau on your Squat, but not
on your Bench Press or Barbell Row, then you only deload on Squats. The other exercise
keep increasing by 2.5kg/5lb each workout. Best is to download the free StrongLifts 55
app for iPhone/iPod or Android phones. Theyll tell show you how much weight to lift on
each exercise if you keep failing at the same weight. How long should I do StrongLifts
55? As long as youre getting stronger. StrongLifts 55 is NOT a 12 week program. 12
weeks is just the start. Its a test-drive for your body to prove you this works to get
stronger. Many guys are able to get stronger on StrongLifts 55 for 16 weeks, 24 weeks,
some 52 weeks! Youll know when its time to switch to a more advanced training
program when youre no longer able to add 2.5kg/5lb each workout. When youre no
longer able to get stronger despite repeating the weight up to three times a week,
deloading and dropping to 35, 33, etc. Many guys want to know a specific weight they
should reach before they can switch program. But theres no such thing. When youll have
t
witch programs depends on too many variables including your body-weight, age, form,
sleep, nutrition, consistency, commitment, and so on. As a rule of thumb, youll usually
have to switch once you Squat between 100kg and 140kg (220lb and 300lb). The better
your form, the better your sleep, the better your nutrition, the more consistent you are,
the bigger you are, the further youll take StrongLifts 55. Does StrongLifts 55 work for
women? Yes. My girlfriend does it. And she does the same exercises, sets and reps as I
do. The only differences: The empty bar can be too heavy. I had my girlfriend do goblet Squats
with a kettlebell, kb Deadlifts and db bench/presses. Now she Squats 50kg for 55 (her bodyweight). Youll need fractional plates. Adding 2.5kg/5lb each workout is too much on the Bench
and Overhead Press. This is because women tend to have less muscle in their upper-body than
men. My girlfriend used increments of 1kg/2lb from the start on Bench/Press. Besides that theres
no difference. Remember lifting weights wont make you bulky. Ive been lifting for 14 years and
Im not bulky. My girlfriend started weighing about 50kg, she still weighs the same, despite
Squatting 50kg for 55. And yet people have asked did you lose weight? Muscle is denser than
fat What if the answer to my question isnt here? Ill update and further expand this guide over
the coming months. So come back later and you might find the answer to your question. If you
cant wait, here are your two options: Signup to my daily emails. Each day youll get my tips and
answers to questions I receive by email. Many guys find my daily emails motivational. Go here to
signup (its free). Send me your question. Use the contact form to send me your question. Please
keep it short and to the point, 1-2 sentences max. Apps My team has created free apps to track
your StrongLifts 55 workouts on your phone. These apps will show you which exercises to do
each workout, with how much weight and for how many sets and reps. The StrongLifts 55 apps
also have a built-in timer that will show you how long to rest between sets. And they
automatically deload and show you how much to lift if you miss reps. Both apps have +4.5 ratings
on iTunes/Google play. Get them here: Click here for StrongLifts 55 app for iPhone/iPod Click
here for StrongLifts 55 app for Android Apple even featured the StrongLifts 55 app for Iphone
in their commercial strength which aired during the Stanley Cup, Jimmy Fallon, NBA finals, etc.
Watch the video at 0:38 Spreadsheets Ive created spreadsheets for StrongLifts 55. They show
you which exercises to do each workout, with how much weight and for how many sets and reps.
These spreadsheets also come with progress graphs so you see your strength increase overtime
(this will boost motivation). If youd like me to email you a copy of these StrongLifts 55
spreadsheets for free, click the link below Click here for StrongLifts 55 spreadsheets (kg) Click
here for StrongLifts 55 spreadsheets (lb) I highly recommend you download the free StrongLifts
55 app for iPhone/iPod and Android as well. Theyre simpler to use than these spreadsheets for
tracking your StrongLifts 55 workouts.

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SUPER SQUATS: HOW TO GAIN 30 POUNDS OF MUSCLE IN 6 WEEKS

The Super Squat Routine The Original:

The Super Squat Routine Reloaded:

Military press 26-8 supersetted with

The latter claimed that 20 Rep Squats

Behind The Neck Press

Bent Over Row

Stiff Legged Deadlift

Scaled Down 20 Rep Squat Routine (Recommended for Beginners)

Big 3 20 Rep Squat Routine

Bent Over Row

Power 20 Rep Squat Routine

(Make sure you check out my updated 5 Myths of Bulgarian Weightlifting)

The Bulgarian training system kept the exercise selection down

There are at least four major downsides to the Bulgarian system.

Super Sentadillas (Dr. Randall J. Strossen)

Sentadilla Respiratoria y circuito metablico.

Cadenas muy practicas como lastre. Gentileza de Smitty de DieselCrew.com

La sentadilla respiratoria (Breathing Squat) es el principal componente de muchas rutinas de

Bosco haciendo elevaciones de pecho despus de las sentadillas.

Enlace a planilla de clculo con la: Rutina N69.

Tapa de Iron Man de los 70.

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