Starting 5's

J

JSmith

New Member
Hi all. I am starting my 5's today and wanted to know when the weights are light do you move the weights slower / contract harder to tire the muscle or do you just do them normal till the heavier weights.

It seams to me the first few workouts are easy but the last 2 of the 10's made me sore.

I Haven't lifted weights since HS 16 years ago!

John
 
You can lift slower in the lighter 5's if necessary. The important thing is to just make sure you aren't moving the lighter weights in the 5's so fast that you are using momentum.
 
Depending on ease I will sometimes focus on power(velocity) and / or making sure no bad habits have crept into my form. The first few w/o's can feel easy depending on increments used in setting up the cycle , ect. but they serve a good purpose.


      For example in the typical  M,W,F approach you would start a new rep range on a monday after having 2 whole days to recover from what should have been a fairly close to failure in all movements Friday(or the last W/O of the previous rep range). The first few workouts in the new rep range , can be almost like a kind of extension of the recovery process , an active recovery of sorts allowing the CNS and connective tissues to stabalize and "ramp up" so to speak for the heavier loads , this is enhanced further by "zigzagging" and can result in better strength gains ( as opposed to just hypertrophy gains) through out the cycle.


      This also enables extending the cycle after 5's for a longer and (hopefully) more productive total cycle as extending the 5's (wether with negatives or 3's or just continuing to progress the 5's or any number of other personalized ways to extend the strength phase) will result in more strength/size and higher 1rms on which to base the next cycle. Of course once the load progression is unable to be advanced the cycle must end , but the trick(s) to it is to squeeze as much as is possible from each cycle .
 
the idea with the lighter loads is to give your CNS a break so enjoy them dont try making them harder they will do that on there own
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Thanks for the insight and advice I will have a lot of questions.

I joined the Gym in March at 155 lbs doing the basic Back/Bi Chest Tri type of work out (Didn't work out my legs because I was embarrased by the weight and size of them) and I force fed myself some more calories (really hard for me because I don't eat much to begin with) and I did gain weight to 165. I started working out my legs after reading lots of posts here and tried this program. Man my legs really responded after the 10's I weighed 171 and half that weight has to be on my whimpy legs.
( I know beginners can get gains from anything but I really like this program and I don't feel burnt out)

I read here while I was lurking... that it takes a little while for your CNS to learn the exercise and some increase in strength would be the result of this. Well this must be true in my case because the 10RM I set at the start some of them I could have pushed a few more reps out (well the first set anyway)

So with that being said should I up the 5RM weight or continue on as planned. (I know I tend to over think things but I don't want to start any bad habits)

Thanks,

John
 
when you get to your 5rm if you can do more then do it and use that as your new 5rm next cycle good luck
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I would just continue on as planned. Being relatively new to lifting (disregarding the lifting you did 16 years ago) you should still make good gains with the weights you had planned. And this should allow you to extend your cycle for a few extra weeks for some extra gains.
 
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(Bulldog @ May 31 2007,15:32)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I would just continue on as planned.  Being relatively new to lifting (disregarding the lifting you did 16 years ago) you should still make good gains with the weights you had planned.  And this should allow you to extend your cycle for a few extra weeks for some extra gains.</div>
So you are saying keep going past the 2 week 5's till I hit the new 5rm then extend that for 2 weeks (Since I don't have a partner to spot for negs) as long as I feel I can take it?

I did the first set of 5's. Everything was really easy except the bench (My chest is still pretty sore) Still managed the 3 sets ok but the last one was pushing it.

The bench at the gym only goes to flat to 45 and up, not lower like 15 degrees is that ok of it that engaging the shoulders too much? I have a flat chest but my shoulders are pretty good!

John
 
Yeah, I would just go through your normal 2 weeks of 5's as planned.  Then if your originally planned 5RM seems really easy just keep increasing the weight in the same increments for another week or two until you find your new 5RM.  Then you can use your new 5RM for another week or two depending on how your joints feel.  Or if your originally planned 5RM seems only slightly easy then maybe increment once per week for a couple of weeks until you get to your new 5RM.

From the sounds of your shoulder and pec development I think I would stick with flat bench since you can't do a 10°-30° incline.  I think 45° might be too much angle.  But it is entirely up to you and how you feel it is working your chest.
 
Thanks for the advice. I may take a block of wood or find something in the gym to tilt a flat bench up a little like stick some big plates under the back of it (As long as it's steady)

John
 
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