The 5s are amazing

I

imported_domineaux

Guest
I started with 15s then 12s then 10s then 8s and now the fives.

I started to go to 5s after the 10s, but to be real honest I was still able to do 8 or more reps easily enough. I stayed with the 8s for 4 full week cycles. I was thinking of skipping the 5s. Do the SD at the end of the 4 weeks of 8s and start back into the 15s.

I thought... it's going to be a while before I get back to 5s after another cycle. So...I thought why not give the 5s a shot anyway. Interestingly, enough I've been able to really bump up the pounds in the 5s. In fact, bumping the pounds and holding at 3 sets has been working out well.(not easy)

I workout hard, and really get the juice flowing (sweat that is). I relax about 1 to 2 minutes between sets and move through 12 x 3 sets of exercises in just under 1 hour.

Coming back into the 15s is going to be a different world. I remember reading at some point there was a way to basically select the starting 15s weights after the SD. A formula makes more sense at this point, because I'm so far above my previous 15s weights now. Possibly that's because I transitioned from 15s 19 12s to 10s to 8s to 5s.

My physical gains haven't been as impressive as my first cycle, but to be honest I'm very happy with becoming more muscular and fit.

Any comments are welcome
 
domineaux

Congrats are in order!

Here is my take on that! I think you may be over doing it by doing 3 sets, unless of course you use the first 2 sets as warm up, which is not a bad way to go
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, however if you just use the first 2 sets as warmup you may surprise yourself on the poundage you can handle!
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By the time you reach the last w/o of 5's with negs, you should be doing the 5's using your 1RM weight or 100% of it in other words, this is possible and even surpassable, going to 105% or even 110%.

So to work out the next routine from the 15's, re-check your 1 RM which should have gone heavier after this cycle and then work out that the 15's should get to +/- 65% - 70% of your 1RM, that way they will always be a little heavier than the previous cycle.
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Remember the higher the poundage you handle, (within limits of course
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) , the better the muscle mass gain, as you cause slightly more microtrauma every workout, at least that is the theory :confused:

Also, if your gains are not satisfactory and you fell you are pushing just under your maximum so as not to cause CNS failure, then re-check your diet and up your calories a bit (say another 500 or so), that hsould get you right mate!

Hope this helps,

Fausto
 
I don't think he's doing negatives, just the 5RM. And there should be no problem doing 3 sets during your 5's.
 
I'm not having to do dropsets, because I'm handling the 3 sets very well. I've been doing 3 sets just because of the volume thing. I felt like such a slacker doing 2 sets of 5 reps. It was bad enough when I was doing 2 sets of 8 reps.

I'm not backing off or slacking either. I'm really pushing it. I'm getting a cardio-workout as well, because I'm only waiting between sets for my breathing and heartrate to drop to a more comfortable level.

Fausto, I don't do negs because I have no workout partner. I have used dropsets a lot, wherein I drop the weight abit to keep my reps consistent. I've not had to dropset in the 5s. I've been strong enough to handle 3 sets of 5s consistently.

I munch a bunch of chow, but to be honest I emphasize the protein intake more than the calories. I'm not as interested to bulk as some might be. I'm really toning up, more muscular and my fitness level is improving with each workout.

Interesting...I would describe it as a kind of new experience each workout now. When I hit the 5s I've been in a totally different place physically. Exciting...might be a better word than interesting.

My weight training is split every other day with 1 hour treadmill cardio. My bodyfat is really dropping...I can hardle pinch twit on my body except around my lower back.

Thanks for the comments. I appreciate the information and I'll sure be thinking about applying it after the SD and I start the 15s again. ---->>> I can hardly wait.
 
fausto

I got to thinking about what you said about doing two warmup sets and then finishing heavier.

I've never tried it.

Are you saying to do a couple sets heavy then heavier on the 3rd set? I've not tried it, but it seems backward to me. I'm definitely stronger when I do the first set of an exercise than the third set.

Maybe you could mak a few more words on this. I'll sure give it a go. I've got two weeks left in the 5s then I SD and the prospects for the next cycle are very promising.
 
Domineaux

It is really about warming up the muscles to fill the gap some
guys feel by doing only one set, that way you warm up one or two sets, increase the weight each time, and do the last one as the working set with the required HST weight, that way you have done 3 sets or 2 for that matter, got th edesired effect of getting more than one set in and warmed up the muscles as well.
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Warming up is a good phylosophy although not everyone would agree to this.

Ciao

Fausto
 
Yeah, I'm going to disagree here. Everyone is different, but I rarely use warmup sets, except on my first exercise. Once you've started your workout you warm up pretty quickly, and I'd rather save my energy for worksets instead of warm ups. The one exception to this is if I'm working really heavy and trying to push it, I'll do one or two warmup sets to get ready for the heavy weight. These are low rep sets just to prime myself for the big lift.

It's also useful during the 5's to throw in a set of 15's after your worksets to get the metabolic burn going.
 
Dood

That is exactly the point I am trying to make :D

For the big ones it really helps, I also feel that way, a big bench is better accomplished after doing 1 or two sets of warmups building upi to the weight you want, it is a kind of psych game one plays with oneself
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On the other hand I was trying to point out that for those who like to do more than one set, rather use warm up sets, and then do one working set, the working set being the one that matters, but yes as you have pointed out it can be counter productive.

Ciao
 
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