5x5 or 5/3/1 routine

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by repo

stronglifts.com/] l4 an l5 herniated i've been seen chiropractor to help so far so good. i'am not to post full url until i have 15 post

Ok, Strong Lifts. We are familiar with the program.

A few things to consider:

1) Strong Lifts is probably the most squat intense 5x5 program. In my opinion it is unnecessarily squat heavy for lifters such as yourself. There are better 5x5's available. 5/3/1 may be a better choice, if structured with an appropriate assistance program. You could set it up as a nice muscle and strength building system.

2) You are going to need to progress. Doing so on Smith machine squats means that you're going to wake up in several months with a whole lot of weight on your back.

Smith squats are an unnatural form of squatting. They are sub-par. They take the natural squat movement and change it. While they may feel easier out the gate, when the weight gets heavy they are more likely to give you more back issues, as well as knee issues, etc.

Therefore, if you are unable to squat, I do not recommend Smith squats. I would like to encourage you to squat, but I do not know the extent of your medical condition. Because of this I think you can find much better movements than the Smith squat.

Are you able to do lunges, split squats, hack squats and/or leg presses heavy without back issues?

Since you can't barbell squat, I would probably do 531 and drop the 531 for squat day. Replace it with a 5x10-20 leg press plus assistance work. Make it a strictly muscle building day. 5x5's tend to be squat-centric, so that is the reason I shy away a bit from advocating one just yet.

This is merely one man's opinion. Some of the other seasoned members may have better suggestions. I have never dealt with back injuries.

[repo]

actually that's what ive been doing leg press about 540 now n been doing a lot more split squats

[BigJosh]

What about the deadlift and OHP?

[repo]

275 is my 1rm on deadlift i tend to stay at 205 to 225 for 5-6 reps ohp needs work 105x6 never tried to max it out .

[big valsalva]

Just my two cents worth. I've worked with stronglifts. I've done several runs of the madcow 5x5. Currently I'm running a 5/3/1. Having said all that, I must agree with BtB, that stonglifts is an awful lot of volume on squats. However, since you are not doing free barbell squats now, perhaps that approach (IF DONE BY THE BOOK - STARTING WITH THE EMPTY BAR AND MAKING SMALL INCREMENTS NO MATTER HOW EASY OR HUMILIATING IT IS) might be a good place for you to start. There's not a lot of love for stronglifts here, but I think it DOES have its place. Good for a raw beginner for a couple of months in order to groove the form and build a solid foundation. Don't worry about getting your five sets of five every time. If you get 5x5x3 plus 5x3 plus 5x3 one day, try to get 5x5x3 plus 5x4 plus 5x4 the next time. One more pound or one more rep is still progression.

You're going to have a tough time on the 5/3/1 without doing squats. Perhaps you could substitute leg presses, but it really isn't the same thing. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I'm just saying that 531 is a solid routine, maybe not for you right now though.

The madcow 5x5 is something I use after I've had a long layoff. I like it because it uses five progressive sets of five reps. You're still squatting three times a week, but it follows a Heavy/Light/Medium (H/L/M) format.

My short, pointed answer to you is this. 1) Get your back issues resolved. 2) Do stronglifts until you burn out (It may take 2 months, 4 months, whatever), but do it BY THE BOOK - empty bar and all. You're building a foundation here. 3) Progress to madcow or some other 5x5. madcow is pretty easy on the body though. 4) After you stall out and reset two or three times on the 5x5, find another program or make your own.

None of what I said will ever get you a big bicep peak or razor sharp abs. It will make you hungry as a horse though, and if you eat right, you should be big and strong someday.

Good luck to you!

[MikeC]

Valsalva brings up a good point. Starting with the bar might not be a bad thing to try.

[repo]

i left my ego at the door along time ago ..starting with the bar is a good idea . i will just go slow with the squats it not a race lol

[BigJosh]

I agree with Vals approach of starting very light and progressing slow.
So given the information, a 5x5 IMO is the approach you should move forward with.
Although I think you have already came to that conclusion.

[repo]

gone start a 5x5 workout monday Monday a question i have is can i add a forth day or cardio and core work

[BigJosh]

Originally Posted by repo

gone start a 5x5 workout monday Monday a question i have is can i add a forth day or cardio and core work

Do the program as writen. If you want to do "core" work, do it on weight lifting days, after your session. Do cardio whenever, days off, after your weight training session, whatever.