I really want to go to the gym to try out the 5x5 stronglifts programme to lift weights again but I’m struggling a lot with waking up for the morning. Its always 11-12 when I want to be up by 8 or 9am.
Getting to sleep is fine its just waking up.
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5x5 is brutal if the weight is not very low. I believe 3x5 is better (you can add some accesories later if you want).
Otherwise…
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Also, would you do powercleans with the routine? Squat every day?
Maybe coffee can help. I usually try to get myself out of bed with a reward. Instead of just forcing it I’ll be like… “Let’s go get a coffee”.
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I had to google powercleans haha. No its a mix of just compound excercises using the bar. So bench press squats deadlift barbell rows and overhead press. Squatting everyday
I used to do 5x5 before but i didnt stick with it properly/avoided deadlifts. This time I want to do it properly
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Yeah thats a good idea. Mentally condition myself in the situation . I feel sooooo tired though lol. Im only able to wake up if i got an important appointment to attend to in the day, but if its for my personal interest like the gym, im totally conked out lel
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I like full body too, have done steonglifts in the past as well. Original 5x5 has power cleans instrad of rows iirc.
Imo it brings imbalances to the body. The squat dl,ohp day you are not doing too much for your back tbh.
3x5 allows you to be easier on yourself AND progress further. Last set as many reps as possible. So is 2x5+1AMRAP.
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you guys are more motivated than me…I am happy with my wimpy isometrics and walking every day…haha
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You need to do the program as it is. Good programs are very carefully constructed. If you don’t like deadlifts do at least a hip hinge movement (RDL, SLDL, Good Morning), but DL is great cuz it also targets the quads (and OK, the back as well but you need some weight for that). So I would substitute DL for a hip hinge + a quad exercise
Interesting viewpoint regarding Imbalances. I’m really new to the fitness lifestyle tbh. I only picked stronglifts because a friend recommended it as a decent programme to begin with. I think for me I’d like to make gains and trim my belly
What do you normally do in the gym?
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I rotate when I’m bored (a couple of months in) between
a big lift (bench, ohp, squat, dl) + assistance. It’s brutal, you can go 3 or 4 days a week and rotate, and it targets pretty much every muscle for size and strength.
Nowadays I’m back to full body+ 1 assistance, which focus more on strength:
All sets done with 2x5 and 1x AMRAP (so last set is 5-8 reps. If fail reset 10% weight)
Day A
-squat (legs)
-barbell rows (pull)
-bench (push)
-lateral raises (shoulder + pull)
Day B
-OHP (push)
-weighted pull ups (back)
-deadlift (legs)
-inclined dumbbell bench (chest+ push)
You can do more stuff for assistance depending on your goals. A lot of people do arms, I do a bit more of shoulders on bench press day (lateral shoulders look amazing) and a bit more chest on ohp day (I don’t feel ohp too much on chest)
As you can see there’s 1x vertical or horizontal pull/push each day. And 1 leg.
When you say assistance, is that excercises a that act as a supplement to the bar excercises? So the lateral raises and inclined dumbell press? Sorry im quite new to this.
I feel unsure of my programme tbh and I’m not sure how it all works
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Yeah, assistance are not needed but they are cool. But if you starting I’d suggest to stick to the basics.
Your program works like this:
-push and pull. Vertical and horizontal plane (4 exercises)
-1 hip hinge (deadlift). You push your hip forwards
-1 knee flexion (squat). You push your hip backwards.
It’s pretty solid. Only thing is squating everyday doesn’t give room for a dedicated vertical pull (pull ups or lat pulldown machine). 5x5 is too brutal, 3x5 is fine, pushing last set to max.
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Thanks
I might try 3×5 if 5x5 wears me down, so 3 reps of 5 sets?
And which are the 4 excercises that are vertical and horizontal plane?
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2x5 and 1 set max to failure.
Think about you pushing or pulling away from your body standing up. Those are bench presd and barbell rows, they are horizontal to the ground
Think about pushing or pulling over your head, vertical to the ground. Overhead press and pull ups/chin ups or lat pulldown machine
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Last set allways as many reps as possible. There’s no reason to stop short.
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Ah cool, gotcha 
thanks for the advice bud
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I never done amrap before, this should be interesting this time round
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