Want to start SL 5x5...

Unknown
Unknown
in Fitness and Exercise
How do I start? How do I determine how much weight to start with? Is there a good guide for beginners?
Is there maybe some other type of a plan you guys would recommend to hit 1 hour at the gym for 3 days a week? Also I would love it if the plan was geared towards upper body and core.

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited May 2015
    stronglifts.com/ will help you out with everything: which exercises each day, how much to start out with, warmup sets, videos to get your form down, etc. There's even a phone app to help you keep track as you're exercising.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    crazyravr wrote: »
    How do I start? How do I determine how much weight to start with? Is there a good guide for beginners?
    Is there maybe some other type of a plan you guys would recommend to hit 1 hour at the gym for 3 days a week? Also I would love it if the plan was geared towards upper body and core.

    What are your goals?

    I'd start there and then find a program to help you get closer to those goals.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    malibu927 wrote: »
    stronglifts.com/ will help you out with everything: which exercises each day, how much to start out with, warmup sets, videos to get your form down, etc. There's even a phone app to help you keep track as you're exercising.

    This.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Visit the SL website as other have suggested. Watch the form videos. You can also download the app for your phone to use while you are working out which has the rest timer and will keep track of your weights.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I use SL 5x5 as part of my regular routine in the gym. The phone app tracks everything and increases your weights for you. My recommendation is to start the program at the weights for someone who has never lifted (even if you know that this seems low weight for you). The program is made to build on itself and you will be surprised just how fast the weights increase if you do this 3 days a week as suggested. The web site, as already stated by others, has videos to insure you are using proper form (very important). This will definately strengthen your upper body and core.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    crazyravr wrote: »
    How do I start? How do I determine how much weight to start with? Is there a good guide for beginners?
    Is there maybe some other type of a plan you guys would recommend to hit 1 hour at the gym for 3 days a week? Also I would love it if the plan was geared towards upper body and core.

    I started stronglifts at the end of march. Read everything on the website, checked the videos and downloaded the app to manage things day to day.

    Started with the bar on march 20th, spent the next few weeks getting my form right.
    Recently Ive found the weights getting really heavy (for me, considering I started with the bar only!) and the workouts take a lot longer to recover from.

    I am glad I started where I did rather than skipping ahead, I believe its given me a good base to work from.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    At the very beginning i started with the empty bar and went from there. It piles on quickly so when you think it's too easy then in two months it gets heavier. Start empty and do it!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Oh and crazy, just wait until you notice your entire core engaging for the lift and push. It's a great moment.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    crazyravr wrote: »
    How do I start? How do I determine how much weight to start with? Is there a good guide for beginners?
    Is there maybe some other type of a plan you guys would recommend to hit 1 hour at the gym for 3 days a week? Also I would love it if the plan was geared towards upper body and core.
    I'd read something a while back for figuring out your starting weight. Begin with the bar and do 5 reps. If you can do this with good form and the bar speed is the same between the first and fifth rep then add a little weight. Do 5 more. If your form is good and the speed is consistent, add a little more. Keep doing this until your form starts to fall apart or (more likely) the speed at which the bar moves slows down. The last set you did with consistent form/speed is now your starting weight for that lift.
    The only drawback to this is that your first gym session will take a long time as you'd need to do this for every lift. But afterwards you can walk in knowing what weight to use (also use the app to track, it's very helpful and even counts your rests between sets for you).

    If you're looking for upper body work then you could look at Ice Cream Fitness 5x5. It's just Stronglifts+isolations.

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