Been doing 5 X 5 and DFHT for 2 years..have a few ?'s

[chiseled21]

I have been doing 5X5 and DFHt for the past couple of years. I have been working out with weights consistently for over 7 years and am addicted to these programs and wish that I would have begun doing them when I was 17 instead of 24.(would have gotten alot more results). My right knee has been hurt from an old martial arts accident for as long as I can remember, it will pop almost out of socket in certain positions. I have been oly squatting two to three times per week on DFHT and 5X5. My question is for Am, John Smith and anyone else that is an expert at these routines. I am feeling that my hips and knee are in need of a break from all of this squatting, bent over rowing, and dead lifting. Do you guys ever change up to routines that do not include so much squatting and Dl'ing. I feel that from doing the same workouts for so long my body has adjusted to the exercises(and become worn out from the same movements) and could use some variance. Thanks in advance.

 

[Girth]

I'm no AM for sure, but I'll make a couple comments that will most likely spurn some comments from the above gents you mention.

I don't know that you truly ever get USED to an exercise, as it's the weight that is the stimulation and not the movement. That said however, WSB principles base the variation in exercise selection on the problem you suggest. They tend to rotate exercises every week to avoid neural stagnation. In fact, I know of one BB trainer, that is using these methods for his clients. And based on what I've heard/read, it's working very well. Thus, the principles can be applied to both power and BB training.

Contacting AM for personal training might be a good idea at this point. I'm in the similar situation as yourself. Been training for some time now, and have reached a pretty good level of strength. But at this point, I've gleaned as much as I can from online information. It's at this point, I feel that you have to look to people who are living the life and are surrounded by it. They have the insight that will take you from pretty damn good, to the level you never knew you could get to.

Also, AM provided plenty of free information. Karma, morals, or principle should push you to want to give back to someone whose so willing and able to help you. Email AM, you'll get where you want to.

 

[chiseled21]

I appreciate your comments and recomendations. I am not cheap and would be more than willing to pay for more information but at this time with no competitive goals in mind enlisting AM's full services would be a waste of his time. One reason that I say that is that he is going to set me up on a fantastic program that I would not be able to follow to a tee becuase of my schedule and current workload. Right now I am getting into the gym 3-4days per week and my diet has not been as good as it should.(But my career is doing fantastic and I need to get the money while it is there). Even though my drive in the gym is not what it has been in the past; which bums me out sometimes. i still want to get the most out of my time in the gym as possible and the 5X5 and DFHT have done that. I was just wondering if other bros change up from these routines or if i am just being a pussy.

 

[Bob Smith]

I vote for pussy. jk, dude.

girth correctly said that your body doesnt get used to a movement. Most people focus too much on the idea that somehow your body will fail to respond to repeated use of the same movement. Its a load of crap.

That beign said, if you want to switch up your program for a little while, go for it. Try something different like HST or a higher rep program for a couple months.

 

[chiseled21]

Thanks for the response Bob, I do not feel that my gains are stagnating as much as my joints seem to be getting worn out. I may do HST for a little while. The funny thing is that a workout without squats does not really feel like a workout anymore. Every time I think about changing from 5 X 5 and dfht I feel like the muscle head gods are shaking there heads in shame seeing me go back to a mortal workout(aka bodybuilding muscle fitness Wo).

 

[Bob Smith]

HST does (or at least can) include squats. For joint issues, a few weeks or a month or two at 12-15 reps/set should help your joints to recover.

 

[Girth]

Bob hit it. What you may want to do is focus on the higher rep ranges. You could stick with your 5x5 as is, but instead of 5's and 3's. Do your loading with 10-12 and deloading with 5's. It will be a nice change of pace, and I'm betting you'll find that your endurance is shitty if you've been in the lower reps for so long. You should maintain your strength through use of the 5's, and perhaps find some sarcoplasmic growth with the higher reps.

As for HST, I got much stronger when using it, but it was the only program that I did get sore joints from. And I've heard this from a few other guys. Not knocking the program, it does work. But if your joints are already hurting, you may want to be wary.

 

[Bob Smith]

Bob hit it. What you may want to do is focus on the higher rep ranges. You could stick with your 5x5 as is, but instead of 5's and 3's. Do your loading with 10-12 and deloading with 5's. It will be a nice change of pace, and I'm betting you'll find that your endurance is shitty if you've been in the lower reps for so long. You should maintain your strength through use of the 5's, and perhaps find some sarcoplasmic growth with the higher reps.

As for HST, I got much stronger when using it, but it was the only program that I did get sore joints from. And I've heard this from a few other guys. Not knocking the program, it does work. But if your joints are already hurting, you may want to be wary.

In regards to HST, I would get sore joints when I got to the 5s. But I was mainly thinking of the 15s and 10s and good for joint recovery. 2 sets of 12-15, 2-3x/wk would be a nice change to help get things back to full health.

 

[Madcow2]

Everybody needs a break both physically and mentally. Do HST or something else or even work on some other facet and back burner the big lifts to maintenance for a bit. This might be sprinting, olympic lifts, heck even do some circuit training in high reps a couple times a week (not that I favor this as optimal resistance training but you have that base covered and I honestly think you need to take a vacation so to speak and just refresh).

 

[Protobuilder]

It wouldn't kill you to just do some fun crap for a few weeks. Go outdoors, do some light power cleans in a circuit w/ some hill sprints or rope climbs or medicine ball throws or w/e crosses your mind. Or just do some fun lifts for a week or two. Your body will still be there when you decide you're ready to kill it again. LoL

 

[chiseled21]

I decided to do a month or so of a hst style workout but when I get to the 5 rep ranges I plan to change over to the 5X5. I started this last week and my ability to do high (15)reps was just ego crushing. My workout is as follows:
Workout A Push
Squats 2 X 15 (after quite a few warm up sets)
Flat Bench 2 X 15
DB flyes 2 X 15
Standing Military 2 X 15
Skull Crusher 2 X 15

Workout B Pull
Deadlift 2 X 15
Bent Row 2 X 15
Pull Up 3 X 10
Good morning 2 X 15
BB curl 2 X 15

These workouts will be performed 2 days on 1 day off for 2 weeks and then I will drop the reps to 10's. I will do light cardio and abs on the off days.

 

[Madcow2]

I'd actually use the same scheme just to tune up your 5RM lifts before starting another 5x5. Like anything you get good at what you train for (as you are finding out by doing 15s). This way you'll reacclimate to 5's somewhat before you have to set your weights for the program. Either that or you start light and progress for longer but either way, pegging it is hard if this process is going on.,

 

[chiseled21]

Thanks for the suggestions MC2. When beginning any program I tend to start at a very conservative weight and build up accordinly. It took me a while to learn but rampinig up seems to be much easier on the body than abruptly starting a new program.

 

[Dschingis]

I decided to do a month or so of a hst style workout but when I get to the 5 rep ranges I plan to change over to the 5X5. I started this last week and my ability to do high (15)reps was just ego crushing. My workout is as follows:
Workout A Push
Squats 2 X 15 (after quite a few warm up sets)
Flat Bench 2 X 15
DB flyes 2 X 15
Standing Military 2 X 15
Skull Crusher 2 X 15

Workout B Pull
Deadlift 2 X 15
Bent Row 2 X 15
Pull Up 3 X 10
Good morning 2 X 15
BB curl 2 X 15

These workouts will be performed 2 days on 1 day off for 2 weeks and then I will drop the reps to 10's. I will do light cardio and abs on the off days.

I have a problem. I did almost the same. But those 2 workouts weren´t divided into push/pull, they were fullbody workouts. One day after the first workout i got serious headaches. Now i did the 2nd, and i got the headaches immediately after the session.

Where is the problem? Why do i get headaches? The same workouts worked well as i did them as 5*5, and now with 2*15, i got these problems. The workouts were very easy for themselves, i did them with super-super-minimum weights. Squats for example with 30 pounds.

 

[chiseled21]

You may be relativlely strong on 5 . 5 but 15 reps test your muscular endurance and not your strength. I would add some cardio; it sounds as if you are just not in good shape regarding endurance.

 

[kethnaab]

i'm going to chime in, as I have had tons of joint problems due to some pretty high stress incidents I've had in my military career

the 15-rep weeks during HST are, in my opinion, a fucking godsend. seriously. I am now to the point that I am giving serious consideration to including 15-rep workouts on a weekly basis to see if it will help.

Do the HST 15-rep stuff. Seriously. Your joints will thank you.