Misc. questions

[kasper2133]

1) Is this a good olympic squat? Is it deep enough?

http://www.olmagazine.citymax.com/page/page/1801505.htm

2) This guy is not very big, and that got me thinking. After measuring myself today, I was just wondering if the volume on the 5x5 program is big enough, or suit all people, when it comes to size. I mean this guy must have a pretty high training volume with low reps that exceeds the volume og the 5x5 program. My measurements is down on my upper body, while my legs is the same. My strength are going fine, but when its size thats my main concern, I found that irrelevant. Does low rep training suit all people, or is higher reps - more pumping style training, better for the average guy with mixed fiber ratios? Im in my 3rd week of 3x3 and find it strange that im going the wrong way. I have tried this before, when I trained the MAT-OT program. I came from a standard bodybuilding program. After training MAX-OT for half a year after that, I was much stronger, but not bigger. I was hoping the 5x5 would give a better result size wise due to its setup with loading and deloading, vs MAX-OT is heavy every workout. But at the moment is doesnt look that way.

3) Im not cutting at the moment, but if the 5x5 program is used, should I go by feel on my weight selection? I assume that your weights will decrease a bit or stay the same when dieting, so calculating your weights from your previous cycle I think would be to much, and would results in burn out. How do you go about this?

4) Is there a standard rule to weight increases fx if your max is between:

50-100 kg increase 2,5 kg workout to workout
100-150 kg increase 5 kg workout to workout
150-200 kg increase 7,5 kg workout to workout
200-250 kg increase 10 kg workout to workout

5) Regarding the 4 weeks of 3x3 (not calculating the deload week). Should I get the volume in, or should I at some point go for 1x3, or is this only for peaking after the 4 weeks? Im talking about the 2 day version, and not Madcows 3 day version, where he has a day for the 1x3.

6) Speaking of Madcows version.

M:
Squat 5x5 (3x3)
Bench 1x5 (1x3)
Row 1x5 (1x3)

W:
Squat 5x5 with 15-20% less than Monday (drop this lift)
Deadlift 5x5 (3x3)
Military 5x5 (3x3)
Pullups 5x5 (3x3)

F:
Squat 1x5 (1x3)
Bench 5x5 (3x3)
Row 5x5 (3x3)

The 3x3 is a 3 day version. If you choose the 2 day version and skip the friday workout, do you do all of mondays exercises as 3x3?

7) What do you think of Kortes 3x3 and Sheikos programs?

 

[Grizzly]

You can always switch to AM's DFHT program as it is specifically geared for hypertrophy. I would think the 5X5 would put plenty of mass on anyone. Are you sure you're eating enough? You should be up atleast 3 lbs by now. If you're not, then you are not eating enough.

edit- yes, that's a fucking great Oly squat. That is a 150lb dude squatting nearly 500lb and making it look easy. At more than twice his weight, I couldn't do that.

 

[Bob Smith]

That was an excellent squat.

AM's DFHT is geared MORE towards hypertrophy, but not exclusively, as he is a strength athlete and incorporated a lot of strength aspects in his program. A great program for sure that is a happy medium between pure strength and pure size. If you are looking for pure size without much consideration to strength increases, then I think HST would be the way to go. Even with HST, strength gains are usually still better than most programs you see out there, but probably wouldnt compare with something like DFHT or 5x5.

 

[Primo Max]

What do you guys think of the way he bows his knees in as he rises? I push mine out to the sides a little on the descent so I can sit between my legs and get low, but they pretty much stay that way as I come up. That seemed weird to me. Then again who better to watch do an Oly Squat than one of the best oly lifters in the world.

As for the other questions, I agree with Grizz and think that DFHT is such a good approach because it's just an awesome combination of strength training and pretty high volume (and a good amount of medium to high rep training on half of the days). A strict 5x5 program, although still awesome, would really benefit someone who needs a good strength base, i.e., pretty much every single person you'll ever see in a gym. Sad but true. To put it bluntly, you'll never be big without being strong in the big lifts, but at some point you'll just need more volume, higher rep days, training methods geared more to hypertrophy, etc... in addition to strength work. DFHT puts both of these together very nicely.