Questions for those in the know. Madcow, AM, JS.

[mdm1]

Hi guys,

I am nearing the end of my second 5*5 cycle and I have a couple of questions that I hope some of you might be able to answer.

My lifts have progressed nicely (I've added over 80 lbs to my deadlift in 18 weeks!!) and I am more than happy for this to continue, but I am worried about accommodation to the imposed demands. Is it really necessary to change rep schemes about to ensure contuinued muscle growth progress, or should I keep plugging away with the 5*5 rep scheme? I am more interested in hypertrophy than being stupidly strong, but I have to say, the strength gains are becoming kind of addictive!!

The main foundation for this fear is that I was an HIT trainer for over 2 years and I saw strength gains with little in the way of size. I appreciate the diffences in the two methodologies, but I am still not sure if it is enough to ensure continued muscle growth by following the same programme for months at a time.

Also, despite my major muscle groups gaining nicely, my arms are still lagging seriously behind and haven't seen any significant growth from the programme. In particular my left tricep is terrible! I would like to spend a few months really working on this problem, but I don't want to lose my progress in the big lifts. Is there any way to put some extensive isolation work into the programme to bring up this weak point without f*cking the whole thing up? Or would it be a better to use a different format altogether?

Cheers in advance,

Mdm

 

[chiseled21]

I have done nothing but five by five for months at a time and got very good gains. Just like with everything else your body will get acclimated to this workout and you will reach some what of a plateau.Not so much of a plateau that you stop making gains but your body will only be good at 5 reps. Through out the year I alternate between 5X5, DFHT, and a program similar to HST. You will be humbled a great deal when you begin a exercise routine that has 15- 20 rep sets after you have been doing 5 X 5 for so long.

 

[Madcow2]

Do some triceps and arm work then nothing wrong with it. The main concern about not screwing with the program is for people who don't understand anything about real training methodology and will significantly alter it and consequently blow it up with poor choices and modifications i.e. make it a 3 day split. Once you have some experience and a point of reference, modify as you wish. This is why you see all the people who have never used it wanting to change everything and anything while those who have run it a few times tend not to screw with it much - that learning and experience is valuable.

The takeaway is the methodology not any specific golden protocol. That said, if it's working for you I'd be hesitant to change it much. There is more than enough work for hypertrophy (maybe your HIT routine was lacking here in some regard to what you require but still provided enough neural component for strength gain). Then again, sometimes you get board and just need a mental break. Given you are a hypertrophy buff I'd favor something with higher reps before moving back to 5 reps again. Maybe that's HST, maybe that's AM's DFHT program, maybe that's a layout similar to this one done in 3x10, or a blending of rep ranges - it can be whatever you want it to be. Have fun, enjoy, you can always come back to this whenever you feel like it.

 

[Girth]

In agreement with the the above. Just want to add that arm size is a function of bodyweight. How much BODYweight have you gained in this 18 months. If it's just weight on the bar that's went up, then I can see how your arms wouldn't have grown much. I know from experience that my arms were much bigger at 225 then they are now at 200. And all my lifts, including foo-foo arm specific ones are better than they used to be.

 

[mdm1]

Hi,

I appreciate the comments. It was 18 weeks though, not 18 months. You make a good point. I have increased my body mass by about 11 lbs in these 18 weeks. not too shabby I don't think! Perhaps you are right though. Maybe further weight gain is the key.

Cheers,

Mdm