Bill Star 5x5 Qs

Training Powerlifting
1

hello all, i downloaded bill stars 5x5 template and will be giving it at least 9weeks to see how it goes. my question is what other kind of assistance work can i do. to me the few sets of weighted dips/situps dont seem adequate, please tell me other wise if im wrong!!

my lifts are based off of this

Test Weight Reps Achieved (<12) 1RM 5RM
Squat 200 5 225 200
Bench 170 5 191 170
Row 125 5 141 125
Dead 225 5 253 225
Incline 135 5 152 135

im starting out with lower weight than auctual 5rm, i want to focus on rep speed along with strict form while using this template. i will also be focusing on calorie excess to add bodyweight.

also since this is only mon/wed/fri i wanted to ask does anyone think adding a day of O lifts will be detrimental? i was thinking mabye front squating from c/j and overhead squat from snatch might be a bit much since the program has you squat every workday.

background info: 19y/o 5’9 170lbs 9-11% BF 1 year lifting and mostly based on olympic lifts.

any help is greatly appreciated! thank you!

2

WHy don’t you think the assistance work that has been already prescribed in the program is not sufficient?

So isnt the assistance:

Monday:
ab work

Wednesday:
Lat work (pulldowns/chins etc)

Friday:
Dips, ab work, arm work

The idea of the 5x5 is gradual, long term progression (I am sure you know this). So while it may seem, like just a few exercises, the point is to make consistent long term progress on these movements. This equals BIG GAINS. So really, these few extra sets are all you need.
Also remember that most of the gains on this program will be from the main lifts, not the assistance work. If you add too much extra stuff you won’t make proper progress on the things that matter.

About the Oly lifts… I think, if you want to add them, you would do better to substitute some of the lifts with some oly stuff. Like maybe switch the Rows for some Cleans. It all depends on how much you want to specialize with the oly stuff.

You can experiment and see what works. I would not add an extra day of oly lifting though. They are quite CNS intensive, and the 5x5 program itself is demanding.

3

[quote]Der Candy wrote:
WHy don’t you think the assistance work that has been already prescribed in the program is not sufficient?

So isnt the assistance:

Monday:
ab work

Wednesday:
Lat work (pulldowns/chins etc)

Friday:
Dips, ab work, arm work

The idea of the 5x5 is gradual, long term progression (I am sure you know this). So while it may seem, like just a few exercises, the point is to make consistent long term progress on these movements. This equals BIG GAINS. So really, these few extra sets are all you need.
Also remember that most of the gains on this program will be from the main lifts, not the assistance work. If you add too much extra stuff you won’t make proper progress on the things that matter.

About the Oly lifts… I think, if you want to add them, you would do better to substitute some of the lifts with some oly stuff. Like maybe switch the Rows for some Cleans. It all depends on how much you want to specialize with the oly stuff.

You can experiment and see what works. I would not add an extra day of oly lifting though. They are quite CNS intensive, and the 5x5 program itself is demanding.

[/quote]

thanks! my template is showing the following
Assistance:
mon: 2 sets of weighted hypers, 4 sets of weighted situp
wed: 3 sets of situps
fri: 3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps

i know my gains are made through the main lifts, but i was thinking mabye some other assistance lifts like pin pulls, ect would be a little better than things like situps/dips since so much core strenght is being built through general squating and deads.

4

[quote]Sycophant wrote:
Der Candy wrote:
WHy don’t you think the assistance work that has been already prescribed in the program is not sufficient?

So isnt the assistance:

Monday:
ab work

Wednesday:
Lat work (pulldowns/chins etc)

Friday:
Dips, ab work, arm work

The idea of the 5x5 is gradual, long term progression (I am sure you know this). So while it may seem, like just a few exercises, the point is to make consistent long term progress on these movements. This equals BIG GAINS. So really, these few extra sets are all you need.
Also remember that most of the gains on this program will be from the main lifts, not the assistance work. If you add too much extra stuff you won’t make proper progress on the things that matter.

About the Oly lifts… I think, if you want to add them, you would do better to substitute some of the lifts with some oly stuff. Like maybe switch the Rows for some Cleans. It all depends on how much you want to specialize with the oly stuff.

You can experiment and see what works. I would not add an extra day of oly lifting though. They are quite CNS intensive, and the 5x5 program itself is demanding.

thanks! my template is showing the following
Assistance:
mon: 2 sets of weighted hypers, 4 sets of weighted situp
wed: 3 sets of situps
fri: 3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps

i know my gains are made through the main lifts, but i was thinking mabye some other assistance lifts like pin pulls, ect would be a little better than things like situps/dips since so much core strenght is being built through general squating and deads.[/quote]

just stick to the routine. theres alot of taxing lifts in the program already. i wouldnt see the need to add pin pulls

5

[quote]Sycophant wrote:
Der Candy wrote:
WHy don’t you think the assistance work that has been already prescribed in the program is not sufficient?

So isnt the assistance:

Monday:
ab work

Wednesday:
Lat work (pulldowns/chins etc)

Friday:
Dips, ab work, arm work

The idea of the 5x5 is gradual, long term progression (I am sure you know this). So while it may seem, like just a few exercises, the point is to make consistent long term progress on these movements. This equals BIG GAINS. So really, these few extra sets are all you need.
Also remember that most of the gains on this program will be from the main lifts, not the assistance work. If you add too much extra stuff you won’t make proper progress on the things that matter.

About the Oly lifts… I think, if you want to add them, you would do better to substitute some of the lifts with some oly stuff. Like maybe switch the Rows for some Cleans. It all depends on how much you want to specialize with the oly stuff.

You can experiment and see what works. I would not add an extra day of oly lifting though. They are quite CNS intensive, and the 5x5 program itself is demanding.

thanks! my template is showing the following
Assistance:
mon: 2 sets of weighted hypers, 4 sets of weighted situp
wed: 3 sets of situps
fri: 3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps

i know my gains are made through the main lifts, but i was thinking mabye some other assistance lifts like pin pulls, ect would be a little better than things like situps/dips since so much core strenght is being built through general squating and deads.[/quote]

The Pin Pulls would tax your lower back a lot. And considering that you are deadlifting and doing hypers, I think you might very easily overtrain your lower back.

You could switch Deadlifts for Pin Pulls at a later point, when you stagnate on the Deadlift. But for now, just stick to the routine.

I know that at the end of every workout you may want to do more. Use this as an advantage. It is good because every workout you will be rearing to go and destroy the gym. But because you are leaving some energy ‘in the tank’, so to speak, your lifts will go up quicker and you will have increased energy and vigor.

6

Trust me. At first it might seem easy, but as soon as you get to week 4-5 shit gets tough. You are not going to want to do any more work. This program is brutal if you do it right.

7

thanks for the advice all!

8

I also want to give this program a try, but theres one thing i’m not 100% sure. If my 5rm with squat is around 280, only the last set would be 280 or more right? and not 5x5 with 280 (or trying).

9

Enjoy.

10

Yeah read the madcow stuff. Is good learning.

The system is good. Don’t stuff around with the system. Starr knew what he was doing. I miss doing 5x5 … it was a fine approach.

11

in general how many warmup sets would you do or would one want to start out with basic stretching before going straight through the 5x5

12

[quote]Sycophant wrote:
in general how many warmup sets would you do or would one want to start out with basic stretching before going straight through the 5x5[/quote]

I would do 1-2 but you might be different, I wouldn’t do more than 4 unless you think you really need it. You just need to warm up.

I also start with a very light weight and get my stretch from that, not from any specific stretching.

But again depends on how fast YOU warm up. And if doing it first thing in the morning is completely different from doing it at night. And how cold it is. And so on. But 2 sets should probably do it, maybe at 50% of your working weight then at 75% of your working weight. That is just a guess I just go by how I feel.

13

When I did that program, I didn’t really warm-up that much. Just one or two sets or I would jump around just get a light sweat going. If you ramp the weight like the program calls for then your first 2-3 set are pretty much warm-up anyway.

14

thanks for the clarification, i was worried going right into the sets would end up hurting me in the long run.