Training program for gaining muscle mass 5x5

The 5×5 muscle building training program is one of the best and most effective complexes for increasing strength and increasing muscle mass for men.

Split training program for gaining muscle mass

Gym training program for men (for beginners)

Nutrition program for gaining muscle mass

The 5x5 training system consists of basic exercises: squat, deadlift, bench press.

Is it suitable for beginners? There are 2 opinions: “beginners need to train in a split (i.e. one workout – one part of the body)” and “beginners need to work out the whole body in one workout.” Which of these opinions is correct? Our opinion is that both approaches are correct. As long as you train regularly and don’t slack off, the results will come. But no super program will allow you to build a lot of muscle in just a couple of months. The main thing is not to rush to throw heavy weights on the bar. First get comfortable and learn the proper technique.

The 5x5 training program is suitable for both ectomorphs (thin men with narrow bones), and mesomorphs and endomorphs (men with wide bones and the ability to gain muscle mass better than ectomorphs and mesomorphs).

Complex diagram

The 5x5 training program should proceed as follows:

1. One day: perform bent-over barbell rows, bench presses, and barbell squats.
2. Day two: do deadlifts with a barbell in free weight, perform standing barbell presses and squats with the same barbell.

This program is designed that classes will take place 3 times a week so that the muscles can rest and recover. After all, during the recovery period, muscles grow, so rest a day at least after a training day. For example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, other options are possible.

The main thing is to alternate workouts no matter what day they fall on. For convenience, you can mark sequence A and B on your calendar so that the workouts are not repeated every day.

A 5 by 5 workout program means doing one exercise with 5 sets of 5 reps each. Only workers need to take into account 5 approaches. In bodybuilding, it is customary to call a working approach not the one performed for warming up or warming up, but a full-fledged exercise with a weight that is optimal for the load.

Only deadlifts in this program are performed in one set of 5 repetitions. Training approaches also need to be done before moving on to working ones.

As in any other training for mass and strength, in this one you need to increase the weight of the barbell. It is best to stick to an increase of two and a half kilograms. As for the increase in pancakes in the deadlift, you can increase it by 5 kilograms.

StrongLifts 5x5. Week 2.

Change

5 x 5 means you need to do five sets of five reps each for this exercise. These 5 approaches are called working approaches, before them you need to do warm-up approaches, they are not counted, that is, they are not included in the 5 working approaches and they are not written in the diagram.

1 x 5 means one working set of five reps and is only used for deadlifts. Warm-up approaches are also required before it.

The weight on the bar in all exercises should increase with each subsequent workout. The increment is 5 kg for deadlifts, 2.5 kg for other exercises. Read about it below.

What weight should I start with?

For experienced athletes who know their working weight, it is better to start a training complex with a barbell half as large as their maximum.

For those who have just come to the sport or have not picked up a barbell for a long time, but already want to start doing 5 on 5 exercises, then you should adhere to the following parameters to get started:

• Bench press, squats and standing press - perform with an empty bar, its weight is 20 kg.
• Bent-over barbell row - put two five-kilogram weights on the bar, for a total of 30kg.
• Deadlift – there are two 10 kilogram weight plates on the bar, for a total initial weight of 40 kg.

Examples of training weeks

Table of the first week with initial weights and exercises according to the 5x5 program:

Table of the second week according to the 5x5 training complex method:

StrongLifts 5x5. Week 1.

Change

How much rest during breaks?

It is very important to rest between sets of one exercise so that you have enough strength for the next five repetitions, but not for too long. At first, the initial weight in the 5 by 5 training program is still small, there should be no need for long breaks, and later, when the load increases, the pause should be increased proportionally. Tips on how to properly take a break between sets:

• 1-2 minutes if the approach is completed easily,
• 3 minutes, when the last approach is difficult to complete,
• 5 minutes of rest if the last five repetitions could not be completed fully.

What is called program 5 3 1

The program is called "5 3 1" because of the sequence of repetitions. This is what it looks like:

• Wave 1 First set - 65% × 5 reps; Second - 75% × 5 repetitions; Third - 85% × 5 repetitions (as many repetitions over 5 as possible).
• Wave 2 First set -70% × 3 reps; Second - 80% × 3 repetitions; Third - 90% × 3 repetitions (as many repetitions over 3 as possible).
• Wave 3 First set - 75% × 5 reps; Second - 85% × 3 repetitions; Third - 95% × 1 repetition (as many repetitions over 1 as possible).
• Wave 4 First set - 40% × 5 reps; Second - 50% × 5 repetitions; Third - 60% × 5 reps.

Important note: The 5 3 1 program is built around 90% of one rep max. Let's take the first approach of wave 1. This means you will be lifting a weight that is 65% of 90% of your one rep max for 5 reps.

All this is designed to minimize the risk of injury. It also prevents excessive fatigue, according to Wendler. Wendler believes there is no need to lift one-rep max to get stronger. Here's a picture he sent to T-Nation in 2009 that shows the structure of a 5 3 1 workout.

Where you see a plus sign on the last set of each week means you should try to do as many reps as you can on the last set.
And this is the best moment to achieve muscle failure. If it is achieved too often, it can have the opposite effect and practically stop progress. On the other hand, if you never achieve it, then the results will be very weak. But muscle failure in the last set of the main heavy exercise is ideal. An important part of the 5 3 1 workout is achieving muscle failure on the last set.

Therefore, many people wonder why the first and second approaches are needed at all? In the sense that if sets 1 and 2 are quite easy, then why not just do a warm-up and a finishing approach immediately after it.

The fact is that the first and second approaches play a leading, building role. Most studies show that warm-up warm-up sets with light weights have little effect. In real life, you'll often see guys laying down on a bench press and doing 2 or 3 warm-up sets with light weights. At the same time, the blood accelerates well, but fatigue also appears quite quickly. At the same time, building up approaches allow you to gain decent weight for the final set. The person who came up with the load progression is Dr. Thomas L. DeLorme classically planned the approach many years ago. 2 lead-in sets and a final approach until muscle failure (naturally 3-5 minutes rest between sets). Multiple studies have since shown that performing a large number of sets in this manner is much more effective at increasing strength and gaining muscle mass than performing a single set to muscle failure.

That's why there are lead-in approaches in the program. As Jim Wendler himself admits, he tested a system without 2 supply approaches, but it was much less effective. However, he recommends a few warm-up sets before starting the 5 3 1 program. And finally, as you can see, the fourth wave is the light weight wave. Wendler calls this deloading to give our body a chance to recover. Please note that in the last set we do not do more than 5 reps during the deload.

After the fourth week (16 total workouts = 1 mesocycle), we start again from the first week, only increasing the weight:

• 2.3 kilograms for upper body exercises (bench press and military press).
• 4.6 kilograms for lower body exercises (barbell squats and deadlifts).

This is done every time you start a new mesocycle, so the weight constantly goes up.
Slowly but surely. Again, as stated earlier, what makes the 5 3 1 program different from the others is that the weights you train with are based on a percentage of your one rep max. In other words, everything is based on a scorecard. No more guessing. Here's what Jim Wendler himself said:

Specific instructions regarding percentages of one-rep max and monthly progress are what distinguish five-three-one from less useful systems. When do I see that some program says 3 sets of 8 reps? What a stupid crap.

What can be tracked can be improved. Some calculations will need to be done. Because without tracking results, it’s a complete guessing game. A little hassle, but worth it.

Increasing load and progression

The main point of a set of three exercises per day is the need to increase the load in each workout. Without adding weight to the apparatus, there can be no progress towards the desired result.

This workout program will work to gain weight, as long as you remember to increase your protein intake. Because with increasing loads, rapid recovery requires the supply of energy, which can be provided by proper and frequent nutrition of the body.

So, how to properly increase the load? It’s simple, as soon as all approaches with five repetitions are performed from start to finish correctly and without difficulty, then in the next workout you need to increase the weight by 2.5 kg, that is, add 1.25 kg of pancakes to the bar on each side. And in the deadlift, if the exercise is successfully completed, increase the weight by five kg.

Do not neglect the recommendations for the weight of the projectile. Even if the starting weight seems too light. After all, by adhering to the developed program, at the end of the month another 30 kg will be added to the free bar, in the end it will be as much as 50 kg. At the end of the second month, the same bar with weights will weigh 80 kg, and the third - 110 kg. Strict adherence to the 5x5 training rules and gradual weight gain over three months will lead to the desired result.

Goals and objectives of the program 5 to 5

The goals and objectives of the program are to gain muscle mass by fully activating large muscle groups using large weights with a small number of repetitions. This is what you need for real strength work!

As Stewart argued, it is with weight gain that muscle growth occurs. The greater the weight of the weight, the more muscle fibers are involved in the work! Many people are mistaken if they think that the main thing is the number of approaches!

How to warm up

A warm-up to circulate blood throughout the body must be done every time before training with a barbell. Examples of such exercises include: jumping rope, treadmill and muscle stretching. The main thing is not to overdo it, so that later working with the barbell will not be a burden.

Also, the warm-up must include two training sets of 5 repetitions. The weight should be light. To begin with, you can take an empty bar, then gradually begin to add weight. Gradually adding pancakes, as during the initial training period. Thus, continue to train according to the 5 by 5 system until the weight reaches the working weight. And with the working weight, it’s time to do full 5x5. So it turns out that if you start your warm-up with an empty bar and add a little weight at a time, there may be twice as many sets in total with training ones.

Long breaks between warm-up exercises should not be taken.

Naturally, it makes no sense to do a warm-up with a barbell during the first days of training, since the very first weight is the working weight. This means that at the initial stage, immediately after warming up, you can begin working approaches.

As for deadlifts, whether bent over or deadlifts, you don’t need to start with an empty bar. It is better to have minimal plates on the bar and gradually increase their number. This is explained by the fact that these exercises need to be done at the end of the workout, so warming up is not needed. And also the technique of performing without pancakes will suffer significantly.

Weight loss

It happens that with such a rapid rate of increase in load, the body does not have time to recover properly and perform the exercises becoming harder and harder. If you can’t do five sets of five reps with the working weight well, then you can’t add weight. On the next training day, repeat the exercise with the same weight. And only when you manage to perform a difficult weight with all the necessary approaches with the required number of repetitions without delay, then only after such a training day can you add pancakes to the next one. This applies to each exercise separately, that is, whether to add it in the squat or not depends on the situation, also in the bench press or deadlift exercise and others too.

If the weight seems too difficult and cannot be performed for three workouts in a row, then it is recommended to reduce the weight of the barbell by 10% in this exercise.

So, for example, exercise 5 to 5 deadlift with a barbell weighing 80 kg cannot be performed for three training days in a row. Calculation of working weight at the moment: 80-10% = 72 kg. Since in the deadlift exercise the weight increase is performed by 5 kg, then 72 is rounded down and then the working weight will be equal to 65 kg. Thus, going back a little, you need to continue to train and increase weight until you achieve results. There is no need to reduce weight in other exercises.

Program 5 3 1: auxiliary exercises

Simply put, accessory exercises are anything you do in addition to the main movements. For example, bench press day. Then the auxiliary load will be push-ups. Because it makes sense to train the chest and triceps together. According to Wendler, accessory exercises are complementary movements to build muscle, prevent injury, and create a balanced physique. Here are some exercises most commonly used in 5 3 1 workouts:

1. Lunges.
2. Reverse grip pull-ups.
3. Dips.
4. Hyperextension.

There is freedom of action here. It's a matter of personal choice. But as we discussed earlier, you need to perform no more than 5 exercises per workout. If you overdo it with the auxiliary load, you will simply take away the strength and energy from the main movements. As Wendler emphasizes:

Sometimes it's not what you do in the gym, but what you don't do that leads to success.

Overload becomes counterproductive, not to mention the fact that it is one of the main reasons for overtraining.
This is especially true if you're trying to add a lot of compound exercises to your workouts beyond the core four. Here are Wendler's recommendations for assistance exercises for four training days from his article for T-Nation:

How much to study

It is necessary to study according to this scheme for at least 3 months. As for the maximum, this is purely individual, some can study for 4 months, six months, while others can do it for a whole year. This depends on various reasons: regimen, nutrition, age, gender, etc. In general, you need to follow this complex until you have the strength to increase the weight, at least not every workout, and even if you have to decrease it, but then, anyway, it turns out take more.

When it is no longer possible to add weight to the apparatus and the count goes not to days, but to weeks, then this indicates that the maximum from the 5 to 5 program has been squeezed out. In this case, you need to move to another training system.

For example, in squats with a barbell, most athletes have a working weight of 100–140 kg. Rarely anyone can perform heavier weights for five sets of five repetitions.

Duration of the program

The minimum recommended duration of the program is 12 weeks.

The upper limit is individual and can be 16-24-52 weeks depending on many factors: nutrition, regimen, gender, age, etc. You should stick to the program as long as you can increase the load in the exercises, albeit not in every workout, even with kickbacks, but, nevertheless, as long as the weight on the bar grows, keep working. If you can't add any more weight to your weight within a few weeks, you've gotten all you can from the program, move on to the next one.

The approximate figure for the squat is 100-140 kg as a working weight. The vast majority of people cannot increase the load after reaching this figure, but everything is individual. Work your ass off while you can.

Rules for performing the complex

In order for the 5 by 5 training program to give the desired result, you need to remember the following rules that you should not forget:

• Do not change your training regimen under any circumstances.
• It is strictly forbidden to skip training days,
• You can’t train every day in a row, you must observe rest days,
• One day - one workout, you cannot combine exercises from different days in one,
• The order and number of exercises must be exactly according to the scheme, these parameters remain unchanged,
• Stick to specific exercises. It cannot be replaced either with exercises in simulators or with any others, otherwise the meaning of the complex changes,
• Increase the weight on the bar strictly according to the scheme, gradually, no faster and no slower than indicated,
• Exercises should be performed in strict accordance with approaches and repetitions; a superset is not allowed.

  

By following these rules, you can count on results. Judging by the reviews, this program only works according to this scheme; if you make even the slightest adjustments, it will no longer be a 5 to 5 program.

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 method is one of the most popular modern training systems. This method belongs to the category of abbreviated training, so it could not help but become the object of our attention. And the worldwide recognition of this method as very, very productive, once again confirms the effectiveness of shortened training.

About the system in brief

It’s worth starting with the fact that today the “5/3/1” system exists in several original versions – classic [1] and the newest [2]. The second version, in our opinion, is more specific, designed for advanced professional level security officers. The classic version (this is what we will talk about) is regarded by many as a technique that has no equal for beginners and intermediate amateurs. After all, it is believed that “5/3/1” is a universal training system, suitable for both gaining mass (for bodybuilders) and increasing strength (for powerlifters).

Load and its progression

Load control according to the Wendler method 5/3/1 is carried out according to the principles of wave cycling. One cycle consists of four training weeks (mesocycle). All mesocycles are combined into a very long training period. There can be at least 5 such 4-week cycles, which in time means 20 weeks (almost 5 months).

Why five? The fact is that all calculations of working weights for each week are carried out relative to the training maximum (1 TM). Wendler's training maximum is 90% of his one-rep max (1RM). With each new cycle, 1 TM increases by 2.5%. So, for the second 4-week cycle, the starting number for calculating working weights is already 92.5% of 1 RM; for the third cycle – 95% of 1RM; for the fourth cycle – 97.5% and for the fifth cycle – 1 RM. Thus, you will be able to hit the “ceiling” no earlier than when working with relatively maximum weights. Although during this time your real 1RM should have increased, which means that stagnation in progression is unlikely to occur on the fifth cycle.

Wendler training method

The peculiarity of wave cycling in Jim Wendler’s system is the 5/3/1 training method.

So, the mode of operation for each of the exercises (load in percentage - relative to 1 TM):

First week (hard)

Set 1: five repetitions with a weight of 65% Set 2: five repetitions with a weight of 75% Set 3: to failure (or at least 5 repetitions) with a weight of 85%.

Second week (average)

Set 1: three repetitions with a weight of 70% Set 2: three repetitions with a weight of 80% Set 3: almost to failure (or at least 3 repetitions) with a weight of 90%.

Third week (hard)

Set 1: five repetitions with a weight of 75% Set 2: three repetitions with a weight of 85% Set 3: one repetition (or to failure) with a weight of 95%.

Fourth week (fasting, easy)

Set 1: five reps with 40% weight Set 2: five reps with 50% weight Set 3: five reps with 60% weight

This is what the first cycle looks like (the first four weeks). We emphasize once again that the percentages in this case are converted into kilograms relative to 90% of the maximums. The next cycle is constructed in a similar way, but the weights are calculated relative to 92.5% of the maximums, etc.

Converter of initial data and working weight:

Exercises and training days

In the original, Wendler's 5/3/1 method consists of four working days a week. Each training day is devoted to one exercise from the four basic ones - squats, deadlifts, bench press and standing barbell press.

An option is also proposed when each training day consists of two exercises. This means that each exercise is performed twice a week. Of course, the second time the load is not shock, but rather restorative. Thus, we are dealing with microcycling of the load - alternating the main (impact) and additional (recovery) load within a week. The additional load is calculated according to the principle of planning a fasting week (see above).

In addition to all this, the original indicates the need for a so-called auxiliary exercise for the main exercise. So, for example, on squat days it is recommended to perform one or several other exercises for the leg muscles. The auxiliary exercises are performed for 10-30 repetitions in several sets. By the way, Wendler argues for this need by stimulating mass growth.

However, such a training regimen (with assistance) would be recommended with caution to an amateur hard gainer.

What makes Wendler's 5/3/1 method so successful?

• Short cycles (cycles extended over time are less effective than optimized ones; especially for those who are far from being professionals in strength sports).
• Using microcycling (the program can combine two types of load cycling in parallel - the main 4-week wave cycle and the internal microcycle for each week).
• Skillful alternation of effort intensity (exercises are performed for a) a certain number of repetitions, far from failure, b) to failure and c) almost to failure).
• Fasting weeks (the presence of light weeks every four weeks, allowing for proper recovery and the achievement of overcompensation phenomena). In principle, fasting weeks can be safely replaced with rest weeks - the effect may be better.
• Basic basic exercises (four exercises are enough to develop all major muscle groups).
• A small number of approaches and repetitions (makes it possible not to waste glycogen and other energy resources; in other words, the program is not exhausting, it is difficult to overtrain). By the way, in terms of the number of approaches and repetitions, the technique is consistent with Prilepin’s empirical data.
• Short classes, a small number of exercises per workout (even if you work with an auxiliary, Wendler's program is still a shortened type).

conclusions

Despite the fact that the author himself has a negative attitude towards remaking the program “for oneself”, it is still possible to recommend the original “5/3/1” for amateur athletes - especially those who have difficulty gaining weight - only with its skillful modification in individually. After all, 4 intense training days a week is not a regime for hardgainers. Programs for hardgainers work when the number of rest days exceeds the number of working days within a week.

Links

[1] Wendler J. 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength, 2nd Edition. Jim Wendler LLC, 2011, 133 r.

[2] Wendler J. Beyond 5/3/1: Simple Training for Extraordinary Results. Jim Wendler LLC, 2013, 189 rub.

2014 © Bodybuilding for hardgainers

A few more tips for success:

1. In order for the complex to work to increase muscle volume, the nutrition must correspond to the weight gain. It is necessary in a diet with a high calorie content.
2. Sleep should be 8 hours, no less. Before going to bed, the bedroom should be well ventilated, it should be dark and should not be disturbed by any extraneous noise, so that you can surely sleep and recover.
3. You can download the official application to your phone, in which the developers have already thought of everything in advance and a reminder of weight gain, and a timer that counts breaks and approaches, and marks a progress graph.

Do not neglect the weightlifting belt when performing heavy loads, this can protect your back from injury. Shoes should have hard soles so that they do not fall under the heel when lifting the barbell. And magnesium or chalk is perfect for your hands so that the projectile does not slip out of your hands.

Judging by the reviews, the system is simple but effective, and the exercises it includes are basic, as they are performed with free weight and involve all muscle groups. By following all the above recommendations, after just three months you can see the result both in the mirror and in a notebook with notes on your working weight. Isn’t that why people go to the gym?