This 6 week program is designed to help peak the bench press, squat, or deadlift. Brad Gillingham 12 Week Bench Program Update: Rounded off weight values to the nearest 5 to clean the spreadsheet up. Brad Gillingham deadlift/ squat routine. I prefer the ed coan/phillipi program because you get to deadlift more often. I emailed Brad to ask him. I got an email back from Wade as he said they note everything sets x reps x weight, 03:48 PM #13.
. The “5×5” method is credited to, a bodybuilder who built a 500-pound bench press in the 1950s. This method remains one of the most reliable ways to build strength in existence. Reg Park—originator of the 5×5 method. The Basics of the 5×5 Method Train a lift three times in two weeks: Monday, Friday, then Wednesday of next week. An experienced lifter will be better off hitting 5×5 only once a week.
Pick a weight you can do at least two strong sets of five with and do five sets. (A standard Russian guideline is 7RM.) The last sets will be fours or threes. Do not attempt a rep unless you are 100% sure you will make it. “Save your strength for the next set,” as Alexander Faleev put it. In successive workouts add reps when you can do it with confidence. Keep at it until you are up to 5×5. At this point, unload and switch to a different protocol if you are an experienced lifter.
Beginners and intermediates may stay on this regimen for several months, taking an unloading workout after reaching 5×5 with a given weight, then adding 2-5% and carrying on. Deload with 80% of the weight you have been using for 5×5 ( not 80% 1RM) for 5×4. Following is a sample of the 5×5 progression for a 225 bencher: The 5×5 Method for Advanced Lifters Advanced lifters have a lot to gain from 5×5, as long as they use moderate weights.
Used 5×5 with 60-80% 1RM as the backbone of his off-season training. Applies the 5×5 scheme to high bar squats that he does to build his deadlift leg drive.
Vitaly Papazov who broke Kaz’s 23-year-old total record frequently does 5×5 with 75%1RM in both the squat and the bench press in one day in the preparatory period. Speaks world champion: “Jorgen Ljunjberg from Sweden told me about his squat training method.
Jorgen trains by himself on a frequent basis in a small town located in Northern Sweden. He built his 400kg+ squat by training 5×5 rep schemes with lower percentages of weight. Jorgen can handle so much volume that it is incredible. When he does 5×5 squats, he actually will squat a second day sometimes in the same week and work up to singles.” Brad Gillingham in competition.
Here is Gillingham’s own squat cycle. In case you did not know, Brad just won another IPF World Championship, this time in Russia. At 46, he has got to be the oldest lifter to win this prestigious title. Congratulations, Brad!
All squats, except for the heavy singles on week fifteen, are raw and beltless. The light week 60% squats are in addition high bar and narrow stance. The 5×5 are done in twenty to thirty minutes, which makes for unusually short rest periods for an elite superheavyweight, makes the session a lot harder than it looks on paper, and biases it towards hypertrophy. The light week squats are completed in only ten to fifteen minutes.
This extremely low rest combined with the loading scheme 60% x 2/8 has its origins at —another way to organize a light day Gillingham employs wave cycling: reaching 75% x 5/5, then starting over with 67.5% and building up to 77.5%. It is worth noting that he varies the number of weeks he stays on 5×5 without deloading from 1 to 3, depending on the weight. 5×5 power to you!
Note: The above is an excerpt from the StrongFirst Lifter instructor manual. Do not miss StrongFirst’s next. Learn the 5×5 method at the. Pavel, I have used 5×5 training with great success as per your article written for the four hour work week blog. My question is regarding frequency for the 5×5 protocol listed in this article. You suggest training three times in two weeks for beginners and intermediates using a straight weight (approx 7RM) for all 5 sets.
In contrast you recommend that advanced athletes cycle through lighter percentages (60-80%) once a week. At what point has a lifter moved into an advanced category as opposed to beginner/intermediate? For the record at a body weight of 198 my lifts are 405 belted squat, 285 raw bench, and 505 belted deadlift.
Would this mean I should be training straight weight 5×5@7RM three times in two weeks or train once a week at lighter percentages? Pavel I hope this reaches you in good spirit and mind.
My question is – How old should a man be when he should start considering not to lift heavy anymore? I’m 43 and lift everyday. I have no injuries and i love to lift. Is there such an age to consider or do I just keep on keeping on? My cholesterol is high so I cant eat whatever i want to anymore and would love to know a diet for weight training that would work for my life style.
I’m 5’9 at 200 lbs. A little bit of a spare tire around the waiste now that i cant seem to lose, suggestions? Just for reference. My squat is 250 x5 x5, Bench 250 x5x5, DL is 250 x5x5.
All of my squats are Parallel squats, I lift bare foot, no belts, no shirts, just raw. I realize i’m all over the mao with my question but any advice at all on age, diet, gaining muscle and strength at age 43 would be greatly appreciated. Hi Pavel, I personally find your approach to strength to be alluring. I always liked most things Russian, to begin with. I’m a martial artist at heart.
Because of your subtle influence, I’ve gone back to building my CNS through power lifting. I’m deeply influenced by art as well as sport. I feel that you’re someone who can relate to this. I applaud you.
In martial arts, I see it was a body, mind and soul endeavor. My style is called Iron-Ryu or Tetsuken-Ryu. I’m incredibly hard from doing this, still not the hardest, either. The martial aspect in my training will be Chen Tai Chi, from a reputed teacher in Montreal, Canada. He’s from Tianjin, in China. Power lifting embodies, spirit, Tetsuken-Ryu embodies body, and Tai Chi the mind. These are all interchangeable.
My goal is to break free of all obstacles and only exist in a hyper-natural form in martial arts. Walking, breathing, nutritionjust about everything. I’m super passionate. It sounds a little crazy, I know! I just really admire your stuff, Thanks. On the website alltrainingtechniques.com/2013/03/15/alex-faleev/ which seems to be a translation of Faleev’s writing, the writer states the importance of including isometric work with the 5×5 program that you have previously outined. Not sure whether the confusion comes from translation or summary errors, but it seems as though Faleev includes these.
Just wondering, given the multiple benefits of isometrics, as well as their use in improving “wedging” what your thoughts were on this. Thanks, Craig. Hi Frank, I am by no means an expert and I am willing to say that Pavel has forgotten more than I will ever know about fitness. But, I might be able to answer your questions.
(Any Strong First experts are free to correct me if I have anything wrong) For the 5 x5, you want to shoot for 5 reps or your max per set. The 5,5,4,4,3 for reps is just an example or someone. You may have reps per set of 5,5,5,3,2 or some other combination during your workouts. Your selection of exercises for the workouts look fine with great opposing push/pull exercises per workout. The only concern I have is that you may overtrain if you start with 3 times per week coupled with regular MMA training.
Start with one per week as the 5×5 is tougher than it sounds. Good luck and happy training! Beautiful article. A great compliment I received just last week at my local YMCA came from an older gentleman who, after watching me for a while, asked if I’d been doing a “5×5 workout” and approved of my commitment to “old-school methods”.
Your article here is very timely for me! If only I could convince my “comrades” within our unit at Marine Forces Pacific’s Headquarters & Service Battalion, that 5×5 and some ballistic kettlebell training is worthwhile! I’m eagerly awaiting an SFG Course that lands here on Oahu, Hawaii; a platoon of disgruntled HQ staff Marines will be with me when you come. I am disappointed in the majority of my comrades’ disdain for your paired-down approach; you too, I think, would be disgusted with how similar these leathernecks’ approach to weight training mirrors what they see in modern bodybuilding. But if I see a trip to Oahu appear on your schedule I’ll drag some with me to attend.