The standard 5x5 is an effective and simple workout plan to gain strength, build muscle and get ripped. Many people around the world have used it to keep fit and healthy. It is one of the more famous muscle and strength building program online which produces excellent results.
It has a simple workout plan that is easy to follow and incorporates basic exercises such as shoulder press, bench press, deadlift and squat. However, this workout plan is not recommended for starters because when performing complex exercises using heavy weights, your techniques or skills must be topnotch.
It’s important to keep in mind that the objective of this plan is not to regulate weights or build mass. Instead the aim here is to add weight and boost your actual strength. Your muscle mass will no doubt rise when your strength increases, but the primary emphasis here is to boost your strength.
The efficiency of the 5x5 workout plan will depend on how you progressively increase the weights as you train. In such cases, you will begin to train with lighter weights but increase them gradually as you continue with the workouts. By the end of the third month, you will have attained your previous maximum. If you find that you cannot perform the 5x5 sets using weights, then it is your time to take a break and relax. You will be expected to start the cycle over again, of course, using heavy loads than those of the previous sessions.
It is suggested that you do this type of workout cycle a maximum of two times in a row. You are really trying to push your strength to its limits and its important to avoid overloading yourself. For a workout of this magnitude it can be easy to push yourself to the point that you open yourself up for injury. The 5x5 workout plan should be implemented three times a week, as two completely different exercises and one alternating between each exercise as illustrated below:
Workout “1”
Deadlift 5x5 reps
Bench Press 5x5 reps
Squat 1x5 reps
Workout “2”
Squat 5x5 reps
Barbell Military press 5x5 rep
Bent-over-row 5x5 reps
Workout “3”
Squat 5x5 reps
Barbell military press 5x5 reps
Deadlift 1x5 reps
Always make sure that you recover fully between the sets. For instance, do not try to begin the next set until you are relaxed from the previous set. Do some warmup sets before you begin. And of course stretch stretch stretch!
If you do the 5x5 workout correctly. You should be sprawled out at the end of it...In a good way I mean :)
Benefits of 5x5 workout plan
Increase Strength
This is a major benefit of this plan because it allows you to get more strength after each exercise. This increased strength will make you productive even outside your gym. You’ll find your functional strength in general start to go to the roof.
Increases Muscle Mass
Your muscles will be bigger and stronger to lift the weights. If you have never participated in a similar workout plan before, this is the type of workout plan that pushes your overall muscle mass to the max. The 5x5 workout plan will help you regain your lost muscles and stop loss of muscles via aging.
Reduced Fat
The more you lift heavier weights, the more calories you burn. This leads to your metabolism speeding up. This means that your body-fat will decrease even without doing the rigorous cardio workouts.
Improved Endurance
Your muscles will last longer before they get fatigued or tired because you are stronger. This again leads to great improvements in your functional strength and general feelings of well being.
Stronger Heart
Your cardiovascular strength will get challenged at the highest level. Push yourself through these workouts and your heart should feel like its beating out of your chest, in a good way of course. Stronger heart of course means a stronger everything.
More flexibility
The mobility of your hip will be improved because of the squatting exercises that are done in the 5x5 workout plan. Your shoulder flexibility and posture will also be improved.
Reduced Injuries
This workout plan can help your bone density increase and improve balance. Your spine, joints and surrounding muscles will become stronger. This minimizes the chances of you being injured and eliminates nagging pains. Be sure to be taking proper supplementation for healthy joints.
Saves money
The 5x5 workout plan does not require you to buy expensive machines or supplements for you to get results. You can set a gym in your home and train from your backyard or garage.
Saves Time
The 5x5 workout plan is simple to implement as it only requires only three workouts in a week.
Why Will The 5x5 Produce Great Results?
Strength training is not as complicated as it sometimes seems in the fitness magazines. To start, the 5x5 is obvious. To be efficient focus on compound exercises as much as possible with various isolations to make sure that you reach the muscles that have not been worked on.
Here are some final guidelines that may prove important when employing the 5x5 workout plan
Warm-Up
Beginners are advised to do several warm-up exercises to prepare them for the heavy lifting that is ahead of them. Lifting weights with warmed muscles is likely to give better results than when the muscles are cold.
Stretch! Stretch! Stretch!
Did I mention to be take stretching seriously?
Keep Adding Weight
One of the main objectives of this plan is to increase weight utilized every week. Since the number of sets and reps remains unchanged, you should try to increase weight by a small amount every week. Challenge yourself but don’t be reckless.
Keep Switching Exercises
The exercises are not rigid, and thus you can substitute them if you want. Have fun with it as you want to keep your body from being acclimatized.
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