Straighten the arms to unrack the bar and lower to midchest.Grip the bar firmly between fingers and thumbs a little more than shoulder width apart.Using a home or gym bench press (not a Smith machine), lie down with your eyes directly under the bar.However, to be effective-and safe-it must be carried out using proper form: One of the oldest of modern exercises, the bench press is a mainstay of every bodybuilder and powerlifter's workout routine. Pull up, keeping the knees out and the chest up.Squat until the hips are lower than the knees.Perform the squat by pushing the knees to the side and moving hips back.Stand with the dumbbell bar on the upper back and feet shoulder width apart.According to, the proper technique for performing this version of the squat is the following:
With StrongLifts 5x5, however, squats are performed using dumbbells (with the aid of a power rack for heavier weights). With all these benefits, it's no wonder squats are basically the foundation upon which StrongLifts 5x5 is built.Īs with any exercise, the key to getting the most out of squats is ensuring they're done using proper form.Ī basic squat is performed by placing feet shoulder width apart, holding your arms in front of you for balance, placing the majority of your weight on your heels, sitting back (like you're sitting in a chair), and then returning to a standing position, squeezing your glutes as you rise up. And this can help you stay healthy and active all the years of your life.
Why? Because this deceptively simple resistance exercise works every muscle in your lower body, strengthening your lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves and even helping your hip, knee, and ankle joints become stronger and more resilient. In fact, many experts say if you can do only one exercise, make it squats. Let's now take a closer look at each of these and the role they play in the StrongLifts program. StrongLifts 5x5: The ExercisesĪs mentioned, the StrongLifts program is built around five core exercises: And if you fail to complete your workout after three consecutive attempts, you deload, or go back to however much weight you were last successful with and try the higher weight at a later workout.īased on its combination of exercises as well as its focus on getting as strong as possible as quickly as possible-and looking more defined in the process-you might say that StrongLifts 5x5 combines the appearance goals of bodybuilding with the strength goals of powerlifting. However, "successful completion of each exercise" is the operative phrase here.Īny time you're unable to complete the recommended sets and repetitions with a particular weight, you stay at that weight until you're successful. The key to the program's effectiveness is said to be the fact that each of its five exercises involves compound lifts, which work multiple muscle groups in the lower and upper body simultaneously.Īnother factor that sets StrongLifts 5x5 apart from other types of weightlifting programs is that it begins with light weights, in the form of an empty bar, and builds on the amount of weight added to the barbell by 5 pounds with the successful completion of each exercise.
Why? According to the creator of StrongLifts 5x5, Mehdi, deadlifting is extremely hard on the body, so more than one rep would only slow your strength gains-a view not necessarily shared by every lifter. The exception to this rule is the deadlift exercise, which is performed once for five repetitions. In addition to the fact that the program contains just five different exercises-squats, bench press, barbell row, overhead press, and deadlift-four of the five exercises are repeated five times for five repetitions. The StrongLifts 5x5 version of Bill Starr's original work is made up of two different workouts-workout A and workout B-each of which contains three 45-minute exercises performed three times a week on alternating days, with rest days in between. The StrongLifts program is based on the work of Bill Starr, who developed the first 5x5 program in the 1970s and whose work has since been modified and further popularized by Mark Rippetoe as well as a mysterious individual known only as Madcow. But what if you're no longer in your 20s-or 30s? Will it work for you too? And, perhaps more importantly, is StrongLifts for older adults safe? In this article, we're going to answers these questions and more so you can make the best choice for your fitness goals. With simple progressive free-weight exercises and a commitment of just 3 days a week, the StrongLifts program promises to build muscle and burn fat quickly and efficiently. With thousands of users, StrongLifts 5x5 is one of the most popular strength training programs on the market today.
0 kommentar(er)
