5x5 for losing weight

[brad310]

A while back some of the bros here skewered me for steering someone away from doing 5x5 as a method of weight loss.

I would like to say that i have now done 5x5 with a heart rate monitor, and done normal BB splits with supersets and find that i burn over double the calories when i do supersets and other types of complexes.

5x5 is for gaining strength, and mass. I did 5x5, and i got bigger and stronger. I also got fatter. So i changed things up.

I did multiple exercises at the 10-12 rep range with little to no rest between supersets. Typically a push, then a pull, or mix in a leg, or all 3.

5x5 usually takes me about 75 minutes to do a workout. I like longer rest periods for this. I would typically burn around 400-500 calories. My heart rate typically didnt break 140...even though i would feel light headed after what i felt was maximum effort for sets of 5.

Doing higher rep supersets and kettlebell or barbell complexes and a sled, my heart rate would be in the high 170's at the end of a set or push. Never letting my heart rate go below 130, my average is in the 150s for the duration of the workout...so even doing what i would call bullshit exercises like db curls or shoulder flys, it was better for my fitness overall.

5x5 is a good tool. It took my bench from 185 to 265, squat from non-existant to 315, DL from non-existant to 385....i think you guys just suggest it too much, as if it is a cure all. Its more for small guys to get bigger and stronger, or for football player types. IMHO, its not as effective a weight loss routine. For me anyway. If you already have a pretty good build and high metabolism, then just about anything will work. If you're an old fart like me, there's better things.

 

[gradoman]

Weightlifting programming can't make you fat or slim, that's left up to your diet. If you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight. If you're in a surplus, you'll gain weight.

You added more work to, and between, your sets, burned more calories and therefore put yourself into a deficit. Not to mention the intensity -- sounds like you were doing cardio work with lighter weights.

I'm doing the Madcow 5x5 and I'm pretty much maintaining my weight at 165lbs for 6 weeks now. When I first started weightlifting, I was about 185-190lbs and I've dropped down without too much cardio. I'm almost at the end of my 2nd year and I've only really done cardio for 3 months (in the past 6 months) for about 30-60 min each day for general health and to be able to eat more food without gaining too much.

 

[z1ggy]

Fat loss will be regulated more so by what you eat. You didn't mention diet what so ever in that post, which is much more crucial to fat loss than your exercise method.

Ask Koing how he lifted when he was cutting. He was power lifting while eating less... and my lord he lost weight!!!

It's not really rocket science. Just because you lift heavy, doesn't mean you can't cut, too. I strongly prefer heavy lifting at all times because I will lose significant strength otherwise...Plus I don't think heavy lifting hinders fat loss at all.

 

[brad310]

Weightlifting programming can't make you fat or slim, that's left up to your diet. If you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight. If you're in a surplus, you'll gain weight.

Thats precisely my point. SS's 5x5 program is all about incrememting the weight by 5lbs. Plus you're doing the most taxing movements. If you dont care about incrementing the weight each time, you arent getting stronger, and you arent doing SS. To gain that kind of strength that fast, you have to eat to recover (beyond novice), or use gear.

Yes, you can do the 5x5 exercises, and do them in sets of 5x5...but you're not programming it right if you are in a caloric deficit. Im saying you'd be better off doing just about anything else if weight loss is your goal.

I just dont know why people would advise someone whose goal is to lose weight - a caloric excess low rep strength program. Thats all.

 

[smackababy]

I don't think recommending a 5x5 program is bad, it just isn't exactly necessary. Basically, steps 1 through 99 for losing weight are all "Count your calories." and step 100 is "Lift some weight to hold of muscle loss". A program like SL 5x5 is pretty much the easiest thing a beginner can do. It is a very simple program with a easy to do compound lifts. Sure, they won't be able to infinitely progress, but they won't be losing a ton of muscle while dieting.

 

[gradoman]

Thats precisely my point. SS's 5x5 program is all about incrememting the weight by 5lbs. Plus you're doing the most taxing movements. If you dont care about incrementing the weight each time, you arent getting stronger, and you arent doing SS. To gain that kind of strength that fast, you have to eat to recover (beyond novice), or use gear.

Yes, you can do the 5x5 exercises, and do them in sets of 5x5...but you're not programming it right if you are in a caloric deficit. Im saying you'd be better off doing just about anything else if weight loss is your goal.

I just dont know why people would advise someone whose goal is to lose weight - a caloric excess low rep strength program. Thats all.

Ahh, I understand you now. From what I've seen on Youtube (yes, I'll go with the folks that seem to know better than me on YT), lifting heavy is basically the best way to keep most of your muscle mass while dieting.

I personally would follow the program until I'm done dieting, as I have done in the past with Candito 6 Week Strength program. However, I realize that there's no way I'm adding weight while in a deficit so I typically expect to stall over and over. For me, it's just easier to go in with a plan and do it.

As for 5x5 -- I'm using StrongLifts 5x5 and the protocol is to try until you have failed 3 times, deload, reduce the weight by 10% and work your way back up to where you stalled and try to progress after that. It's much more difficult to make much headway while in a deficit with any program anyway.

In the end, if you want to put in the cardio, then I guess sure, you could do it with the weights. Just don't snap anything up in the process or burn yourself out with high volume.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Loosing weights while dieting an lifting results in weight loss and some strength gains. The issue is that you are not going to get huge strength gains compared to someone that is not trying to loose weight.

IMO, the best thing if weight loss is the goal is running and dieting. Cycling is OK too, but you need to ride many more miles over a lot more time for the same calorie burn.

I do both. I know my strength gains won't be the same, but the gains do come ... just more slowly.