Questions about stronglifts 5x5...

[purbeast0]

I'm by no means a beginner. I've been working on the 1 muscle group/week regime for a long time now. over this past winter I put on a ton of size in all areas. I gained over 30lbs total and my strength increases have been great as well.

well now i'm going to be doing my cutting phase (and have been for a few weeks now) and I was contemplating possibly doing the 5x5 or something in general that will give me more than 1/week since i'm not trying to put on bulk now and don't need that rest like I did before. It also seems like the stronglifts 5x5 is a good routine when trying to cut up.

I had a couple questions though ...

I have 2 slipped discs and I cannot do squats or deadlifts. I have found a pretty good alternative to squats and do the hack sled instead, which feels great and i've been doing it for months now a/good results.

Deadlifts on the otherhand, I am not certain what I could do for those. So my question is, what could I do instead of the deadlifts if I was going to be doing the stronglifts 5x5? I also cannot do the barbell rows for the same reason, and at my gym I can already do 3x8 of the heaviest dumbells we have at the gym. Would the t-bar row be a decent substitute?

I also noticed that there is nothing dedicated to traps in the stronglifts 5x5, and since I won't be doing deadlifts at all would adding something like that in be a good idea?

Also, those of you who have done the stronglifts 5x5, what kind of results did you see? were you a beginner or pretty advanced lifter when you started it?

I think thats the only questions I have for now, if I had more I'll add them. It's also messing w/my head in the fact that it will be hard for me to change my routine up so drastically since i've been on the same regime (not same exact exercises though) for so long, and that I don't want to feel that I'm not doing enough and focusing as much on certain areas.

 

[conorvansmack]

I've been doing Stronglifts 5x5 for a few weeks, but I haven't gotten around to posting a journal. Once I feel better about my squat technique I probably will.

At any rate, I think T-bar rows could be a good, safe replacement for bent-over rows. They don't require the rigid low back that bent-over rows do, but you can get a little of that by arching up and holding steady while doing the exercise if you feel like it.

I can't think of a replacement for deadlift.

Upright rows could work for your traps, but I'd be very aware of how your back feels with them.

 

[gramboh]

I'm not sure on substitution for the deadlift or rows. I know on a T-Bar row, you are pulling a lever through a fixed plane and are not going to get the benefit of stabalizing the load, but you will still work the muscles of course. I'd suggest posting on stronglifts.com forum and ask Mehdi (the guy who runs the site and started the program) about possibly subs due to your injury.

My experience has been very good with SL 5x5. I had been doing a haphazzard 3x10/3x12 routine (I had a chest/back, arms/shoulders and leg day once a week) with minor results but I have seen a lot of progress on SL 5x5. I used to fail trying to bench 135 3x10 (even after a month), whereas last night on week 7 of SL 5x5 I managed 185 5x5. My body looks better too, especially my legs. I recommend the program if you can figure some good exercises to sub.

 

[scootermaster]

I understand the injury and all, but what's left if you don't do squats and deadlifts? Bench? OH press? It's not like you're even really doing "Stronglifts" anymore. That's like saying you're jogging, but without moving your legs.

And why Stronglifts versus anything else?

 

[Losty]

I just read up on the stronglifts program. It seems to be just 7 exercises with increase load and deload when needed. Overall, most of the exercises deal with heavy weights (deadlifts, barbell rows, squats etc). The whole point of these exercises seem to be the power lift of these heavy weights along with compound movements. Using substitutions would be difficult because you have to eliminate your back problem. This means the compound exercise is too much for you. The exercises deal with core, stabilizers and the whole body. You'll have to work up a different tactic with different exercises. You can do periodization just as the 5x5 and use the loaded weights / deloading tactic. Just do full body workout with supersets. You could try supersetting with reps of 10 15 20 and do 3 sets. rest 2 min after the 20reps. No rest in between. You'll feel the burn. You'll get the heavy load from your 10reps, and the endurance and great muscle contraction plus good form from doing the higher reps. Because you'll be doing less of compound movements, you'll have more exercises to do. You can still do the weighted dips/chin ups/pull ups but without the deadlifts, squats, and barbell row it isn't a stronglifts 5x5 program.