Click Here For Your Free Natural Bodybuilding Magazine
5 Rep Weight Training
The 5 X 5 power workout is something that goes back a long time in the history of bodybuilding and gaining muscle. It started just after World War II when Reg Park started using this type of training to increase strength. But since then it has been bodybuilders like Vince Gironda that promoted the effectiveness in using this method.
Today there are thousands if not tens of thousands of bodybuilders that use this technique to build strength and lose fat at the same time. Although the 5 X 5 program is designed to train the whole body three times a week there are many other ways that this type of training can be used.
When the 5 X 5 workout is done three times a week it usually involves only doing compound movements like squat, deadlift, bench-press, overhead press and barbell rowing. When training like this the workouts are high intensity lasting only 45 minutes with a maximum push.
The routine is performed for 5 sets of 5 reps each working all the compound lifts except deadlift which are only done for 1 X 5 the second time it is trained because if you did more it will just beat you up and you will over-train. Squatting 5 X 5 three times a week is designed to get you stronger which you will see increases your deadlift very effectively as your core strength increases.
It is important to note that when training 5 X 5 the objective is not to reach failure or get the "pump" or to get sore 48 hours later, the main objective is to increase the weight that is lifted. This is achieved by starting with light weights keeping strict form and slowly increasing the weight by 5% or 10% on each workout.
Like with any strength or muscle gain routine it needs to be cycled so the 5 X 5 training recommendation from the experts tell us that the 5 X 5 workouts should be split into two slightly different workouts training every other day for only 45 minutes.
Workout A is Squat, Bench-press and Barbell rowing each with 5 X 5 and after resting for a day then to do Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press plus Deadlift always alternating workout A and B. Most guys think it is too simple to be effective but if training a split routine to failure is not getting you stronger then try this simple technique and you will get stronger guaranteed.
It is important to remember to never train these 5 X 5 workouts for two days in a row as you will quickly become over-trained if you continue. With no isolation movements done you might be thinking that it will affect any muscle separation that you might already have, however we all know that a strong muscle is a big muscle and bodybuilding is all about increasing strength.
Click Here For Your Free Natural Bodybuilding Magazine
© 2000-2021 Natural Bodybuiding
