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[QUOTE=Gilleh;956205][url=http://www.alkavadlo.com/2010/05/the-myth-of-over-training/]The Myth of Over-training[/url]
Push through the soreness.[/QUOTE]
Being sore and over training are two completely separate things.
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Keep your chest up and look straight ahead when you deadlift. Brace your core so your spine doesn't bear the brunt of the load.
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After reading this article I am becoming seriously infatuated with the idea of doing 5 days instead of 4 days to give each major lift its proper day, and cut each session a bit shorter. Right now I bundle the Back Row to the deadlift, and I always feel like I cheat myself. I would do less support each lifting day, reducing workout from 1 hr to 40 min, and going heavier on the support.
TEMPTED.
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I started with just the bar, maybe 2 10lbs plates. Just work up from there
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Some light yoga and a few bodyweight reps will help with the soreness.
Also, echo the "go lighter and work on form" thing.
Don't be afraid to just use the bar at the gym, either. If it's a serious gym, and you are doing serious workouts, no one will care what weight you are using.
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Thanks for all the replies. I believe for the most part I had good form; I had viewed the how-to videos on the StrongLifts site beforehand. I'm not too worried about other gym-goers, but I do think I probably started with too high a weight. I should start low, focus on form, and as long I make a habit of lifting, I should get progressively stronger.
General question: should you add-on weight during a workout? For example, if I bench the bar plus 5 pounds, should I add some more weight for, say, my last 2 sets?
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[QUOTE=dirk41;956807]Thanks for all the replies. I believe for the most part I had good form; I had viewed the how-to videos on the StrongLifts site beforehand. I'm not too worried about other gym-goers, but I do think I probably started with too high a weight. I should start low, focus on form, and as long I make a habit of lifting, I should get progressively stronger.
General question: should you add-on weight during a workout? For example, if I bench the bar plus 5 pounds, should I add some more weight for, say, my last 2 sets?[/QUOTE]
It's been awhile since I have done SL 5x5 but I'm pretty sure you only add weight each workout and do the same weight for that workout.
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[QUOTE=Jerseyjim;955806]First time ever at the gym and you went heavy? Uh oh, the soreness has only started. You'll probably be worse tomorrow.
Be patient, give your body some time to get used to a new activity. I'd do 3x/week with less weight. You'll know when your body is ready to increase resistance.[/QUOTE]
I agree -- you aren't doing the program, you're just lifting however you want to lift. I know that both because you went heavy and because you deadlifted and benched on the same day, and the Stronglifts program has deadlift on overhead press day, not bench day.
Go by the program to the letter. Download the tracker and if you have a smartphone, get the app. Follow it to a T. You won't impress anyone when you bench press and squat using only the bar, but it works. I've never been very strong, and my 1 rep max on the bench has always been below 140. I'm doing 80 pounds on the bench for 5 sets of 5 right now, and I'm squatting 125. You just aren't going to have all the girls in bikinis flock around you with those weights. But, and this is important, I'm also doing all the lifts correctly, I'm getting stronger every workout, and my deadlift this Friday will be 170. A week from the following Monday it will be over 200. By the end of November, if I don't stall (I probably will on all lifts), I'll be at 290 on the squat, 165 on the bench, 185 on the row, 155 on the press and 330 on the deadlift. I have no doubt I won't hit those numbers -- you will stall at some point, and that is contemplated by the program. The point is, you will be hitting really respectable numbers really fast (I started in July). So be patient, don't worry if people sneer at you for lifting with just the bar, and follow the program. It works, if you will work. If you go heavy just because, then you aren't doing the program and it's your own fault if it doesn't work.
By the way, lifting 3 times a week is fine if you start light and concentrate on form. I haven't missed a workout since July.
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[QUOTE=Fernaldo;956921]It's been awhile since I have done SL 5x5 but I'm pretty sure you only add weight each workout and do the same weight for that workout.[/QUOTE]
Correct. You add 5 pounds for all lift every time you do that lift, except deadlift, where you add 10 pounds.
You also start the program with an empty bar for all lifts except deadlift and rows, which start at 90 pounds and 65 pounds, respectively.
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Take lots of time learning the form with lower weight. you have the rest of your life to lift.
