5x5 PLAN for Strength and Size
(fixed the set/rep/weight % and so forth)
The 5x5 plan is basically 5 reps for 5 sets of a particular exercise for most days. Other exercises will be 5 sets of 8-12 reps. You will do at LEAST 20 total sets per day. It will be used in the following manner for 5x5:
Set 1 – 5 reps of 60% max weight
Set 2 – 5 reps of 70% max weight
Set 3 – 5 reps of 85% max weight
Set 4 – 5 reps of 85% max weight
Set 5 – 5 reps of 90% max weight
So if you can bench press 225 lbs for 1 rep, your set would look like this –
Set 1 – 135 lbs [135 x 5]
Set 2 – 155 lbs [155 x 5]
Set 3 - 185 lbs [185 x 5]
Set 4 - 185 lbs [185 x 5]
Set 5 – 205 lbs [205 x 5]
In order to determine your max, however, grab a spotter at the gym, and load up weight until you can only do 1 unassisted rep. That is your 1-rep max from which you will be able to get your 5x5 plan started.
Don’t forget, its best to use a spotter no matter what, but if you can’t the 5x5 is fine to do without one. As for the 5x8-12, you will do moderately heavy weight for optimal burn and pump.
Day 1 (Monday) - Chest
• Bench Press - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Incline Bench Press - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Decline Press - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Cable Crossovers – 5 sets of 8-12 reps (do not use 5x5 for this!)
OTHER CHEST EXERCISES INCLUDE: Dumbbell Bench Press, Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, Dumbbell Decline Bench Press, Dumbbell Flies, Pec Deck, Weighted Pushups, Wide Chest Press, Overhead extensions. You can use any of these exercises instead of the 4 I have mentioned if you want to change it up or have difficulty doing any of those 4.
Day 2 (Tuesday) - Back
• Barbell Deadlift - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Lat Pulldown - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Seated Cable Row - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Dumbbell Rows - 5 set of 8-12 reps
OTHER BACK EXERCISES INCLUDE: Lower Back Extensions, Underhand High Cable Rows, Rack Pulls, Good-Mornings, Dumbbell Deadlifts, Close-Grip Pulldowns, or Barbell Rows. You can use any of these exercises instead of the 4 I have mentioned if you want to change it up or have difficulty doing any of those 4.
Day 3 (Wednesday) – Legs
• Barbell Squats - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Seated Machine Leg Extensions - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Seated Machine Leg Curls - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Standing Calf Raises 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Seated Calf Raises 5 sets of 8-12 reps
OTHER LEGS EXERCISES INCLUDE: Dumbbell leg lunges, Leg Hip Abbduction Machine, Leg Hip Adduction Machine, Laying leg curls, Front Squats, 1 Leg Squats. You can use any of these exercises instead of the 4 I have mentioned if you want to change it up or have difficulty doing any of those 5.
Day 4 (Thursday) - Shoulders
• Military Press - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Dumbbell Shoulder Shrugs - 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Shoulder Presses - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Dumbbell Front Raises - 5 sets of 8-12 reps
OTHER SHOULDERS EXERCISES INCLUDE: Lateral Dumbbell Raises, Barbell Shrugs, Arnold Presses, Straight Bar Cable Pulldowns, Herculean Pulls. You can use any of these exercises instead of the 4 I have mentioned if you want to change it up or have difficulty doing any of those 5.
Day 5 (Friday) - Arms
• EZ-Bar Curls - 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Concentration Curls - 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Olympic Bar Curls - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Weighted Dips - 5 sets of 5 reps
• Tricep Cable Pulldowns - 5 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks - 5 sets of 8-12 reps
OTHER ARMS EXERCISES INCLUDE: Preacher Curls, standing double curls, seated hammer curls, close-grip curls, EZ-bar 21's, skullcrushers, ez-bar tricep extensions, Rope Pulldowns, single handle reverse grip pulldowns, and close-grip bench press.
Day 6 – (Saturday) Rest
Day 7 – (Sunday) Rest
NOTE::: Every single day at the gym (5 days a week) you will be doing abs!! You will need to work into your schedule 100-200 reps of ab workout into 20-25 rep sets.
Ab exercises:
Crunches, Hanging Leg Raises, Broomstick Twists, Roman Chair Situps, V-Crunches, Decline Situps, & Knee Raises.
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DO A PARTICULAR EXERCISE MENTIONED ABOVE…GO TO THIS WEBSITE:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htmhi SKCRaynor, i've been doing your 5x5 plan for a few months now and am quite happy with what has happened to my body. i was wondering if i wanted to tone, should i still use that workout but just add more reps/less weights? or should i try a whole new workout? thanks!