5x5 Stronglifts = Poor body aesthetics?

[steve_1251]

I was was reading through the stronglifts 5x5 pdf file and I noticed that the vast majority of the people held up as examples for the success of the program don't have aesthetically pleasing bodies. I mean they have gained a lot of strength as shown in their lift records(for example bench press 100kg, deadlift 190kg, squat 140kg). But none of them would get on the cover of a fitness magazine. Has anyone else noticed this? Is this because of the use of only low reps in the program or because their body fat percentages just aren't low enough?

 

[miked8c]

I noticed that to, what Mendhi did was take the pictures of a bunch of average Joes and throw them on the pdf.

If you read the success stories many of them are written by guys who made serious improvement, however their end program numbers are still unimpressive. Hell, I am stronger than the author of SL 5x5, or at least the numbers he claims to lift.

Its not that the program produces poor aesthetics, its just that the author of SL 5x5, Mendhi, chose to represent the program with pictures of the demographic he was trying to appeal to. The relatively unathletic, untrained, average yak.

Short answer: SL 5x5 is a great program that will produce both great aesthetic and numerical results. Don't go by the success stories. Numbers don't lie, if your under 200lbs. and can bench, squat and deadlift 315, 405 and 500 respectively you'll look good.

Makes me think Mendhi should make me the 5x5 posterboy

 

[steve_1251]

Ah cool. It just that the examples he uses really don't look as strong as they say they are. There seems to be very little muscle development considering the weights they claim they can lift. I mean I'd like to think I'd have a pretty damn impressive chest if I was able to bench press 120kg. However a lot of them look like I do already and I'm a weakling (after several years of marathon training)!

 

[training700]

I guess I thought funny cus they all seemed week a 120kg bench isn't impressive really.. he just wanted average guys that got good results in a short amount of time

Sent from my DROID3 using EliteFitness

 

[joh]

I think diet makes the aetherics more than anything else. One could probably grow on that program but if your fat there is no aethetics

 

[moya]

seen my pics? i dont do high reps with low weight...

 

[mohdgame]

Because the guys on magazine are on steroids. Mehdi is prolly natural that's why he is not as strong as some of you. What determines body shape is two factors more than anything else: Diet, Genetics.

The guys on the magazines has both amplified by the use of steroids.

The guys on Mehdi's book are all natty weight lifters with no experience on dieting.

 

[steve_1251]

Mendi looks pretty good, and so do a couple of the others but the vast majority look like they may as well not have bothered training. I don't think think it's fair to say every guy on a magazine or anyone who has a good body is on steroids.

 

[mohdgame]

Steve, in order to get to that level (to appear in magazines) you have to use steroids. Yes, you might have a decent body as a natural athelete but not to the level that you will appear in magazine.

 

[steve_1251]

Yeah but what about someone like Cristiano Ronaldo who looks both ripped and strong. He obviously isn't on steroids due to the fact he get drug tested every week. It's just that I have started this 5x5 workout and I'm in my 5th week and haven't noticed any physical difference. And when I look at the pictures of people who have been following the program for 2 years and yet look pretty much as they did before (just a little slimmer) it doesn't fill me full of confidence. I have two months from today to get into shape before I head away for the summer. Do you think I'd be better off doing a more intense routine to see quicker results?

I have designed this routine inspired by a science journal I read called "A Comparison of Linear and Daily Undulating Periodized Programs with Equated Volume and Intensity for Strength". It concluded that varying rep range during the week lead to more rapid muscle gains compared to doing the same rep range every workout (e.g. 5x5 stronglifts).

Monday
A 3x15 Barbell squat
B1 3x15 Single leg standing dumbbell calf raise
B2 3x15 Barbell bent knee deadlift
C1 3x15 Dumbbell jump squats
C2 3x15 Crunch

Wednesday
A1 5x5 Incline dumbbell bench press
A2 5x5 Barbell row
A3 5x5 Standing triceps extension
A4 5x5 Barbell shoulder press
A5 5x5 Standard grip dumbbell curls

Friday
A 3x10 Barbell squat
B1 3x10 Single leg bent knee calf raise
B2 3x10 Sumo deadlift
C1 3x10 Dumbbell jump squats
C2 3x15 Leg lowering – reverse crunch

Saturday
A1 3x15 Flat bench press
A2 3x15 Barbell row
A3 3x15 Standing triceps extension
A4 3x15 Barbell shoulder press
A5 3x15 Standard grip dumbbell curls

The rep ranges in the program will be changed every 8 weeks. So instead of 5x5, 3x10, 3x15, 5x5 the routine will be 3x10, 3x15, 5x5, 3x10, and then after 8 weeks of that it will change to 3x15, 5x5, 3x10, 3x15. I think that changing the rep ranges every 8 weeks will enable the body to continue to progress by changing the focus between slow twitch, fast twitch and "medium twitch" muscle fibres.