Starting Starr 5x5

[NJL52]

So I decided to stop being lazy and get back to working out hard. But I decided to be smart this time instead of just pounding out weight.

I asked around about athletic training and was pointed to the Starr 5x5.

In the Madcow website they talk alot about not over working yourself. But as an athlete I do alot of sprinting, jump roping, intense position training, jogging etc.

So anybody out there with expierience with this program, my question is, would this be too much stress for this routine?

And if this isn't the right program for me, what would be ideal.

Just some information, I play football(linebacker/ss tweener) and will be playing D1 for a pretty decent school next year and I intend to make the best out of my oppurtunities. So I'm willing to be 100% dedicated to a good plan and there is no plan too hard that I won't stick too.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Protobuilder]

Strength training just has to be worked in along w/ your sport-specific training. Whether you can hit the weights heavy 2, 3, or even 4x/wk. and still keep up w/ your sport is an individual decision. It depends on your body, your recovery ability, your ability to adjust on the fly, etc. It also depends on what kind of time you have available (e.g., many guys train weights 4x/wk in the off season and maybe only once or twice during the season). The 5x5 program was originally designed by Bill Starr to be used by football players, IIRC. So, the program is terrific for your goals. Making it "fit" your schedule may just be some trial and error. There won't be any better programs out there though if you want to build a solid foundation.

In the training vault sticky, there's a link to Kelly Baggett's articles. He is a sports focused writer, so check out his athletic training articles. he probably has one on structuring your training.

 

[ZGzaZ]

All depends on what your ultimate goals are... you won't get the same strength or size gains with doing all that cardio that you would if you were not doing it. But it's up to you what goals you want to train most for.

 

[Kabeetz]

5 x 5 rocks. just eat a lot and u'll add at least 15-20 pounds of muscle in 10-12 weeks and your lifts will go up every week for sure.

Do all that other stuff on your off days, but keep it limited to "maintenance" of your current cardiovascular health and flexibility and athleticism, don't push that stuff until ur a few weeks in and u feel like u want to/can.

The amazing thing about the 5x5 is that u wont feel overworked, and rest is a crucial element in what makes u grow in ANY size/muscle growth program. BUT... don't negate what got u to the point ur at now if u're afraid to.

 

[neoguri]

This is really interesting and it backs up the 5x5, full body workouts with compound exercises versus the traditional bodybuilding muscle split which I am guilty of having practiced in the past…

In order for the loading to result in significant hypertrophy, the stimulus must be applied with sufficient frequency to create a new "environment", as opposed to seemingly random and acute assaults on the mechanical integrity of the tissue. The downside of taking a week of rest every time you load a muscle is that many of the acute responses to training like increased protein synthesis, prostaglandins, IGF-1 levels, and mRNA levels all return to normal in about 36 hours. So, you spend 2 days growing and half a week in a semi-anticatabolic state returning to normal (some people call this recovery), when research shows us that recovery can take place unabated even if a the muscle is loaded again in 48 hours. So true anabolism from loading only lasts 2 days at best once the load is removed. The rest of the time you are simply balancing nitrogen retention without adding to it.

Compound Exercises
HST also suggests using compound exercises to maximize the effects of loading on as much muscle as possible per exercise.

• Each muscle group should be loaded 3 times per week. This adheres to the Frequency Principle. A loading stimulus for hypertrophy must be frequent enough to create a consistent ³environment² for the muscle to adapt to. If the muscle is loaded too infrequently, the muscle will adapt and then un-adapt before the stimulus is applied again.

• Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday are rest days. Light cardio (20-40 min.) may be performed on rest days. Incline treadmill (brisk walk) should be first choice.

• Rest is important. Although it is fine to experience some accumulation of fatigue, adequate and regular rest is important to avoid injuries and control stress.

Source: http://www.hypertrophy-specific.com

 

[NJL52]

Damn, that Kelly Bagget has alot of good information.

Strength training realy deviates into different directions when it comes down to athletics.

And thanks for the replies.

 

[b_light]

kabeetz, not all of that weight is going to be muscle.

 

[Protobuilder]

Damn, that Kelly Bagget has alot of good information.

Strength training realy deviates into different directions when it comes down to athletics.

And thanks for the replies.

True. Most guys on the 'net are training (a) for aesthetics, or (b) just for the love of the hobby. Training for sport is very different. Getting big, or getting strong, are just some of the variables of a very big equation. Strength-endurance, speed-strength, starting/stopping strength, endurance, skills training, power, etc. Depending on your sport and your position, those are all things that may/may not need time and work. Increasing your base strength levels is a precursor to most sport attributes, but depending on where you're at presently, you may or may not need bigger shoulders, or stronger thighs, for example. So, you've gotta' take internet training advice w/ a grain of salt, and focus on your particular goals. Frankly, you need a smart trainer, or some good books.

 

[NJL52]

True. Most guys on the 'net are training (a) for aesthetics, or (b) just for the love of the hobby. Training for sport is very different. Getting big, or getting strong, are just some of the variables of a very big equation. Strength-endurance, speed-strength, starting/stopping strength, endurance, skills training, power, etc. Depending on your sport and your position, those are all things that may/may not need time and work. Increasing your base strength levels is a precursor to most sport attributes, but depending on where you're at presently, you may or may not need bigger shoulders, or stronger thighs, for example. So, you've gotta' take internet training advice w/ a grain of salt, and focus on your particular goals. Frankly, you need a smart trainer, or some good books.

Yea I'm starting to realise this after the research I've done over the past few days.

So many variables: If I do 5x5 I'll get bigger but lose fast twitch, if I focus on fast twitch training I wont get as strong, if I only focus on fast twitch my endurance wont keep up, if I do too much endurance or too hard of endurance my explosiveness will recede, if I eat too much I'll put on too much fat, if I eat too little I will lose muscle etc etc etc.

Anyways, any athletes with some good testimonials to a successful plan?

 

[Protobuilder]

PM BiggT if he doesn't chime in.

You may want to pick up a copy of bill Starr's the STrongest Shall Survive, or may be find it at a local library. It's pretty cheap and probably covers a lot of your questions. It can seem complicated but maybe it shouldn't be too complicated at your level. I just wanted to point out that lifting weights will make you strong, but even teh fastest rep is still very very slow compared to an athletic movement. The whole force-velocity curve thing. So, use a good strength training program, depending on how much improvement your base strength needs, but don't let it swallow the other stuff, which are probably more important in the long run for your sport (e.g., benching 350 is less important than being reasonably strong and having highly-skilled footwork).