# Strong Lifts MadCow 5x5 program



## nissan11 (Jan 23, 2014)

Has anyone tried the madcow 5x5 program? 

I have made no progress in 1RM on flat bench press in 6 months, despite being sore for 3 days following every chest exercise hence the reason I'm interested in the madcow 5x5 program. I have made tons of progress everywhere else but just can not lift more weight off the bench. I have been changing up my chest workout every couple of weeks, mixing and matching dumb bell exercises with bar bell exercises, high rep low weight and low rep high weight but nothing has seemed to make me stronger. In fact, for the last 3 weeks I have actually done 1 rep a week less than the previous week. 

I think my changing around the movements could be my biggest problem so I want to get on a solid plan and stick with it for a while to see what happens. I like the fact that the madcow 5x5 program has a spreadsheet that calculates exactly what Im supposed to lift every day, and how many times. However, I am confused as to how I can squat 3x a week and still be able to walk, when after my current leg days I am sore for 3 days. Any experience with this program?


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## nissan11 (Jan 24, 2014)

OK, here is my other big concern besides squatting 3x a week. 

With this program only including 5 compound movements, how are my biceps and triceps going to grow? What about my calves? Abs? Traps?

I understand the big movements work the whole body, for example triceps getting worked on flat bench press, but it does not seem like enough of a workout for my arms, especially biceps. Should I try the program and add a training day to include biceps, calves and abs? Maybe this is not the right program for me and I should look for something that includes these compound lifts, just not multiple times a week which would make room for exercising other muscle groups?


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## GreatGunz (Jan 24, 2014)

Hello and welcome!
The strong lifts 5x5 is good program to get started in strength training.........I used the program then moved on to a 5/3/1 .
This program will have you building strength and muscle in a couple months.

By squating 3 x a week u can still walk u will get used to it.
Ur weights are gonna start low and climb steady and slow.

Do u have an iPhone?
You can get the stronglifts app for it...... It will do everything but pick up the weights for u.
POB got me to start it I never looked back.

Be honest to ur self on ur 1rm if u really wanna grow.


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## nissan11 (Jan 24, 2014)

Thanks for the reply. But what about the muscle groups not specifically targeted by the big compound lifts? As shallow as this sounds, I dont JUST want to get stronger, I want to get bigger. Im sure I will get a bigger chest, back, legs and shoulders with the programs, but wont my biceps and calves be left in the dust?

Also I do have an iphone, I will look into that app.


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## PillarofBalance (Jan 24, 2014)

nissan11 said:


> Thanks for the reply. But what about the muscle groups not specifically targeted by the big compound lifts? As shallow as this sounds, I dont JUST want to get stronger, I want to get bigger. Im sure I will get a bigger chest, back, legs and shoulders with the programs, but wont my biceps and calves be left in the dust?
> 
> Also I do have an iphone, I will look into that app.



Bench uses the bicep a lot more than people realize.  And if you squat properly (spread the floor) your calves will grow.  Focus on the compounds. That is what makes you grow. Not curls or calf raises. You can do them as accessories after you destroy yourself with a compound lift.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Jan 24, 2014)

PillarofBalance said:


> Bench uses the bicep a lot more than people realize.  And if you squat properly (spread the floor) your calves will grow.  Focus on the compounds. That is what makes you grow. Not curls or calf raises. You can do them as accessories after you destroy yourself with a compound lift.



Great advice from POB. 

I would just add that if you're a beginner you can make faster progress on a beginner workout like Starting strength where progression is workout to workout. Madcow/Bill Starr 5x5 is weekly progression geared more towards intermediate lifters.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 24, 2014)

Docd187123 said:


> Great advice from POB.
> 
> I would just add that if you're a beginner you can make faster progress on a beginner workout like Starting strength where progression is workout to workout. Madcow/Bill Starr 5x5 is weekly progression geared more towards intermediate lifters.



As a beginner you should be adding 5lbs to bench and OH press every training session. 10 to squat and 15 to Deads. When you get to a workout where you don't make your reps, deload the weight back, and start building up again. You should be able to get through 2-3 deloads before you need to move to more intermediate programming.

The little 2 1/2 lb plates might look small, but they equal progress, and the weight starts to move up quickly.


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## DocDePanda187123 (Jan 24, 2014)

DieYoungStrong said:


> As a beginner you should be adding 5lbs to bench and OH press every training session. 10 to squat and 15 to Deads. When you get to a workout where you don't make your reps, deload the weight back, and start building up again. You should be able to get through 2-3 deloads before you need to move to more intermediate programming.
> 
> The little 2 1/2 lb plates might look small, but they equal progress, and the weight starts to move up quickly.



EXACTLY 100% my point. After several weeks or months you'll need to make smaller incremental jumps but the progress is still there. I bought a microplate kit with weights as small as 1/8lb, 1/4lb, 3/8lb, 1/2lb, 3/4lb, 1lb, 1 1/14lb and 1 1/2lb lol. I can make my increments as small or as large as I want.


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## nissan11 (Jan 24, 2014)

This program does not have a week listed for deload, just 12 weeks of lifting. If I stall out do I just take a week to deload, or do I attempt the same weight again the following week?


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## Pinkbear (Jan 24, 2014)

Whenever I stalled I would drop like 5lbs and start again, that's just me.
Felt lighter so I would get my confidence back and pass the old weight.
Head games


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## DocDePanda187123 (Jan 24, 2014)

nissan11 said:


> This program does not have a week listed for deload, just 12 weeks of lifting. If I stall out do I just take a week to deload, or do I attempt the same weight again the following week?



That's bc you only perform deloads when progress stalls for a couple of consecutive workouts. This program is also not a 12wm program. You use it until you stall, deload, progress again, deload when you stall, etc. After a few deloads progress will probably be maxed out and it will be time for different programming. 

For deloads you will drop the plateaued lifts by ~10% and work back up to your sticking point and hopefully push past it. Do not take a week off as a deload.


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## nissan11 (Jan 24, 2014)

So if I stall on one exercise, like bench press, I would not deload the other exercises in which I was still making progress with until I stalled at those as well?
Is deload all or none for this program?


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 24, 2014)

nissan11 said:


> So if I stall on one exercise, like bench press, I would not deload the other exercises in which I was still making progress with until I stalled at those as well?
> Is deload all or none for this program?



Only deload the exercise you are stalled on at first. Once you start progressing into more advanced programming, there will be systematic deloads.


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## nissan11 (Jan 27, 2014)

Tonight was day 1 of the program for me. All 3 exercises were fairly easy to hit hit all the reps, just like its supposed to be for the first 3 weeks. 


As of 1-27-14 for the start of the program my 1RM's are:

Flat Bench Press- 235

Squat- 385

Row- 220

Dead Lift- 410

Shoulder Press- 165


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## Itburnstopee (Mar 16, 2016)

Why did this get bumped if the last post is from 2014?


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