5X5 WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM
I’ve listed many programs of weight training using light or heavy weights. Most programs should involve lifting weights to failure or close to it—meaning you continue the exercise until your muscles are so completely exhausted that you physically cannot perform another repetition with good form. The reason for this is to recruit more muscle fibers to complete the total amount of repetitions.
One program that can be performed is the 5×5 program. This program is very demanding and requires heavy weight with low reps. Because of this, two body parts can be done in one day with a day of rest in between.
The Schedule: example
Week 1: Mon., Wed., Fri., Sun.
Week 2: Tue., Thu., Sat. …and so on.
How to Perform the Program
• The Warm-Up: Always start with a light weight for a warm up set for at least 8-10 reps. If needed, do another warm up set before beginning the actual 5×5 program.
• The Weight: The program begins with adding as much weight as one can perform for 5 reps for the first set.
• The Rest: After, rest until you can breathe normally or if you can’t get 5 reps on the next set, then you will need a longer rest time.
Now that you have an idea of what the program consists of, I will illustrate the program breakdown.
PROGRAM BREAKDOWN
CHEST/TRICEPS (Monday)
• incline bench press 5×5
• flat db bench press 5×5
• flat bench EZ bar skull crushers 5×5
• standing 1 db overhead extension 5×5
BACK/BICEPS (Wednesday)
• standing barbell bent over row 5×5
• close grip seated pulldown 5×5
• standing barbell curl 5×5
• incline seated db hammer curl 5×5
QUADS/HAMSTRINGS (Friday)
- leg press 5×5
- hack squat 5×5
- leg curl 5×5
- barbell romanian deadlift 5×5
SHOULDERS/ABS (Sunday)
- Seated db press 5×5
- Db upright rows 5×5 Hanging straight leg raises 5×5
- Cable crunch 5×5
AS ALWAYS, STAY ACTIVE AND BE IN CONTROL OF YOUR MIND, BODY & SOUL
Paul Passino has a Bachelors of Science degree in human performance and sport with a health, education, and coaching minor, as well as 45 hours of sports administration and over 23 years of teaching P.E., weight training, and coaching.
