

Exceptions can be made if you have injuries that prevent you from doing certain exercises. These exercises are the bread and butter of weight lifting, and this program is designed for beginners. Generally no, but there are some exceptions. If you have to start light, then so be it, but you should not skip deadlifts.Ĭan I substitute exercises for similar ones? This is a very low deadlift volume, and therefore you have nothing to worry about in terms of injury or fatigue. In this program, you will be doing one set of deadlifts for five reps. Yes, in this case, you should definitely be deadlifting. Some of these questions were answered by Blaha himself, others are based on prior knowledge. After researching forums and other websites, I put together the following FAQ. Regardless, the program is quite popular and many people ask questions about the layout. I am not the creator of this program, Jason Blaha is. For the sets of 8 or 10, choose a weight that challenges you but also allows good form. The goal is to go heavier on your compounds because you’re only doing 5 reps. Ice cream fitness does a great job of incorporating multiple compound lifts, which are crucial for novices.Ĭlose grip bench press – 3 sets of 8 repsĪs you can tell, you’re taking care of all of your major compound lifts with this program.
5X5 REST TIME HOW TO
Now that you know how to set up the program, it’s time to give an overview of the exercises. The nice thing about ICF 5×5 is that you generally get weekends off while hitting each muscle group effectively. You will alternate like this for 12 weeks, or until you’re done with the program. *Both men and women can do this program, there is no gender limitation*īecause this program is designed to be 3 days each week, your workout split would look something like this.įollowing the second week, you will go back to the first week’s routine where you hit workout A twice. Optional Supplements: Creatine, whey, pre-workout. Required equipment: Barbell, dumbbells, cable machine. No matter what you do, don’t do too much, too hard.Training Experience: Beginner to Intermediateĭuration: 12 weeks, although you could go longer. If you must go to the gym, then do a "bro" day of arms and abs. Any others can be "active rest" days of low-impact cardio, swimming, walking, hiking, or yoga.
5X5 REST TIME FULL
Take the approach recommended by Nick Tumminello, contributor and creator of the True Muscle program: One day of full rest each week is mandatory.Make fitness fun! Play a sport with friends, do something active you wouldn’t normally do, or try a new activity or low-intensity fitness class.Any of the stuff listed above, including doing nothing.Go for a walk or do some light mobility work to get the blood flowing and decrease soreness.If your budget and schedule allow, book a massage or some body work with a physical therapist.Read what’s new on to find new techniques, recipes, stay motivated, and more!.Prep your meals for the next 2-3 days or more.Take an ice bath, a favorite of bodybuilder and triathlete Kris Gethin (but not for everyone).Give muscular therapy a shot! Take a hot bath, sit in a hot tub, or try a contrast shower (30 seconds hot, 30 seconds cold for a few minutes).In fact, if you’ve been pushing really hard in the gym, you might gain something by taking it easy! After all, training just pushes you toward your fitness goals, but rest and proper nutrition are required to get past the finish line. Here’s how to navigate them: What to do on a much-needed rest day: Rest days come in two forms: There’s the one you can’t wait for, and the one you’d rather skip so you can get back to the gym! As you get increasingly serious about your training and goals, you’ll experience both types many times.
