How to Build Muscle With the 5-by-5 System

Muscle-building plans are nearly as plentiful as fad diets. There's always someone touting a revolutionary new system that will work best to build muscles fast. The 5-by-5 system, developed back in the 1960s, is a great power- and muscle-building system that isn't used much anymore, but is no less effective than many of the "newer" systems out today. Here's how to build muscle using the 5-by-5 system.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Choose exercises that will hit all the major muscle groups, since you will be doing only five sets of five repetitions for each exercise. A basic workout routine for the 5-by-5 system includes bench presses, squats, overhead (or shoulder) presses, barbell rows, barbell curls and dead lifts.

2. Select the heaviest weight that you can lift five times for five sets. The principle behind the 5-by-5 system is to work your muscles hard with heavy weight and low repetitions to maximize muscle growth and power.

3. Set up two workouts (A and B). A can be squats, barbell presses and barbell rows. Workout B can be overhead presses, barbell curls and dead lifts. Work out Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.

4. Alternate workouts A and B. For instance, in week 1 do workout A on Monday and Friday and workout B on Wednesday. The next week, do workout B on Monday and Friday and workout A on Wednesday.

5. Warm up with a lighter weight. Do two sets of 20 repetitions each of the same exercise you will be doing using the 5-by-5 system. For instance, warm up for the bench press with two sets of 20 using 125 lb., rest about a minute and a half, then do five sets of five repetitions using 250 lb.

6. Complete each exercise for either workout on the selected days. Rest about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes between each set, and about 3 minutes between different exercises. Increase the weight for each exercise by about 10 percent every week.

Tips & Warnings

• Change exercises slightly to decrease the risk of putting too much stress on the body; for instance, in one workout do a flat bench press and on the next an incline press, or do barbell rows one workout and dumbbell rows the next.
• Try doing all six exercises in one workout twice per week, with at least 2 days of rest in between (for example, work out Monday and Thursday).
• Do not attempt the 5-by-5 system if you have never lifted weights before. This is an intense workout, and your body should be used to working out with heavy weights before trying this system.
• Do not do the 5-by-5 system for longer than 12 weeks, and always take at least 2 weeks off from working out after completing 12 weeks using this system for the body to fully recuperate.

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[mappletree]

on 4/5/2009 great advise I agree with 5x5 workouts i use them i just think the warm up might deplete to much energy if you are lifting near your max weight some stretches might help instead.