Ok, I'm not trying to be a power lifter by any stretch of the imagination but in a 2 week cycle, I do 3 full body workouts at 5x5. Here's what I did today...

Barbell Bench Press 5 x 5, (2 warmup sets 10,8) 5,5,5,3,5
Bent Over Row 5 x 5 ( warmup set 10) 6,5,5,5,6
Squat 5 x 5 (2 warmup sets 10,6) 4,5,5,3(dumped bar),5(lower weight)
Stiff Leg Dead Lift 5 x 5 ( warmup set 10)
Standing Calf Raise 2 x 5- missed these due to time constraints...
Leg Raise 3 x 12 bodyweight

firstly, is that too many warmup lifts? I think so on squats as the more of those I do, the shittier they feel(is that just obvious). But the distressing thing is that I added 7.5Kg to my Bench and it's not too far from my Squat PB - which means my legs are spindly sticks I stole from the stair case!

Is it best to stick to 5x5 when trying to increase max lifts, or is it preferential to go for lower reps even just getting 2 or 3 and dropping back for mopre reps?

I've had a look at some of the power guys journals and it seems rep counts aren't all that important at the bigger weights so long as you drop off and go for reps after...

That's it really, apart from to say it was interesting doing the 5x5, a new thing for me. Rest times were all approx 90 secs except squats, which were 120 and I'm thinking of increasing to 150-180 when doing the 5x5 in future...

warm up sets are defo needed for legs, BUT don't do too many reps. 3-6 reps max.

I'd do these bigger movements first too. Then by the timre you get to BORs you don't need to do warmups cos your SLDL have been done. Maybe just 1 warmup set.

cool - will do less warmups on the squats next time and maybe not have to dump the bar...

i wrote the above ion a hurry.

I meant to also clarify: warm up sets should be heavier than most people think. Or if the very first one is very light then just do, for squats say, 4-5 reps. Then keep the WU reps quite low. Esp if your working sets are low; makes sense right. These WU sets are for getting movement pattern sorted and loosening limbs eytc. Not working the muscles per say. Get some blood in but no serious damage.

tbh same is true for most WU sets imo.

health4ni wrote:i wrote the above ion a hurry.

I meant to also clarify: warm up sets should be heavier than most people think. Or if the very first one is very light then just do, for squats say, 4-5 reps. Then keep the WU reps quite low. Esp if your working sets are low; makes sense right. These WU sets are for getting movement pattern sorted and loosening limbs eytc. Not working the muscles per say. Get some blood in but no serious damage.

tbh same is true for most WU sets imo.

So for example, if doing 5*5, would you say a good warmup would be something like,

3*40% 1RM
2*60% 1RM
1*70% 1RM

then working sets at around 80-85% or is that too fast? think I need to experiment a little more and possibly put the squats at the start as these are the buggers I loathe although had a great time with them on 3*10 the other day... have another 7 cycles of training like this(approx 3 and half months)

As a general rule, work-up to a double of 90% of your first working set.

So if Squats were the first exercise of the workout:
5-6 reps 40% of first working set
4 reps 60%
2 reps 70%
2 reps 80%
2 reps 90%
and then begin the working sets.

That I would say is the extreme version. You could lose a couple of them, but it all depends on how you feel etc.

For subsequent exercises then a warmup might not be need; unless it works completely different muscle groups.

I start with the bar and then do three or four sets in roughly even increments toward my working weight.

Eg.

20 x 5
60 x 5
80 x 3
100 x 2
120 x 5 (working weight)