This school semester, like every semester you promised yourself that you are going to manage your time better and make room for the gym. But, like many students you find it can be difficult to fit the gym into your scattered schedule. Well I've got a solution for this dilemma. This summer, I came across a great workout that is quick, and can be easily fitted into your busy schedule. You'll also get to increase the amount you squat every week. It's called the 5x5 Strong Lift.
The great thing about the 5x5 Strong Lift routine, for a college student, is that you only have to workout three days a week for approximately 45 minutes. The workout is a great way to pass the time if you have a long break in between classes. The routine consists of five compound lifts: squat, bench press, barbell row, overhead press and the deadlift. During the week you will alternate between two workouts; Workout A: squat, bench press, barbell row, and Workout B: squat, overhead press, deadlift.
Your first week will look like this if you decide to start on a Monday:
Monday: Workout A: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Workout A: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
For the next week, it's the same thing except, you will do Workout B twice and Workout A once. It will look like this:
Monday: Workout B
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Workout A
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Work B
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
It's called the 5x5, because you will be doing five sets of five reps. Every day you workout, you increase the weight you did on every exercise by five pounds, except for deadlifts, which you have to increase the weight by 10 pounds. At the beginning of your 5x5 routine, it's recommended that you start at 50 percent of your one rep max, on each exercise. If you have never done any of these compound lifts before and are a complete beginner, it's recommended that you start with just the bar for every exercise. The key here is too start at a low weight to avoid getting sore and wanting to skip a day. It can be difficult to squat three times a week if your legs are sore. There's also nothing worse that having sore legs and having to walk across campus in only 5 minutes to make your next class on time.
The workout was based on a 5x5 routine, Arnold Schwarznegger's trainer, Reg Park created. If you have decided to take on this workout during the school year, I recommend you visit the website, www.stronglifts.com which was created by a guy named, Mehdi. He does a great job explaining the routine in depth, and provides an abundance of resources to help you reach your goals.
