Ho ho ho! The StrongLifts 5x5 Tracker for iPhone/iPod is now available on iTunes. You can download it for free by going here right now:

CLICK HERE for StrongLifts 5x5 iPhone/iPod App

With this app you'll never again need paper and pen in the gym. What's more, the app will automatically tell you which workout to do, which exercises and with how much weight. It will even tell you when to deload, and how weight weight to use when you deload. It's not exactly like me coaching you, but we're getting closer to it.

It's all free, there's no need to subscribe, no upsell, no crosssell, no ads, no anything. Consider it my Christmas gift for you. Just get it here:

CLICK HERE for StrongLifts 5x5 iPhone/iPod App

Got to run now, by Grandma unfortunately passed away this week and her funeral is in one hour. Talk to you later.

Merry Christmas,

Mehdi

P.S. Check out the feedback we've already received about the StrongLifts 5x5 app:

"Perfectly Elegant! The perfect app for this type of workout. No disrespect to others who want to be able to modify the exercises but that doesn't make sense. This is for the Stronglifts 5x5 exercise program only. And for that is is perfectly and elegantly designed. Bravo! And thanks!" - THOMAS MAZZONE

"Great, simple tracker for the StrongLifts program. Easy to use and the design is great!" - Igor Zlobinsky

"So easy to use!! Wow this makes the 5x5 program so much easier to follow! Been waiting for this forever." - Jasons

"I just downloaded it for my iPod and it ROCKS!" - Matthew Gerberding

Get the StrongLifts 5x5 Tracker for iPhone/iPod by going here: (it's free)

CLICK HERE for StrongLifts 5x5 iPhone/iPod App

P.P.S. Regarding Android: after talking with an android developer about this, I decided to not pursue android at this moment and stick with iphone/ipod. Here's why: the Android platform is fragmented - different phones, different screen sizes, etc... and this makes it more complicated to support as a result.

My advice is to get an iPod Touch. It doesn't have phone features, so this way you don't get people texting/phoning you when you're in the gym, and you don't get distracted during your training.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Check out the screenshots...

Screenshots of the soon to be released StrongLifts 5x5 Application to track your workouts with your iPhone/iPod

What The StrongLifts 5x5 Workout Tracker Does:

• App will tell you how much weight to lift each StrongLifts 5x5 Workout
• Easily record weight/set/reps achieved on StrongLifts 5x5
• Auto-deload if you hit a plateau on one of your lifts
• Keep track of bodyweight + dates of workout
• View history of past workouts
• Works in lb and kilograms

So you won't need to take pen and paper with you anymore to the gym... and the app will do most of the thinking for you so you can focus on the lifting. If you're an iPhone user: just make sure you use the airplane mode - this isn't an excuse to start picking up the phone when training (that's why I recommend the iPod).

This App Looks Amazing! But Much Will It Cost Mehdi?
It will cost nothing. The StrongLifts 5x5 Workout Tracker will be 100% free. Here's why: what you measure you can improve. I strongly believe that you'll get even better results with StrongLifts 5x5 if you track you workouts, and I want your success story because of the bragging rights. That's why the 5x5 report always came with spreadsheets. This app will just make tracking a lot easier so I believe it's essential part of StrongLifts 5x5.

Okay I'm Sold! Where Do I Download This Mehdi?
It's going to be available on iTunes very soon. The StrongLifts 5x5 app is made, I'm just waiting for Apple's approval and then we're good to go. So it should be available around Christmas time. I'll put a message here as soon as it's up so you can download it for free and start using it.

Talk soon,

"Santa" Mehdi

P.S. Regarding Android: after talking with an android developer about this, I decided to not pursue android at this moment and stick with iphone/ipod. Here's why: the Android platform is fragmented - different phones, different screen sizes, etc... and this makes it more complicated to support as a result.

My advice is to get an iPod Touch. It doesn't have phone features, so this way you don't get people texting/phoning you when you're in the gym, and you don't get distracted during your training.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

This one is from Ashok (27y, India) who gained 1,5" on his chest and went from size 29 pants to 32... while losing his belly fat and without even being consistent at StrongLifts 5x5. Please read his amazing story.

###

Mehdi,

I am Ashok, 27 yrs old from India. I have an IT job, and has been a desk jockey for 6 years now.

I didnt lose arm wrestling to a girl. But when I was 14, I chickened out from a dare to do so to this girl from school. I grew up as a weakling; always the skinniest kid in class. I started working out around 10 years ago, when I was about 17.5 years. Split routines, machines etc, which need less to say stalled any kind of progress I was having. I used to squat, much like you. But I used to stall in 4 weeks every time and stopped working out.

But I enjoyed working out. On and off, I used to work out, like one month in a year. Nevertheless, I always lost interest.

It was difficult finding clothes for me, cos for my height, ( 5'11"), I was around 58-62kgs and was too skinny. To top that, years of alcohol and sitting gave me a belly. For years, I used to scoot off when someone took out a camera. For years, I was too shy to play soccer or go swimming cos I would have to wear shorts. I was thoroughly disappointed each time I visited my parents cos they always said I have gotten worse than last time.

Then, I discovered StrongLifts 5x5. I have never been able to do SL5x5 for more than 8 weeks for a variety of reasons which I am working hard at. Too few gyms in this part of the world let you squat and deadlift without problem. And I cant build my own gym cos I work at a city I am trying to get out of.

I am more or less regularly working out for 6 months, and managed to reach a squat of 100kg, deadlift of 117.5 kg, bench of 70 kg. Always been doing SL5x5 for 8 weeks, then break for 2 weeks and then again. I know, the only reason I am progressing only this much is because I am not doing it right. I will, soon.

Writing this letter to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am getting married next week to my girlfriend of 7 years. Last week, watching me over the webcam, she said that I had an impressive back !! Last time when I visited my parents, they said they cant believe how better I look. Every friend who has not seen me for a few months is taken aback at my transformation, and asks me for advice. I am enjoying every bit of the new found attention.

6 months back ( I was working out for a month then) for my engagement, when the tailor measured my shoulders it was 19". Last week, it was measured for a new suit, and it was an impressive 20.5 inches. All the while, my belly has reduced, all my size 29 custom pants dont even climb up my thighs, and size 32 off the rack fits perfectly for me. In fact it gets a little tight around the thighs which I absolutely am happy about. I am no longer shy to show my legs, and people always ask how long I had been working out looking at my back.

Thanks for teaching me the following lessons.

1. Squats rule.
2. All that matters for me now is how much I lift.
3. A six pack is nothing but a fancy name for sick. I have never dieted and have a flat belly now. Eating like a horse that is.
4. The importance of milk and eggs.
5. For the first time I did deadlifts in my life. It took me two months to get the technique right. But it was all worth it. My back says it out loud.

My old clothes have all been suddenly rendered useless. In fact I am actually spending too much now on clothes because every two months, they get tighter around shoulders and lats and thighs. Am I loving it or not ?? He he he, if you also wrote down a page on how to make more money to buy more clothes, that would have been great !!

Just kidding.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

Ashok.

###

Good job Ashok. Especially since you got results without even doing StrongLifts 5x5 consistently. Just proves how powerful this training program is. As far as how to make money for clothes: get a second job. That's what I did back when I was employed as IT support, did sidejobs and sold stuff on eBay, and ended up earning more than all those corporate douchebags. No something for nothing.

If you haven’t claimed your free copy of the 5×5 report, please download it now by clicking here (…and remember to send me your success story like Ashok did so I can publish it on the blog, it will motivate all the other StrongLifters).

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

John Warfield from Jackson in Michigan USA just emailed me his results with StrongLifts 5x5. Get this: in only 9 months he accomplished a 325lb Squat and 415lb Deadlift... at age 50! Read his amazing story.

###

Mehdi,

You've changed my life, and my wife's life, in a major ways.

About two years ago I weighed 300 pounds and had a third chin growing. Seeing myself in pictures disgusted me and almost made me cry. I felt ashamed of my body and mind.

A year later of almost daily hour long cardio sessions, I had dropped to 200 pounds, and my energy level was soaring. However, looking in the mirror and seeing a still "loose" physique and hanging skin made me wince. Not knowing any better I embarked on adding the entire round of weight machines to shore up my body -- improve strength and pull up the loose spots.

The machines, at light weights, helped for a while, and I started to show definition that I'd never possessed before. However, as the weights grew, my muscles didn't really. Trying to increase to heavy weights on machines, with such restricted movements and no stabilizer invovlements, was both stupid and dangerous. The machines, especially the leg machines, tended to create large balls of muscle that only really worked about a third of the muscle length. I had huge globs above my knees, and balled hamstrings that always tended to cramp. One day, while "curling" with my hamstrings on the reverse leg lift, I felt one of the hamstring bands snap over another, and the pain was excruciating. I knew I couldn't keep that up.

I started hodgepodges of split routines... I benched on the smith machines... I "squatted" on the smith machines... But strength results did NOT follow, only injuries. I thought I was hot stuff 1/3 squatting 250 pounds on the smith machine with the large shoulder pad, but my hamstrings were laughing at me while my thighs were crying. I didn't know "squat" and felt unfulfilled and guilty for not being able to find a path to my max potential.

Searching for an answer brought me to StrongLifts about a 9 months ago. I really wanted to go with compound lifting, but having never lifted free weights before I was afraid. But you laid it out so plain and simple, and showed how starting with the bar was going to give me the technique to master the weights -- so I jumped in with both feet.

I started everything with the bar, and built, and built. After completing the first round of StrongLifts 5x5, I had gained 10 pounds of muscle in my legs. The muscle is sooooooo different. The entire strands have grown thicker and stronger. It's NOT bodybuilder muscle, it's growth along the entire length, and all stabilizer muscles as well. My hamstrings have gotten so healthy I can do sprints with ease. My legs, arms and chest have grown in this way, while my waist has shrunk still more, and my "looseness" from weight loss has all but disappeared. My abs and torso muscles are thick and powerful. Having once been a size 50 waist, I am now a comfortable 35.

My wife was so impressed with the results we started her on the program. After 4 babies and stubborn extra weight, she was desperate for fat loss and firmness. Her belly muscles, when pregnant, really got pulled apart and doctors had told her that there was nothing she could do to pull them back in and rehab her lower gut. But having had me blast her with a good Mehdi "BULLSHIT" and seeing the results I had achieved, she jumped in. We started training together and she has lost 15 pounds, transferred countless more pounds from fat to muscle, down-sized clothing three times, and shows leg muscles of an olympic champion. She's proud of herself and I am very proud of her.

We are currently on MadCow for intermediate, which has allowed both of us to break through plateaus in squats and deadlifts.

I'm 50 years old, 6'1", 212 pounds, and on Monday I deep squatted 325 pounds (x5). Today I deadlifted 415 pounds (x5). Having done this made me want to write. We can't thank you enough for publishing the StrongLifts site and providing encouragement. We have fallen in love with squats and now love our bodies like we have never imagined we could. We've had to endure the no-squatters, the knee blowers, the unsolicited advice givers, the curlers in the power rack, etc... and now are able to withstand the barrage of negativity that comes from the majority of gym goers...

But when we complete our lifts and walk past the naysayers with the squat or deadlift body/mind pump and steel torso, they shut up -- and silence truly is golden.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

John Warfield
Jackson, Michigan USA

###

Awesome story John. Your results prove that any guy can achieve a 300lb Squat and 400lb Deadlift within a year (heck, you did it in only 9 months) IF using the RIGHT kind of methods - obviously StrongLifts 5x5, it's simply the most powerful training program on the entire Internet.

If you haven't claimed your free copy of the 5x5 report, please download it now by clicking here (...and remember to send me your success story like John did so I can publish it on the blog, it will motivate all the other StrongLifters).

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

If the StrongLifts 5x5 program is so unbelievably effective, why doesn't EVERYONE at the gym use it?

Because the majority is always wrong. Most people struggle with money, have bad relationships and are out-of-shape fat slobs. Quite bluntly, their life sucks. Yet they copy eachother likes monkeys and give unsolicited advice at every single opportunity they get. Worse, they feel compelled to criticize us and call us freaks, even though we're actually getting results. They're nuts.

Look, when I joined the gym in 1999, I was completely clueless. Everybody was doing split routines. So I did split routines. And, guess what? After 17 weeks of relentless benching and curling, I had almost no results to show for, hit a brick wall and my motivation was shattered. I swear I’ve sat on the bench, right after struggling to get my normal reps, one emotional hair-trigger away from tossing the barbell into the mirror and never stepping into a gym again.

Now, I'm no a genius, but I quickly figured out there was something wrong with the way I trained. So I sought for help, met my mentor, started doing Squats and that's how I surpassed all the other guys in the gym in record time.

Today, it's obvious to me and all my StrongLifts Members that Squats are quite simply imperative to put on rock-hard muscle and real-world strength as fast as humanly possible. Nevertheless, most gym guys don't do Squats and the few who Squat do frigging partials because "Squatting deep is bad for your knees"...

Consequently, these same guys never achieve the physique and strength they want, spin their wheels for weeks, get burned with bogus supplement because they thought that was the missing ingredient and eventually quit.

Yet everybody keeps copying everyone, expecting different results, but making the exact same mistakes like fish biting into a hook. Einstein called that insanity, expecting different results from doing the same thing over and over. Nuts.

The truth is that most guys have no idea what they're doing, why they're doing it and don't ever realize it isn't even working. Heck, they won't take the time to read an actual book on how to train, but read muscle magazines supplement catalogs in disguise, while calling you a bookworm for educating yourself.

Earl Nightingale said that whenever you have no idea how to achieve your goal, a foolproof technique is to look at how the overwhelming majority tackles the problem and do the exact opposite. Fact is, most people are dead wrong.

I do my best to follow that advice, so should you. Dare to be different.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

The books great, but your explanation of high rep and isolation has me confused.

Powerlifters are some of the strongest men in the world, but when at low body fats like a bodybuilder, they generally don't compare to bodybuilders who lift less in terms of mass.

Are you really denying the possibility of emphasizing sarcoplasmic hypertrophy over myofibrillar, do you really think steroids is the only reason programs that focus on high rep with lots of exercises work? Are you sure that your experience with high rep and isolation wasn't negative because of overtraining? It certainly sounds that way.

I'm not denying the benefit of heavy lifting, I think it can allow bodybuilders to get past a plateau with their high rep sets and other exercises, allowing them to lift more in those sets (as well as offering it's own hypertrophy benefits), therefore indirectly increasing the hypertrophy benefit of those sets and exercises.

I also think the 5 compound lifts you introduce in stronglifts 5x5 should be the starting point for any strength athlete or bodybuilder, but I don't think high rep sets and isolation are evil or worthless.

It's a matter of context. The large majority of guys in mainstream gyms cannot Squat 300lb or Deadlift 400lb. Heck, they can't even Squat 225lb/Deadlift 300lb. So for them - unless they're one of the bozo's shooting up the juice, or just genetic freaks - high reps and isolation exercises are completely worthless.

Here's why: it's scientifically-proven that strength is size. Anecdotally, the best-built guys are always the ones with a strength background. In fact, one of the best bodybuilders ever, Arnold Schwarzenegger, started as an Olympic lifter and Powerlifter BEFORE turning to bodybuilding. These two pics prove it...

Arnold Schwarzenegger started as a Powerlifter, winning two competitions between 1966 and 1968, before winning his first Mr Olympia Bodybuilding title in 1970.

Like Ronnie Coleman, 8x Mr Olympia and 800lb Deadlifter, once said "Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder but nobody wanna lift no heavy weight!" Even Arnold's life-long mentor, 3x Mr Universe Reg Park (who was born before steroids even existed) could Deadlift 700lb, Squat 605lb and Bench Press 500lb.

Today, there's obviously Layne Norton, life-time drug-free lifter like myself, pro bodybuilder and yet also a national powerlifting record holder in the Squat and Deadlift (Layne's best lifts: 584lb Squat, 364lb Bench Press, 700lb Deadlift).

Layne Norton, life-time drug-free pro bodybuilder champion and national powerlifting record holder in the Squat and Deadlift.

As far as my first 5 years of high reps, isolation exercises and machines goes: I GOT results because, unlike most guys in the gym, I did heavy Squats and Bench Press from the start. My mentor also taught me to constantly try to add more weight than last time. The only negative about it was:

1. I hit a brick wall - because I trained to failure every single workout, every week, 52 weeks a year. Never heard of deload.
2. I trained 5 times per week for up to 3 hours a day - hard to have a life outside the gym when you're training one muscle a day.
3. I got bored - I wasn't getting any stronger (yet I was full of injuries) and grew old and tired of training for the 6 pack.

Listen, I started going to the gym because I was skinny-fat. But once my man boobs and belly fat were gone, and I had gained several pounds of muscle, that motivation was gone. I needed something else to keep me motivated. And since I was no longer STUDENT but had a Coporate IT job working shifts & weekends, I simply didn't have the time anymore to train 5x/week for up to 3h/day.

Seven years ago I started focusing on strength instead of aesthetics. Ironically, I look better now even though I no longer care, routinely have people ask me if I lift weights and still have a 6 pack even though I don't do frigging situps ever. All those results in half the time spent in the gym, and without the frustration of looking strong but not actually being strong. I'm not going back, ever.

Look, I'm not going to BS you: if you prefer to be a bodybuilder, you'll also have to do high reps and isolation. Just remember that the best bodybuilders almost always have a strength background because strength equals size. You'll never be able to lift heavy weights when doing 3 sets of 10 reps with a single joint exercise like dumbbell flies. You need heavy Benching, Squatting and Deadlifts.

Just get strong, eat mostly whole foods and repeat. Unless you're one of those insecure, narcissistic gym rats, you'll be more than happy with how you look and never have to worry about that hypertrophy nonsense. I certainly don't.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hey Mehdi,

I'm from Florida, 22 years old, 6'1" at 195 pounds, and currently squatting 235 lbs 5x5. My question is regarding deadlifts, at which I'm currently lifting 245. I've been stuck several times around this weight, and it's entirely because of my grip strength. With the double overhand grip, it invariably starts to fail around the fourth rep and the fifth often feels too weak to attempt.

I've read your article on how to boost grip strength and it's helped a great deal, and my grip strength is increasing, just. very. slowly. While screwing around in a bout of frustration, I found that I could pull 315 with a mixed grip quite easily for reps. Every part of my body besides my grip seems ready for more weight.

So, I would just switch to mixed grip, but I feel I'm at far too light a weight to start doing that. So my question is, should I accept the slow gains on my deadlift in the interest of bringing my grip "up to par," or should I go ahead and adopt other measures such as chalk and a mixed grip in order to start pushing my big mover muscles?

Thanks,
Will

You should definitely use chalk, white knuckling (squeeze the bar hard) and the mixed grip so you can keep adding weight on your Deadlifts. Here's why:

1. The goal is NOT to build grip strength only. The goal is to build full body strength. If you need specific grip training, do that separately.
2. It's not like your grip will be weak if you can Deadlift 400lb with a mixed grip. Your hands will get stronger from pulling that weight.

Start using the mixed grip on your last Deadlift set, but keep using the normal grip on your warm-up sets which should be like this: 5x135lb, 5x175lb, 5x210lb. So up to 210lb you pull with a normal grip, the 245lb with a mixed grip.

Use white knuckling on every single set and try to Deadlift all your warm-up sets without chalk. If you can't pull your last warm-up set with the normal grip, chalk your hands (get an eco ball if your gym doesn't allow it). If you still can't Deadlift it, use the frigging mixed grip so you can pull that weight and get all your reps.

It would make sense to start adding 10 pounds per workout to your Deadlifts since you say you can already pull 315lb AND assuming your technique is right. Meaning: add 10lb every time you Deadlift, then switch back to 5lb increments once you're past 315lb. This will speed up your strength and muscle gains.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hi Mehdi,

During your suggested 12 week "trial" of StrongLifts 5x5 should I stall on any of the lifts? What is the statistics for people that make it through all twelve weeks without stalling? I only ask because I am certain I will stall soon (I start week 9 on Monday).

I know you outline the order for which one can expect lifts to stall so I guess the more general question is at what week should most lifters begin to stall (on any lift) in the 5x5 program?

Thanks,
Greg

How can you be "certain" that you will plateau? You have no idea of what you're capable of until you try. More than once I've coached guys, swearing they were about to hit a brick wall, and who then (to their surprise but not mine) achieved 5x5 MORE EASILY than last workout... even though they lifted 5lb more.

To answer your question: there are guys hitting a plateau their very first week on StrongLifts 5x5 because they ignored my advice and started too heavy. There are also guys hitting plateaus in the fifth week because they ignored my advice and tried to run 27 miles a week on top of StrongLifts 5x5. And there are other guys like StrongLifts Member Norman (44y, Texas) still adding weight every workout 21 months in on StrongLifts 5x5, with a 560lb Squat.

As you can guess, some guys never hit a plateau at all the first 12 weeks, just like others stall all over the place. The majority of guys will hit a plateau on the Overhead Press and Bench the first 12 weeks but not everyone will stall on the Squat and Deadlift during that same period. I have not bothered collecting statistics (and will most likely never do so) about this, because...

1. Hitting plateaus is not the end of the world, it's part of the game. And if you read George Leonard's MASTERY you know it's where the real fun is.
2. Some would say it's looking for excuses to be mediocre instead of asking the right question - what can you do in order not to hit a plateau?

After all, doesn't it make more sense to look at the things you can do in order not to hit plateaus, instead of worrying about how many guys are stalling? If it does, here are 5 things you should look at...

1. Eat - no way you're going to achieve a 225lb Squat in 12 weeks if you're eating 1300 calories a day. Eat 3000kcal minimum.
2. Sleep - chronic lack of sleep impairs recovery, kills motivation and will make you feel weak. Sleep 8h a night on average.
3. Prioritize - running 4 times a week plus StrongLifts 5x5 is too much, too soon. Do StrongLifts 5x5 for 12 weeks, then add stuff.
4. Accelerate - lifting slow just doesn't work for strength gains. Accelerate the bar as fast as you can, especially on your warm-up sets.
5. Tape - tricks like using your hips properly can easily boost your Squat by 30lb almost overnight. Tape yourself, best way to master technique.

Obviously, a POSITIVE MINDSET is crucial. Because if you don't even believe that you can do it, if you actually expect to fail, then what do you think will happen? I'm sure some guys will share in the comments how they thought they wouldn't make it, but then blew themselves away by doing it. So could you.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hi Mehdi,

First of all I must say that I LOVE your site. It is of great inspiration for me and I'm reading all of your posts. Congratulations with what you have achieved here, really impressive!

I am a 34 year old Norwegian who has been doing your StrongLifts 5x5 program for about 4 months. I'm 179cm tall and my bodyweight is now 79kg. Currently I'm doing 5x5 of 80kg in squats, 1x5 140kg of deadlift and just yesterday manage 5x5 85kg in bench. I have reduced my bodyweight from 85kg and my man boobs are gone and close to all my belly fat. I've gain so much confidence from this as I've started to get compliments at work for my "new" body shape. I love this side effect of your program.

I am also quite happy with my progress in the gym but I have issues with my squats as I can't seem to get any progress any more. I've been doing 80 kg for months now and when I put on more weight my technique starts to fail and I can't hold good form. I started out doing ass-to-grass style squats but I've now changed to parallel and hope that this will help my progress. I seem to need work on my new form as I still can't get pass the 80kg plateau.

Any comments to my squat issue is appreciated. I am still doing good progress in deadlift but I can't put on 2,5 kg every week on the bench anymore. Do you think it is time for me to move on to a new program? I've been doing weight training on and off for years so I feel that my form is good in most exercises (except squats that I've only started with 4 months ago).

Thanks and best regards

Espen

Thanks for the words of encouragement. And amazing job finally losing your man boobs and belly fat. I too started feeling much more confident after finally eliminating my moobs and pot belly more than a decade ago.

Your question - Technique issues you solve by doing that exercise more, not by substituting it. I'm going to assume your logic was that you can Squat more low bar and thus break your plateau by switching to parallel Squats. But, as you've come to realize, parallel Squats have a different bar position, different torso alignment and thus a different technique than "Ass-To-Grass" Squats. That's why if you don't know how to use your muscles correctly when Squatting low bar, the same weight isn't necessarily going to feel easier.

It would have made more sense to suck up the ego and lower the weight by 20% so you can master technique, instead of continuing the same weight. But, again, you shouldn't have switched to low bar Squats in the first place because form issues are always solved by Squatting more, NOT substituting the lift.

Stick with whatever Squat version you're doing now (my guess is low bar) and start taping yourself so you understand what it is you're doing wrong. Practice perfect technique on your warm-up sets, maybe do extra warm-up sets until it feels right. Once on your work sets, keep your technique perfect even if that means you'll miss reps. Focus, squeeze everything and lift fast.

Don't switch to Madcow 5x5 yet - your Bench is stronger than your Squat, you need to fix that before moving on. And since this is a technique issue, Squatting 3x/week is the best way to master technique. You don't even need to switch to 3x5 yet (in fact, almost all StrongLifts Members switch when they can Squat at least 200lb, usually around 225lb, and many only switch at the 300lb mark).

Deadlift switch from 1x5 to 1x3 and start Deadlifting once per week (1x/week Barbell Rows, 1x/week Pull-ups). Bench Press switch to 3x5 (then 1x5) and use smaller increments. This should keep the progress while you fix your Squats.

But remember, it's only been 4 months since you started Squatting. It's perfectly normal to struggle a bit. The key is to keep plugging at it. Don't be a quitter.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hi, im an aussie who just started using your StrongLifts 5x5 method and am extremely keen to see its effects over the next 12 weeks.

i do however have one concern, that is over here the weights and measures system is different. for my increases is it ok to use 2.5 kg instead of 5 lbs? i've looked at the conversions and its not exact, for example 20 pounds tends to only be 9 kg.

i would really appreciate your input on this matter.

Thank you

Cameron

Yes, increasing the weight by 2.5kg every workout is perfectly fine if you use the metric system like I do. Sure this isn't exactly 5lb rather 5.51lb, but the point is to add a small increment every time. 2.5kg weight increases are proven to work with StrongLifts Members using the metric system.

I'm sure someone out there will complain that he plateaud earlier on StrongLifts 5x5 because the 2.5kg plates made him progress faster than the guys using pounds. Let's hope he won't make excuses about the unfair variations in gravity because of where in the world he lives...

Keep it simple, this isn't frigging surgery.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.