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Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5: Strength Training with Minimal Equipment
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StrongLifts 5×5 Beginner Strength Training Program | StrongLifts.com


Posted: 01 Oct 2009 04:00 AM PDT
You’ve found out about Stronglifts 5×5. And after reading all the success stories you’ve decided to follow the program too. But:
 Your gym doesn’t have the necessary equipment, e.g. no Power Rack.
 You don’t have enough space for a home gym.
 You don’t have the cash yet for home gym equipment.
 You want to try the program before making an investment.
The solution: Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. This strength training routine requires only 1 Olympic Barbell set. It will keep you busy for 2-3 months and prepare you for StrongLifts 5×5. Read on for the details.

Equipment You Need. Buy new gym equipment or go 2nd hand. Read the home gym guide for more info. Here’s what you’ll need for Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5:
 Olympic Barbell. Any bar will do, but an Olympic one is best. 45lbs/20kg weight, 7ft/2m20 length, 2″/50mm sleeves, 28mm grip, knurling, …
 220lbs/100kg Plates. Round iron plates work best. With the weight of your barbell, you’ll have 265lbs/120kg total weight.

The Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 Program. The routine takes about 3×45mins per week. Most people train Mo/We/Fr. Alternate workout A & B each session. Read the free StrongLifts 5×5 eBook and the FAQ for detailed info.

Workout A
Squat + Steinborn Lift 5x5
Floor Press 5x5
Power Cleans 5x5
Reverse Crunch 3x12

Workout B
Squat + Steinborn Lift 5x5
Overhead Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5
Prone Bridges 3x30sec


Exercises in Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. Most exercises are the same as for StrongLifts 5×5. Again: read the free StrongLifts 5×5 eBook for detailed info. Differences in Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5:
 Squat. Get the barbell on your back using the Steinborn Lift. Although it isn’t practical, you can get to a body-weight Squat for 5×5 using it.
 Floor Press. Press while lying back on the floor. Knees flexed, feet flat on the floor, elbows in, chest up, shoulder-blades back & down. Video.
 Overhead Press. Clean the bar from the floor on your shoulders on each set. This actually makes the Overhead Press easier.

Results from Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. Same as with StrongLifts 5×5: more strength, more muscle, fat loss, stronger joints & bones, increased flexibility & cardiovascular fitness, etc. Differences:
 More Core Work. The Steinborn Lift will work your abs & obliques hard. Great to get 6 pack abs, but less optimal for your Squat technique since getting the bar on your back is a pain with heavier weights.
 More Triceps Work. The Floor Press works your triceps more than the Bench Press but your chest less. You will, however, build your chest muscles nonetheless: this is a full body training program.

Limitations of Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5. Without Power Rack you’re limiting your progress. Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 only works for 2-3 months.
 Stalling. The Steinborn Lift will limit your Squat. You’ll start stalling once you’re Squatting your body-weight for 5×5 (200lbs if you weigh 200lbs).
 Technique. The Steinborn Lift makes it hard to get the bar in proper position for Squats, which can cause problems further down.

Download Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 Spreadsheet. This file includes tips and reminders of what you need to do to achieve your goals and tools to track your progress. Some things you’ll find:
 Exercises & work weight prefilled for 12 weeks
 Strength goals based on your body-weight & gender.
 Graphs showing progress in strength, body-weight & body fat
to download the spreadsheet (right click — save as). The file is 20kb and takes less than 1min to download. Unzip the file using 7-Zip (free) and view it with OpenOffice or Microsoft Excel.

Questions? Go to the free StrongLifts.com forum and post your questions in the official Minimalist StrongLifts 5×5 thread.