The 5X5 workout is a popular strength and muscle building routine often performed by bodybuilders and powerlifters alike. The original 5X5 program was designed by former champion bodybuilder Bill Starr. While you may think that a program like this is unsuitable as a fat loss workout, according to the Mayo Clinic, strength training boosts your metabolism, burns calories and can be extremely effective for weight fat loss.
Starr's original program is very basic. You train on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Monday's workout is power cleans, bench presses and squats, Wednesday is power cleans, incline bench presses and squats and Friday is power cleans, overhead presses and squats. Each exercise is performed for five sets of five repetitions. There are several variations of the 5X5 workout, including the power, strength, big three and Mad-cow routines, but all revolve around basic exercises like squats, cleans and presses along with deadlifts and rows and use a similar rep and set structure.
Resistance training increases your body's consumption of oxygen and also breaks down muscle tissue, which increases your metabolic rate and calorie burn, says Dr. Len Kravitz of the University of New Mexico. While a common belief may be that heavy weights for low reps makes you big and bulky and light weights for high reps is better for definition and tone, this is not the case, writes strength coach Christian Thibaudeau in his book "The Black Book of Training Secrets." High rep training burns no more fat than heavy training and could actually lead to muscle loss.
When performed correctly, the 5X5 workout can lead to substantial fat loss, but you may wish to change it slightly to speed up your progress. Cutting down your rest times increases the pace of the session and leads to a higher calorie burn. You could also add in a few extra exercises. The original program contains no upper back work, so by adding in an exercise like chinups or dumbbell rows to each session, you're hitting your upper back, lats, arms and shoulders while also burning more calories. Keep moving in your rest between sets and perform simple exercises such as the plank or some light kettlebell or dumbbell swings. These exercises aren't hard enough to impact your strength for the next set, but will burn a few more calories.
To lose fat you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. Following 5X5 will increase your calorie expenditure, but you may also need to cut your calorie intake slightly. United States Department of Agriculture guidelines state that men and women should consume between 2,000 and 3,000 and 1,800 to 2,400 calories daily to maintain weight, so start with these figures and adjust as needed. To burn even more calories, consider adding in cardiovascular exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise each week. You can do this after your 5X5 workout or on days in between.
- Old School Trainer: Bill Starr’s 5 x 5 Training
- Mayo Clinic: Strength Training: Get Stronger, Leaner, Healthier
- Dr. Len Kravitz: Resistance Training and EPOC
- "The Black Book of Training Secrets": Christian Thibaudeau: February 2007
- USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity do Adults Need?
- Simon Watts/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images