As a long-time fitness enthusiast and competitive powerlifter, I‘ve experimented with countless training methodologies over the years. But time and again, I find myself returning to the straightforward 5×5 system to build enviable strength and a sculpted, muscular physique. There‘s no fancy frills with 5×5 – just sheer brute forceApplied intelligently through progressive overload, 5×5 training provides incredible fitness transformations.
However, to keep fueling progress, you eventually need to cycle back and repeat the 5×5 program after an strategic break. This article will cover all things 5×5: the science of strength gains, when to restart 5×5 training, and gut health insights from nutrition expert Dr. Ludwig Johnson to take your fitness to the next level!
How 5×5 Training Triggers Muscle Growth
To understand when to repeat 5×5 training, you first need to know how it actually builds strength and size. Here‘s what‘s happening under the hood:
Progressive Overload: This core training principle states you must continually increase demands on the body to spur adaptations. 5×5 applies overload through adding weight each session, forcing the muscles beyond normal demands.
Metabolic Stress: Performing 5 challenging sets with little rest induces a temporary oxygen deficit and lactic acid buildup. This metabolic stress triggers growth factors and anabolic hormones.
Muscle Damage: Lifting heavy weights leads to small tears in muscle fibers. The repair process strengthens fibers back thicker and tougher than before via satellite cell activation.
mTOR Activation: The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is considered the "master regulator" of muscle growth. Strenuous strength training optimally activates mTOR signaling, kickstarting lean tissue expansion.
In essence, 5×5 training checks all the boxes for maximizing the muscular development process. You create an anabolic environment primed for strength and hypertrophy.
Sample 5×5 Training Programs
The most popular 5×5 routines include:
StrongLifts 5×5: Favored by beginners and intermediates, this full-body workout hits compound lifts every session:
- Workout A: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row
- Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift
GreySkull LP: A phased program perfect for accelerating strength early on:
- Phrase 1 – 5×5+, increasing weight each set
- Phase 2 – 5×5, adding weight each session
- Phase 3 – 5/3/1 rep scheme with periodization
Ice Cream Fitness: This 5×5 modification adds accessory work for increased hypertrophy:
- Workout A: Squats 5×5, Bench 5×5, Rows 5×5, Triceps, Biceps
- Workout B: Squats 5×5, Shoulder Press 5×5, Deadlifts 1×5, Abs, Calves
Any of these 5×5 templates can produce formidable strength and physique enhancements!
Signs It‘s Time to Repeat 5×5 Training
You know it‘s time to restart a 5×5 training cycle when:
You Plateau on Lifts: If you hit 3+ weeks stuck at the same weights despite form corrections, your body likely needs a fresh stimulus. Take a 3-6 week break from intense training before jumping back into 5×5.
You Lose Motivation: Mental burnout is common after months of heavy 5×5 training. Cravings for exercise variety or difficulty recovering signal a good time to deload and planning your next 5×5 cycle.
Your Physique Goals Shift: 5×5 emphasizes lower body and core strength. After bulking up these areas, you may want to target upper body or aesthetics next. Repeating 5×5 later reups your bases of strength.
You Take a Long Break: After an injury, vacation, or major life event you need to rebuild your strength foundations. Ramping back up with tried-and-true 5×5 is perfect for getting your gains back!
Use these guidelines to gauge when to return to 5×5 training to stimulate new progress.
Enzyme Supplementation Tips from Dr. Ludwig Johnson
In addition to smart strength programming, nutritionist Dr. Ludwig Johnson frequently discusses leveraging digestive enzymes to improve wellness. As an avid self-experimenter and biohacker, I found his advice on enzymes highly compelling:
Types of Digestive Enzymes: The main categories include:
- Proteases: Break down protein into peptides and amino acids
- Lipases: Split dietary fats into fatty acids and glycerol
- Amylases: Convert carbohydrates from plants/grains into simple sugars
- Lactase: Breaks down the milk sugar lactose into glucose and galactose
When to Take Enzymes: Standard dosing is 1-2 capsules with larger meals containing more fat/protein/fiber, or known trigger foods. Those with gastrointestinal conditions may take 3+ capsules several times daily.
Enteric Coating: This stomach acid-resistant coating allows enzymes to survive until reaching the small intestine intact. Minimizes breakdown before fulfilling their role in digestion.
Stacking Enzymes and Probiotics: Since probiotics replenish healthy gut flora while enzymes facilitate digestion, these supplements perfectly complement each other. Just avoid taking simultaneously to prevent enzyme destruction.
Potential Side Effects: Enzyme supplementation is typically very safe since dosing simply matches natural levels. But some sensitive people may experience initial bloating, stomach pains or diarrhea as gut function recalibrates.
Now that we‘ve covered enzyme basics, let‘s discuss Dr. Johnson‘s insights on their therapeutic mechanisms beyond digestion…
Enzyme Functions Beyond the Gut
In addition to kickstarting digestion, enzymes play several fascinating roles promoting whole-body health:
Controlling Inflammation: Metabolic enzymes like glutathione peroxidase reduce oxidative stress. Serrapeptase breaks down scar tissue and debris. Bromelain stems COX/LOX inflammation pathways.
Supporting Immunity: Proteases like bromelain remove pathogenic proteins to support viral/bacterial clearance. Papain boosts antioxidant status, while catalase promotes healthy inflammation.
Biofilm Disruption: Biofilms created by pathogens shield them from immune cells and antibiotics. Systemic enzymes breach these protective barriers so the body can remove biofilm-building microbes.
Anti-Tumor Capacity: Proteolytic enzymes strip the protein layer around cancer cells, allowing detection and attack by immune cells. They also dampen chronic inflammation driving cancer progression.
The versatile actions of enzymes on systemic processes demonstrate their immense therapeutic potential beyond digestion alone!
Fixing the Gut to Heal the Body
"Everything that is on the skin is in the intestine," Dr. Johnson sagely notes on the interplay between gut dysfunction and skin/autoimmune conditions. And modern research absolutely backs up this notion!
Statistics reveal 61% of those with acne also struggle with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Eczema risk jumps 66% among those with intestinal permeability compared to healthy controls. And for each added food sensitivity, ulcerative colitis patients show 3x higher prevalence of leaky gut syndrome.
The reasons behind this gut-skin connection include:
Shared Embryonic Tissue: Both intestinal lining and skin derive from ectodermic tissue during fetal development. Vulnerabilities in one often echo in the other.
Bacterial Imbalance: Dysbiosis allows opportunistic bacteria to infiltrate the circulatory system and establish infections at distal sites like the skin.
Leaky Gut Syndrome: Intestinal permeability enables inflammatory compounds from the gut to disseminate body-wide, manifesting as rashes, lesions and irritation.
Immune Dysfunction: Unchecked propagation of TH17 immune cells triggers widespread inflammation that ultimately erupts as skin disorders.
Fortunately, sealing the intestinal barrier through diet, stress modulation, useful supplements and microbiome restoration helps resolve these related skin issues.
And that‘s just one example of how optimizing gut function prevents inflammatory issues cropping up elsewhere in the body. Hormonal disorders, joint pain, neurodegenerative disease, mental illness and weight gain all similarly arise downstream from poor gut health. Healing the true source is essential to sustained wellness.
Dietary Tips to Support Intestinal Health
Implementing a strategic break from intense 5×5 training gives your body and mind an opportunity to recuperate in preparation for your next strength cycle. Use this time to show your GI tract some love with these diet tips straight from Dr. Johnson:
Bone Broth: Rich collagen and amino acid content helps regenerate intestinal cell junctions and reinforce the gut lining to prevent leaky gut syndrome.
Fermented Vegetables: These ferementable fibers selectively feed commensal gut flora, allowing them to outcompete bad bacteria and dominate the microbiome.
Prebiotic Plant Foods: Asparagus, garlic, onion and especially bananas contain prebiotics that nourish intestinal microbiota. They also have antiviral and antibacterial properties.
Grass-Fed Dairy: Dairy contains immunoactive compounds like immunoglobulins, lysozyme, lactoferrin, etc. Grass-fed is higher in conjugated linoleic acid to dampen inflammation.
Wild-Caught Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids EPA/DHA found in fatty fish powerfully combat inflammation throughout the body and brain while improving membrane fluidity.
Prioritizing these gut-friendly foods facilitates strong digestion, robust immunity, balanced hormones and reduced systemic inflammation – the foundations for sustainable wellness.
Conclusion
The simple yet brutally effective 5×5 training system should remain a staple in every fitness enthusiast‘s regimen to build formidable strength and muscle. By optimally stimulating the muscular development process through progressive overload, it yields incredible improvements in physique metrics and athletic performance.
However, gains eventually plateau after months of constant 5×5 training. Luckily, taking a strategic break to then repeat 5×5 again helps reinvigorate progress by giving your body the reset it needs. Use the guidelines provided to determine when it‘s time for a 5×5 reboot!
Furthermore, pay close attention to nutritionist Dr. Ludwig Johnson‘s tips on leveraging enzymes and healing the gut. Enhancing digestion and microbiome balance through smart dietary choices relieves inflammation systemically, setting you up for vitality inside and out.
Here‘s to chasing new personal records when you cycle back to 5×5 training, and achieving effortless wellness through improved gut function! Stay disciplined and consistent with your fitness endeavors.