5x5 Rega Parka - the legendary way of training

Reg Park and his legendary way of training

As far as the popularity of beginner training programs goes, five sets of five reps has long surpassed the popularity of 3x10, 10x3 or even the old familiar 1x20 that once inspired the famous "Squats and milk!" Similarly, Bill Starr is also the author of the popular 5x5 plan, which focuses primarily on gaining strength in the bench press and squats.

Now we'll take a look at the very first 5x5 routine ever to appear, an article by Reg Park published in his manual Strength & Bulk Training for Weight Lifters and Body Builders. The now deceased Reg Park was a three-time winner of the Mr. Universe contest and was one of the first bodybuilders to wrestle at weights over 110kg in the 1950s and 60s.

Furthermore, Park was the most popular and respected bodybuilder of little Arnie from Austria, who all along hoped to one day look like him. After Schwarzenegger first saw Park on the cover of a magazine, he said, "He looked so strong and hard that I immediately decided I wanted to be like him, the next Reg Park."

Reg Park's three-phase 5x5 program

Phase 1

• 45° Back Stretch 3x10
• Squats 5x5
• Bench press 5x5
• Weightlifting 5x5

Rest 3-5 minutes between the last three sets of each exercise. Train three days a week for three months.

Phase 2 for bodybuilders*

• 45° Back Stretch 3-4x10
• Squats (front weights) 5x5
• Squats (back weights) 5x5
• Bench press 5x5
• Standing weightlifting with shoulder press 5x5
• Classic weightlifting with dumbbell drop 5x5
• Weightlifting 5x5
• Standing barbell calf raises 5x25

Rest 2 minutes between each set. Train three days a week for three months.

* After completing the basic phase number 1, Park designed a series of additional exercises for Olympic aspirants in bodybuilding, incorporating some different sets and reps as well as jumps and elements of the power clean (weightlifting in the spread and extended position).

Phase 3 for bodybuilders

• 45° back stretch 4x10
• Squats (front weights) 5x5
• Squats (weights in the back) 5x5
• Standing weightlifting with shoulder pressure 5x5
• Bench press 5x5
• Weight lifting in front of the body 5x5
• Classic weightlifting (deadlift) 5x3
• Weightlifting behind the body or lifting one-armed barbells in front of the body 5x5
• Bicep strengthening with barbell for both arms 5x5
• Lying triceps stretch 5x8
• Standing calf raises with barbells 5x25

Rest 2 minutes between each set. Train three days a week for three months.

As Park explained earlier, the 5x5 sets incorporate progressive warm-up sets and then three sets of the same weight. He also suggested increasing the weights at approximately the same interval.

Observations:

Squats (back weights) 5x5: first set: 135x5, second set 185x5, then three sets of 225x5.

• If you are able to complete the last set of the 3x5 program, increase the weight by 2-5 kg. Furthermore, Park was strongly opposed to training to muscle collapse, justifying that this stance only and only encouraged a negative attitude towards attempting heavier and heavier (near-maximum weights).
• However, it is equally possible to attempt to perform a one-rep max at the end of each phase. Park recommends focusing on two sets first in the form of a warm-up (1x5 and 1x3) followed by max weight attempts. So for a test day like this, we would get to the following schedule: 1x5, 1x3, and 3x1 (for each lift). Once you're done, take a break from the gym for about four days and then move on to the next phase of training.
• For the 45° back stretch, start with no additional weight. Once you feel able to complete all the sets, add weight so that you complete the same number of reps even with heavier weight. Park and her training partner often lifted 60kg for the first set, 80 for the second and 100 for the third. The fourth attempt was in the name of weights around 120-130kg.
• This is what the whole plan looks like, which is basically the exception. Speaking of high-weight training, old Mike Mentzer must be turning in his grave (but thankfully only once). There really aren't any exercises done in isolation until the level three phase; in fact, by then you've been working on yourself consistently for 6 months. It's only now that the link between training and girls comes into play.
• As for rest, Park recommended lots of sleep and lots of food. His most important sources of nutrition included milk, eggs, steaks, orange juice, salad, protein powders, wheat, and liver support tablets. Interestingly, there was no change in the type of nutrition when training was toned down, only the amount was adjusted.
• Due to the enormous strain these exercises put on the body, it was almost impossible to keep the training going for more than 2 or 3 hours. This is typical of that era. Today we know that it is better to get out of the gym after the first hour, because otherwise we will bury all the growth hormones that have been produced. Do you still think this is a much worse strategy than the current ones? Are you of the opinion that such tension will put you in danger, mentally stressed or even afraid to go back to the gym? Certainly not.
• It may not be the most ideal way to train, and certainly not fun, especially in the long run, but hand on heart: when was the last time you tried to completely kill yourself in the gym? Sometimes it's not a bad idea to break the stereotypes, especially when you have a whole Saturday off and nothing else to do....then all you have to do on Sunday is lie around, eat steaks and berate us for getting you into this strategy.