TL;DR - Do Greyskull (GSLP) over SL5x5.

Mild interest in another post about the differences in Stronglifts and Greyskull prompted me to avoid all homework responsibilities and let this gem flow from my fingertips.

First lets break the two down:

SL5x5: Workout A: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row

Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift.

"You train three times a week, alternating workout A and B, and resting at least one day between two workouts. You never train two days in a row because your body needs days off to get stronger."

Greyskull:

In my own words, do the big four (Squat, Bench, Dead, Strict Press) once a week each for two sets of five and a max final third set. 2x5, 1xAMRAP. From there do whatever assistance you want. Bench=chest day, Squat=Leg day, etc. You keep the same 5lbs a week progression as long as you hit at least five reps in the third set. When you fail to hit 5 you drop 20% from the bar and get after it again.

Firstly, where is anything else in SL? You're going to get your main gains out of the compound movements, but lets be real, most women don’t care about your big deadlift, they care about your big biceps.

Secondly, why stop at 5? Say I’m squatting 225. I'm on my fifth set and I hit five, I have more gas in the tank so what do I do? I re-rack the weight. Why? Well because 5x5 that’s why. This does two things. 1. Robs you of further gains you may get from an extra rep or three and 2. Doesn’t let you have a yard stick.

Why Greyskull is superior: Personally I like the idea of having a back day, a chest day, shoulders and so on. If you think you're deadlifting to your full potential week in and week out on the same day you're squatting, more power to you. I know I cant. My low back will be on fire, and my overall numbers will suffer, as I'll lift less in the moment to compensate for upcoming/previous work.

Furthermore, On GSLP you do your first two sets, then you hit your max set. This provides you with two advantages over 5x5. 1. You max out. You don't arbitrarily stop at five because the interweb trainers said to. 2. It gives you that yardstick. Say last time you were around 225 you hit your third set for 7, then you hit your top end, drop 20%, encounter 225 again, and this time you hit 11. Now you know that you’re getting stronger (4 more reps than last time) plus you're getting more GAINZ from those extra four reps.

Additionally, Assistance. If all you have time for is your big lift you get in, do it, and get out. You still hit your lift. If you live in the gym, you can curl and calf raise all day long. Avoid overtraining, but do what assistance you want. You want those big bi’s? then have at it homeslice. Abs everyday if you feel like it, and plenty of rest. I was on a M/T/Th/F split. I took Wednesday and Sunday totally off and did some Olympic moves and active recovery on Saturday

I have been in the military for nine years and done every type of training under the sun. Friday morning 10 mile runs because that’s totally going to happen in combat, all the way to 5/3/1, CrossFit, and aimlessly wandering in the weight room doing whatever felt good. Supersquats was great as a gym newbie, then what? So far I have seen the most drastic progress the quickest with GSLP. I had the biggest numbers I’ve ever had, weighed the most I’ve ever weighed, and had the best abs I’ve ever had(yes even over CrossFit). I did this program while on deployment and then quickly fell back into a Drunk-three-nights-a-week-and-CrossFit routine upon return. I lost a lot of strength blah blah blah. I’m back on now that I’ve left the military and have a much more predictable schedule. I’m gaining weight back like someone shoved an air hose up my ass, and my numbers are quickly returning. Dat Muskle Memorie Doe. It’s worth noting that literally every single person that I’ve recommended this to, who has followed it closely, has said something along the lines of “I was the strongest I’ve ever been.” And I don’t hang around a bunch of theater majors, mainly combat arms beard growing terrorizer hunting manbeasts.

If you disagree, that’s fine. This is one mans opinion. I’m sharing my results. I know everyone on Reddit has a 315x3x10 bench press in competition to their credit, but I’m a real person and I don’t. My numbers aren’t outrageously impressive. I’ve been a habitual start-and-stopper as far as the gym goes. Mix that with thirty months time living in tents in the third world and runs on runs on runs and you get this. Just as a measuring stick I started GSLP at a BW of 163 and the first week I benched 165x2x5, 1x6. Flash forward five months and I was 186 and hit 225x2x5, 1x6. All Natural. I was in a tent in Afghanistan for Christ sake. That’s sixty pounds on the bench in about five months. I was CrossFitting at 165 so I was fit and wasn’t fresh in the gym after never having been.

Discuss, call me an idiot, whatever, it’s the internet fellas. Lighten up a bit and have a drink.