The schedule
- Train three non-consecutive days a week, for example Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
- Alternate Workout A and Workout B.
- Squat every session.
How to progress
If you complete all five sets of five with good form, add weight next session. The usual jump is 2.5 kg (5 lb) on upper-body lifts and squats, a bit more on the deadlift. When you fail to complete the reps, repeat the weight. After a few repeated failures, reduce the load by about 10% and build back up.
Because the loads rise quickly, linear progress runs out within a few months. That is the signal to move to a split such as upper/lower or push pull legs.
Who it suits
Beginners who want a clear plan and lifters returning after a break. It is less suited to people who want a lot of isolation work or who cannot train three days a week.
Pick your starting weight
A common rule of thumb is to start around 60-70% of your estimated one-rep max (1RM) on each lift, then adjust so that all 25 reps of the first session feel clean with a couple of reps to spare. If you have never tested a max, use a recent set of five and the 1RM calculator to estimate it.
Starting light is the point: a 5x5 adds weight every session, so the early weeks build the habit and the technique before the load gets heavy.
Popular 5x5 variants
- StrongLifts-style 5x5: the A/B split above, squatting every session. Most people mean this when they say 5x5.
- Starting Strength-style: three sets of five rather than five, a single heavy set of deadlifts, and (in the original) a power clean.
- Ramped 5x5 (Madcow-style): lighter ramp-up sets build to a top set of five, with weight added weekly rather than every session.
- Pick the one you will actually follow. They all rely on the same idea: a few heavy compound lifts, five reps, small and regular increases.
Printable log sheet
Prefer paper? Print the free log sheet: one block per lift with room for the weight and the reps in each of the five sets, across eight sessions.
Warm-up and rest between sets
Warm up each lift with a few lighter sets before the five work sets: start with the empty bar for a couple of sets, then step up in a few jumps so your last warm-up set is clearly lighter than your working weight. Warm-up sets do not count towards the 5 × 5.
Rest long enough to hit all five reps on the next set. With heavy compound lifts that usually means two to five minutes, and the squat and deadlift tend to need the longest rests. Cutting rest short is one of the most common reasons the last sets fall apart.
Example first four weeks
- Week 1: A, B, A (Monday, Wednesday, Friday).
- Week 2: B, A, B.
- Week 3: A, B, A.
- Week 4: B, A, B.
- Start lighter than you think you can handle. Pick a weight you can move for five clean reps on every set, so the first sessions leave room to add weight.
What to do when you stall
A stall means you failed to complete the five sets of five at the same weight on consecutive sessions. Before changing the program, check the basics: sleep, eating enough to support the weight on the bar, rest times, and whether your form is slipping on the last reps.
If those are fine, deload by about 10% and build back up. If you stall again at the same point, add smaller jumps (for example 1 kg or 2 lb with fractional plates) or move to a structure that spreads the work across the week, such as the upper/lower split or push pull legs.
Common mistakes
- Starting too heavy, so there is no room to progress and the early sessions become grinds.
- Adding weight when the previous session was not completed, which turns a stall into a failure streak.
- Skipping rest or warm-up sets.
- Letting form drift on the last set of five. A rep that breaks form should not count towards the weight increase.
- Piling on accessory work that eats into recovery for the next squat day.
5x5 compared with other beginner plans
Compared with a full body beginner routine, 5x5 is more focused on a few heavy barbell lifts and progresses by the session. Compared with push pull legs or an upper/lower split, it has far less volume per muscle and no isolation work, which is why it fits the first months of training better than a long-term plan.
Workout A
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Back squat | 5 × 5 |
| Barbell bench press | 5 × 5 |
| Barbell row | 5 × 5 |
Workout B
| Exercise | Sets × reps |
|---|---|
| Back squat | 5 × 5 |
| Overhead press | 5 × 5 |
| Deadlift | 1 × 5 |