What is a 5x5 workout?
A 5x5 workout means 5 sets of 5 reps of an exercise, all with the same weight once you have warmed up. Five reps is heavy enough to build strength and enough total work to build muscle, which is why 5x5 has been a staple of strength training for decades and turns up in many programs.
StrongLifts 5x5 is the best known modern version. Mehdi Hadim published it on his StrongLifts website and later in the StrongLifts app. Its appeal is that it is easy to follow: five barbell lifts, two workouts, one rule for adding weight and one rule for when you get stuck.
The StrongLifts 5x5 workout plan
| # | Workout A | Workout B |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squat, 5 x 5 | Squat, 5 x 5 |
| 2 | Bench press, 5 x 5 | Overhead press, 5 x 5 |
| 3 | Barbell row, 5 x 5 | Deadlift, 1 x 5 |
Train three non-consecutive days a week, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday, alternating A and B. One week is A, B, A; the next is B, A, B. You squat every session, bench and press three times every two weeks, and row and deadlift the same.
Sessions are short: three exercises and roughly 45 to 60 minutes including warm-ups. Rest about 90 seconds after easy sets and 3 to 5 minutes after hard ones. If the last set was a grinder, rest longer before the next lift.
Starting weights and how to add weight
The official plan starts light on purpose: the empty 20 kg (45 lb) bar on the squat, bench press and overhead press, 30 kg (65 lb) on the barbell row and 40 kg (90 lb) on the deadlift. The first weeks feel easy. They are for practising technique while the weight climbs.
Every time you complete all 5 x 5 on a lift, you add 2.5 kg (5 lb) next time. Most lifters add 5 kg (10 lb) to the deadlift, because it moves fastest. Here is what the first four weeks look like from the default start:
| Session | Workout | Work weights (5 x 5, deadlift 1 x 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 Mon | A | Squat 20 kg, bench 20 kg, row 30 kg |
| Week 1 Wed | B | Squat 22.5 kg, press 20 kg, deadlift 40 kg |
| Week 1 Fri | A | Squat 25 kg, bench 22.5 kg, row 32.5 kg |
| Week 2 Mon | B | Squat 27.5 kg, press 22.5 kg, deadlift 45 kg |
| Week 2 Wed | A | Squat 30 kg, bench 25 kg, row 35 kg |
| Week 2 Fri | B | Squat 32.5 kg, press 25 kg, deadlift 50 kg |
| Week 3 Mon | A | Squat 35 kg, bench 27.5 kg, row 37.5 kg |
| Week 3 Wed | B | Squat 37.5 kg, press 27.5 kg, deadlift 55 kg |
| Week 3 Fri | A | Squat 40 kg, bench 30 kg, row 40 kg |
| Week 4 Mon | B | Squat 42.5 kg, press 30 kg, deadlift 60 kg |
| Week 4 Wed | A | Squat 45 kg, bench 32.5 kg, row 42.5 kg |
| Week 4 Fri | B | Squat 47.5 kg, press 32.5 kg, deadlift 65 kg |
That is 27.5 kg (60 lb) added to the squat in four weeks without a single heavy session. This is linear progression, the most direct form of progressive overload, and it is why beginners often see big StrongLifts 5x5 results in the first three months.
If you already lift, you do not have to start with the empty bar. A common approach is to start at about half of your current 5 rep max and build up quickly. The 1RM calculator helps you estimate it from a recent set.
The deload rule: what to do when you fail
- Fail a setIf you do not get 5 reps on all 5 sets, keep the same weight next session and try again.
- Fail three sessions in a rowIf you fail the same weight three sessions in a row, deload: drop the weight on that lift by 10 % and work back up in the same 2.5 kg steps. You usually blow past the old sticking point.
- Stall again after deloadingWhen deloads stop working on a lift, the official guide suggests fewer sets and reps, such as 3 x 5. If that stalls too, you have outgrown a beginner program.
Deload only the lift that stalled. Your squat might be climbing happily while your overhead press needs a reset, which is normal: the press is almost always the first lift to stall.
StrongLifts 5x5 vs Starting Strength
StrongLifts 5x5 and Starting Strength are close cousins: both are A and B workouts, three days a week, with weight added every session. The differences are in the details.
| StrongLifts 5x5 | Starting Strength | |
|---|---|---|
| Sets on main lifts | 5 x 5 | 3 x 5 |
| Pulling exercise | Barbell row | Power clean, later chin-ups |
| Starting weights | Fixed, very light | Worked up to in the first session |
| Weight jumps | 2.5 kg (5 lb), 5 kg (10 lb) on deadlift | Larger early on, then smaller |
| Learning resource | Website and app | Book with detailed technique coaching |
Which is better? For most beginners the result is similar. StrongLifts has more volume and no power cleans, so it is easier to follow alone. Starting Strength has less volume and more technique coaching in the book. Pick one and run it until it stops working.
When to move on from StrongLifts
The signs are clear: you are deloading every few weeks, sessions with five sets of heavy squats take over an hour, and the weight on the bar is about where it was a month ago. For most people that happens somewhere between 3 and 9 months in.
- For more strength: Wendler 5/3/1 moves progress from every session to every month, with a training max that keeps the work manageable.
- For more muscle: an upper lower split or push pull legs adds the volume and accessory work that 5x5 lacks: arms, shoulders, hamstrings and calves.
- Not sure: compare your lifts with the squat strength standards. Many people finish a beginner program somewhere in the Novice to Intermediate range.
Run 5x5 in Gripp
Gripp is coming to iPhone. It logs every set, tells you what to lift next session (hit all your reps and the weight goes up), and keeps an estimated 1RM per lift on a progress chart, so you can spot a stall before you have failed three times.
Join the waitlistCommon 5x5 mistakes
- Skipping the light weeks. Jumping in too heavy means stalling in month one instead of month four.
- Bad technique as the weight climbs. Read the deadlift, bench press and overhead press guides, and film a set now and then.
- Adding lots of extras. A few sets of pull-ups, dips or core work are fine. Turning each session into two hours will slow your progress.
- Not eating enough. Adding weight every session needs fuel. Under-eating is a common reason for early stalls.
- Ignoring pain. Sore legs two days after your first heavy squats are expected. An aching knee, hip or shoulder that keeps coming back is not: get it looked at by a physiotherapist or doctor instead of adding more weight.
The exercises
Barbell back squatQuads and glutes
Barbell bench pressChestGuide
Barbell bent-over rowUpper back and lats
Barbell overhead pressFront deltsGuide
Barbell deadliftGlutes and hamstringsGuide