The 5x5 workout plan is a simple strength training approach that involves 5 sets of 5 reps of compound exercises. It aims to build strength, muscle mass, and improve overall fitness by progressively overloading large muscles over time.
Each routine consists of 3 exercises, usually done on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, alternating between two routines each week.
Done on Monday and Friday on odd weeks. And on Wednesday on even weeks.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Deadlift | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Bench Press | 5 | 5 |
Done on Wednesday on odd weeks. And on Monday and Friday on even weeks.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Squat | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Overhead Press | 5 | 5 |
| Barbell Bent Over Row | 5 | 5 |
At the start of each week, you alternate between Routine A and Routine B.
| Day | Routine |
|---|---|
| Monday | Routine A |
| Tuesday | Rest |
| Wednesday | Routine B |
| Thursday | Rest |
| Friday | Routine A |
| Saturday | Rest |
| Sunday | Rest |
Ready to get started? Find the 5x5 plan on Legend, track your progress, and stay consistent, on iOS and Android.
A simple, effective, and proven plan to deliver strength and muscle gains, the 5x5 workout plan is a classic known for its straightforward approach. It’s ideal for both beginners and intermediate lifters, including a mix of compound movements that stimulate all the major muscle groups.
The 5x5 workout plan revolves around performing 5 sets of 5 reps of compound exercises. The goal is to stimulate large muscle groups and progressively overloading them over time. Enabling increased strength, muscle size, and even improved neuromuscular efficiency.
The traditional 5x5 workout plan focuses on five main lifts.
| Exercise | Muscle Groups |
|---|---|
| Squat | Legs, Glutes |
| Deadlift | Legs, Back |
| Bench Press | Chest, Shoulder, Triceps |
| Overhead Press | Shoulders, Triceps |
| Bent Over Row | Back, Biceps |
Two Workout Days: You will alternate between Routine A and Routine B, training three times a week (usually Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). By alternating routines each week, you ensure that each muscle group is trained with enough frequency and intensity.
5 Sets of 5 Reps: The core principle of the 5x5 is completing 5 sets of 5 reps for each exercise. You start with a manageable weight and gradually increase it as you progress in each workout session.
Every routine is focused on five compound lifts. These exercises engage multiple major muscle groups and maximize strength improvement and balance. We’ve outlined the exercises below along with variations to help you create a plan no matter what equipment you have available.
The squat is the king of all exercises in the plan, and for good reason. Squats target multiple muscle groups and are crucial for building lower body strength.
Deadlifts are a full-body powerhouse exercise that targets the posterior chain (the muscles along the back of your body) while engaging the core.
The bench press is the ultimate upper-body exercise, known for developing strength in the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
The overhead press is one of the best exercises for building upper body strength, focusing primarily on the shoulders, but also engaging the triceps, traps, and core.
The bent-over row is an essential pulling exercise that strengthens the upper back, lats, and biceps. An exercise that balances out the pressing movements of the bench press and overhead press.
Start Light When beginning the plan, it’s crucial to start with lighter weights, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the exercises or haven’t lifted in a while. This allows your body to adjust and helps you develop perfect form before increasing the load.
Progress Gradually
The key to success in any lifting plan is progressive overload — gradually increase weight as your body adapts. Once you can complete all 5 sets of 5 reps with good form, it’s time to increase the weight.
Stall Management If you fail to complete all 5 reps for every set, don’t increase the weight next time. Instead, repeat the same weight at your next session and focus on completing all 5 sets with good form. Only increase the load when you can confidently complete the reps.
Rest Time and Recovery
Rest is an essential part of choosing the right weight. If you’re struggling to complete your sets, it may be due to insufficient rest. For heavy compound lifts, rest for 2-5 minutes between sets to ensure adequate heart rate recovery and maintain strength.
See our article The Complete Guide to Picking Sets, Reps, and Weight for more detailed information on how to choose the right reps and weight for your workouts.
Legend Tip: Use Legend workout tracker to log your sets, reps, weights, and see progress with stats and charts. Get immediate insight on progressive overload as you go, and time your breaks with ease.
The 5x5 workout plan can be adapted to different fitness levels and goals. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, there’s a 5x5 variation for you. Below are some of the most popular 5x5 plans, along with sample routines you can follow based on your experience and objectives.
StrongLifts 5x5 is the most popular version of the 5x5 workout, especially for beginners. It follows a basic structure and focuses on linear progression with minimal accessory work. The emphasis is on gradually adding weight to your lifts every session to build strength consistently.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Bench Press | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Bent Over Row | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Overhead Press | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Deadlift | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
Progression: Add 5 lbs (2.5 kg) to your Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Bent Over Row every session. For Deadlifts and Squat add 10 lbs (5 kg) each time you lift.
StrongLifts 5x5 is ideal for beginners because it starts with manageable weights and focuses on consistent progression Squatting every session is key to building lower body strength quickly.
Madcow 5x5 is designed for intermediate lifters who have already built a foundation of strength and are looking to break through plateaus. It follows a similar format to StrongLifts, but with a focus on periodization, meaning you won’t add weight as quickly after each session, and it includes a ramping system (gradually increasing weight over each set in the same session).
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | Ramping |
| Bench Press | 5 | 5 | Ramping |
| Bent Over Row | 5 | 5 | Ramping |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | Lighter Load |
| Overhead Press | 5 | 5 | Lighter Load |
| Deadlift | 5 | 5 | Lighter Load |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | Increase Final Weight from Monday |
| Bench Press | 5 | 5 | Increase Final Weight from Monday |
| Bent Over Row | 5 | 5 | Increase Final Weight from Monday |
Progression: Increase the final set weight on Monday and Friday by 5 lbs (2.5 kg) each week for Squat, Bench Press, and Bent Over Row. For Deadlift, aim for 10 lbs (5 kg) weekly increments.
Madcow 5x5 is excellent for intermediates because it allows for a more nuanced approach to strength gains, avoiding burnout by not pushing for max effort every session. The ramping sets also prepare you for heavier final sets.
Texas Method 5x5 is another popular option for intermediate and advanced lifters. It incorporates both volume and intensity days, making it more demanding but also more effective for breaking through strength plateaus. The program is split into three sessions per week: Volume Day, Light Day, and Intensity Day.
What is Volume? Volume refers to the total amount of weight lifted in a workout, calculated by multiplying the number of sets by the number of reps and the weight lifted.
On Monday, you focus on achieving 90% of your 5 Rep Max (5RM) for Squats, Overhead Press, and Deadlifts.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | 90% 5RM |
| Overhead Press | 5 | 5 | 90% 5RM |
| Deadlift | 1 | 5 | 90% 5RM |
On Wednesday, you perform the same exercises but with a lighter load to allow for recovery from the volume day.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 5 | 5 | Lighter Load |
| Bench Press | 3 | 5 | Lighter Load |
| Chin Up | 3 | To failure | Body weight |
| Back Extension | 5 | 10 | Lighter Load |
On Friday, you push your limits by lifting heavier weights for fewer reps, focusing on building strength.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squat | 2 | 5 | Warm up, then new 5RM |
| Overhead Press | 5 | 5 | 90% 5RM |
| Power Clean or Power Snatch | 5 | 3 | 90% 5RM |
Progression: The key here is to increase your weight on Intensity Day each week by 5 lbs (2.5 kg) for each lift, pushing your limits and seeing how well your body recovers after the Volume Day.
The Texas Method is an advanced plan that requires a good understanding of your body’s recovery needs. Volume days build muscle and endurance, while intensity days push your max strength.
If your goal is muscle growth (hypertrophy) rather than pure strength, you can adapt the 5x5 workout to prioritize muscle size gains. This involves adding more accessory exercises to target different muscle groups and increase overall volume.
| Type | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compound | Squat | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Compound | Bench Press | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Compound | Bent Over Row | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Accessory | Dumbbell Fly | 3 | 8-12 | Progressive Overload |
| Accessory | Tricep Dip | 3 | 10-12 | Progressive Overload |
| Type | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compound | Squat | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Compound | Overhead Press | 5 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Compound | Deadlift | 2 | 5 | Progressive Overload |
| Accessory | Lateral Raise | 3 | 10-12 | Progressive Overload |
| Accessory | Bicep Curl | 3 | 10-12 | Progressive Overload |
Progression: Add weight to your compound lifts as you would in a traditional 5x5 plan - Add 5 lbs (2.5 kg) to your Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Bent Over Row every session. For Deadlifts and Squat add 10 lbs (5 kg) each time you lift. For accessory exercises, consider muscle fatigue and increase reps or volume gradually.
By adding hypertrophy-focused accessory work to the standard 5x5 plan, you can maximize muscle growth while still benefiting from the strength gains of the main lifts.
For those without access to a gym, you can still follow the principles of the 5x5 workout with a bodyweight variation. Though bodyweight exercises are more limited in terms of progressive overload, you can focus on increasing difficulty through increasing reps or adjusting angles.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight Squat | 5 | 5 then Ramping |
| Push-Up | 5 | 5 then Ramping |
| Inverted Row | 5 | 5 then Ramping |
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight Lunge | 5 | 5 then Ramping |
| Pike Push-Up | 5 | 5 then Ramping |
| Hip Thrust | 5 | 5 then Ramping |
Progression: If 5 reps are too easy, increase reps gradually (8-12), or add weight using household items (e.g., weighted backpacks) or try arrange a kettlebell, dumbbells, or resistance bands. You can also perform more challenging variations, such as single-leg squats or decline push-ups.
This plan allows you to apply the same 5x5 principles at home without any equipment. While it won’t be as effective as heavy lifting in a gym, it’s a great way to maintain muscle strength and endurance.
Progressive overload is one of the most critical principles in any workout plan, especially for those aiming to build strength and muscle. It refers to gradually increasing the demand on your muscles by either lifting more weight, doing more reps, or shortening rest times.
Progressive overload ensures that your muscles are consistently challenged, which forces them to adapt and grow. Without it, your muscles will plateau, and you’ll stop seeing gains.
You can stay on the 5x5 program for as long as you continue to make progress. Most people see significant strength gains in 12–16 weeks. Once you hit a plateau, you may want to switch to a more advanced plan, like the Madcow 5x5.
Yes! The 5x5 workout is ideal for beginners because of its simplicity and focus on fundamental lifts. Starting with lighter weights allows beginners to build a solid strength foundation.
For most lifts, aim to increase by 5 lbs (2.5 kg) after each successful workout. For deadlifts, you can increase by 10 lbs (5 kg).
If you fail to complete the required reps, repeat the same weight in your next session. Focus on improving your form and endurance before adding weight.
Yes, but it’s best to add cardio on rest days to avoid interfering with recovery. Stick to low-intensity cardio like walking or cycling after your lifts, if you do cardio on lifting days.
If your goal is to build muscle and strength, prioritize eating in a slight caloric surplus. Focus on consuming plenty of protein (1.0–1.2 grams per pound of body weight), healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to fuel your workouts. For fat loss, aim for a slight caloric deficit, but maintain high protein intake to preserve muscle mass.
Warming up is critical for heavy lifting programs like 5x5. Dynamic stretches are good to warm up your muscles and joints in the ways that the exercises demand. Then, perform a warm-up set at light weights before moving to your working set weight.
Joint pain can be a sign of poor form or overtraining. First, evaluate your technique—particularly on lifts like squats and deadlifts. If form is not the issue, consider lightening the load or incorporating more rest days into your program. It’s also a good idea to integrate mobility work and stretching into your routine to keep joints healthy. Consulting a healthcare professional is recommended always recommended.
Yes! To focus more on hypertrophy (muscle size), you can add accessory exercises that target specific muscle groups. Increase the rep range (8-12 reps) for these accessory movements, and keep rest times between 60-90 seconds to increase muscle pump and hypertrophy stimulus.
Sleep is crucial for recovery and muscle growth. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night. During sleep, your body repairs muscle tissues and replenishes energy stores, ensuring you’re ready for your next session. Lack of sleep can hinder recovery and progress.
The 5x5 workout plan offers a simple yet effective way to build strength, increase muscle mass, and improve neuromuscular efficiency. Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate lifter, this program provides a solid foundation for long-term progress.
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