• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Training

Get Freakishly Strong With the 5×5 Workout Program

This no-frills program enhances your skill with a barbell and therefore your strength.

Written by Eric Bugera
Last updated on August 8th, 2023

If you’re even a little bit interested in getting stronger, you’ve probably heard or read about the 5×5 workout program. One of the earliest iterations of this workout was popularized by Bill Starr — and it has since had a lasting impact on the strength scene.

person wearing a black t-shirt and shorts squats with a loaded barbell on their back.
Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock

The program’s hallmark is a lack of flash, focusing instead on raw effort. You prioritize compound movements for five sets of five reps (hence the program’s name) and vary the intensity to incite a different training stimulus. Its consistent ability to produce results over the years has reinforced that your effort can trump nearly all other programming bells and whistles. If you’re dead set on getting strong — really strong — here’s what you need to know about the 5×5 program.

  • 5×5 Program Overview
  • Design Your Own 5×5 Workout
  • One-Rep Max Calculator
  • Why It Works
  • What You’ll Need
  • Who Should Do the 5×5 Program
  • Who Shouldn’t Do the 5×5 Program

What is the 5×5 Program?

There have been numerous iterations of Bill Starr’s original 5×5 program. Its initial format was designed primarily to improve the strength and power of athletes such as football players, Olympic weightlifters, and even combat athletes. You can also find variations with more broad applications, such as his beginner 5×5 or more specialized versions spawned to suit the needs of other populations.

Any version of the program centers around five sets of five reps for multiple compound (multi-joint) exercises. Another hallmark of the program is slow-and-steady progression — with the user increasing the weight on the bar by as little as 2.5 pounds each week.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JuNiXWekPjw

A study published in Biology of Sport compared two groups of lifters following a bench press protocol. One group performed five sets of five reps (at 80% of their one-rep max), while the other performed six sets of two reps (using 87.5% of their 1RM). Both groups increased their bench press. (1)

What’s more, the researchers assert that “these results tend to support the common practical recommendation to start with a lighter load when employing a progressive wave loading strategy, as such a strategy yields similar improvements in performance with a lower level of exertion in training.” (1)

The Original Program

The original 5×5 splits your training routine into three days — a heavy day on Monday, light day on Wednesday, and medium day on Friday. You’ll focus on the squat, various presses, and the power clean (or barbell row) with negligible additional exercises beyond the core lifts.

Directions: Each workout will be based on a percentage of your 1RM, so it’s a good idea to know your max for each of the main lifts (see below). The program calls for you to perform a top set at a prescribed percentage of your 1RM for each exercise— using the previous four sets to ramp your way up slowly.

Progressing Starr’s 5×5 is as simple as increasing the load of your estimated 1RM by 2.5 percent each week. If (or when) you experience a missed repetition on a single lift or find that the program itself has become too difficult — deload by scaling back the load by approximately 10% and carrying on.

Monday (Heavy Day)

  • Power Clean or Barbell Row: 5 x 5, top set @ 85% of your 1RM 
  • Bench Press: 5 x 10, top set @ 70% of your 1RM 
  • Squat: 5 x 10, top set @ 85% of your 1RM 

Wednesday (Light Day)

  • Power Clean or Barbell Row: 5 x 5, top set @ 65% of your 1RM 
  • Incline Bench Press: 5 x 10, top set @ 65% of your 1RM 
  • Squat: 5 x 5, top set @ 65% of your 1RM 

Friday (Medium Day)

  • Power Clean or Barbell Row: 5 x 5 @ 70% of your 1RM 
  • Overhead Press: 5 x 10 @ 70% of your 1RM 
  • Squat: 5 x 5 @ 70% of your 1RM 

Design Your Own 5×5 Program

More than anything, the 5×5 is a set/rep scheme and mode of progression that encourages slow and steady strength gains. By staying true to the core principals of this method, you can create a 5×5 workout of your own that will ensure gains for months to come. 

The Program

If Starr’s original program isn’t quite to your liking, you can apply the basic formula to your own workouts. Here’s the 411:

  • You’ll train your full body three times per week, choosing three compound movements per workout. 
  • Instead of adhering to a light, medium, and heavy day, you’ll stick to a more straightforward mode of progression. Use 70-80% of your 1RM for all five sets of five reps. Each week, aim to add a little weight (2.5 pounds up to a max of 10 pounds). If you can’t lift more, stick with the same weight and try to add weight to just one or two sets. 
  • Isolation exercises aren’t forbidden. However, if you’re feeling tired and/or sore, don’t add them in. You should only perform these movements — lateral raises, biceps curls, triceps extensions, and so on — if you have the time and energy after the core program is complete.

Monday

  • Squat Variation: 5 x 5
  • Vertical Pull: 5 x 5
  • Vertical Push: 3-4 x 12-15
  • Core: 3 x 15

Wednesday

  • Horizontal Push: 5 x 5
  • Horizontal Pull: 5 x 5
  • Hip Hinge: 3-4 x 12-15
  • Core: 3 x 15

Friday

  • Hip Hinge: 5 x 5
  • Vertical Push: 5 x 5
  • Horizontal Pull: 3-4 x 12-15
  • Core: 3 x 15

Exercise Options

If you’re interested in MacGyvering your own 5×5 workouts, use the menu of exercises below to fill in the above categories. You should stick with the same movements for four weeks before subbing them out. 

Squats

  • Front Squat
  • Back Squat
  • Zercher Squat
  • Safety Bar Squat
  • Goblet Squat
  • Overhead Squat

Horizontal Push

  • Flat Barbell Bench Press
  • Incline Barbell Bench Press
  • Decline Barbell Bench Press
  • Dumbbell Bench Press (flat, incline, decline)
  • Hammer Strength Press

Hip Hinge

  • Deadlift
  • Trap Bar Deadlift
  • Sumo Deadlift
  • Rack Pull
  • Hip Thrust

Vertical Pull

  • Pull-Up
  • Weighted Pull-Up
  • Chin-Up
  • Weighted Chin-Up
  • Lat Pulldown

Vertical Push

  • Barbell Overhead Press
  • Dumbbell Overhead Press
  • Arnold Press
  • Machine Shoulder Press
  • Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Dumbbell Press
  • Z Press
  • Log Press

Horizontal Pull

  • Bent-Over Barbell Row
  • Pendlay Row
  • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
  • Two-Arm Dumbbell Row
  • Seal Row
  • Seated Cable Row
  • Face Pull

Core

  • Pallof Press
  • Ab Rollout
  • Cable Crunch
  • Sit-Up
  • Toes-to-Bar
  • Bird Dog
  • Bear Plank
  • Planks

One-Rep Max Calculator

You must know your 1RM to complete the 5×5 program accurately. If you haven’t maxed out in a while, or have never maxed out, give this handy calculator a try.

One Rep Max Calculator

Weight Lifted
Reps Performed

Your one rep max is:

Percentage of 1RM Lift Weight Repetitions of 1RM
100% 1
95% 2
90% 4
85% 6
80% 8
75% 9
70% 12
65% 16
60% 20
55% 24
50% 30

[Related: Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 Strength Training Program Explained]

Why It Works

Like any strength program, the core lifts will be centered on compound exercises that challenge your full body. Your progress is controlled with structured increases in load over time — and there will be a cap on how much work you do per day.

It Focuses on Compound Lifts

The cornerstone of the 5×5 program is an emphasis on multi-joint, compound exercises. In any variation you find — barbell squats, deadlifts, cleans, rows, and various presses will serve as your main lifts.

These exercises force a tremendous amount of full-body coordination and thus strengthen many muscle groups at once. With the lack of machines or isolation-style exercise, your entire body will be forced to get stronger by controlling these barbells entirely by your own means.

Incremental Progressions

The weekly increases in prescribed load are typically going to be as small as you have access to; for example, as low as 2.5-pound increases if possible.

Man in grey t-shirt and shorts loads a weight plate onto a loaded barbell sitting on a power rack.
Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock

The idea is to slowly and methodically increase the load and let your time and effort with each exercise culminate in increased strength. Slow and steady wins this race.

Volume Management

There is a decided limit on the number of exercises per workout within 5×5 programming. This is by design, as strength requires a specific measure of focus. Your ability to recover is paramount to your success. With too many additional exercises, you will likely get crushed under a wave of fatigue from such high-frequency barbell work.

5×5 programs account for this by significantly limiting the additional exercises beyond the main 5×5, often only employing zero to two additional lifts per workout beyond the compound work for the day.

Practice Makes Perfect

Strength isn’t just about your muscles. Your nervous system — made up of your central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) — controls many of your bodies major functions. Your ability to move, your senses, temperature control, sleep, and vital functions are all regulated by your nervous system. 

When it comes to strength training, all movement starts in the brain. From gripping a barbell, to retracting your shoulders blades, to pressing a barbell over your chest — your brain fires off all of the signals to make those physical steps possible. 

If you’re new to lifting — or haven’t lifted in a while — your nervous system will need time to acclimate to a new series of movement. However, practice makes perfect. The more you perform a movement, the more coordinated and efficient you’ll become at doing the exercise. 

Person in camo sports bra lifting a barbell off of the floor.
Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

A study in the Journal of Neuroscience studied how weight training affected the nerves of two monkeys. Each monkey performed one-arm pulls with a single arm. After three months, the researchers concluded that “strength training is associated with neural adaptions.” It was the monkey’s nerves and their muscle-brain connection that was strengthened before their muscles. (2)

So why does this matter in regards to the 5×5 method? Because performing five sets of moderately heavy weight for two different compound movements grants you, the lifter, plenty of practice for your nervous system. This program forces you to focus on more sets and reps with fewer movements. You’ll become a better lifter, and if you’re a powerlifter or strength-hungry gymgoer, how you lift is as important as how much you lift. 

What You’ll Need

Generally, strength training can be accomplished with a (somewhat) bare-bones set-up. However, a handful of things to account for before embarking on your strength journey — such as equipment, time commitment, and recovery strategies.

Equipment

Like many strength-centered routines, the main equipment list you’ll need is the barbell, a squat rack, and plates to load the bar. Many commonly recommended additional exercises fall into the calisthenic category (chin-ups and dips), making them easy enough to do almost anywhere. With that in mind, having a good back extension or glute-ham developer couldn’t hurt, depending on how you specifically program your 5×5.

Access to a deadlift platform is also helpful, ensuring you can best go after your heavy deadlift sets without fear of damaging bars, plates, or the floor from high-intensity pulls.

Person wearing a pink sports bra applying lifting chalk to their hands.
Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

A dedicated bench press or adjustable mobile bench will also work — allowing you to set up in your squat rack to pull double duty.

A few odds and ends for quality of life are to consider a pair of squat or deadlift shoes, chalk, and a good weightlifting belt to prolong your strength training progressions.

Should you dive more into the DIY 5×5 formatting, ensure you have all the necessary implements (such as kettlebells or dumbbells) at your disposal before getting started!

Time

While nearly every variation of a 5×5 program is suited to three days per week, you should allow for a fair amount of time in the gym. Up to three different exercises performed for five sets of five to 10 repetitions in a strength format call for a ton of rest. Allowing yourself the grace for adequate warm-ups and accessory time can also elongate your day, so give yourself a few dedicated hours of training to accomplish a quality session without rushing.

Recovery

Recovery is one of the most important and overlooked aspects of getting strong. While training for muscle can have some clear signs of fatigue (delayed onset muscle soreness is pretty easy to spot), strength can be slightly less obvious.

Sometimes you won’t be sore, but you’ll still be under-recovered. Allow yourself adequate days off between sessions, following the split as best you can. Eat, sleep, and hydrate like your gains depend on it (because they do) — especially as you get deeper into the program.

Who Should Follow the 5×5 Program

The 5×5 method is fantastic for establishing a solid foundational strength base for nearly anyone, but it can be particularly beneficial for powerlifters and field sport athletes.

Field Sport Athletes

Field sports athletes such as football or rugby players serve as some of the most commonly prescribed populations for 5×5 programs. Given that many of the most popular variations were written with these athletes in mind, it makes sense that the exercise selection, volume, and results would benefit them the most. Its lower frequency and emphasis on strength weaves perfectly into the offseason or can be scaled to maintain in-season performance.

Powerlifters

Barbell athletes such as powerlifters will especially benefit from utilizing a 5×5, which employs many of their competition lifts. The programming style, progressions, and emphasis on recovery also play perfectly into what a powerlifter needs to get brutally strong.

Person wearing a powerlifting singlet and lifting belt deadlifts a loaded barbell.
sportpoint/Shutterstock

Depending on your strength level, it can serve as a potent beginner to intermediate powerlifting program.

Foundational Strength

Anyone looking to develop a strong foundation of strength would benefit from utilizing a 5×5 program. The program focuses on skill development on the effective barbell strength exercises by applying them multiple times per week.

Repeated exposure to these lifts helps develop rapid strength-skill increases, while slow progressions allow muscle tissue to adapt on the back end. Athletes far away from competition or new lifters looking to establish a strong base — this program is for you.

Who Shouldn’t Follow the 5×5 Program

While most people benefit from strength training, you might find yourself in a unique position where a 5×5 is outside your preferred programming style. 

Advanced Athletes

Athletes who have already established a high degree of skill or strength might find many 5×5 programs too unforgiving to see continued progress.

person wearing a white cut-off t-shirt and elbow sleeves incline bench presses a loaded barbell.
Pavel L Photo and Video/Shutterstock

The repeated exposures to barbell lifts are great for beginner, and intermediary strength development since a considerable degree of improvement will come from improved skill. Once your strength reaches a specific level, the linear increases in bar weight between each workout might be a bit overwhelming to be of benefit. Your strength has already reached a level where more time is needed at each weight to squeak out more progress than the program might allow.

Lack of Specificity

While there are many variations of the original 5×5, they are all rooted in the development of generalized strength. More customizable programs might be a better option if you have specific exercise or strength goals that fall outside the prescribed exercises or their potential carryover. 

Non-Strength Goals

The lifter with no specific strength goal is the most obvious person who shouldn’t be using a 5×5. Strength is a dedicated pursuit; if you’re interested in maximizing muscle gain, endurance, or a wide range of other goals, a 5×5 might not allow for such variability. Like many programs, if you find yourself chasing dreams outside of what it specifically promises, there is little use for you here.

About Bill Starr

For some, Bill Starr may be a bit of a throwback, but his influence is widespread. Starr was an Olympic weightlifter in the 1960s, becoming a prolific strength coach, author of several successful programs, and writer for numerous publications.

One of his most recognizable contributions is “The Strongest Shall Survive” which holds up to this day. Starr also served as a strength and conditioning coach for many collegiate programs and professional football teams, actively contributing to the field well into the 2000s before his death in 2015.

The Final Word

Bill Starr is a legend in the strength scene, inspiring many other coaches and programs through his contributions.

His 5×5 program(s) highlight the beautiful, straightforward nature of strength training — with effort trumping nearly all else in the pursuit of massive progress. For your beginner and intermediate programming needs, look no further than Bill Starr’s 5×5. Sometimes the best thing for you is a brief but brutal stint with simplicity.

References

  1. Wood PP, Goodwin JE, Cleather DJ. Lighter and heavier initial loads yield similar gains in strength when employing a progressive wave loading scheme. Biol Sport. 2016 Sep;33(3):257-61. doi: 10.5604/20831862.1201912. Epub 2016 May 12. PMID: 27601780; PMCID: PMC4993141.
  2. Glover, I. S., & Baker, S. N. (2020). Cortical, Corticospinal, and Reticulospinal Contributions to Strength Training. The Journal of Neuroscience, 40(30), 5820-5832. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.1923-19.2020

Featured Image: Dusan Petkovic/Shutterstock

About Eric Bugera

Eric Bugera, CSCS, CISSN, MSc, BSc, is a career personal trainer and educator with a range of academic and field experience. He is passionate about lowering the barrier to entry for new gym-goers and trainers alike, mostly by reliving all of his mistakes article by article.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Ashley Kaltwasser’s Tricks For Longevity in Competitive Bikini Bodybuilding

Enahoro Asein (83KG) Deadlifts a Monster 355-Kilogram (783-Pound) Triple Raw

2023 Rising Phoenix and Arizona Pro Women’s Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Sheru Classic France Pro Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Daytona Pro-Am Bodybuilding Show Preview

Latest Reviews

Alaskan Cold Plunge Feature

Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Review

Living.Fit Grip Strengthener Review

Bells of Steel Competition Kettlebell Review

Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review

REP BlackWing Feature

REP Fitness BlackWing Weight Bench Review

Be the smartest person in your gym

The BarBend newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I Want In!
BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap