5x5 Workout

Why the 5×5 Workout Is Your Secret Weapon for Lean Muscle Gain

Share your love

TL;DR

The 5x5 workout focuses on five sets of five reps with compound lifts, ideal for building strength and lean muscle. Its simple structure suits beginners and intermediate lifters alike, promoting muscle growth through progressive overload. By targeting core movements like squats and deadlifts, the 5x5 method enhances overall body strength and stability, helping you achieve noticeable gains in just a few months.
Table of Contents

Among the various workout programmes available, the 5×5 workout stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness in promoting muscle growth.

This programme focuses on heavy compound lifts performed in a structured format, making it accessible for beginners while still challenging for seasoned lifters.

By concentrating on the fundamental principles of strength training, the 5×5 workout can help you maximise your results.

The Basics of the 5×5 Workout

The 5×5 workout is a straightforward strength training programme focused on five sets of five repetitions per exercise.

This approach emphasises the use of heavier weights and fewer reps to enhance strength gains. It includes five key lifts, offering a comprehensive full-body workout suitable for beginner and intermediate lifters. Over a span of 3–6 months, participants can see significant improvements in strength and gain a better understanding of effective workout routines.

Bench Press
The 5×5 workout builds strength with heavier weights, focusing on five key compound lifts.

To increase the challenge in a 5×5 workout, individuals can lift heavier weights, shorten rest times between sets, or integrate supplementary exercises to target specific muscle groups. Designed for sustainable progress, it allows for continuous improvement over one to two years before transitioning to advanced training methods.

What is the 5×5 Workout?

The 5×5 workout involves five sets of five repetitions for each exercise, promoting gradual weight increases for muscle and strength gains.

This training approach targets key barbell movements, facilitating a full-body workout optimal for building strength and muscle mass. Training three times per week, it provides adequate recovery, encouraging muscle growth in the 70-80% strength-building range of an individual’s one-rep max (1RM).

Its simple structure suits both beginner and intermediate lifters wanting to improve athletic performance and includes higher-rep accessories for additional muscle mass growth.

Benefits of the 5×5 Workout Programme

By focusing on low rep counts, the 5×5 workout enables the use of heavier weights, causing significant muscle damage that aids in recovery and growth. Engaging core muscles, the programme enhances posture and stability while reducing the risk of injury.

Additionally, it can stimulate bone growth and density, supporting bone health with age. The programme increases athletic performance by building power, strength, and agility beneficial to various sports.

Nine weeks of squat versus hip thrust training elicited similar gluteal hypertrophy, greater thigh hypertrophy in the squat, and similar strength transfers to the deadlift, indicating both exercises are effective for gluteal and thigh muscle growth.

Plotkin et al. (2023)

Pursuing the 5×5 plan boosts self-confidence and provides a sense of accomplishment through achieving strength and muscle growth goals.

Key Principles of Muscle Gain

The 5×5 programme is centred on five sets of five reps per exercise, using more sets and fewer repetitions than many strength programmes, promoting growth through progressive overload.

Research shows that muscle hypertrophy correlates with the weight lifted, making the high resistance, low rep structure advantageous for increasing muscle size. It engages a wide range of muscle groups, focusing on both prime movers and stabilisers, enhancing overall strength and coordination.

As weights increase, more muscle tissue is built, raising basal metabolic rates and daily energy expenditure. Proper form and technique are essential for safe progression and effective muscle gain, emphasising objective assessments before increasing weights.

Structure of the 5×5 Workout

The 5×5 workout is designed for strength gains and muscle growth by focusing on heavy weights with low repetitions.

The core of this programme involves performing five sets of five repetitions for each exercise, promoting progressive overload. This workout emphasises compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups, mimicking functional movement patterns.

Barbell row
The 5×5 workout builds strength through heavy, low-rep compound lifts, focusing on progressive overload and recovery.

Workouts are organised into two cycles (A and B) distributed evenly over an 8-12 week period. Typically, the programme includes three workouts per week, with the deadlift performed at a different intensity of 1×5 working sets. Rest days are scheduled on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, allowing for recovery and minimising the risk of injury.

The primary aim is strength building rather than weight loss, making it ideal for those seeking to improve muscle and strength levels.

Typical Weekly Schedule

A typical weekly schedule for the 5×5 programme involves alternating between two distinct workouts, known as Workout A and Workout B. Workout A is usually done on Monday and Friday, while Workout B is scheduled for Wednesday. This arrangement ensures that there is at least one rest day between workouts, which is crucial for recovery and optimising gains in strength.

Though the standard schedule calls for three workouts per week, intermediate lifters can still achieve significant strength gains with just two sessions per week. Consistency in maintaining either a two or three times per week schedule is key to realising the programme’s full potential.

Essential Compound Exercises

The 5×5 workout emphasises essential compound exercises such as barbell back squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell overhead press, and barbell row.

These exercises engage multiple muscle groups, contributing to overall strength and muscle gains. Each session typically includes three compound exercises, with barbell back squats being a staple.

Squat training is highly effective for improving knee extensor strength, as it results in a larger knee extensor net joint moment and positive joint work compared to deadlifts.

Choe et al. (2018)

Compound exercises like squats and deadlifts are critical for building major muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. The focus on using heavier weights with low repetitions in these exercises is ideal for increasing muscle mass and strength.

Sample Workout Routine

A sample 5×5 workout routine consists of performing five sets of five repetitions for each exercise, with a focus on progressive overload for strength development. Choosing a weight that is approximately 80% of your one-rep max ensures the challenge is sufficient while allowing completion of all five sets.

Maintaining proper form during all repetitions is vital for effective strength gains and to reduce the risk of injury. Athletes can modify the programme by incorporating additional exercises or variations to meet specific goals, accommodating different training levels. Ensuring adequate recovery between workouts is crucial, especially when performing multiple 5×5 exercises in one session.

How to Get Started with 5×5

The 5×5 workout is straightforward: perform five sets of five repetitions for each exercise. Start with a lighter weight, such as just the bar (45 pounds or 20.4 kg), especially if you’re not familiar with your one repetition maximum (1RM).

This approach focuses on building strength rather than weight loss, allowing for a shift in fitness goals.

Key compounding exercises like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses are integral to the programme, engaging multiple muscle groups.

Designing Your 5×5 Programme for Beginners

A typical 5×5 routine involves alternating between two unique workouts (A and B) over three training days weekly. Beginners should start with around 50% of their 1RM to ease into the programme. Prioritising form over load helps in learning correct movement patterns.

Though suitable for beginners, this programme is particularly beneficial for intermediate lifters familiar with strength and technique from previous training in the 8-12 rep range. Expect significant strength and muscle gains within 3–6 months.

Adjustments for Intermediate Lifters

Intermediate lifters can modify their 5×5 programmes by including additional exercises or accessory work targeting specific weaknesses or goals. Introducing periodisation techniques can help prevent plateaus and set distinct fitness goals by organising workouts over different phases.

Training muscles twice per week is effective for hypertrophy, making high-frequency sessions advantageous. The programme’s flexibility allows for variations in exercise selection, set-rep schemes, and rest periods to fit individual objectives.

Advanced Lifting Strategies

Advanced lifters can leverage 5×5 workouts to overcome plateaus or maintain strength by integrating complex variations or combining with powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting methods.

5x5 Workout
Advanced lifters can customise 5×5 workouts with variations, periodisation, and technique focus to overcome plateaus and sustain strength gains.

Customising the programme may involve altering exercise selections, set numbers, rep schemes, or rest periods to align with personal goals. Periodisation techniques facilitate avoiding plateaus by planning distinct workout phases.

This framework supports proper technique, reinforcing long-term gains and minimising the risk of injury through high-frequency exposure to limited exercises.

Selecting Weights

When beginning a 5×5 workout programme, choosing the right weights is crucial for maximising strength gains and muscle growth while minimising the risk of injury.

Starting with weights you can lift for 10 reps helps focus on proper form and safety. Aim to select weights based on 85% of your one-repetition maximum (1RM) for your 5-rep sets. Progressive overload is fundamental in a 5×5 routine, encouraging adaptation to heavier weights over time.

Determining Your Starting Weight

For your initial 5×5 sessions, select a weight you can comfortably lift for 10 reps. Beginners should start with lighter weights, around 65-95 lbs (30-40 kg) including the barbell, for compound exercises like Rows and Deadlifts.

Using just the barbell (45 lbs or 20 kg) for the first two weeks can help beginners build foundational strength and confidence. Incremental increases of 2.5 lbs for upper body and 10 lbs for lower body lifts every two weeks prevent plateaus and promote strength progression.

Progressively Overloading

Progressive overload is key to the success of the 5×5 programme. Lifters should aim to increase their weights by 5 pounds for each lift or 10 pounds for the deadlift after completing all sets with the current weight.

The onset of hypertrophy in the quadriceps femoris was detected within three weeks of squat training, contributing significantly to initial strength gains, showing the importance of early hypertrophic adaptations during resistance training.

Seynnes et al. (2007)

If unable to complete 5 reps for all sets in three consecutive workouts, reduce the weight by 10 percent in a practise known as deloading. This method helps in overcoming performance plateaus and encourages consistent strength gains, while stimulating muscle growth.

Tips for Weight Selection

Start with a weight that allows you to complete all five sets without compromising form. Gradually increase weights to promote progression, keeping in mind proper technique. Rest for at least 90 seconds between sets to ensure adequate recovery and support muscle growth.

When selecting weights, consider using a workout app for a personalised approach based on your stats and experience level. This helps maintain a structured and progressive training regimen aligned with your goals.

Tracking Progress

Keeping track of your workouts is essential for gauging your progress and adjusting your workout regimen appropriately. By documenting your exercise routines, you gain insight into your performance and can customise your training to maximise strength gains and muscle growth. An effective log should include details such as sets, repetitions, and weights for each exercise.

Recognising patterns through this log can highlight potential plateaus and assist in implementing strategies to continue progressing in your strength programme.

Importance of Monitoring Performance

Monitoring workout performance is crucial for understanding your development and making necessary adjustments to prevent plateauing. Regular documentation helps in identifying when to modify lifting routines or add rest days to reduce the risk of injury from heavy weights.

For intermediate lifters, this insight is invaluable for sustaining gains in strength and muscle mass. Coaches or personal trainers can provide additional guidance for beginners to ensure safety and proper technique, minimising injury risks.

Methods for Tracking Workouts

A straightforward method for tracking workouts is maintaining a detailed training log. This log should capture key information such as the date, time, sets, repetitions, and weights performed during each session. Including subjective notes about your mood or sleep quality can reveal influential patterns on your workout routine.

The 5×5 workout programme, typically involving limited additional exercises outside of core lifts, offers a simpler tracking system, focusing on progressive overload with heavier weights.

How to Identify Your Progress

Tracking progress through a consistent log provides motivation and helps recognise lifestyle factors affecting performance.

Understanding setbacks, like plateaus, involves analysing dietary intake, sleep habits, and workout intensity. Documenting energy levels or diets can reveal whether issues stem from inadequate calorie or protein intake.

Lifestyle choices such as alcohol consumption or irregular sleep schedules can be identified as culprits when analysing trends affecting workout performance. This reflection aids in making informed adjustments to maintain and improve your strength training programme.

Overcoming Plateaus

Overcoming plateaus in a workout programme like the 5×5 requires understanding the reasons behind stagnation and applying effective strategies to overcome them.

Plateaus are commonly experienced when progress halts for three consecutive workouts, indicating that modifications in training or lifestyle habits may be necessary. By addressing factors such as training intensity, recovery, and nutrition, lifters can continue to make steady gains in strength and muscle size.

Common Reasons for Plateaus

Plateaus often arise from undertraining, which fails to sufficiently challenge the muscles, or overtraining, which impedes recovery. Insufficient nutritional intake, particularly of calories and protein, can also hinder muscle development.

Additionally, factors such as inadequate sleep and excessive alcohol consumption negatively impact performance and contribute to plateaus. Recognising these issues is vital to break through stagnation in both muscle growth and strength gains.

Strategies to Break Through Plateaus

Deloading, which involves reducing the weight by about 10% after repeated failures to progress, can effectively reset your gains. Keeping a detailed training log of sets, repetitions, and subjective performance observations can help identify lifestyle factors impacting progress.

Beginners should adjust weights conservatively when starting a 5×5 programme to allow for gradual progression, avoiding early plateaus caused by overly ambitious loads.

A more significant deload week or taking complete rest can also serve as a powerful tool to regain lost momentum.

When to Change Your Routine

The 5×5 training programme should be followed for at least four weeks to assess strength and muscle gains. If repetition goals are consistently met within this timeframe, extending the programme for an additional four weeks is advised, potentially maximising muscle tissue growth.

After completing eight weeks, consider changing exercises or switching to another programme to prevent stagnation. Regularly achieving new repetition maximums indicates readiness to evolve your routine for continued progress.

References

Daniel L. Plotkin et al. "Hip thrust and back squat training elicit similar gluteus muscle hypertrophy and transfer similarly to the deadlift." Frontiers in Physiology, 14 (2023).

Kevin H. Choe et al. "Hip and Knee Kinetics During a Back Squat and Deadlift.." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2018).

Olivier R. Seynnes et al. "Early skeletal muscle hypertrophy and architectural changes in response to high-intensity resistance training.." Journal of applied physiology, 102 1 (2007).
Share your love
Alex Parry
Alex Parry

Alex Parry, MSc, is a seasoned strength and conditioning coach with over 10 years of experience in the fitness industry. Holding a master's degree in Exercise Science, Alex specialises in athletic performance and injury prevention. He has worked with athletes at all levels, from amateurs to professionals, and is known for his evidence-based approach to training and rehabilitation.

Articles: 14

Stay informed and not overwhelmed - subscribe now!