If you’re a bodybuilder or weightlifter, chances are you go through periods of trying to bulk up and build muscle. It isn’t always easy, and there are numerous workout suggestions around the web that you’ve probably tried.

Well now it’s time for something different, which has worked for countless people: the 5×5 workout – which is also known as Strongs Lifts 5×5. The beauty of it lies in its effectiveness and simplicity, and it can roughly be summarized as a combination of barbell movements and sets of low repetitions. Together, this results in big muscle gains!

Strong Lifts 5×5 is effective for newcomers as well as weightlifting veterans; in the following comprehensive article, we’ll give you all the information you need to get back out there and perform.

The Basics: The 5×5 Workout Program

The compound barbell movement is the crux of the Stronglifts 5×5 program. Let’s see how it plays out – the following handful of movements are contained in the program:

• The barbell row
• The barbell back squat
• The barbell military overhead press
• The barbell bench press
• The barbell deadlift

With each of these movements, you’ll be using heavy weight and performing a low number of repetitions with these. For example, for 4 out of the 5 movements above, you’ll perform 5 sets of 5 repetitions; for the deadlift, you’ll only do a single set of 5 repetitions in order to significantly minimize the chance of injury. Do these for 2 weeks before you add more weight.

The 5×5 Workout Schedule Breakdown

As you read through this schedule, keep in mind that rest days are crucially important in reaching your goals. The 5×5 workout program can only work if you take rest days seriously – because this is the time during which your body recovers and bills the gains you desire. As a result, you should only perform this program three times each week in the provided splits (of which there are two: Split 1 and Split 2). Here’s an example:

First Week

Split 1 (Monday and Friday)

• barbell back squat, 5×5
• barbell row, 5×5
• barbell bench press, 5×5

Split 2 (Wednesday)

• barbell back squat, 5×5
• barbell military press (also known as the overhead press), 5×5
• barbell deadlift, 1×5 (do a single set of 5 reps for this one)

Second Week

Split 1 (Monday and Friday)

• barbell back squat, 5×5
• barbell military press, 5×5
• barbell deadlift, 1×5

Split 2 (Wednesday)

• barbell back squat, 5×5
• barbell row, 5×5
• barbell bench press, 5×5

No matter which split you’re doing, or the exercises you plan for the day, you should always try and do barbell back squats first. The reason for this is that they are, frankly, the most taxing – your core must have the maximum amount of energy for stabilization so that you can perform these properly and without injury. You definitely do not want to wait until you’re tired to perform barbell back squats.

Additionally, this is why the 5×5 workout program favors doing just one set of deadlifts since they are the last workout of the day, and they also require core stabilization. In this program, never do deadlifts first. After the first two weeks, it’s time to add weight to each of the movements listed above.

It’s important to take seriously the strong suggestion against performing more than one set of the deadlift; it is a very taxing movement that emphasizes core stability. By the time you get to this movement at the end of your workout, you don’t want to strain and risk injury by tacking on extra sets.

The 5×5 Workout: Benefits and Detriments

In the interest of full disclosure, let’s take a look at some of the cons as well as the pros of sticking to the 5×5 program. We will begin with the benefits first.

5×5 Workout Program Benefits:

• Unlike many other highly-touted workout programs, you will be able to see progress quickly with this one due to the shallow progression curve. As a result manifest themselves week after week, this by itself will encourage you to keep at it.
• You don’t need any specialized equipment, nor do you need to fork over large sums of cash monthly for dietary pros and fitness specialists. Indeed, you can even keep your gym costs down if you buy the necessary barbells and have space in your home or in your backyard to set up the necessary workout stations. Just make sure you get the proper form down before you progressed to the higher weights necessary to perform the 5×5 program properly for results.
• This workout program works equally well for beginners, intermediate weightlifters, and advanced veterans. You will notice increase in both muscle mass and strength as you get the movements down pat.

5×5 Workout Program Detriments:

• Because this program absolutely requires heavy weights, there’s an undeniable risk of injury; this can be mitigated dramatically by understanding your stress levels and using lighter weights until you can perform the movement properly enough to increase the loads. This is why the 5×5 workout program is not recommended if you are currently suffering from a nagging muscle injury or a chronic one. No matter which exercise you start with, the weights are heavy enough such that the 5×5 schedule can be considered a full-body workout.
• There’s also a chance that you hit your plateaus as the program progresses. Lift de-loading can be a problem for some as the weeks go by; you may notice this as you get stronger and stronger.
• Don’t be full by the 5×5 designation: five sets of five reps may seem short – and they are for a workout or two; but remember, you’re doing five workouts at a time. Since the weights are heavy, you will need about 5 minutes of rest for you to launch into your next set of repetitions. Not including pre-workout warm-ups and post workout cool downs, the 5×5 workout can take you 75 minutes or more to complete.
• You will be ignoring some of the smaller-muscle workouts that you might have grown to like in your years in the gym; this simply isn’t enough time or energy to work these into the 5×5 schedule.
• The fact that this workout is simple may actually be a detriment to veteran weightlifters/bodybuilders; frankly, it may simply become boring after some time. And with boredom comes a dip in motivation levels.

9 Excellent Reasons to Try the 5×5 Workout

Now that the above is out of the way, let’s get back to why we think the 5×5 workout can be a truly excellent variation for anyone – after all, there has to be more pros and cons in order to justify having to load up the barbell. Here goes…

1. A heavy workout that doesn’t tax you aerobically

There’s a time and place for cardio, but most bodybuilders and weightlifters are concerned with that when they’re looking to build muscle and strength. The 5×5 program is an almost purely anaerobic series of exercise movements.

Make no mistake-this program will tax you – but only in a muscle-training, anaerobic sense. Remember, you will be taking five minute breaks between every set; this is a decidedly anaerobic routine. It definitely provides you with a full body workout that doesn’t leave you gasping for breath in the same manner that a high-impact aerobic routine might.

2. The low reps facilitate muscle and strength growth

Simply put, the fact that you’re only doing five reps encourages you to really load up those weights to nearly as much as you can do (for the required number of reps) without unduly risking injury.

The bigger weight translates to more micro tears in your muscles; this, of course, is precisely what eventually leads to greater strength gains and muscle size when your body heals. That’s why the 5×5 program also stresses the importance of rest days to that your body can recuperate, and your muscles can become stronger for your next workout.

In fact, there have been medical research studies proving this fact. One in particular was conducted in 2015 and involved 18 participants. The study results show that the participants who engaged in a low rep workout program eventually were able to climb to much higher resistance/bigger weights when compared to the other group in the high rep workout program they did.

3. The importance of squats for core and knee stability

You should completely disregard the common yet unlearned claim that squats can wear down your knee joints. Several studies, dating as far back as 2001, have disproved this gym myth. The fact is, squats actually increase knee stability, while strengthening all the muscles of the leg – primarily the quadriceps and hamstrings.

There’s another myth associated with the other big leg lift known as the deadlift. Contrary to popular and unlearned opinion, deadlifts do not equal guaranteed back pain; in fact, they can dramatically reduce back pain by strengthening the powerful and large muscles of the back. Of course, if you perform this movement improperly or load too much weight and due to many reps, then you can experience back pain. This is part of the reason why the 5×5 workout schedule only has you doing a single set of 5 reps of the deadlift.

4. The 5×5 workout targets foundational muscles

Simply put, there isn’t a better workout than the 5×5 program if you want to set up all the major muscles of the human body for some serious weightlifting in the future. Plenty of research reaching back at least 10 years proves that the 5×5 makes muscles stronger and bigger than any other official workout program.

One of the reasons it’s so effective is that it is a full body workout program. This helps to address imbalances in muscles – particularly for beginners to resistance training. If you perform all the recommended workouts for 5 reps and 5 sets, it will bring all your major muscles up to speed.

5. 5×5 helps the beginner, intermediate and veteran

Whether you are just entering the gym for the first time, have been added consistently for years, or perhaps even consider yourself a near-professional – the 5×5 workout works just as well in any case. In fact, it’s probably most beneficial to the entry-level weightlifter. For starters, you wouldn’t have to concern yourself with the countless workout combinations available at a standard gym.

Because of the low repetition count and simplicity of movement employed by the 5×5 schedule, you can easily follow your workout plan. Just make sure to adjust the weight to one that is comfortable lifting 5 times; after which you cannot safely lift much more.

6. It lets you workout your entire body 3x weekly

The 5×5 program facilitates reaching your fitness goals. Because it’s a full-body workout, you can rest assured that you are targeting all of your major muscle groups every single week. Gone are the months where you hit legs only once every four weeks!

7. You can expect gains galore

Because of the small number of repetitions required, the simple schedule and easy-to-understand movements, the 5×5 workout can be adapted quickly and efficiently by even a beginner.

In fact, it can be argued that it is the best program for weightlifters who are just starting out. Why? Because the fitness world is inundated with a multitude of different possible workouts, you can sometimes get analysis-paralysis in trying to stick to a workout you think will work. The 5×5 program cuts all that out and keeps things as simple and effective as possible.

8. Weight management is incorporated into this program

Let’s face it: unless you are an aerobic exercise enthusiast, hours and hours of pounding the pavement for jogging on treadmills sounds like the opposite of fun. As such, the 5×5 workout is tailor-made for those who want the results – but don’t want to die of boredom trying to get them.

This plenty of medical research out there which shows that putting on muscle ramps up your metabolism – which translates to burning fat. When you are performing the 5×5 workout, you cannot afford to eat fewer calories; you need the energy to adequately perform the heavy lifts even if the amount of reps are low.

As you build muscle and strength with the 5×5 schedule, you’ll find that your body automatically burns fat as a result of the catabolic properties of the muscle you’re putting on.

9. An exceptional workout for your stabilizer muscles and prime movers

Since the 5×5 is a full-body exercise regimen, you can rest assured that your prime movers (your big muscles) will all be getting taxed for future gains. Additionally, your so-called stabilizer muscles will also be getting quite the workout because of all the energy needed to stabilize the large barbell weights. Let’s take a look at the primary muscles that will benefit from the 5×5 splits:

• lats, biceps and rhomboids
• hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes
• external and internal oblique muscles, all three levels of your trapezius, and the stabilizers that run across your torso
• triceps muscle, pecs, and deltoids

Watch Out For These Common Mistakes

Some of the most common mistakes that we see with beginners can be easily corrected by doing due diligence before you begin your 5×5 program. First and foremost, make sure you have the proper form; you can either use a spotter or a mirror when you begin. Most importantly, start out with a weight that you can handle and use that until you get the form down pat.

The next problem we see is loading onto much weight to start. This is an extension of the first problem we mentioned above; no matter what goals you have in mind, it will take a lot longer to accomplish them if you injure yourself. Increase the weight incrementally week after week, and do not hesitate to stop in the middle of a workout if you feel like you just don’t have it that day.

Never workout if you’re injured! It is all too common for people to ignore the signs their body is giving them and continue on to try and complete a set when the previous rep let you know that something is wrong. It’s never worth it to save face by completing a set. Your body always lets you know when a potential injury is impending; learn to listen to.

If you give me all of the above advice, you’ll find that the 5×5 workout has the potential to let you explode through previous plateaus. Countless people have vigorously recommended it, after having seen their ability to lift heavy weights go through the roof. Stick with it week by week, and you could be the next enthusiast touting the powers of the 5×5.