The Best 5 x 5 Weightlifting Workouts

Weight training develops muscular strength in a targeted way, but unless you carefully construct your training plan, you’ll quickly encounter a performance plateau that stalls your progress. One of the most effective ways of constructing your strength-training program is to use a dynamic set structure that keeps your muscles on their toes. One of the most effective set structures for competitive athletes and powerlifters is the 5x5 system, notes strength training expert Mike Mahler. The best 5x5 workouts focus on lifting a large amount of weight during compound exercises through a limited number of reps, helping you build functional strength and power.

  1. 5x5 Set

    • A 5x5 set relies on heavy weight lifted as part of compound exercises to break down muscle tissue quickly. A 5x5 set involves doing five repetitions of an exercise per set, for a total of five sets. For advanced training, it helps to establish your five-rep maximum (5-RM) weight capacity for a particular exercise, and you begin each set between 75 and 85 percent of that max, depending on the specific program. The 5x5 program involves three workouts per week, and the best programs take advantage of periodization to establish an effective strength-building cycle over the course of multiple weeks.

    Exercises

    • The best 5x5 workouts focus on exercises that target medium and large muscle groups, such as the pectorals, the latissimus dorsi, the quadriceps and the hamstrings, for primary engagement. Sets that use the 5x5 structure also work smaller muscle groups like the biceps, triceps and calves, because the compound exercises of the best programs target a broad network of muscles as stabilizers. Powerlifters and competitive athletes find using compact sets with compound exercises such as squats, bench presses, power cleans and overhead presses provide an effective, efficient overall workout in a relatively short amount of time.

    Bill Starr’s Classic 5x5

    • NFL strength coach Bill Starr is credited as the creator of the 5x5 progressive training system, designed to improve functional strength for football players. Starr’s original system set up a three-day training regimen that focused on a core of three specific exercises: squats, bench presses and power cleans, a group he called “The Big Three.” These three exercises were combined with others to form Starr’s 5x5 compact strength training program. Day 1 is a “heavy” day, requiring you to lift near your max capacity for each exercise, beginning with power cleans, followed by bench presses and squats. Day 2 is a “light” day, where you lift significantly less than your max. Again, begin with power cleans, but follow with incline bench presses and squats. Day 3 is a medium weight day, where you split the difference between Days 1 and 2. Begin with power cleans, followed by overhead presses, then finish with squats.

    5x5 Variations

    • Over the years, Starr’s program has been implemented and modified to fit various strength-training applications. Athletic strength coach Mark Rippetoe developed a novice plan to initiate beginners with progressive training. Rippetoe’s program focuses on a core of compound exercises, including squats, bench presses, deadlifts, chin-ups and pullups. The difference with Rippetoe's plan is that it concentrates on three sets of five reps, rather than a true 5x5. Fitness expert Shannon Clark also has a 5x5 program geared toward beginners, offering a simple plan that doesn't require you to increase weight for each rep. Clark's program centers around squats, bench presses, deadlifts, military presses and barbell rows.