StrongLifts 5×5 is a 3-day-per-week beginner strength program built around two alternating workouts. Workout A is squat, bench press, and barbell row. Workout B is squat, overhead press, and deadlift. You train each one 3 times every two weeks, always squatting, adding 5 lb to the bar each session. Mehdi at stronglifts.com based it on Bill Starr’s 5×5 from the 1970s.
The idea is pure linear progression: no percentages, no wave loading, no periodization. You just add weight every single session until you can’t anymore. That simplicity is the whole point. Every session you squat, which is what drives the strength base. It’s the easiest possible novice program to follow, by design.
StrongLifts is for true beginners or people coming back after a long layoff. If you’ve been lifting consistently for more than 6 months, you’ll probably stall faster than the program expects, and something like Starting Strength or GZCLP may serve you better. Both the lb and kg versions of the spreadsheet are below.
Table of Contents
- 1 StrongLifts 5×5 Workout Program Spreadsheet (LB)
- 2 StrongLifts 5×5 Workout Program Spreadsheet (KG)
- 3 StrongLifts 5×5 Program Overview
- 4 How to do the Exercises
- 5 Video: StrongLifts 5×5 vs. Other Novice & Intermediate Programs
- 6 StrongLifts 5×5 Infographic
- 7 Frequently Asked Questions about StrongLifts 5×5
StrongLifts 5×5 Workout Program Spreadsheet (LB)
Source: StrongLifts 5×5 by Mehdi (stronglifts.com)
StrongLifts 5×5 Workout Program Spreadsheet (KG)
StrongLifts 5×5 Program Overview
StrongLifts 5×5 is a beginner strength program built on linear periodization. There’s very little variation in exercise selection — the goal is to add weight to the bar every single workout. This lets novice lifters make fast improvements in strength and muscle growth.
The program uses compound movements to work multiple muscles at once. A full-body training effect comes from just a handful of exercises per session.
You’ll train three days per week, alternating Workout A and Workout B.
The Lifts
StrongLifts 5×5 uses five exercises: squat, bench press, deadlift, barbell row, and overhead press.
Squat
The squat is one of the “big three” compound exercises (the other two are the bench press and deadlift). It’s one of the best lower body exercises available and also works the back and abdominal muscles.
You’ll squat 3 times every week on StrongLifts — every single session includes the squat.
Bench Press
The bench press works the chest muscles, triceps, front delts, and biceps. It’s a “push” movement and complements the barbell row in a basic push-pull sense.
You’ll bench press once or twice per week depending on the week.
Deadlift
The deadlift is one of the best exercises for the posterior chain: spinal erectors, hamstrings, and glutes. It also hits your upper back and traps.
You’ll deadlift once or twice per week depending on the week.
Barbell Row
The barbell row works the lats, traps, rear delts, and core. It’s a “pull” movement. You can also substitute a pendlay row, which is similar to the barbell row.
You’ll row once or twice per week, on the days you don’t deadlift.
Overhead Press
The overhead press builds strong shoulders while also working the triceps and using the core for stabilization.
You’ll press once or twice per week, on the days you’re not bench pressing.
The Workouts
Workout A
- Squat – 5 sets of 5 reps
- Bench Press – 5 sets of 5 reps
- Row – 5 sets of 5 reps
Workout B
- Squat – 5 sets of 5 reps
- Overhead Press – 5 sets of 5 reps
- Deadlift – 1 set of 5 reps
Alternating Workouts
You’ll complete Workout A and Workout B in alternating fashion.
For example:
Week 1
- Workout A
- Workout B
- Workout A
Week 2
- Workout B
- Workout A
- Workout B
How to do the Exercises
Below you’ll see how to do all of the exercises needed for StrongLifts 5×5. There are a lot of videos down there, but watching a few is an important part of learning the lifts.
Each video emphasizes something slightly different, which helps you identify what you might need to work on in your own form.
Start light and get comfortable with form first. If you want to lift big weights, proper form is the way. Shortcuts keep you weak at best and get you hurt at worst.
How to Squat
via Jonnie Candito
via Alan Thrall
How to Bench Press
via Jeff Nippard
How to Barbell Row
via Alan Thrall
via Jeff Nippard
How to Overhead Press
via Buff Dudes
via Alan Thrall
How to Deadlift
via Strength Camp
via Buff Dudes
via Jeremy Ethier
Video: StrongLifts 5×5 vs. Other Novice & Intermediate Programs
Here Alan Thrall does a quick comparison between Starting Strength, StrongLifts, Texas Method, and 5/3/1. Texas Method and 5/3/1 are better suited for intermediate lifters who are no longer progressing several times per week, which is how Starting Strength and StrongLifts are set up.
StrongLifts 5×5 Infographic
This infographic shows the full A/B workout structure at a glance — which lifts appear in each session and how they rotate across the week.
Frequently Asked Questions about StrongLifts 5×5
Does StrongLifts 5×5 work?
Yes, StrongLifts is an effective strength training program for novices. It’s built on sound principles of stress, recovery, and adaptation. Novice lifters recover fast and can be stressed by relatively low loads, so they can gain strength session to session. StrongLifts, Starting Strength, and GreySkull LP all take advantage of this.
Does StrongLifts build muscle?
Yes, StrongLifts will build muscle in novice lifters. Sets of 5 can build strength and drive hypertrophy in beginners. You won’t be in pure hypertrophy rep ranges, but as a novice, almost any challenging compound work will produce muscle growth.
How long should you run StrongLifts?
Run StrongLifts for as long as you’re still adding weight each session. For true beginners, that can be 3-6 months before stalls become frequent. Once you’re consistently failing to progress and the deload-and-retry cycle isn’t getting you moving again, it’s time to move to an intermediate program. Texas Method and GZCLP are both solid next steps.
What weight should I start StrongLifts 5×5 with?
If you’re a complete beginner, start with the empty bar (45 lb / 20 kg) on all lifts except the deadlift, which starts at 95 lb / 40 kg. The point isn’t to challenge yourself on day one — it’s to nail the form and let the progression do its job over weeks.
If you’ve lifted before and are coming back after a layoff, the spreadsheet has an “experienced lifter” mode where you enter a recent rep max and it calculates a starting weight for you. Use 50% of your current 5-rep max as a rough guide if you want to set it manually.
When should I deload on StrongLifts 5×5?
If you miss reps on the same weight 3 sessions in a row, drop the weight by 10% and start climbing again. So if you fail 5×5 at 200 lb three times, reset to 180 lb and add 5 lb per session from there. This gives your body time to catch up to the load you were fighting.
This is the standard StrongLifts deload protocol. Don’t push through stalls — they compound. A 10% reset usually gets you moving again within a few sessions.
What happens when I stall on StrongLifts?
When you start missing reps in your 5×5 sets, keep the weight the same and drop to 5 sets of 3 reps, then keep adding weight session to session. So if you miss a squat rep at 300 lb, do 5×3 at 300 lb next workout. Once you hit 5×3 at the stall weight (which you should, since you were doing 5×5 at 5 lb less), move to 305 lb for 5×3. Do this only for the lifts you’ve stalled on — other lifts stay on 5×5.
After stalling on 5×3, you can drop to 5 singles or move to a more structured intermediate program. GZCLP handles the stall protocol automatically and is a good transition. Texas Method is another good program to graduate to. Greg Nuckols goes into much more depth on this topic.
