Get bigger and stronger than ever with the 5×5 strength training workouts plan for massive gains.
Many people don’t know that muscle building and fat loss are two different goals that they cannot achieve both at the same time to gain muscle. They need more calories, which means to have calorie surplus, to gains and fat loss, they need fewer calories i.e. calorie deficit.
The 5×5 Strength Training Workout Program is for those who want to gain muscle while not gaining fat during this program, you can train five times per week, we are going to do serious weight training where we do fast-twitches are going to activate muscle fibers.
What is 5×5 Strength Training?
5×5 Strength Training, also known as “StrongLifts 5×5”, is a simple and effective workouts plan for building strength, muscle mass and athleticism.
Although there are many variations of the program, one of the most popular is 5×5 Strength Training.
The 5×5 strength training workouts plan is excellent for beginner and intermediate to build a base of strength, muscle and movement knowledge that can be built throughout their weight training.
The 5×5 Strength Training Workouts is very simple: as the name implies, it usually involves 5 sets of 5 repetitions of compound movements – using a heavier weight and fewer repetitions per set.
The goal is to build strength in compound movements by adding weight each time you workout. You’ll only do these workouts five times a week, as the rest days between workouts are important for stimulating muscle growth.
5×5 Training Schedule
| Days | Workouts |
|---|---|
| MONDAY | Chest Workouts |
| TUESDAY | Back Workouts (Lats/Midback/Lowerback) |
| WEDNESDAY | Biceps + Triceps + Abs Workouts |
| THURSDAY | Off-Day |
| FRIDAY | Shoulder + Traps Workouts |
| SATURDAY | Legs Workout |
| SUNDAY | Off-Day |
1. 5×5 Strength Training: Monday —Chest Workouts
| Workouts | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Barbell Incline Press | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Flat Bench Press | 5×5 |
| Decline Dips | 5×5 |
| Cable Flys | 5×5 |
2. 5×5 Strength Training: Tuesday —Back Workouts
| Workouts | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| V-Grip Lat Pulldown | 5×5 |
| Close Grip Machine Rows | 5×5 |
| Wide Grip V-Bar Lat Pull-down | 5×5 |
| Hyper Extension | 5×5 |
3. 5×5 Strength Training: Wednesday —Biceps + Triceps + Abs Workouts
| Workouts | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Biceps workouts: | |
| Barbell Preacher Curl | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 5×5 |
| Triceps workouts: | |
| Triceps Skull Crusher | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Overhead Extension | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Kickback | 5×5 |
| Abs workous: | |
| Weighted Incline Crunches | Sets 2, Reps (15-20) |
| Laying Reverse Crunches | Sets 2, Reps (15-20) |
| Hanging Knee Raise | Sets 2, Reps (15-20) |
4. 5×5 Strength Training: Friday: Shoulder + Traps Workouts
| Workouts | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Shoulder workouts: | |
| Barbell Press (Behind The Neck) | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Side Raise | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Front Raise | 5×5 |
| Traps workouts: | |
| Barbell Shrugs | 5×5 |
5. 5×5 Strength Training: Saturday: Legs Workouts
| Workouts | Sets x Reps |
|---|---|
| Leg Presses | 5×5 |
| Dumbbell Walking Lunges | 5×5 |
| Leg Extension | 5×5 |
| Calf Raise on Leg Press | 5×5 |
Note: Rest 2-3 minutes after every workouts set
5×5 Workouts structure
If you want to add muscle, you have to be strong. A 2013 study from Japan found that just 8 weeks of a squat-based program. 1 The 5×5 Workouts structure offers beginners/intermediate a plan to increase their number.
In a 5×5 strength training workout program, traditionally you do the first two sets at the lower end of your weight range (65% and 75%), and your last 3 sets at the upper end (85%) of your maximum weight limit. This means, you are building the body faster with heavy lifts versus the risk of injury by jumping straight into the heaviest weights.
It’s important to prepare your body during the first week of your 5×5 strength training diet to accustom it to this type of training. Proper preparation begins with finding the proper weight to begin with.
Focus on finding a weight range that allows you to complete 5 sets of a given workouts at 5 reps per set (25 reps total). The weight should be heavy enough that you can’t complete 6-8 repetitions of 5 sets, but it should also be light enough that you can complete all 5 sets. The entire strength training plan is centered around being able to complete all 25 reps, so finding the proper weight range for each exercise is absolutely critical.
The 5×5 Strength Training Workouts Plan alternates between two workouts, five times a week with at least one full day of rest between workouts. All exercises are performed in straight sets with a two-minutes to three-minute rest between sets. Add five pounds to each workout until you miss reps (i.e. you can only gain four instead of five). If you fail a certain exercise, repeat the same weight the next time; If you get it the next time, continue to gain weight. If you fail an exercise three times in a row, deload the weight by 10 percent. Then, continue with the same progressive overload system.
Benefits
- Build muscle tissue
- Improves intra- and intra-muscular coordination – in other words, the ability to coordinate your moving parts
- Improving the rate of force generation – how quickly you can generate force to go against resistance
- Strengthen connective tissues such as tendons
- Protects and increases muscle mass
- Maintains and increases the metabolic rate
- Improve bone density
- Improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
- Reduce the risk of injury
- Improving the ability to engage in daily activities
- Improve balance
- Increases speed, power and agility
- Improve self-esteem
- Increases strength and stamina
- Improving overall body composition
- Improve aerobic capacity
- Takai Y, Fukunaga Y, Fujita E, Mori H, Yoshimoto T, Yamamoto M, Kanehisa H. Effects of body mass-based squat training in adolescent boys. J Sports Sci Med. 2013 Mar 1;12(1):60-5. PMID: 24149726; PMCID: PMC3761779. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24149726.[↩]
