5x5 Progression Calculator
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your one-rep max (1RM) for a specific exercise, and we'll calculate your starting weight and weekly progression for the 5x5 program.
Important: If you don't know your 1RM, start with 60-75% of your heaviest lift you've done in the past month.
If you’ve ever walked into a gym and seen someone grinding through five heavy sets of five reps, you’ve seen the 5x5 workout in action. It’s simple. It’s brutal. And for millions of people, it’s the reason they got stronger than they ever thought possible. No fancy equipment. No complex movements. Just barbells, plates, and a stubborn commitment to getting better every week. So why does 5x5 work so well? It’s not magic. It’s math. And it’s built on principles that have stood the test of time.
What exactly is the 5x5 workout?
The 5x5 workout means doing five sets of five repetitions for key compound lifts. Most versions focus on three main exercises: the back squat, the bench press, and the barbell row or deadlift. Some programs add overhead press and power clean. The goal isn’t to max out. It’s to lift a weight you can handle for five reps, then do that same weight again - four more times. And you do this three times a week, with at least one rest day between sessions.
It sounds easy until you try it. The first time you step up to the bar with 80% of your max and try to push out five clean reps, you realize this isn’t about reps. It’s about consistency. It’s about showing up when you’re tired, when your shoulders ache, when the alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. And that’s where the real power lies.
Why five sets? Why five reps?
There’s a sweet spot between volume and intensity that the 5x5 hits perfectly. Five reps is heavy enough to force your nervous system to adapt - your brain learns how to fire more muscle fibers at once. But it’s not so heavy that you can’t recover. Five sets give you enough total work to stimulate growth without burning you out. Most people who train for endurance do 12+ reps. Those training for pure power do 1-3 reps. The 5x5 sits right in the middle - the zone where strength and muscle size grow together.
Studies from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research show that training in the 5-8 rep range leads to the highest gains in both strength and muscle mass over 12 weeks compared to higher or lower rep schemes. The 5x5 doesn’t just build strength - it builds dense, usable muscle. That’s why powerlifters, wrestlers, and even elite athletes still use it.
Linear progression: The secret sauce
What makes 5x5 different from other programs is linear progression. Every workout, you add 2.5 to 5 pounds to the bar. That’s it. No guessing. No cycles. No fancy periodization. Just a little more weight, every single time you train.
For beginners, this works like magic. Your body hasn’t adapted to lifting heavy yet. So even small increases feel like giant leaps. A guy who starts at 135 pounds on squats might hit 225 in eight weeks. That’s not luck. That’s biology responding to consistent, measurable stress. Your bones get denser. Your tendons thicken. Your muscles grow. Your nervous system gets smarter.
It doesn’t last forever. After 8 to 16 weeks, most people hit a wall. That’s normal. That’s when you switch to a more advanced plan - maybe 3x5, or wave loading, or deload weeks. But for someone just starting out, linear progression is the fastest, most reliable path to real strength.
Compound lifts: The foundation
5x5 doesn’t waste time on isolation exercises. No bicep curls. No leg extensions. No cable flyes. Instead, it forces you to master the big movements: squats, deadlifts, presses, rows. These are the exercises that recruit the most muscles at once. A single squat works your quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, lower back, and even your grip. That’s efficiency. That’s results.
When you do five sets of five squats, you’re not just building legs. You’re building your entire posterior chain. You’re improving posture. You’re increasing core stability. You’re burning calories like crazy. And you’re learning how to move your body under load - a skill that translates to everything from carrying groceries to avoiding injury later in life.
Compare that to doing 20 different machines for 15 minutes. Which one actually makes you stronger? Which one leaves you feeling capable? The 5x5 doesn’t trick you. It just works.
Recovery: The overlooked part
People think lifting heavy means pushing harder every day. But 5x5 only works because it respects recovery. You train three days a week. You rest at least one day between sessions. You sleep. You eat. You don’t try to run a 10K on your off days.
Strength isn’t built in the gym. It’s built in the shower, in bed, and at the dinner table. Protein intake matters. Sleep matters. Stress matters. The 5x5 program forces you to pay attention to these things because if you don’t, you’ll stall. You’ll feel sluggish. You’ll miss reps. That’s the program’s way of telling you: you need to recover.
Many people fail at 5x5 not because they’re weak - but because they’re overtrained. They add cardio, they do extra abs, they skip meals. The program doesn’t care. It just keeps asking for more weight. And if your body can’t keep up, you learn fast what real recovery looks like.
Who is 5x5 for - and who should avoid it?
5x5 is ideal for beginners and early intermediates. If you’ve been lifting for less than a year and haven’t hit a plateau yet, this is your program. It’s simple enough to follow without a coach. It’s effective enough to transform your body in months.
But it’s not for everyone. If you’re recovering from an injury - especially in your knees, lower back, or shoulders - you’ll need to modify the lifts or wait. If you’re training for a sport that demands endurance, like soccer or marathon running, 5x5 might be too taxing. And if you’re already strong - say, squatting over 300 pounds - you’ll need more volume or variation to keep progressing.
It’s also not a fat-loss program. You won’t drop 10 pounds in a month doing 5x5. But you will build muscle, which changes your body composition over time. You’ll look leaner because muscle burns more calories at rest. But you still need to eat right. That part doesn’t change.
Real results: What people actually achieve
One guy in Auckland, 32, started 5x5 after gaining 30 pounds in two years from sitting at a desk job. He began with 95-pound squats. Six months later, he was squatting 245. His body fat dropped from 22% to 14%. He didn’t change his diet much - just ate more protein and stopped drinking soda. The program did the rest.
A woman in her 40s, new to lifting, used 5x5 to rebuild strength after a hip surgery. She started with just the bar. By week 10, she was squatting 135. Her doctor said she’d regained mobility faster than anyone he’d seen. She didn’t need physical therapy anymore.
These aren’t outliers. They’re typical. The 5x5 program doesn’t promise miracles. It just gives you a clear path - and the discipline to walk it.
How to start 5x5
Here’s how to begin:
- Choose your lifts: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row (or Deadlift on alternate days).
- Warm up with two light sets of five reps, then work up to your first working set.
- Do five sets of five reps on each lift. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets.
- Add 5 pounds to the bar each workout - unless you fail a set. Then repeat the same weight next time.
- Train Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Rest the rest of the week.
- Track every lift in a notebook or app. Don’t guess.
Start light. Seriously. Even if you think you can handle more. The goal isn’t to impress. It’s to build a habit. To get better. To stick with it.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Mistake: Skipping warm-ups. Fix: Do 10-15 minutes of dynamic stretching and two light sets before your first working set.
- Mistake: Adding too much weight too fast. Fix: If you miss two reps in a row, drop the weight by 10% and rebuild.
- Mistake: Ignoring form. Fix: Record yourself. Watch videos. Ask someone experienced to check your squat or deadlift.
- Mistake: Not eating enough protein. Fix: Aim for 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.
- Mistake: Doing cardio every day. Fix: Walk. That’s it. Save intense cardio for after you’ve hit your strength goals.
What comes after 5x5?
Eventually, you’ll stop gaining weight every week. That’s normal. When that happens, you’ve outgrown the beginner phase. Then you have options:
- Switch to 3x5 with heavier weights and longer rest.
- Try a 5/3/1 program for more variation.
- Add accessory work - pull-ups, dips, lunges - to fix imbalances.
- Deload every 6-8 weeks: reduce weight by 40% for a week, then come back stronger.
The 5x5 isn’t the end. It’s the foundation. Once you’ve built strength with it, you can build anything else on top.
Is 5x5 good for beginners?
Yes, 5x5 is one of the best programs for beginners. It’s simple, effective, and teaches proper form with compound lifts. Most people see strength gains within the first four weeks. It’s designed for people who haven’t lifted before or haven’t trained consistently.
Do I need a gym to do 5x5?
You need access to a barbell and weight plates. That means a gym or a home setup with a squat rack and bench. You can’t do 5x5 with dumbbells alone - the weights won’t be precise enough for linear progression, and movements like squats and deadlifts become unsafe or ineffective without a barbell.
How long should I do 5x5 before switching programs?
Most people stick with 5x5 for 8 to 16 weeks. Beginners often hit a plateau around week 10-12. That’s when you either deload, adjust volume, or move to a more advanced program. Don’t stay on it longer than you’re still gaining weight weekly - your body will adapt and stop responding.
Can women do 5x5?
Absolutely. 5x5 works the same way for women as it does for men. Strength gains aren’t gender-specific - they’re biology-based. Many women use 5x5 to build lean muscle, improve bone density, and increase metabolic rate. Start light, focus on form, and progress steadily.
Will 5x5 help me lose fat?
Not directly. 5x5 builds muscle, which increases your resting metabolism. But fat loss happens through diet. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose fat. If you eat more, you’ll gain weight - even while getting stronger. Combine 5x5 with a modest calorie deficit and protein-rich meals for best results.
Final thought: Simplicity wins
The 5x5 workout doesn’t have flashy names. No Instagram influencers selling it. No $200 apps telling you to do “neuro-activation circuits.” It’s just five sets of five. And yet, it’s one of the most powerful tools in strength training. Because sometimes, the best way to get stronger isn’t to do more. It’s to do less - but do it better, every single time.