

Still, the resistance used on the overhead press is typically a fraction of the weight used on your back squat, so the demand on your core is substantially lower. The overhead press is the one additional lift in which weight is directly overhead while you’re stabilizing. Most of the other exercises don’t require you to stabilize the same load with weight pressing directly down, or they allow you to drop the weight easily and safely in the event of a failed repetition. With the barbell on your back, you cannot afford to be fatigued. Whether you want to improve your performance or ensure you can reliably stand up from a chair into older adulthood, you must squat. Squatting is one of the most beneficial exercises you can do. You’ve probably noticed that the squat is the first exercise of each 5×5 workout. This ultimately leads to balanced strength across all the areas you work. Over every 2-week cycle, you perform the same number of sets and repetitions for every movement. There are two different weekly cycles to allow for equal numbers of each exercise when compounded over the length of an 8–12 week program. Of course, you can assign each workout to any day of the week, as long as you stick to the overall workout and rest day structure. Your rest days will be Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. You’ll perform workout A on Monday and Friday, and workout B on Wednesday. The 5×5 program comprises 3 workouts using the 5×5 set and repetition scheme for each movement, with the exception of the deadlift, which gets a 1×5 working set.Įach week has two workouts - A and B.

They’re also performed last in the workout to avoid fatiguing the core and stabilizing muscles that are needed for other movements. The reason for this is that heavy deadlifts are one of the most demanding exercises, and doing them too often can easily lead to overtraining. The only exception to the 5×5 rule is deadlifts, of which you will only perform 1 set of 5. 5×5 workout structureĮach workout, you will perform three of these movements.īarbell back squats are included in every workout, while all other exercises cycle on a weekly basis and are performed either once or twice per week, depending on whether you’re on week 1 or 2. The combination of these movements works most of the large muscles in your body.

You’ll only do these workouts 3 times a week, as the rest days in between workouts are crucial to encouraging muscle growth.

The goal is to build strength in compound movements by adding weight every time you do the workout. As the name implies, a 5×5 workout usually involves 5 sets of 5 repetitions. A 5×5 workout comprises compound barbell movements - like squats and deadlifts - using heavy weights and lower repetitions per set.
