5x5 Program: How It Works and Where It Fits

Quick answer

A 5x5 program is 5 sets of 5 repetitions on a few big lifts, usually 3 days a week. Five repetitions fits the 1 to 6 range the American College of Sports Medicine lists for heavy loading, and loads above 80% of one-repetition maximum gave the largest strength gains in pooled trials. We found no trial of 5x5.^1,2

Key facts

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) lists 1 to 6 repetition maximum loads with 3 to 5 minutes of rest as heavy loading for intermediate and advanced lifters, and 8 to 12 repetitions for novices.¹
In 178 trials, loads above 80% of the one-repetition maximum gave the largest strength gains.²
Higher-load, multiset training three times a week was the top-ranked prescription for strength in that analysis.²
In 34 trained men, 1, 3 or 5 sets per exercise gave similar strength gains over 8 weeks, and muscle size grew more with more sets.³
ACSM advises raising the load by 2 to 10% once one or two extra repetitions are possible.¹
Weekly sets tracked with strength gains in nine studies, with single sets giving the smallest gain.⁴

What is a 5x5 program?

A 5x5 program asks for 5 sets of 5 repetitions on each main lift, which is 25 repetitions per lift. It is usually run on 3 days a week, alternating two workouts built around a few lifts that use many joints, with the squat in every session. The heavy sets and the low repetition count make it a strength program first.¹

A common 5x5 layout, alternating two workouts
Workout A	Workout B
Squat, 5 sets of 5	Squat, 5 sets of 5
Bench press, 5 sets of 5	Overhead press, 5 sets of 5
Barbell row, 5 sets of 5	Deadlift, 1 set of 5

In week 1 you would do A, B, A on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and in week 2 B, A, B. Layouts vary, and this is only the shape most people mean by the name.

Does a 5x5 program match what studies found?

We found no trial that tested 5x5 by name, so its design has to be judged piece by piece against reviews of each setting.

Repetitions: ACSM lists 1 to 6 repetition maximum loads, with 3 to 5 minutes of rest, as heavy loading for intermediate and advanced lifters. For true novices its 2009 advice is lighter loads in an 8 to 12 range.¹
Load: in 178 trials, loads above 80% of the one-repetition maximum gave the largest strength gains.²
Sets: pooled studies tie larger strength gains to more weekly sets, with single sets giving the smallest gain. The 2026 ACSM overview names 2 to 3 sets as the range linked with larger strength gains.^4,5
Frequency: strength gains rose with training frequency across 22 studies, mostly because more sessions meant more volume, and the effect was clearest on upper-body lifts that use several joints.⁶
Rest: rests over 2 minutes seemed to matter for strength in trained people.⁷
Athletes: in 37 studies of collegiate, professional and elite athletes, the largest strength gains came at an average of 85% of the one-repetition maximum, 2 days a week and a mean volume of 8 sets per muscle group. These were athletes, so the numbers may not carry over to a newcomer.⁸

5x5 program results: what the research design suggests

In the largest network analysis, higher-load, multiset training three times a week was the highest-ranked prescription for strength, with a standardized mean difference of 1.60 against no exercise. A 5x5 program on three days matches that description if its weights are above 80% of your one-repetition maximum. The ranking compares groups of people in trials and does not tell you what one person will gain.²

More sets are not always a clear gain for strength. In 34 trained men who trained 3 days a week for 8 weeks, groups using 1, 3 or 5 sets per exercise gained similar strength, while muscle size grew more with more sets. So the fifth set matters more for size than for the strength test.³

Early gains in strength come from a mix of nervous system learning and muscle growth, with the nervous system contributing most in the first weeks.⁹

5x5 program calculator: setting and raising the weights

The rule from ACSM is to raise the load by 2 to 10% once you can lift it for one to two repetitions more than the target. For a 5x5 program, that means finishing all 5 sets of 5 with a repetition or two left. The table shows 2%, 5% and 10% of common working weights in pounds. Round to the smallest plate increment you can load.¹

A 2 to 10% jump on common working weights¹
Working weight	2%	5%	10%
100 lb	2 lb	5 lb	10 lb
135 lb	2.7 lb	6.8 lb	13.5 lb
185 lb	3.7 lb	9.3 lb	18.5 lb
225 lb	4.5 lb	11.3 lb	22.5 lb

Percentages of a one-repetition maximum are the other way to set loads. The pooled trials put the strength-maximizing range at more than 80%, and ACSM's guide to novices suggests lighter loads first. If you do not know your maximum, start from a weight you can lift for all 25 repetitions with good form.^1,2

5x5 program for bench press

The bench press appears in only one of the two workouts, so on a three-day week it is trained twice one week and once the next. A pooled analysis found that higher training frequency gave larger strength gains on multi-joint upper-body lifts, although the effect came mostly through extra volume. If bench press is the lift you care about most, another bench session or a close variation fits that finding.⁶

5x5 program with accessory work

Accessory work means smaller lifts added after the main sets. ACSM's order is large muscle groups before small ones and multi-joint exercises before single-joint ones, so the main 5x5 lifts go first and accessories last. A 2026 overview of reviews linked muscle growth to 10 or more sets per muscle a week.^1,5

Weekly sets of each main lift on a three-day week⁵
Lift	Week with A, B, A	Week with B, A, B
Squat	15 sets	15 sets
Bench press	10 sets	5 sets
Barbell row	10 sets	5 sets
Overhead press	5 sets	10 sets
Deadlift	1 set	2 sets

Lifts that train the same muscles add up, so bench press and overhead press both count toward the chest, shoulders and triceps. The muscles that fall short of 10 sets, such as the back of the arms or the calves, are where accessory work fits. Two or three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of curls, triceps work, calf raises and pull-ups is one way to add them.^1,5

Stop and ask a doctor if

Heavy sets can fail. Ask someone who knows the gym to show you how to use the safety arms or a spotter before you load heavy squats and bench presses, and use the proper equipment, as MedlinePlus advises.¹⁰
Stop and get help right away if you feel pain, extreme shortness of breath or dizziness.¹⁰
Ask a doctor or physical therapist about pain in a shoulder, elbow, wrist, lower back or knee that lasts or limits your movement. In a review of weight-training sports these were the places hurt most often, mostly strains, tendon irritation and sprains.¹¹
Check with a doctor before starting if you have trouble moving or balancing, or you worry that exercise might not be safe for you.¹⁰

Questions people ask

Is there a 5x5 program for bench press?

Yes. The bench press is one of the main lifts in the usual layout. A pooled analysis found higher training frequency gave larger strength gains on multi-joint upper-body lifts, mostly through extra volume.⁶

How do I set weights on a 5x5 program calculator?

ACSM advises raising the load by 2 to 10% once you can lift it for one or two more repetitions than the target. Multiply your working weight by 0.02 to 0.10 and round to the plates you have.¹

Can you add accessory work to a 5x5 program?

Yes. ACSM orders large multi-joint lifts before small single-joint ones, so accessories go last. A 2026 overview linked muscle growth to 10 or more sets per muscle a week, which the main lifts alone may not reach.^1,5

Is there a 5x5 program PDF?

The layout and set tables on this page are in plain text, so you can print the page. Percentages of a one-repetition maximum are optional. ACSM's rule is to add weight once you can lift the current load for one or two more repetitions than the target.¹

Is a 5x5 program backed by studies?

We found no trial of 5x5 by name. Its heavy loads, multiple sets and 3 days a week match settings that pooled reviews linked with larger strength gains.^2,5

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This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.