5 × 5 program: the easiest workout to become stronger, build muscle and burn fat

The 5 × 5 training program is the simplest and most an effective way to become stronger, build muscle and burn fat. Thousands of people used it to change their body. She is very simple and involves only 3 workouts per week lasting 45 minutes each.

The 5 × 5 program includes 5 basic exercises: squats, bench press, deadlift, army bench press and tilt barbell pull. You do 3 exercises in each workout 3 times a week for 45 minutes. Squats are performed every workout.

The 5 × 5 program involves performing 5 sets of 5 repetitions in all exercises except deadlift, in which you need to do 1 approach of 5 repetitions. Squats will help improve results in deadlift, as they work on the same the muscles.

Unlike most other bodybuilding programs, here you do not need to achieve muscle failure, pumping or muscle pains. Your goal is to increase working weight. How? Begin with light weights, focus on proper technique and add on 2.5 kg every workout as long as you can. This is the easiest way to get a quick result.

Content

• Short description of the program 5 × 5
• 5 to 5 Straight Program – Videos about 5 × 5 pattern
• 5 × 5 program history
• Where to begin?
• Goals
  • Strength development
  • Muscle building
  • Slimming
  • Fat burning
  • Mass gain
• Exercises
  • Squats
  • Bench press
  • Deadlift
  • Army bench press
  • Inclined rod pull
• Frequently asked Questions
  • Why is deadlift performed in only one approach?
  • How much time do you need to rest between sets?
  • How much time do you need to rest between exercises?
  • At what pace should you repeat?
  • What should the warm-up look like?
  • Can I change the order of the exercises?
  • Can I do A and B on the same day?
  • Can I train for two days in a row?
  • What should I do if I could not perform 5 repetitions?
  • What if I still can’t overweight all repetitions?
  • How long do you need to follow the 5 × 5 program?
  • Can a woman train with the 5 × 5 program?

Short description of the program 5 × 5

The 5 × 5 program consists of two complex workouts:

• Workout A: Squats, bench press, tilt barbell pull
• Training B: Squats, army bench press, deadlift

You train three times a week, alternating between training A and B, resting between them for at least 1 day. Never exercise 2 days in a row as the body needs rest in order to become stronger.

Most people train on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. But you can do it on tuesday, thursday and saturday or in Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. If you become engaged 3 times in week and rest at least 1 day between 2 workouts, you will build up strength.

When you start the 5 × 5 program, you will start with training A, and after 2 days, exercise B. Total, in the first week you you train according to the A / B / A scheme, in the second – B / A / B, in the third – A / B / A and etc.

The graph is as follows:

Week 1

Monday	Wednesday	Friday
5×5 squats	5×5 squats	5×5 squats
Bench Press 5×5	Army bench press 5×5	Bench Press 5×5
5 × 5 tilt rod	Deadlift 1×5	5 × 5 tilt rod

Week 2

Monday	Wednesday	Friday
5×5 squats	5×5 squats	5×5 squats
Army bench press 5×5	Bench Press 5×5	Army bench press 5×5
Deadlift 1×5	5 × 5 tilt rod	Deadlift 1×5

Further, these programs simply alternate. Everything is very simple.

All repetitions in all approaches are performed with the same weight, apart from light warm-up approaches.

Your goal is not to achieve pumping or muscle pain (although this is possible after working with heavy weights), and in weight gain at every workout. If you complete 5 reps in each approach in the exercise, next time add 2.5 kg per bar. In deadlift performed according to the scheme 1 × 5, add 5 kg each time.

Do not immediately start working with too heavy weights, otherwise you will experience pain that may cause skipping workout. Start with light weights so your body can adapt to loads. Do not forget to add 2.5 kg per training (30kg per month) in squats.

If you do such exercises without breaking the technique free weights like squats, bench press and deadlift, start with a load equal to 50% of your 5PM. If you never worked with free weights, haven’t trained for several years or don’t know what is 5PM, then start with the following loads:

• Squats, bench press, army bench press: 20kg (empty Olympic vulture).
• Deadlift: 40kg (empty Olympic Vulture + 2 discs per 10kg)
• Inclined rod pull: 30kg (empty Olympic bar + 2 discs 5kg each)

You will start with heavier weights in deadlift and rod pull in tilt, because it is impossible to correctly complete these exercises with empty vulture. With each new repetition, the bar should touch gender.

Your first 2 weeks of 5 × 5 training will look like in the following way:

Week 1

Monday	Wednesday	Friday
Squats 5×5 – 20 kg	5×5 squats – 22.5 kg	Squats 5×5 – 25 kg
Bench press 5×5 –20 kg	Army bench press 5×5 – 20 kg	Bench press 5×5 – 22.5 kg
Rod draft in a 5×5 inclination – 30 kg	Deadlift 1×5 – 40 kg	Rod traction in a 5×5 inclination – 32.5 kg

Week 2

Monday	Wednesday	Friday
5×5 squats – 27.5 kg	Squats 5×5 – 30 kg	5×5 squats – 32.5 kg
Army bench press 5×5 – 22.5 kg	Bench press 5×5 – 25 kg	Army bench press 5×5 – 25 kg
Deadlift 1×5 – 45 kg	Rod draft in a 5×5 inclination – 35 kg	Deadlift 1×5 – 50 kg

Deadlift uses more muscle than other exercises, therefore, it will take you less time to progress in it. As soon as working weight you will reach 100 kg, with each workout add on the bar 2.5 kg.

If these weights seem light to you, remember that you will add 2.5 kg at each workout. That means you you will squat with 50 kg in 4 weeks, with 80 kg in 4 weeks and from 100 kg in 12 weeks! And all this in 5 sets of 5 reps! This weight is much more than most guys in the gym. In general, do not forget that you to be.

You will not always gain weight. After a while you it will become difficult to do 5 repetitions. It is possible that you cannot follow the 5×5 protocol. Don’t stop – just one more time try the next workout. If that doesn’t work, don’t worry, because there are many ways to cross a plateau. Now it’s important that you just get started!

5 to 5 Straight Program – Videos about 5 × 5 pattern

I wanted to demonstrate that the 5 × 5 program is so simple and it is clear that any of you can follow it. So I recorded 2 video in which I fully perform training A and B.

In them you will see what you have to do in 8-9 weeks. Note – it takes me less than 30 minutes to train.

5 × 5 program history

The basics of the 5 × 5 program were compiled by Arnold’s mentor Schwarzenegger Reg Park in 1960.

Over the past 60 years, many people wrote about her, so nothing I did not invent a new one.

I came across a 5 × 5 program in 2003. Then I trained up to 6 times a week, spending 2 hours in the gym, reaching muscle failure in every approach and every day experienced pain in the muscles. Unfortunately, I did not know any other training approaches.

Over time, I realized – I have large, but weak muscles. After a long search for a solution to the problem, I found that to develop strength need:

• Use free weights, not exercise equipment.
• Perform multi-joint exercises that are not insulating.
• To increase working weights without achieving pumping and without achieving muscle pain

Everything became clear to me. I began to look for a program that would do stronger than me. On one forum, a guy advised me the good old “5 × 5”.

I tried it, and I was very pleased with the results. Since The program became the basis for my training.

Where to begin?

The best way to find out if a 5 × 5 program will make you stronger is try to stick with it for 12 weeks. Start with following steps:

1. Watch this video – you will see that the program is so it is simple that each of you can adhere to it.
2. Use my tables – this will motivate and allow see how much stronger you get in 12 weeks.
3. Choose a gym – you only need a power frame, bench, bar and cargo disks.
4. Install the application “5 × 5” – it will show what exercises and with what weight to carry out, as well as how long to relax between sets. It is free and suitable for iPhone and Android OS.
5. Follow my daily tips – many guys the first thing in the morning is reading my daily motivational letters. They are argue that this helps them stay on track and continue going to the gym. You can read my tips. here.

Put the acquired knowledge into practice. Only thanks actions you will become stronger.

Goals

Strength development

In ancient Greece, the wrestler Milon from Croton, preparing for the Olympic games, developed strength every day dragging a newborn calf on back. As the animal grew, it became heavier. Such training stimulated the athlete’s body to build strength and muscle mass. He turned Milon into his strongest fighter time.

Perhaps this is just a legend, but practice shows that 5 × 5 program helps to become stronger without muscle failure and pumping. You start with light weights, master the technique perform exercises and constantly increase the load. Do it as long as you can, and you will become stronger.

The 5 × 5 program will increase the real power that some call it “functional.” Just need to stick the following basic provisions:

• Free weights. Trainers balance weight over you, which leaves the stabilizing muscles weak. With free weights are the opposite. They develop real strength, therefore, in 5 × 5 we use only them.

• Basic exercises. In everyday life we rarely do movements like bending your arms for biceps. IN carrying or lifting heavy objects always involves several muscle groups. Therefore, in order to become stronger, you must do exercises that mimic human movements – deadlift, squats, etc.

• Barbell. Squat with a barbell weighing 180 kg on The back is lighter than with 90 kg dumbbells in each hand. Also when using the bar it is much easier to add 2.5 kg on each training than with dumbbells. The 5 × 5 program suggests the use of the stays as it allows you to lift more weight and easier to progress.

• 5 reps In 5 reps you can lift more weight than 8, 10 or 12. The more reps you do it, the more you get tired and the worse it gets Technics. The 5 × 5 program involves work in only 5 repetitions.

• Frequency. The more often you do the exercise, the technique becomes better and training is more effective. Following the program 5 × 5, you will do each exercise several times a week, because this is the key to building strength.

Remember that building strength is a marathon, not a sprint. Not start working immediately with large weights in the hope of speeding up the appearance of the results. By doing so, you get only muscle pain, a desire to skip a workout, as well as a plateau at an early stage. Start with a light weight, with every workout it build up, and then you can become stronger in a sustainable pace.

If you can squat with 140 kg, lowering your hips below level parallel to the floor, you are too strong for a 5 × 5 program. You need a more advanced technique. But if you are not capable without violations of technology to squat with 100kg, then the 5 × 5 program is the simplest for you a way to quickly build strength.

Muscle building

To build muscle, you do not need to do 10 exercises in each workout, work out the muscles under different angles and achieve muscle failure or muscle pain.

Instead, you just need to get stronger. Because than you stronger, the more weight you can lift and the more muscle mass can build up. Therefore, the athlete who presses 140 kg pectoral muscles more than that which barely presses 60 kg.

It also explains the fact that most successful bodybuilders from Reg Park to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronnie Coleman was lifted in deadlift over 300 kg.

Many guys think they won’t be able to build muscle with using the 5 × 5 program, because it includes only 3 exercises. However, the key to muscle building is not in quantity exercise, but in intensity.

Exercises like squats and deadlifts are called complex, because they involve several muscle groups at the same time.

Let’s see how the 5 × 5 program will allow work out every muscle in your body.

• Press. Abdominal muscles help hold balance in exercises such as squats, deadlifts and army bench press.
• Shoulders. Shoulder muscles are actively involved in army bench press and bench press.
• Chest. Lifting 100kg in a bench press lying on horizontal bench, you can pump massive pectoral the muscles.
• Arms. Biceps involved in traction tilted barbells, bench press and army bench press. Also in all exercises you tightly squeeze the bar, so the muscles of the hands almost always involved.
• Forearms. Again, since in all exercises you tightly squeeze the neck, then promote muscle growth forearms.
• Trapezoid. Trapezius muscles will become huge by the time when you can master 180 kg in deadlift.
• Hips. As soon as you can squat with weight 140 kg, you definitely have to buy a new pair of jeans because of enlarged thigh muscles.
• Back. Forget about the pull of the upper block to the chest! Heavy deadlift and draft rod in the slope allow to build the massive V-shaped back that every athlete dreams of.
• Caviar The calf muscles do squats and deadlift.

Slimming

Weight loss on a 5 × 5 program depends on the amount burned calories. How can this process be accelerated? Ramp up working weights. If you start to squat with 140 kg on your shoulders, then turn into a real fat burning machine.

In addition, you can add half an hour of cardio after a power workouts to burn extra calories and accelerate weight loss. And not do cardio on days when the body needs to be restored! To lose 500 g of fat per week, you need to maintain a deficit calories in the amount of 20%.

Fat burning

Weight lifting allows you to build muscle, burn calories and increases metabolism.

Meanwhile, most people try to lose weight by consuming less calories and not doing exercise. But few may stick to low calorie diets for a long time time. In the end, people tend to break down, gain even more excess weight and become thick, weak and unattractive.

Others try to get rid of fat with just one cardio. They don’t understand that half an hour cardio burns everything about 400 calories, which is equivalent to 1 bigmac.

In fact, when burning fat, weight lifting should always take precedence over cardio for the following reasons:

• Burning calories. The heavier the weight, the higher intensity and the more calories you burn. Especially if you do complex exercises such as squats. That’s why power athletes can eat more than ordinary people, and not get better.

• Metabolism acceleration. This phenomenon is name post-workout oxygen consumption. That is, after weight training the body burns more calories during a few hours.

• Muscle building. Cardio and low calorie diet does not lead to muscle growth, as do power exercises. The stronger you get, the more weight you can lift and the more muscle build up.
• Slim build. Muscles are denser than fat. Weight lifting allows you to build muscle, lose fat and look slimmer than you were before with the same mass body.

Mass gain

Some guys (and so many women) think that power training will turn them into cumbersome athletes like Arnold. However, they do not understand that for this you need to consume a lot food. This means that a 5 × 5 program alone is not enough to become cumbersome.

To gain weight, start with three meals a day. After eat four times a month a month, and five more times a month later. Not hurry up, give your body time to get used to a lot of food.

And stay away from the gainers. They are usually full of sugar, which leads to the formation of fatty deposits and bloating.

Exercises

Squats

Shoulder Squats

Squats work out the muscles of the back of the thigh, quadriceps, buttocks and calves. As stabilizing also the muscles of the abdomen and lower back are involved.

Squats more actively stimulate testosterone and hormone production growth than, for example, leg press. That is why they are crucial factor in building strength and muscle mass.

Many people are afraid to do squats because they think that they will harm the knee joints and cause pain in them. However, the key to safety lies in the right technique. Here Some tips on this:

• Take your hips back as if you were sitting on a chair
• Put your knees out (do not bring them together) and keep them in the same direction with your toes
• Squat down until your hips parallel to the floor

Squats to the parallel will strengthen the knees, and not harm them.

There are many different types of squats. On a 5 × 5 program you You will position the bar just below the upper back. It will allow remove the load from the knees and transfer it to the hips.

It’s safest to squat in a power frame, because if you don’t can master the repetition, then just drop the bar on restrictive levels.

Bench press

Bench press lying on a horizontal bench

The bench press works on the shoulders, triceps and chest. As stabilizing it involves the muscles of the abdomen, back and biceps.

Lower the barbell to the chest, then lift up until fully do not spread your arms. Place your elbows at an angle of 45 degrees to torso. You have to go through the full range of movements – this will allow you to build more strength and muscle.

In this exercise for the upper body you can lift more weight than in the army bench.

The 5 × 5 program does not include bench presses, since it is not possible to isolate the upper or lower chest the muscles. The chest muscles contract as a whole.

To avoid injuries, perform a bench press inside the power frame. If a you can’t master the repetition, then just drop the bar on restrictive levels. If there is no power frame in the room, ask someone to insure you. Also do not put the clamps on the bar, so that in case of failure you can tilt the bar to the side and dump truck wheels.

Deadlift

“There are many programs to help you. progress in deadlift and establish personal high scores. ”

Deadlift mainly works on the hips, buttocks, quadriceps and adductor muscles. It perfectly stimulates the production of growth hormone and testosterone, therefore, is crucial for building strength and muscle.

To avoid lower back injuries, always keep your back straight.

Here are some guidelines for the execution technique:

• Lift weight by pushing your heels off the floor (as with leg press from the platform).
• Keep the bar in contact with your legs.
• When the bar reaches knee level, push your hips forward.
• Finish lifting when your legs are fully extended.
• In the upper phase, do not take your body back.
• Spread your legs approximately shoulder-width apart.

On a 5 × 5 program, deadlift is performed only in 1 approach from five reps since doing it in 5 sets after squats very hard. You will quickly start skipping reps and reach plateau.

Recommended starting weight if you have never previously done deadlift is 40 kg. That means you will have to use small-sized cargo disks, which means the neck will be located closer to the floor. Since at the beginning of traction should be at the level of the middle part of the legs, place under barbell a couple of cargo disks.

Army bench press

Army bench press

Army bench presses shoulders, triceps and upper pectoral muscles. As stabilizing, it also uses muscles legs, back, abdomen and trapezium.

As with other exercises, always keep your back straight to avoid injury to the lower back and other parts of the body. Legs Spread shoulder width apart and do not bend.

You can also perform an army press in a power frame. If the height ceiling does not allow to work in full amplitude, then as alternatives can perform the exercise while sitting. However sedentary the position will not actively engage the abdominal muscles.

Inclined rod pull

Belt pull bar

Inclined barbell pulls the upper back muscles trapezium, latissimus and biceps. As stabilizing she involves the muscles of the lower back, abdomen and legs.

To avoid lower back pain, keep your back straight.

At each repetition, the bar should touch the floor, as in deadlift case. Take your knees back to free place for the movement of the neck. The body can pull a little lift up. If the torso rises more than 15 °, then this means you have chosen too heavy weight.

Recommended starting weight if you’ve never done before the draft of the rod in the slope is 30 kg. That means you You’ll have to use small diameter cargo disks, and then the bar will be closer to the floor. Since in each repetition of the projectile should touch the surface of the floor, put a pair freight drives.

Frequently asked Questions

Why is deadlift performed in only one approach?

Because deadlifts use more muscle than any another exercise, and

allows you to lift a lot of weight, it takes a lot of energy. Yet it is more difficult to perform it in 5 sets after squats.

The first time that weights are light, you can do craving in 5 sets. But then it will be very difficult for you to cope with so much work that can lead to a plateau.

How much time do you need to rest between sets?

At the beginning of the program, when the weights are light, you don’t need to take long relax. When weights increase significantly, stick to following recommendations:

• 1.5 minutes if repetitions in the last set were given easily
• 3 minutes if repetitions in the last approach were given with labor
• 5 minutes, if in the last approach you could not complete all repetition

Pay attention to the pulse. For example, I often breathe heavily after five heavy reps in squats. When my pulse returns back to normal, usually that means I’m ready for the next approach.

During the warm-up, do not rest between sets. Just add weight on the bar and continue to exercise.

How much time do you need to rest between exercises?

You do not need to rest between exercises. I unload the barbell after squats, I prepare a shell for a bench press or army bench press, and then I turn to the warm-up with an empty bar. By then my central nervous system is being restored.

At what pace should you repeat?

There are no clear recommendations on this. In the first weeks, when the weights are light, just lift the weight in a controlled manner. Do not move too fast to maintain the correct technique, but not too slow.

After the first 12 weeks, when you gain experience and hone technique, lift the weight as fast as you can. Lowering weight control it and do not drop it.

Fast weight lifting is the key to increasing the load, and therefore strength.

What should the warm-up look like?

Start with 2 sets of 5 reps with an empty bar in squats, bench press and bench press. Then add 10-20 kg and do another 2-3 repetitions. Keep adding 10-20 kg. doing 2-3 reps in each set until you reach your working weight. Do not rest between these warm-up approaches.

This means that in the first weeks of these exercises, warm up as such will not be, since you will work with an empty signature stamp. But as soon as you reach a working weight of 30 kg, then do with 2 vulture blank.

Perform deadlift and deadlift with empty bar will not work, because the projectile must touch the floor. Plus to everything by the time you complete them you will already be warmed up by the previous ones exercises. Therefore, cargo disks are already used here.

Never perform heavy approaches without warm-ups. From this the equipment may suffer and the risk of injury is increased

How should I breathe while doing exercise?

Do not think about it and you will do everything correctly. Power training is not running. Just stay tense. If you lift a heavy shell from the floor, then automatically make a large inhale and hold your breath.

In general, the recommendations look like this:

• Squats Take a deep breath at the top phase, hold your breath, do a squat, and then exhale.

• Bench press. Take a deep breath at the top phase, do as many repetitions as possible, exhale at the top phase when you feel the need. I often do 3 or even 5 repetitions in one breath.

• Deadlift. Take a deep breath in the bottom phase, lift the weight, exhale in the upper phase. You can exhale after you lower the weight.

• Army bench. Take a deep breath in the bottom phase, do as many repetitions as possible, exhale at the top or the lower phase when you feel the need.

• Tilt in the slope. Take a deep breath in lower phase, do as many repetitions as possible, exhale in lower phase when you feel the need.

Can I change the order of the exercises?

Not. The order of exercises is not random and is set in such a way to achieve the best results.

Can I do A and B on the same day?

Not. You could do this in the first weeks when weights are still small, but later you will not be able to do it.

If you feel that you could do more, just increase weight. Add 5 kg to the bar instead of the usual 2.5 kg.

Can I train for two days in a row?

Not. The body needs rest in order to recover and build muscle. If you feel that the workouts are easy, just increase working weight.

What should I do if I could not perform 5 repetitions?

Wait 5 minutes for your central nervous system to recover. Then do next approach with the same weight and try to do 5 repetitions.

If you missed the repetitions in all 5 approaches, then do not increase weight by 2.5 kg in the next workout, and work with same.

Here are a couple more tips:

• Never do more than 5 repetitions in 5 sets with the same weight. If in the fifth approach you were able to do only 3 repetitions, it’s unnecessary to do the sixth.

• Do not lose weight during exercise. If you made 5 repetitions in the first approach, but only 3 in the second, do not reduce weight, and try your best to comply with the prescribed the program.

What if I still can’t overweight all repetitions?

If you cannot follow the 5 × 5 protocol for three workouts in a row, reduce weight by 10% for this exercise only. It will give your body additional relaxation, and also helps to avoid psychological plateau.

How long do you need to follow the 5 × 5 program?

As you keep getting stronger. 12 weeks is only Start. Many guys stuck to the program for 16, 24 and even 52 weeks!

You’ll understand that it’s time to switch to a more advanced program, when you are not able to add 2.5 kg on each training session.

Can a woman train with the 5 × 5 program?

Yes, but some differences may appear:

• An empty neck may be too heavy. My girlfriend, for example, performs goblet squats and deadlifts with a weight, and bench presses with dumbbells.

• Lighter rims will be required weight. Adding 2.5 kg to the bench press and army bench press on every workout can be too hard for a woman, since she usually has less muscles in her upper body than in a man.

Source: http: //stronglifts.com/5^5/