5X5:

Beginner:

A & B alternated each workout

Workout A Workout BSquat 5x5 Squat 5x5

Bench Press 5x5 Overhead Press 5x5Barbell Rows 5x5 Deadlift 1x5

Assistance Lifts: Optional, just make sure It doesn’t take away from the main lifts.

Intermediate (Bill Starr/Madcow) – H/L/M:

Because you are now an intermediate lifter moving bigger weights, Madcow introduces 3 modifications to optimize recovery from the increasingly stressful workouts;

1. No more 5 sets of 5 with the same weight. Instead you'll do ramped up sets: increase your weight every set like when you warm-up and finish with a heavy set of 5 reps (1x5). Ramped up sets are easier than 5x5 across, especially since you should now be Squatting around 300lb.

2. No more workout to workout increases. You'll no longer add weight 3x/week because your body doesn't recover that fast anymore once at the intermediate level. Instead you'll increase the weight on a weekly basis - every week you'll lift 5lb more than the previous week.

3. No more heavy Squats 3x/week. Wednesday is a light Squat day where you'll be Squatting less weight than on Monday and Friday. This light day provides you extra physical and mental recovery for Friday's workout.

Exercise Sets x Reps DetailsMonday

Squat 5x5Ramping weight to top set of 5 (which should equal the previous Friday's heavy triple)

Bench 5x5Ramping weight to top set of 5 (which should equal the previous Friday's heavy triple)

Barbell Row 5x5Ramping weight to top set of 5 (which should equal the previous Friday's heavy triple)

Assistance: 2 sets of weighted hypers and 4 sets of weighted sit-ups

Wednesday

Squat 4x5First 3 sets are the same as Monday, the 4th set is repeating the 3rd set again

Incline or Military 4x5 Ramping weight to top set of 5Deadlift 4x5 Ramping weight to top set of 5Assistance: 3 sets of sit-ups

Friday

Squat 4x5, 1x3, 1x8First 4 sets are the same as Monday's, the triple is 2.5% above your Monday top set of 5, use the weight from the 3rd set for a final set of 8

Bench 4x5, 1x3, 1x8First 4 sets are the same as Monday's, the triple is 2.5% above your Monday top set of 5, use the weight from the 3rd set for a final set of 8

Barbell Row 4x5, 1x3, 1x8First 4 sets are the same as Monday's, the triple is 2.5% above your Monday top set of 5, use the weight from the 3rd set for a final set of 8

Assistance: 3 sets of weighted dips (5-8 reps), 3 sets of barbell curls and 3 sets of triceps extensions (8 reps)

Alternatives: Texas Method: (H-L-M)

Advanced:

SL5x5 Advanced is a 9 week program divided into 3 phases of 3 workouts per week each. All exercises are exactly the same as on StrongLifts 5x5 and Madcow 5x5. The 3 phases...

Weeks 1 to 4 you'll be doing sets of 5 reps, alternating ramped up sets of 5 (1x5) with 5 sets of 5 with the same weight (5x5). Like on Madcow 5x5, Wednesday's Squats are lighter for recovery. The weight increases weekly, first 2 weeks are easy, week 3/4 you go for PRs.

Week 5 is a deload. You repeat the weight you lifted in week 4, but drop from 5x5 to 3x3 and from 1x5 to 1x3. Weight will feel light, and you'll start the final 4 weeks fresh in order to hit PRs again.

Weeks 6 to 9: the same as the first 4 weeks except that you're not doing Squats on Wednesday. The weight still increases weekly, with week 6/7 being easy and you hitting PRs in week 8/9, but you'll be doing 1x3 and 3x3 instead of 1x5 and 5x5 (like in the 5th week).

There's only 1 heavy 5x5 Squat on Monday, Wednesday is light Squat and Friday medium 1x5 Squats. Because the Squats are less stressful, you can do 3x5 Deadlifts with the same weight.Starting week 6, you'll do 3x3 Weighted Pull-ups on Wednesday since you'll no longer be Squatting on that day. Start with an easy weight, increase the load every week, and aim for PRs in week 8/9. You can do Pull-ups for 5 sets of 5 on the Wednesday workouts of week 1 to 4 also if you want.

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced Week 1-4

Monday Wednesday Friday

Squat 5x5 Squat 5x5 Squat 1x5

Bench Press 1x5 Overhead Press 5x5 Bench Press 5x5

Barbell Rows 1x5 Deadlift 3x5 Barbell Rows 5x5

StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced Week 5-9

Squat 3x3 Deadlift 3x3 Squat 1x3

Bench Press 1x3 Overhead Press 3x3 Bench Press 3x3

Barbell Rows 1x3 Weighted Pull-ups 3x3 Barbell Rows 3x3