Linear 5×5 Progression

A three-day full-body novice programme alternating between two workouts. Workout A pairs squat, bench press, and barbell row — all for five sets of five reps. Workout B pairs squat, overhead press, and deadlift (deadlift is a single set of five). Squat shows up in every session; the other lifts rotate across the week.

Novices and returning lifters who want a simple, rules-driven programme with only five barbell movements to learn. Best when you can train three days a week and recover from squatting every session.

Workout A: squat 5×5, bench press 5×5, barbell row 5×5. Workout B: squat 5×5, overhead press 5×5, deadlift 1×5. Start at the empty barbell on every lift — the point is to let progression, not starting weight, do the work. A bodyweight assistance block (chin-ups, dips, hanging leg raises) is optional.

Add 2.5 kg per session on every lift where you hit all prescribed reps (5 kg on deadlift in the early weeks). After three consecutive failed attempts on a lift, deload that lift by 10% and ramp back up. When progression stalls despite deloads, graduate to an intermediate 5×5 programme such as Madcow or Texas Method.

StrongLifts 5×5 was popularised by Mehdi on StrongLifts.com and its companion mobile app, drawing on Bill Starr's earlier 5×5 pattern. VALDA adapts the training pattern and progression rules for use inside the app, but does not claim authorship of the method.