The classic 5×5, free, with every weight worked out

How the 5×5 runs in Liftsmith

You alternate two workouts. Workout A is squat, bench press and barbell row; workout B is squat, overhead press and deadlift (one set of five). Every lift goes up 2.5 kg (5 lb) each session you complete it, and the deadlift goes up 5 kg (10 lb).

Miss your reps and you repeat the weight next time. Miss three sessions in a row and the lift comes down 10%, so you can build back up with better form. It's all automatic, so you just show up and lift what's on the screen.

Made for heavy sets of five

When the 5×5 stops moving, there are free programs to graduate to: a ramping 5×5 with heavy, light and top-set days, 5×5 with arm work, tiered progression and training max waves.

• Plates for each side of every set, from the plates your gym has, including small jumps
• Rest timer that starts itself and counts down on the lock screen
• Warm-up sets before each lift, ramping to your working weight
• Your estimated max on each lift climbing session by session

Where to start

If you're new, start light: an empty bar on the press and row is fine. Starting too heavy is the most common reason 5×5 stalls early. Our guide to the 5×5 workout walks through the first weeks, and the warm-up calculator shows what to do before your first heavy set.

Questions

Is the 5x5 program really free?

Yes. Every fixed program is free, with no limit on workouts. Pro is only for adaptive workouts, the recovery map and advanced stats.

What happens when I miss reps?

You repeat the weight next session. After three missed sessions in a row on a lift, it drops 10% and builds back up.

Can I swap an exercise?

Yes. A swap keeps the lift's progress, so swapping barbell rows for another row doesn't reset anything.