by Mehdi Hadim
StrongLifts 5×5 — adaptive
StrongLifts 5×5 is the simplest barbell strength program: 5 lifts, 5 sets of 5, three days a week. RepRoute runs it as Mehdi designed it, with adaptation only when needed.
Frequency
3× / week
Length
12 weeks
Difficulty
beginner
Progression
linear
Workout A: Squat, Bench, Row. Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift. Five sets of five reps on every lift, three times a week, alternating A and B.
Add weight every session as long as all reps were completed. Fail twice, deload 10%.
RepRoute keeps the math intact and only adapts when you flag injuries or equipment limitations.
Pros
- • Incredibly simple — easy to follow for months
- • Fast early strength gains
- • Built-in deload rule removes guesswork
- • Only 3 days/week — sustainable long-term
Trade-offs
- • Squat every session — can become tiring
- • No direct arm/shoulder accessory work
- • Progress stalls faster than programs with more variation
Weekly structure
Day 1
Workout A
- Squat5×5-5 · 180s
- Push (horizontal)5×5-5 · 180s
- Pull (row)5×5-5 · 120s
Day 2
Workout B
- Squat5×5-5 · 180s
- Push (overhead)5×5-5 · 180s
- Hinge1×5-5 · 240s
RepRoute adaptations
- Auto-rounds prescribed weights to your loadable plate increment
- Injury-aware substitution from the body map
- Deload protocol respected on consecutive failures
- PR tracking and Geist Mono-formatted weight display
Common questions
For absolute beginners — yes. It's been displaced by GZCLP and Greyskull LP for many lifters because they recover better, but the simplicity is hard to beat.
Workout B becomes incomplete without it; consider GZCLP or 5/3/1 BBB if deadlifts aren't an option.
Re-entry mode kicks in automatically after 10+ days. The next session gets a slight load reduction to taper you back in.
Run StrongLifts 5×5 adapted to you
Free plan, no credit card. The program ships as authored — adaptations kick in only when you flag something.