5x5 Alternatives

Variations and Alternatives to the Classic 5x5 Methods of Training

     Of all training methods and workout routines out there, I think it’s safe to say that 5x5 training is one of the most popular and most widely used by a lot of lifters, especially those seeking a combination of both size and strength.  It’s not the most popular training method, I'm not saying that.  I bet if you walk into most commercial gyms anywhere in America (perhaps the world) you’ll find that the majority of trainees use somewhere between 3 and 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps more than anything else.  Nonetheless, 5x5 training is hugely popular.

     There are two ways that most lifters utilize 5x5 training.  You can either do 5 progressively heavier sets of 5 reps or you can do 5 straight sets of 5 reps, using the same weight at each set.  The former works better for full-body workouts performed 3 days per week.  The latter tends to be better on a split program where you train 2 times weekly or, perhaps, 2.5 times in a week.  Outside of those two usages, you also see 5x5 programs where the trainee does 2 progressively heavier sets of 5 reps followed by 3 straight sets of 5 reps, though, typically, lifters are more apt (myself included) to simply call that 3x5 training.

     5x5 training, whichever method, is great.  I recommend it a lot and will continue to do so.  But lifters also need some alternatives.  You don’t want to change things completely—that’s one of the primary reasons that modern lifters don’t get the results they’re seeking.  They have workout program ADD, where they constantly jump between completely different routines every 2 to 3 weeks of training.  That crap doesn’t work.  But you do need some variety.  The best workout programs are one that follow a consistent workout template that has variety naturally built into it.  Two prime examples that utilize this approach are Bill Starr’s classic heavy-light-medium system and the training of Westside Barbell.  You can stay on either of those programs for years on end because the variety is built into both systems.  The amount of variety that you utilize should depend upon your level of experience.  Take Westside as an example.  A beginning Westside lifter will rotate max-effort movements only once every 3 weeks.  An intermediate powerlifter will rotate exercises every other week.  And an advanced Westside trainee will rotate movements every single week.  But the template always stays the same.

     We will start here by looking at 5x5 alternatives that should be used while running a 3 days per week, full-boy routine.  After that, we’ll look at alternatives for split programs and more voluminous training.

Full-Body Training Alternatives

     First off, if you haven’t tried 5x5 training yet, then one of the best methods that you can use is to train 3-days-per-week on a full-body program where you simply do 5 progressively heavier sets of 5 reps.  Pick a few movements for each training day and, on each lift, work up over 5 sets until you reach a heavy, close-to-all-out set of 5 reps.  If your max for 5 reps in the squat is 230 pounds, then your squat workout might look like this: 135x5, 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, and 220x5.  Do that workout at each training session until your top set feels easy and then add weight at the next session.  Using this approach on each movement, your workout might look like this:

Squats: 5x5

Power cleans: 5x5

Bench presses: 5x5

Military presses: 5x5

Barbell curls: 5x5

     Throw in a couple sets of weighted steep incline sit-ups and a set or two of farmer walks or sandbag carries and you’re good to go.  You have a complete regimen that will build plenty of strength and muscle mass.

     Here are some 5x5 alternatives for 3 days a week, full-body workouts.  All of them work well.  Select one to start that you think you will enjoy doing (when you enjoy a workout you will be consistent, and consistency trumps everything else for making, well, consistent gains) or one that you think you need based on how you were responding to the 5x5 training beforehand.

3x5

     Sometimes the alternative you need is to do less.  5x5 training, even when it’s 5 progressively heavier sets so that you are only doing 1 heavy set, can be too much for some lifters.  Or too much if you do it all the time—a break does the body some good on occasion.  Also, some lifters are purely and simply “low volume lifters” who get better results by doing less than others.

     Let’s take our hypothetical squatter who can do 230 for 5 reps.  In this case, if he’s a “low volume” guy, or if he’s been training with 5x5 for consecutive weeks on end, he might do better if his sets look like this: 135x5, 185x5, 220x5.

     When training 3 days weekly and using full-body workouts, always ask yourself this:  Will I be able to train again on the same lift (or a same but different movement) in another 48 hours?  If the answer is “yes” with 5x5, then fine.  If it’s “no” then you need a different plan.  For some, 3x5 is the answer.

     Having written above, never forget one of my favorite sayings: More isn’t always better but it usually is!  So, most of the time, 5x5 is the answer.   But not always.  Sometimes you just need less.

     You also might want to use 5x5 on the “big lifts” and then use 3x5 on the smaller ones.  In this case, your workout might look like this:

Squats: 5x5

Power cleans: 3x5

Bench presses: 5x5

Military presses: 3x5

Barbell curls: 3x5

     When you need less, consider going the 3x5 route.

5x3

     Sometimes it’s not less sets you need but less reps.  5x3 is the answer then.  It has two great benefits.  First, it allows you to train heavier.  But second, it allows you to train heavier while also reducing your total workload for the session.  Let’s look at our hypothetical squatter again for an example.  If he can do 230 for a max set of 5 reps, he can probably do 240 to 250 for a max triple—the number would depend upon his slow-twitch to fast-twitch muscle fiber make-up.  In this case, his workout might look like this: 135x3, 165x3, 195x3, 215x3, 235x3.  The 235 would be around 95% of his 3-rep max if that max is 250—a good number to end the sets with.

     Another benefit of 5x3 is that it simply builds more strength and power.  5-rep sets are great, they really are, but you want to use some heavier weights in order to ensure that you are not limiting your max strength, especially if strength and power are just as important to you as hypertrophy.

3x5,3,2

     This is another good set/rep combo, and one that also lowers your workload since your total reps for the lift is only 10.  This makes it, in fact, the lowest total number of reps so far.  This can be good or bad.  It’s perfect if you need less for the moment.  It’s not the answer if you have already been doing a low-volume routine.

     As with the 3x5, you can also try using this on some of your lifts and not on others.  It’s great for any workouts when you want to test your strength on a movement.  A workout session might look like this:

Squats: 3x5,3,2

Bench presses: 3x5,3,2

Deadlifts: 3x5,3,2

Military presses: 3x5

Barbell curls: 3x5

8x2

     When you want to really test your strength, it helps to use more sets in working up to a heavy weight.  8x2 is almost perfect.  You can take your time to work up to a heavy double, which will enhance your nervous system by doing so and assures your CNS has been potentiated for heavy lifts.  Our hypothetical squatter above who wants to test his strength, might do a workout that looks like this: 135x2, 155x2, 180x2, 205x2, 220x2, 230x2, 240x2, 255x2.

     Even though you are training heavy and utilizing multiple sets, the total number of reps is still just 16, which means that you should recover just fine between your workouts.  In fact, if you’re really looking for more strength and power, this might become your new favorite workout.

     So far, we have been discussing schemes that all use progressively heavier sets.  Next, we’ll look at some straight sets for full-body workouts.  However, it’s also possible to take everything that we’ve discussed so far and not use progressively heavier weights but simply use straight sets on all of them, with the exception of the 3x5,3,2.  If you reach the point that you go this route, warm-up with 2 to 3 sets before starting with your work sets and, at first, start with a fairly light weight.  Take 5x3, for example.  To start with, try using 90% of your 5-rep max.  So, using our hypothetical squatter who has a max set of 5 with 230 pounds, he might use 210 for 5x3 at his first workout.  Whatever set/rep combo it is, stick with the same weight at each workout and simply add weight once the poundages feel easy.  Remember, you’re training 3 days per week—the frequency combined with the full-body workouts will be all you need to make gains as long as you’re consistent and don’t miss sessions.

1-2-3 Ladders

     After warmups, use a weight on these that are around your 5-rep max.  Do 2 to 3 ladders at each session.  So, once again, our hypothetical squatter with a 5-rep max of 230 might use 230 for 3 ladder sets of 1-2-3/1-2-3/1-2-3.  Ladders are a sneaky way to increase your workload while also minimizing fatigue.  Using your 5-rep max, you end up getting 12 to 18 reps with relative ease.

2-3-5 Ladders

     This is one of my favorite alternatives to 5x5 training.  It’s particularly good for lifters who enjoy doing 5 straight sets of 5 reps.  The problem with the “classic” straight set approach of 5x5 is fatigue.  Use the same weight on these that you would use for 5x5 with straight sets.  Start off with just doing 2 ladders.  Once you’ve adapted to the training, you can then try 3 or more ladders.  Keep in mind that 3 ladders is going to be 30 reps, which is already more total volume than what you would do with 5x5, which is only 25 reps.  Because the 2 and 3-rep sets seem so easy, the lifter tends to do more than he should.  So, always start with just 2 ladders to begin with.

Split Training and Higher Volume Alternatives

     Now, let’s look at some of the best alternatives to higher-volume 5x5 training.  When a lifter uses 5x5 with straight sets then, the majority of the time, he uses some sort of split system.  Unless you have built up the work capacity to handle it—and some classic bodybuilders, such as Reg Park, most certainly did—it’s very tough to do 5x5 with straight sets on a full-body routine.  Most lifters will need to use a basic split program in order to recover from the workouts.  A good system would be to follow a 2-on, 1-off split and then just take an extra day off anytime that you feel as if you need it.  Of course, you can also train on a simple 4 days per week regimen where you train, say, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday or any 2-on, 1-off, 2-on, 2-off schedule.

     Here’s the basic kind of workout I would do on a 2-on, 1-off system:

Day One

Squats: 5x5 (straight sets after warm-ups; start the workout where all of your work sets are 90% of your absolute, all-out 5-rep max)

Deadlifts: 5x5 (do these at every other workout or even just every 3rd session)

Weighted chins: 5x5

Barbell curls: 5x5

Day Two

Bench presses: 5x5

Military presses: 5x5

Farmer walks (or other loaded carry): 2 to 3 sets, hard but not all-out

     That’s it.  Nothing more than that.  So, most days you would only do 3 movements at each session.

     Another good program is to do a “full-body split” where, even though you are splitting your movements, you’re still working your whole body at each session.  A good program might be this:

Day One

Squats: 5x5

Military presses: 5x5

Barbell curls: 5x5

Day Two

Deadlifts alternated with power cleans from workout-to-workout: 5x5

Weighted dips: 5x5

Weighted chins: 5x5

     Throw in a loaded carry at the end of each day, but alternate the kind of loaded carry that you perform, so that one day you might use sandbag carries and the 2nd day you might utilize sled drags.  If you elect to do a loaded carry at each session in this manner, then limit your work sets to 2 max.

     Now, let’s look at the alternatives that you could plug into either of those workouts or anything similar.

Countdown Sets - 5/4/3/2/1

     Start your work sets with the same weight that you would use on the 5x5 workouts.  On each subsequent set, add 10 pounds for big lifts such as squats and deadlifts and 5 pounds for other movements, benches, overhead work, chins, curls, and whatnot.

     As you advance, you can repeat some of the sets (or all of them once you can handle it).  So, you might do 5/4/3/2/1 and then go back to your 5-rep weight and do 5/4/3—stop there.  Or you can do 5/4/3/2/1 then go back to your 3-rep weight and do 3/2/1.

8x3

     Begin your work sets with a weight that is your 6-rep max for one all-out set.  If you get 3 reps on all 8 sets, add weight at the next session.  If you miss 3 reps on any set, then stick with that weight at the next session until you do get 3 reps on all sets.

Weight Ladders

     The legendary bronze era strongman Hermann Goerner called these “chains” since you are “chaining” together several poundages using the same reps.  Let’s say on squats, you would do 225 for 5x5.  In this case, you might do a weight ladder with 185x5, 205x5, and 225x5—that’s one chain.  Do 3 to 4 chains total.  Start with just 3.  What I love about this is that you end up doing 9 to 12 sets but only 3 or 4 of them are “hard,” allowing you to really increase your workload, and therefore your work capacity, while limiting fatigue.

5-8x1, 2x5

     When it comes to building absolute strength, you just can’t go wrong with the “Hepburn method” of multiple singles.  After warming up, use a weight that is around 90% of your 1-rep maximum.  Select a number of singles that you are shooting for, between 5 and 8.  Use that same number of work sets at each session.  At 90% of your max, you should get 5 singles with relative ease.  Probably 8 singles, as well.  If you get all of your singles, add weight at the next session—around 10 pounds for big lifts and 5 pounds for smaller ones.  Once you are finished with your singles, drop down to around your 5-rep max and do 2 sets of 5 with that.

Final Thoughts

     If you’re new to 5x5 training, or any of the workout suggestions discussed here, start off with a full-body program.  The next day after your workout you should be a little sore, but not much.  Once you’ve adapted to it, you should experience more tightness than soreness.

     With the split training, you should be sore the day after training but not too sore.  And on the 2nd day—your off day if you’re following the 2-on, 1-off schedule—the soreness should be mostly dissipated.  This will ensure that you make continued progress on either mode of training.

     If you need some alternatives to the classic 5x5 workouts, give my recommendations in this article a try.  You don’t need a routine that’s completely different but you do need some variety.  These alternatives work.  Try them.  Use them.  You’ll gain more size and strength if you do.

     I hope you enjoyed this essay and it gave you some training food for thought.  If you want more workout suggestions, then please consider purchasing one of my books.  You can find more information at the My Books page of the blog.  Each book is packed with a variety of workout suggestions and programs.

     As always, if you have any comments or questions about this article, or anything else, leave them in the “comments” section below or send me an email if you prefer a more private correspondence.  Until my next essay, stay strong and stay at it!