StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout A
The squat/bench/row day of StrongLifts 5×5. Five sets of five on Squat, Bench Press, and Barbell Row — every set the same working weight. Add 2.5 kg every session. ~45-60 min, 3 barbell lifts.
Estimated session
- Movements 3
- Loads Coach-filled
- Progresses Every session
Every movement, in order
Each lift with its working sets and target, in the order you run them. The coach sets the loads from your training and moves them up as the work gets easier.
| Order | Exercise | Sets | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Barbell Squat Brace before unrack, squat to parallel (hips below knee crease), drive through mid-foot. All 5 work sets at the same weight. 3 warm-up sets first 5 × 5 · rest 3 min | 5 | 5 | 3 min |
| 02 | Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip Tight setup, shoulder blades retracted, full ROM with a controlled touch at the chest. All 5 work sets at the same weight. 3 warm-up sets first 5 × 5 · rest 3 min | 5 | 5 | 3 min |
| 03 | Bent Over Barbell Row Hinge to a flat back, pull the bar to the lower ribs, no body english. Balances the bench press. All 5 work sets at the same weight. 2 warm-up sets first 5 × 5 · rest 3 min | 5 | 5 | 3 min |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Flat 5×5: all five work sets at the SAME load — do not ramp like a 3×5 LP. Drive load off the rep target, not RPE; novices can't self-rate, so treat listed RPEs as coarse guides only. All 5×5 clear at ≤RPE8.5 → +2.5 kg next time that lift is trained (squat every session, bench/row each A day). 3 straight failures at a load → deload that lift 10%, then re-progress. Row stalls earliest — microload (1.25 kg) or hold before the others. Warmup sets do not count toward the five working sets.
Every workout
The coach reads your log, tunes the loads and volume to where you are today, and tells you when to add weight.
Programs that use this template
This session is scheduled across a week and progressed over the mesocycle in the programs below.
Common questions
The facts most people check before they drop this session into a week.
01When should I use the StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout A template?
Flat 5×5: all five work sets at the SAME load — do not ramp like a 3×5 LP. Add it to your week in Squatly and the coach schedules it, sets the loads from your training, and tells you when to move up.
02How many working sets is StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout A, and how long does it take?
StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout A runs 3 movements and about 15 working sets, roughly 89 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
03What makes the Workout A version different?
StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout A is the workout a cut of this family — same method, but the movement order, set scheme, and emphasis are tuned for it. The session table shows exactly what changes; the coach sets the loads and drives the progression either way.
Built on the Squatly method
Every set count, rep target, and rest period here comes from how the coach weighs volume, intensity, and fatigue. See where the numbers come from.
Read the methodVolume, intensity, and fatigue — read per lift, every session.
Last updated: June 2026
Keep moving forward.
Add this template to your week. The coach reads your training, sets the loads, and tells you when to push.
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Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight