StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout B
The squat/press/deadlift day of StrongLifts 5×5. Squat and Overhead Press at 5×5, Deadlift at a single heavy set of 5. Add 2.5 kg per session (15 kg on deadlift). ~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 Same execution as Workout A — parallel depth, mid-foot drive. Beginners benefit from squatting every session. All 5 work sets at the same weight. 3 warm-up sets first 5 × 5 · rest 3 min | 5 | 5 | 3 min |
| 02 | Standing Military Press Brace core, glutes tight, press in a vertical line, no leg drive. OHP progresses slowest of all lifts — be patient and microload. All 5 work sets at the same weight. 3 warm-up sets first 5 × 5 · rest 3 min | 5 | 5 | 3 min |
| 03 | Barbell Deadlift Brace, hinge, pull the slack out, drive the floor away. Reset the bar fully on the floor between reps. ONE heavy work set of 5 — deadlift fatigue caps weekly volume, so do not add sets. 3 warm-up sets first 1 × 5 · rest 4 min | 1 | 5 | 4 min |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Squat repeats from Workout A — 3×/week frequency is intentional; same depth. Squat and OHP are flat 5×5 (all work sets same load, not ramped). Deadlift is ONE heavy set of 5 — do NOT add sets; its fatigue caps weekly volume. Drive load off rep targets, not RPE. 5×5 clear at ≤RPE8.5 → +2.5 kg next session; deadlift jumps ~15 kg early, tapering to 5 kg as it climbs. OHP progresses slowest — microload (1.25 kg) or hold first. 3 straight failures on a lift → deload that lift 10%.
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 B template?
Squat repeats from Workout A — 3×/week frequency is intentional; same depth. 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 B, and how long does it take?
StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout B runs 3 movements and about 11 working sets, roughly 80 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 B version different?
StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout B is the workout b 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.
iOS · Works offline
Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight