I feel my strongest, both in mind and body, when I’m lifting weights. When I’m holding dumbbells in my hands or carrying a barbell on my shoulders, I zone out, give everything I’ve got, and let go of the weight of the world (pun intended). I disassociate from others’ expectations of me and the pressures that come along with them, and I tune out all the mind chatter. Strength training is my spin on meditation.
The thing is it can take up a lot of time, which I have less of these days, thanks to my very demanding 2-year-old boss. That’s where the 5×5 workout method comes in. Experts back it because it packs an efficient and effective punch, only requiring three training sessions a week and little equipment. And the payoff? Building muscle, boosting strength, and increasing metabolism. It’s also an exercise program that’ll meet you where you’re at, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned weightlifter. Here’s what else the pros have to say about the 5×5 workout method.
“The 5×5 isn’t flashy, but it delivers results that speak louder than any Instagram workout ever could.”
Experts Consulted
At The Everygirl, we believe that wellness advice should be grounded in accurate, science-backed information to ensure our readers can make informed decisions about their health and well-being. That’s why we prioritize consulting trusted, credible experts—so every piece of content is both reliable and empowering.
ADAM GILBERT
Adam Gilbert is a nationally-recognized weight loss and nutrition expert and founder of MyBodyTutor, a coaching company offering daily accountability, personalized nutrition, and fitness plans with a focus on mindset and habit change. Since 2007, his approach has helped thousands achieve lasting transformation by focusing on the root causes of inconsistency: psychology, motivation, and emotional eating.
SAMANTHA CUBBINS
With over 20 years of experience in the fitness and sport industries, Samantha Cubbins brings elite-level coaching expertise to her role as a personal trainer and lifting club manager at Gymshark. She has coached clients across all fitness levels, specializing in biomechanics, performance management, injury recovery, and pre/postnatal training.
DR. BROOK BUSSARD, MD, CPT
Dr. Brooke Bussard left traditional medicine to become a health coach, personal trainer, and founder of Brooke’s Balanced Blueprint, guiding clients toward optimal wellness by focusing on plant-based nutrition and physical activity to reduce the risk of chronic lifestyle illnesses. She’s the author of Chew On This: Bite-Sized Stories about Nutrition and Outsmarting Menopause: Conversations about Metabolism, Muscles, Mood, and More.
What Is the 5×5 Workout Method?
The 5×5 workout breaks down to this simple formula:
- Five reps of an exercise
- Five sets of that exercise
- Two to five minutes between each set
The method focuses on moves that are compound exercises, which work multiple muscle groups at once (AKA getting the most bang for your workout buck). Think: back squat, bench press, bent-over row, overhead press, and deadlift. As for what gear you’ll need, it’s the basics: a barbell, dumbbell set, squat rack, and bench if you’re at the gym, or just a pair of adjustable dumbbells if you call home your gym, too. Do the workout three times a week, making room for a rest day in between each session. “Consistency beats complexity every time,” said Adam Gilbert, a weight loss and nutrition expert and founder of MyBodyTutor. “The 5×5 isn’t flashy, but it delivers results that speak louder than any Instagram workout ever could.”
How to Follow It
Step one: Determine a starting weight that you’re comfortable with, but still find challenging, which Samantha Cubbins, a strength and conditioning coach and lifting club manager at Gymshark, said will most likely vary on the day, depending on how your body feels, how much sleep you’ve had, and what you’ve eaten. “Choose a weight or resistance that leaves you with about two reps ‘in reserve’—meaning you could do two more reps with good form, but no more,” explains Dr. Brooke Bussard, MD, CPT, a doctor, personal trainer, and founder of Brooke’s Balanced Blueprint. “This ensures you’re training close enough to fatigue to stimulate strength gains without risking poor technique.”
The weight may feel light at first, but the goal is to gradually load more weight, adding 5 to 10 pounds total (2.5 to 5 pounds each side) per week, according to Gilbert. “Those small increases compound into massive strength gains,” he said. “Starting too heavy is basically the equivalent of sprinting at the beginning of a marathon—you’ll burn out before the real progress begins.” When you can complete all reps and sets with correct form, you’re ready to level up.
But as Cubbins mentioned, while you’ll feel stronger during certain 5×5 workouts, some weeks you may not feel ready to bump up the weight—and that’s OK (progress isn’t always linear). Instead, focus on making every single rep count. Can you improve your squat form, paying attention to your knees not caving in while squatting deeper? Can you shoulder press at a slower and more controlled tempo?
The 5×5 Workout Method Benefits
Increases strength
“Heavy loads for low reps activate more muscle fibers, motor units, and supportive muscle groups,” Dr. Bussard said. What’s more, the fast-twitch fibers crucial for short bursts of intense activity like weightlifting decline rapidly with age, and 5×5 training helps keep them active and strong, Bussard added. You build strength as your muscles adapt to the gradual increase in weight (AKA progressive overload) each week, with most people doubling their starting weights within three to six months, Gilbert said.
Promotes muscle growth
Lifting heavy weights creates mechanical tension on muscle fibers, triggering their growth, Gilbert explained. “By completing fewer reps in each set, you can include heavier weights, which helps build muscle as this formula recruits more muscle fibers,” Cubbins said. If you’re not used to following a less-is-more approach to working out, get this: Researchers of a 2024 study found that five reps can be just as effective as higher rep ranges for muscle hypertrophy when using heavier weights.
Boosts metabolism
Strength training creates more lean muscle, and the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns calories while at rest to maintain basic functions like breathing, circulation, and cell repair). “Heavy compound lifts torch calories during and after training,” Gilbert said. “The muscle you build becomes a 24/7 calorie-burning furnace.”
Improves everyday movements
The 5×5 routine centers around compound exercises, which mimic daily activities you do outside the gym and don’t think twice about—from climbing stairs to carrying groceries—by calling on multiple muscles and joints simultaneously. By building strength and coordination in full-body movements, compound exercises help you carry out everyday tasks more easily and efficiently and prevent injuries, not to mention they also enhance your athletic performance. “These compound movements translate directly to real-world power,” Gilbert said. “You’ll jump higher, sprint faster, and move more explosively.”
Refines form
The 5×5 lifts fast-track your learning curve—what Gilbert refers to as technical mastery. Because you’re doing fewer reps each set with ample rest in between, you’re able to pay closer attention to your form, including your range of motion, muscle activation, and depth, ensuring you’re getting every squat/press/row’s worth and building muscle. “What feels awkward today becomes automatic in weeks,” Gilbert assured.
It’s suitable for most fitness levels
“The 5×5 formula is simple and easy to follow, so it’s ideal for beginners and anyone wanting to build muscle,” Cubbins said. Gilbert also pointed out its accessibility: “The 5×5 is perfect for beginners and intermediates building their strength foundation, former athletes returning to training, or anyone who wants results without complexity.”
The 5×5 Workout Method Drawbacks
Like any fitness program, the 5×5 method has its limitations. While it calls for three non-consecutive days on and four days off, there’s a potential risk for burnout, especially if you tack on other workouts. “Although this workout is uncomplicated, it involves limited movements, which may lead to overtraining and contribute to joint pain, so be sure to include adequate rest and regularly check in with how your body feels,” Cubbins cautioned. And if you’re new to lifting, you’ll need to get proper technique down before adding heavy weight, Dr. Bussard said. “Beginners may need one-on-one coaching or extra practice with form before going heavy with the weights,” she continued.
As you increase the weight, the time it takes to finish the workout may also increase. “With 5×5, sessions tend to become lengthy as weights get heavy, sometimes stretching to 90 minutes with sufficient rest periods,” Gilbert said. “The recovery demands are high, especially as you advance, requiring excellent sleep and nutrition to sustain progress.” Plus, you might find the 5×5 tedious after months of doing the same exercises and naturally hit a fitness plateau (but that could be said of any workout).
Gilbert suggested incorporating unilateral work (exercises that focus on one side of your body at a time), like single-leg hip thrusts, lateral lunges, and single-arm shoulder presses, to offset imbalances from sticking with only compound exercises, and variations of compound movements to keep it interesting, like a sumo squat instead of a back squat.
Sample Workout
Cubbins laid out an example of a week of 5×5 workouts (five sets of five reps each):
Workout #1: Monday
Warm-up: five to 10 minutes on the treadmill, followed by dynamic stretching of your choice
5×5: Back squat
5×5: Bench press
5×5: Barbell (or seated cable) row
*Two-minute rest between sets
Cool-down: 10 minutes of stretching the targeted muscle groups
Workout #2: Wednesday
Warm-up: five to 10 minutes on the treadmill, followed by dynamic stretching of your choice
5×5: Back squat
5×5: Overhead press
5×5: Deadlift
*Two-minute rest between sets
Cool-down: 10 minutes of stretching the targeted muscle groups
Workout #3: Friday
Warm-up: five to 10 minutes on the treadmill, followed by dynamic stretching of your choice
5×5: Back squat
5×5: Bench press
5×5: Barbell (or seated cable) row
*Two-minute rest between sets
Cool-down: 10 minutes of stretching the targeted muscle groups
Katherine Chang, Wellness Staff Writer
Katherine Chang is The Everygirl’s Wellness Staff Writer with over five years of experience in the health and wellness space. She navigates the latest wellness topics and trends through expert interviews and studies, and she’s always first in line to try them firsthand.
Feature graphic images credited to: Sophie B | Dupe, Mayra Rodriguez | Dupe, Eva Maria Molekova | Dupe, Adobe Stock
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