BILL STARR 5x5

A Base Version for Novice to Intermediate Lifters

Linear Pre-Periodization
Link to Main Website

Introduction:
Link to Program Description
This program is a template designed to match the program description linked above.
It is not intended as a stand-alone, this is all just some raw estimation that would give a general trainee
with a few years of experience a look at how the weights might be arranged. In reality he will
be estimating and resestimating as he runs through the program to peak everything at the right time.
Obviously, given that this is all very general, someone who does this program even once will be able to set
themseleves up much better in the future using even very limited experience, their brain, and a pencil rather
than hoping all the assumptions I made here actually work for them. Hopefully that's clear.
I will also note that this is not a 9 week program, you continue making increases for as long as you are
able to. If you read the Program Description, you already know that. I only included 9 weeks to make this simple
and compact. It's meant to sketch out the program and clarify the progression and is not meant
as a substitute for 5 minutes of reading. If you are investing yourself in this program over a series of weeks and
care about your progress, it likely makes sense to read the damn description and make sure you have it right.

Instructions:
Only change yellow cells. Do not alter the Tonnage Calc worksheet.
Test Weight and Reps Achieved is to help you calculate your single rep max and 5 rep max.
These estimats are more accurate with lower rep tests and lifters who train using lower reps
i.e. testing with a set of 12 and a lifter who is typically used to 10-15 reps is going to decrease accuracy.

Set Interval is the percent change between sets based on the top set of the day for a given exercise.
The lower this value the less space between sets (i.e. higher workload and more density) the greater
the possibility of fatiguing too soon and limiting progress (i.e. fewer weeks of progression or too weak for high performance on t

Tonnage is calculated based on core lifts, it is the combined sum of volume and intensity (%1RM). Basically a proxy for worklo
i.e. Weight Used X Reps = Tonnage. The cutoff is to make the calculation more relevant and not count light sets
towards the total since the impact from very light work is not going to be significant (this is common in practice)

Obviously most people will need to round the weights. If you want to train by percents and be more precise with weight
selection than 5lbs incriments (i.e. two 2.5lbs plates), maybe look into microplates or even this really innovative/inexpensive
microchain solution. Unfortunately, this is more a problem for weaker/newer lifters as a given % of a small lift is inherently sma
Microloading and Fractional Plates

Inputs:

Squat
Bench
Row
Dead
Incline

Test Weight
250
250
250
250
250

Set Interval
Tonnage Cutoff

12.5%
60%

Reps Achieved (<12)

5
5
5
5
5

1RM
281
281
281
281
281

5RM
250
250
250
250
250

Generally 10-15%
Given % of Single Rep Max for Inclusion in Relevant Tonnage

Template:
Day
Monday

Exercise
Squat

Bench

Row

Reps
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

Wk 1
116
145
174
203
232
116
145
174
203
232
116
145
174
203
232

Wk 2
119
149
178
208
238
119
149
178
208
238
119
149
178
208
238

Wk 3
122
152
183
213
244
122
152
183
213
244
122
152
183
213
244

Wk 4
125
156
188
219
250
125
156
188
219
250
125
156
188
219
250

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

116
145
174
174
145
174
203
232
145
174
203
232

119
149
178
178
149
178
208
238
149
178
208
238

122
152
183
183
152
183
213
244
152
183
213
244

125
156
188
188
156
188
219
250
156
188
219
250

5
5

116
145

119
149

122
152

125
156

Assistance:
2 Sets of Weighted Hypers
4 Sets of Weighted Situps
Wednesday

Squat

Incline Bench

Deadlift

Assistance:
3 Sets of Situps
Friday

Squat

Bench

Row

5
5
3
8
5
5
5
5
3
8
5
5
5
5
3
8

174
203
238
174
116
145
174
203
238
174
116
145
174
203
238
174

178
208
244
178
119
149
178
208
244
178
119
149
178
208
244
178

183
213
250
183
122
152
183
213
250
183
122
152
183
213
250
183

188
219
256
188
125
156
188
219
256
188
125
156
188
219
256
188

Assistance
3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps

Tonnage:
Core Exercise Tonnage

Monday
Wednesady
Friday
Weekly

13,034
10,572
15,867
39,473

13,368
10,843
16,274
40,485

13,711
11,121
16,691
41,523

14,063
11,406
17,119
42,588

Tonnage w/Significance Cutoff

Monday
Wednesady
Friday
Weekly

9,124
7,820
11,956
28,901

9,358
8,021
12,263
29,642

9,598
8,227
12,578
30,402

9,844
8,438
12,900
31,181

diate Lifters

e this simple

k for high performance on top sets)

Basically a proxy for workload.

unt light sets

precise with weight

innovative/inexpensive
small lift is inherently smaller.

Version Beta 0.3

Wk 5
128
160
192
224
256
128
160
192
224
256
128
160
192
224
256

Wk 6
131
164
197
230
263
131
164
197
230
263
131
164
197
230
263

Wk 7
135
168
202
236
269
135
168
202
236
269
135
168
202
236
269

Wk 8
138
172
207
241
276
138
172
207
241
276
138
172
207
241
276

Wk 9
141
177
212
247
283
141
177
212
247
283
141
177
212
247
283

128
160
192
192
160
192
224
256
160
192
224
256

131
164
197
197
164
197
230
263
164
197
230
263

135
168
202
202
168
202
236
269
168
202
236
269

138
172
207
207
172
207
241
276
172
207
241
276

141
177
212
212
177
212
247
283
177
212
247
283

128
160

131
164

135
168

138
172

141
177

192
224
263
192
128
160
192
224
263
192
128
160
192
224
263
192

197
230
269
197
131
164
197
230
269
197
131
164
197
230
269
197

202
236
276
202
135
168
202
236
276
202
135
168
202
236
276
202

207
241
283
207
138
172
207
241
283
207
138
172
207
241
283
207

212
247
290
212
141
177
212
247
290
212
141
177
212
247
290
212

14,414
11,691
17,547
43,652

14,774
11,984
17,985
44,743

15,144
12,283
18,435
45,862

15,522
12,590
18,896
47,009

15,910
12,905
19,368
48,184

10,090
8,648
13,223
31,961

10,342
8,865
13,553
32,760

10,601
9,086
13,892
33,579

10,866
9,313
14,239
34,418

11,137
9,546
14,595
35,279

NOTE:

Squat
Bench
Row
Dead
Incline

All this sheet does is calculate the tonnage incorporating the specified cutoff parameter on the first sheet (i
Don't Change or Touch Anything
0 Test WeightReps Achieved
1RM(<12) 5RM
250
5
281
250
250
5
281
250
250
5
281
250
250
5
281
250
250
5
281
250

Squat 1RM
Bench 1RM
Row 1RM
Incline 1RM
Deadlift 1RM

1RM
1RM
1RM
1RM
1RM

Day
Monday

Reps

Exercise
Squat

Bench

Row

281
281
281
281
281

Wk 1
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

Set Interval
13% Generally 10-15%
Tonnage Cutoff 60% Given % of Single Rep Max for Inc

281
281
281
281
281

Wk 2

281
281
281
281
281

Wk 3

281
281
281
281
281

Wk 4

288
288
288
288
288

Wk 5

296
296
296
296
296

Wk 6

116
145
174
203
232
116
145
174
203
232
116
145
174
203
232

119
149
178
208
238
119
149
178
208
238
119
149
178
208
238

122
152
183
213
244
122
152
183
213
244
122
152
183
213
244

125
156
188
219
250
125
156
188
219
250
125
156
188
219
250

128
160
192
224
256
128
160
192
224
256
128
160
192
224
256

131
164
197
230
263
131
164
197
230
263
131
164
197
230
263

116
145
174
174
145
174
203
232
145
174
203
232

119
149
178
178
149
178
208
238
149
178
208
238

122
152
183
183
152
183
213
244
152
183
213
244

125
156
188
188
156
188
219
250
156
188
219
250

128
160
192
192
160
192
224
256
160
192
224
256

131
164
197
197
164
197
230
263
164
197
230
263

Assistance:
2 Sets of Weighted Hypers
4 Sets of Weighted Situps
WednesdaySquat

Incline Bench

Deadlift

Assistance:

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

3 Sets of Situps
Friday

Squat

Bench

Row

5
5
5
5
3
8
5
5
5
5
3
8
5
5
5
5
3
8

116
145
174
203
238
174
116
145
174
203
238
174
116
145
174
203
238
174

119
149
178
208
244
178
119
149
178
208
244
178
119
149
178
208
244
178

122
152
183
213
250
183
122
152
183
213
250
183
122
152
183
213
250
183

125
156
188
219
256
188
125
156
188
219
256
188
125
156
188
219
256
188

128
160
192
224
263
192
128
160
192
224
263
192
128
160
192
224
263
192

131
164
197
230
269
197
131
164
197
230
269
197
131
164
197
230
269
197

Assistance
3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps
Core Exercise TonnageMonday
Wednesady
Friday

13034
10572
15867

13368
10843
16274

13711
11121
16691

14063
11406
17119

14414
11691
17547

14774
11984
17985

Relevant Tonnage

9124
7820
11956

9358
8021
12263

9598
8227
12578

9844
8438
12900

10090
8648
13223

10342
8865
13553

Monday
Wednesday
Friday

utoff parameter on the first sheet (i.e. if <, then 0, otherwise X)

Generally 10-15%
Given % of Single Rep Max for Inclusion in Relevant Tonnage

303
303
303
303
303

Wk 7

310
310
310
310
310

Wk 8

318
318
318
318
318

Wk 9

Wk 1

Wk 2

Wk 3

Wk 4

Wk 5

135
168
202
236
269
135
168
202
236
269
135
168
202
236
269

138
172
207
241
276
138
172
207
241
276
138
172
207
241
276

141
177
212
247
283
141
177
212
247
283
141
177
212
247
283

0
0
174
203
232
0
0
174
203
232
0
0
174
203
232

0
0
178
208
238
0
0
178
208
238
0
0
178
208
238

0
0
183
213
244
0
0
183
213
244
0
0
183
213
244

0
0
188
219
250
0
0
188
219
250
0
0
188
219
250

0
0
192
224
256
0
0
192
224
256
0
0
192
224
256

135
168
202
202
168
202
236
269
168
202
236
269

138
172
207
207
172
207
241
276
172
207
241
276

141
177
212
212
177
212
247
283
177
212
247
283

0
0
174
174
0
174
203
232
0
174
203
232

0
0
178
178
0
178
208
238
0
178
208
238

0
0
183
183
0
183
213
244
0
183
213
244

0
0
188
188
0
188
219
250
0
188
219
250

0
0
192
192
0
192
224
256
0
192
224
256

135
168
202
236
276
202
135
168
202
236
276
202
135
168
202
236
276
202

138
172
207
241
283
207
138
172
207
241
283
207
138
172
207
241
283
207

141
177
212
247
290
212
141
177
212
247
290
212
141
177
212
247
290
212

15144
12283
18435

15522
12590
18896

15910
12905
19368

10601
9086
13892

10866
9313
14239

11137
9546
14595

0
0
174
203
238
174
0
0
174
203
238
174
0
0
174
203
238
174

0
0
178
208
244
178
0
0
178
208
244
178
0
0
178
208
244
178

0
0
183
213
250
183
0
0
183
213
250
183
0
0
183
213
250
183

0
0
188
219
256
188
0
0
188
219
256
188
0
0
188
219
256
188

0
0
192
224
263
192
0
0
192
224
263
192
0
0
192
224
263
192

Wk 6

Wk 7

Wk 8

Wk 9

0
0
197
230
263
0
0
197
230
263
0
0
197
230
263

0
0
202
236
269
0
0
202
236
269
0
0
202
236
269

0
0
207
241
276
0
0
207
241
276
0
0
207
241
276

0
0
212
247
283
0
0
212
247
283
0
0
212
247
283

0
0
197
197
0
197
230
263
0
197
230
263

0
0
202
202
0
202
236
269
0
202
236
269

0
0
207
207
0
207
241
276
0
207
241
276

0
0
212
212
0
212
247
283
0
212
247
283

0
0
197
230
269
197
0
0
197
230
269
197
0
0
197
230
269
197

0
0
202
236
276
202
0
0
202
236
276
202
0
0
202
236
276
202

0
0
207
241
283
207
0
0
207
241
283
207
0
0
207
241
283
207

0
0
212
247
290
212
0
0
212
247
290
212
0
0
212
247
290
212