You are on page 1of 12

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

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
Set Interval
Tonnage Cutoff

Test Weight
315
225
205
315
185
12.5%
60%

Reps Achieved (<12)


5
5
5
5
5

1RM
354
253
231
354
208

5RM
315
225
205
315
185

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
146
182
219
255
292
104
130
156
182
209
95
119
143
166
190

Wk 2
150
187
225
262
299
107
134
160
187
214
97
122
146
171
195

Wk 3
154
192
230
269
307
110
137
165
192
219
100
125
150
175
200

Wk 4
158
197
236
276
315
113
141
169
197
225
103
128
154
179
205

146
182
219
219
107
129
150
171
182
219
255
292

150
187
225
225
110
132
154
176
187
225
262
299

154
192
230
230
113
135
158
180
192
230
269
307

158
197
236
236
116
139
162
185
197
236
276
315

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

Squat

Incline Bench

Deadlift

Assistance:
3 Sets of Situps

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

Friday

Squat

Bench

Row

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

146
182
219
255
299
219
104
130
156
182
214
156
95
119
143
166
195
143

150
187
225
262
307
225
107
134
160
187
219
160
97
122
146
171
200
146

154
192
230
269
315
230
110
137
165
192
225
165
100
125
150
175
205
150

158
197
236
276
323
236
113
141
169
197
231
169
103
128
154
179
210
154

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

12,947
11,363
15,761
40,071

13,279
11,654
16,165
41,098

13,620
11,953
16,580
42,152

13,969
12,259
17,005
43,233

Tonnage w/Significance Cutoff

Monday
Wednesady
Friday
Weekly

9,063
8,272
11,877
29,212

9,295
8,484
12,181
29,961

9,534
8,702
12,494
30,729

9,778
8,925
12,814
31,517

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
161
202
242
283
323
115
144
173
202
231
105
131
158
184
210

Wk 6
165
207
248
290
331
118
148
177
207
236
108
135
162
188
215

Wk 7
170
212
254
297
339
121
151
182
212
242
110
138
166
193
221

Wk 8
174
217
261
304
348
124
155
186
217
248
113
141
170
198
226

Wk 9
178
223
267
312
356
127
159
191
223
255
116
145
174
203
232

161
202
242
242
119
142
166
190
202
242
283
323

165
207
248
248
121
146
170
194
207
248
290
331

170
212
254
254
125
149
174
199
212
254
297
339

174
217
261
261
128
153
179
204
217
261
304
348

178
223
267
267
131
157
183
209
223
267
312
356

161
202
242
283
331
242
115
144
173
202
236
173
105
131
158
184
215
158

165
207
248
290
339
248
118
148
177
207
242
177
108
135
162
188
221
162

170
212
254
297
348
254
121
151
182
212
248
182
110
138
166
193
226
166

174
217
261
304
356
261
124
155
186
217
255
186
113
141
170
198
232
170

178
223
267
312
365
267
127
159
191
223
261
191
116
145
174
203
238
174

14,318
12,566
17,430
44,314

14,676
12,880
17,865
45,421

15,043
13,202
18,312
46,557

15,419
13,532
18,770
47,721

15,804
13,870
19,239
48,914

10,023
9,148
13,134
32,305

10,273
9,377
13,463
33,113

10,530
9,611
13,799
33,940

10,793
9,852
14,144
34,789

11,063
10,098
14,498
35,659

NOTE:

Squat
Bench
Row
Dead
Incline

All this sheet does is calculate the tonnage incorporating the specified cutoff parameter on the first sheet (
Don't Change or Touch Anything
0 Test WeighReps Achie1RM
315
5
225
5
205
5
315
5
185
5

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

1RM
1RM
1RM
1RM
1RM

Day
Monday

Reps

Exercise
Squat

Bench

Row

5RM
354
253
231
354
208

315
225
205
315
185

354
253
231
208
354

354
253
231
208
354

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

Wk 2

Set Interva
Tonnage Cu

354
253
231
208
354

Wk 3

354
253
231
208
354

Wk 4

13% Generally 10-15%


60% Given % of Single Rep Max for Incl

363
259
236
213
363

Wk 5

372
266
242
219
372

Wk 6

382
273
248
224
382

Wk 7

146
182
219
255
292
104
130
156
182
209
95
119
143
166
190

150
187
225
262
299
107
134
160
187
214
97
122
146
171
195

154
192
230
269
307
110
137
165
192
219
100
125
150
175
200

158
197
236
276
315
113
141
169
197
225
103
128
154
179
205

161
202
242
283
323
115
144
173
202
231
105
131
158
184
210

165
207
248
290
331
118
148
177
207
236
108
135
162
188
215

170
212
254
297
339
121
151
182
212
242
110
138
166
193
221

146
182
219
219
107
129
150
171
182
219
255
292

150
187
225
225
110
132
154
176
187
225
262
299

154
192
230
230
113
135
158
180
192
230
269
307

158
197
236
236
116
139
162
185
197
236
276
315

161
202
242
242
119
142
166
190
202
242
283
323

165
207
248
248
121
146
170
194
207
248
290
331

170
212
254
254
125
149
174
199
212
254
297
339

Assistance:
2 Sets of Weighted Hypers
4 Sets of Weighted Situps
Wednesda Squat

Incline Be

Deadlift

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

Assistance:
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

146
182
219
255
299
219
104
130
156
182
214
156
95
119
143
166
195
143

150
187
225
262
307
225
107
134
160
187
219
160
97
122
146
171
200
146

154
192
230
269
315
230
110
137
165
192
225
165
100
125
150
175
205
150

158
197
236
276
323
236
113
141
169
197
231
169
103
128
154
179
210
154

161
202
242
283
331
242
115
144
173
202
236
173
105
131
158
184
215
158

165
207
248
290
339
248
118
148
177
207
242
177
108
135
162
188
221
162

170
212
254
297
348
254
121
151
182
212
248
182
110
138
166
193
226
166

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 Tonnag Monday
Wednesad
Friday

12947
11363
15761

13279
11654
16165

13620
11953
16580

13969
12259
17005

14318
12566
17430

14676
12880
17865

15043
13202
18312

Relevant Tonnage

9063
8272
11877

9295
8484
12181

9534
8702
12494

9778
8925
12814

10023
9148
13134

10273
9377
13463

10530
9611
13799

Monday
Wednesda
Friday

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

of Single Rep Max for Inclusion in Relevant Tonnage

391
279
255
230
391

Wk 8

401
286
261
235
401

Wk 9

Wk 1

Wk 2

Wk 3

Wk 4

Wk 5

Wk 6

Wk 7

174
217
261
304
348
124
155
186
217
248
113
141
170
198
226

178
223
267
312
356
127
159
191
223
255
116
145
174
203
232

0
0
219
255
292
0
0
156
182
209
0
0
143
166
190

0
0
225
262
299
0
0
160
187
214
0
0
146
171
195

0
0
230
269
307
0
0
165
192
219
0
0
150
175
200

0
0
236
276
315
0
0
169
197
225
0
0
154
179
205

0
0
242
283
323
0
0
173
202
231
0
0
158
184
210

0
0
248
290
331
0
0
177
207
236
0
0
162
188
215

0
0
254
297
339
0
0
182
212
242
0
0
166
193
221

174
217
261
261
128
153
179
204
217
261
304
348

178
223
267
267
131
157
183
209
223
267
312
356

0
0
219
219
0
129
150
171
0
219
255
292

0
0
225
225
0
132
154
176
0
225
262
299

0
0
230
230
0
135
158
180
0
230
269
307

0
0
236
236
0
139
162
185
0
236
276
315

0
0
242
242
0
142
166
190
0
242
283
323

0
0
248
248
0
146
170
194
0
248
290
331

0
0
254
254
0
149
174
199
0
254
297
339

174
217
261
304
356
261
124
155
186
217
255
186
113
141
170
198
232
170

178
223
267
312
365
267
127
159
191
223
261
191
116
145
174
203
238
174

15419
13532
18770

15804
13870
19239

10793
9852
14144

11063
10098
14498

0
0
219
255
299
219
0
0
156
182
214
156
0
0
143
166
195
143

0
0
225
262
307
225
0
0
160
187
219
160
0
0
146
171
200
146

0
0
230
269
315
230
0
0
165
192
225
165
0
0
150
175
205
150

0
0
236
276
323
236
0
0
169
197
231
169
0
0
154
179
210
154

0
0
242
283
331
242
0
0
173
202
236
173
0
0
158
184
215
158

0
0
248
290
339
248
0
0
177
207
242
177
0
0
162
188
221
162

0
0
254
297
348
254
0
0
182
212
248
182
0
0
166
193
226
166

Wk 8

Wk 9
0
0
261
304
348
0
0
186
217
248
0
0
170
198
226

0
0
267
312
356
0
0
191
223
255
0
0
174
203
232

0
0
261
261
0
153
179
204
0
261
304
348

0
0
267
267
0
157
183
209
0
267
312
356

0
0
261
304
356
261
0
0
186
217
255
186
0
0
170
198
232
170

0
0
267
312
365
267
0
0
191
223
261
191
0
0
174
203
238
174

You might also like