Our StrongLifts 5×5 plan supplies 12 weeks at three sessions per week, labeled Beginner. Its repeated sets and small exercise list make the structure easy to learn. Five working sets can still become substantial work as the loads rise.
The supplied A/B schedule
| Session | Supplied working sets |
|---|---|
| A | Back squat 5×5, bench press 5×5, barbell row 5×5 |
| B | Back squat 5×5, overhead press 5×5, deadlift 1×5 |
Week one is A/B/A and week two is B/A/B. Squats occur every session; deadlifts use one working set rather than five. The pattern repeats across the enrollment. You need a barbell, plates, a squat rack with safeties and a bench.
The official StrongLifts workout guide explains this A/B structure and starting light. It also discusses schedule options; the version supplied here is specifically three days per week.
Starting and changing weights
Guided setup lets you find a manageable working load in your first workout. There is no requirement to test a one-rep max. If you use known-weight setup, the template's working sets use 80% of the entered reference. Check that the resulting load is suitable for all five sets.
For known-weight enrollments, completing all working-set targets adds 5 lb by default to the reference used by later sessions. Custom increases override that default; setting 0 keeps the reference unchanged. With progression enabled, misses hold it; three consecutive failed exposures reduce it by 10%. These generic app rules do not reproduce every StrongLifts plateau or exercise-specific progression decision. Guided loads remain user-controlled. Record actual weight and reps, and do not count a missed set as a completed target.
Is this the right starting point?
Choose it if you want rows, frequent squat practice and a straightforward repeating schedule. Compare Starting Strength if you prefer fewer working sets and are ready to learn power cleans. Neither supplied plan fits a two-day schedule.
The 12-week endpoint is a planning boundary, not a promised outcome. Review your training log before repeating or choosing a different plan. Open the StrongLifts plan to see the exact sessions and start with guided weights.