Beginner Free to follow

The program

Starting Strength

A six-week Starting Strength adaptation with three barbell sessions a week, alternating squat, press, deadlift and power clean workouts.

Schedule: 3 days/week
Length: 6 weeks
Main lifts: 5

What you’ll train

The main movements in this program.

Back Squat
Bench Press
Deadlift
Overhead Press
Power Clean

Review exercise technique

Before you start

No measured max is needed to start. Guided setup lets you choose a comfortable working weight in the gym and adjust your logged sets as you go.

If you already know your lifting numbers, you can enter them during setup instead. Review the program guide for this template's load and progression rules.

Optional max estimation tools

General strength plan

Foundational barbell strength

Newer lifters who want a short list of barbell movements and can learn the power clean.

Before choosing this plan

Power cleans require their own technique practice. The supplied routine contains no rows, chin-ups or conditioning.

Equipment

Barbell and plates
Squat rack with safeties
Bench
Space and suitable plates for power cleans

Progression in this app

With known-weight setup, completing all working targets adds 5 lb by default to the reference for 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 are generic app rules, not the full original method. Guided starting weights stay under your control.

About this template

A fixed A/B adaptation with power cleans from the start and percentage-based loading. It does not reproduce the original novice phase transitions or individualized coaching.

Methodology and sources

Read the program guide Starting Strength: Training Programs

A look at the plan

Sessions and prescriptions

The first week is open below. Expand later weeks to compare their schedules. Percentages use the reference described in the program guide; guided starting loads are chosen in your first workout.

Week 1

3 sessions

Day 1 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Day 2 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Day 3 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Week 2

3 sessions

Day 1 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Day 2 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Day 3 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Week 3

3 sessions

Day 1 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Day 2 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Day 3 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Week 4

3 sessions

Day 1 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Day 2 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Day 3 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Week 5

3 sessions

Day 1 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Day 2 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Day 3 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Week 6

3 sessions

Day 1 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00

Day 2 · Workout A — Squat / Bench / Deadlift

Back Squat main

Full depth. Every rep should be below parallel.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Add 5 lbs every session

Bench Press main

Touch chest, full lockout.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Deadlift main

Reset each rep from dead stop. +10 lbs per session.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
1 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 0:00

Day 3 · Workout B — Squat / OHP / Power Clean

Back Squat main

Full depth every rep.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Overhead Press main

Strict press. No leg drive.

1 × 5 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
3 × 5 @ 85%working

Rest 3:00

Power Clean main

Explosive triple extension. Start from the floor each rep.

1 × 3 @ 50%warmup

Rest 1:00
5 × 3 @ 85%working

Rest 2:00