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Strength · Intermediate · 3 days/week · 8–12 week cycles

Madcow 5×5

Where lifters go when linear 5×5 stalls: ramping sets to one heavy top set, a light recovery day midweek, and a Friday PR attempt — progress moves to once a week instead of every session.

Classic intermediate 5×5 — free community program · original program & spreadsheets

Your Training Maxes

TM = 90% of your best 1RM — estimated from logged sets (Epley) or entered directly below. All percentages below use these numbers.

Log in to enter your maxes and get personalized weights.

How to Progress

  • Friday’s triple beats last Monday’s top 5×5 weight by ~2.5% — that becomes next Monday’s target.
  • Weights ramp in even jumps: roughly 50 / 62.5 / 75 / 87.5 / 100% of the day’s top set.
  • Miss a Friday PR twice → deload 10% and rebuild over 4 weeks.

The Program

Monday · Volume

Start This Day
Back Squat5×5 ramping to 100% TM
Barbell Bench Press5×5 ramping to 100% TM
Barbell Row5×5 ramping to 100% TM
Back Extension2×10
Sit-Up4×15

Wednesday · Light

Start This Day
Back Squat4×5 ramping to 75% TMRecovery day — crisp and easy.
Overhead Press4×5 ramping to 100% TM
Deadlift4×5 ramping to 100% TM
Sit-Up3×15

Friday · Intensity

Start This Day
Back SquatRamp to 1×3 @ ~102.5% TM, back-off 1×8 @ 80%The triple is this week’s PR attempt.
Barbell Bench PressRamp to 1×3 @ ~102.5% TM, back-off 1×8 @ 80%
Barbell RowRamp to 1×3 @ ~102.5% TM, back-off 1×8 @ 80%
Dips3×5–8
Barbell Curl3×8