5x5 Workout Routine

Perform 5 sets of 5 reps for every exercise.

Day 1 — Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Warm up with 3-5 minutes on the treadmill, bike or any other cardio exercise.

• Incline Dumbbell Press


• Military Press


• Kneeling Cable Triceps Extensions

Day 2 — Back / Legs / Biceps
Warm up with 3-5 minutes on the treadmill, bike or any other cardio exercise.

• Squats


• Chin Ups


• Barbell Curls

Day 3 — Rest

Day 4 — Chest / Shoulders / Triceps
Warm up with 3-5 minutes on the treadmill, bike or any other cardio exercise.

• Flat Bench Dumbbell Flys


• Arnold Press


• Kneeling Cable Triceps Extensions

Day 5 — Back / Legs / Biceps
Warm up with 3-5 minutes on the treadmill, bike or any other cardio exercise.

• Deadlifts


• Bent Over Rows


• Barbell Curls

What makes 5×5 workout routines interesting is that you can approach them from a few different angles. For example, you can stick with a weight that you can perform all 5 sets for 5 reps, or you can work your way from a fairly light weight to a heavy weight as you go from set 1 to set 5.  I’ve also seen a triangle approach where sets 1 & 5 are the same, sets 2 & 4 are slightly heavier and set 3 is the heaviest.