StrongLifts 5×5 vs Starting Strength: Still Worth It?
StrongLifts 5×5 and Starting Strength are the most well-known beginner strength training programs in the world. Millions started with them. But the r/Fitness wiki — one of the most widely read training resources on the internet — no longer lists either in its recommendations.
What’s wrong? This article compares both programs and examines their core elements.
The Programs
StrongLifts 5×5
Created by: Mehdi Hadim (2007), based on Reg Park’s 5×5 system.
3 days/week, alternating Workout A and B:
| Workout A | Workout B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squat 5×5 | Squat 5×5 |
| 2 | Bench Press 5×5 | Overhead Press 5×5 |
| 3 | Barbell Row 5×5 | Deadlift 1×5 |
Progression: +2.5 kg per session on success. After 3 failures: deload by 10%.
Starting Strength
Created by: Mark Rippetoe (2005), now in its 4th edition.
3 days/week, alternating Workout A and B:
| Workout A | Workout B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squat 3×5 | Squat 3×5 |
| 2 | Overhead Press 3×5 | Bench Press 3×5 |
| 3 | Deadlift 1×5 | Power Clean 5×3 |
Progression: +2.5 kg upper body, +5 kg lower body per session.
Head-to-Head
| Aspect | StrongLifts 5×5 | Starting Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Sets/exercise | 5×5 (Deadlift: 1×5) | 3×5 (Deadlift: 1×5) |
| Volume/session | Higher | Lower |
| Barbell Row | Yes (every other session) | No |
| Power Cleans | No | Yes (every other session) |
| Isolation work | None | None |
The Volume Problem
Reps over 2 weeks in StrongLifts:
| Exercise | Reps over 2 weeks |
|---|---|
| Squat | 150 (5×5 × 6 sessions) |
| Bench Press | 75 (5×5 × 3 sessions) |
| Overhead Press | 75 (5×5 × 3 sessions) |
| Barbell Row | 75 (5×5 × 3 sessions) |
| Deadlift | 15 (1×5 × 3 sessions) |
150 squat reps vs. 15 deadlift reps. A 10:1 ratio. No vertical pull. No biceps work. No lateral delts.
Starting Strength has no pulling movement in the early phases (no rows, no chin-ups). The result: disproportionate leg work, underdeveloped upper body and back.
Where Research Disagrees
Frequency Asymmetry
Training each muscle group 2×/week is better than 1× for hypertrophy. Both programs train squats 3×/week — that’s fine. But bench and overhead press only 1.5×/week (alternating), deadlift even less.
Upper Body Volume Too Low
10+ sets per muscle group per week produce more hypertrophy than fewer than 5. Bench press in StrongLifts: 1.5×/week × 5 sets = 7.5 sets/week. That’s at the lower end of Minimum Effective Volume — well below the sweet spot.
Compounds Alone Aren’t Enough
“Beginners only need compounds” — true for legs. For arms (biceps, triceps), research shows no meaningful difference between compounds and isolation. Biceps, lateral delts, and rear delts in particular get insufficient stimulus from compound-only programs.
What They Get Right
Despite the criticism — these programs have real contributions:
- Made barbell training accessible to the masses — millions started because of SL/SS
- Focus on compound exercises — squat, bench, deadlift as the foundation
- Progressive overload as core principle — a little more each session
- Simplicity — the low barrier to entry helped many people start
The problem isn’t that they’re bad — they were good for their time. There are now programs that offer the same simplicity while avoiding the known weaknesses.
The Alternatives
Basic Beginner Routine (Greyskull LP) — 3 days/week
| Workout A | Workout B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell Row 3×5+ | Chin-ups 3×5+ |
| 2 | Bench Press 3×5+ | Overhead Press 3×5+ |
| 3 | Squat 3×5+ | Deadlift 3×5+ |
Pulling in every session, open last set for feedback, more balanced volume. More →
GZCLP — 3 days/week
Three tiers: T1 (heavy, 5×3+), T2 (moderate, 3×10), T3 (accessories, 3×15+). Every lift 2×/week, accessory work built in, multi-stage failure instead of immediate deload. More →
Full Body (Fierce 5) — 3 days/week
An A/B rotation like StrongLifts, but with accessory work for rear delts, arms, calves and abs from day one. Available in three equipment variants: gym, barbell + pull-up bar, or dumbbells. Recommended for 4–6 months.
Comparison
| Criterion | StrongLifts | Starting Strength | Greyskull LP | GZCLP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days/week | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Vertical pull | No | No (early phases) | Yes | Yes (T3) |
| Accessory work | No | No | No | Yes (T3) |
| Open last set | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| In r/Fitness wiki | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Bottom Line
StrongLifts 5×5 and Starting Strength brought a generation to the barbell. They deserve respect for that. But the core problems are clear: volume asymmetry, missing pulling movements, no accessory work.
If you’re currently running one of these programs: you don’t have to switch immediately. But if you’re stalling or notice your upper body isn’t keeping up — now you know why. And the alternatives are just as simple, just better designed.
Sources
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy. Sports Medicine, 46(11):1689-1697.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass. J Sports Sciences, 35(11):1073-1082.
- Gentil P, Fisher J, Steele J (2017). A Review of the Acute Effects and Long-Term Adaptations of Single- and Multi-Joint Exercises during Resistance Training. Sports Med, 47(5):843-855.
