BILL STARR 5x5

A Base Version for Novice to Intermediate Lifters

Linear Pre-Periodization
Link to Main Website

Introduction:
Link to Program Description

This program is a template designed to match the program description linked above.
It is not intended as a stand-alone, this is all just some raw estimation that would give a general trainee
with a few years of experience a look at how the weights might be arranged. In reality he will
be estimating and resestimating as he runs through the program to peak everything at the right time.
Obviously, given that this is all very general, someone who does this program even once will be able to set
themseleves up much better in the future using even very limited experience, their brain, and a pencil rather
than hoping all the assumptions I made here actually work for them. Hopefully that's clear.

I will also note that this is not a 9 week program, you continue making increases for as long as you are
able to. If you read the Program Description, you already know that. I only included 9 weeks to make this simple
and compact. It's meant to sketch out the program and clarify the progression and is not meant
as a substitute for 5 minutes of reading. If you are investing yourself in this program over a series of weeks and
care about your progress, it likely makes sense to read the damn description and make sure you have it right.

Instructions:
Only change yellow cells. Do not alter the Tonnage Calc worksheet.

Test Weight and Reps Achieved is to help you calculate your single rep max and 5 rep max.
These estimats are more accurate with lower rep tests and lifters who train using lower reps
i.e. testing with a set of 12 and a lifter who is typically used to 10-15 reps is going to decrease accuracy.

Set Interval is the percent change between sets based on the top set of the day for a given exercise.
The lower this value the less space between sets (i.e. higher workload and more density) the greater
the possibility of fatiguing too soon and limiting progress (i.e. fewer weeks of progression or too weak for high performance on

Tonnage is calculated based on core lifts, it is the combined sum of volume and intensity (%1RM). Basically a proxy for worklo
i.e. Weight Used X Reps = Tonnage. The cutoff is to make the calculation more relevant and not count light sets
towards the total since the impact from very light work is not going to be significant (this is common in practice)

Obviously most people will need to round the weights. If you want to train by percents and be more precise with weight
selection than 5lbs incriments (i.e. two 2.5lbs plates), maybe look into microplates or even this really innovative/inexpensive
microchain solution. Unfortunately, this is more a problem for weaker/newer lifters as a given % of a small lift is inherently sma
Microloading and Fractional Plates
Inputs:
Test Weight Reps Achieved (<12) 1RM 5RM
Squat 250 5 281 250
Bench 130 5 146 130
Row 120 5 135 120
Dead 250 5 281 250
Incline 185 5 208 185

Set Interval 12.5% Generally 10-15%

Tonnage Cutoff 60% Given % of Single Rep Max for Inclusion in Relevant Tonnage

Template:
Day Exercise Reps Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4
Monday Squat 5 116 119 122 125
5 145 149 152 156
5 174 178 183 188
5 203 208 213 219
5 232 238 244 250
Bench 5 60 62 63 65
5 75 77 79 81
5 90 93 95 98
5 105 108 111 114
5 120 124 127 130
Row 5 56 57 59 60
5 70 71 73 75
5 83 86 88 90
5 97 100 102 105
5 111 114 117 120
Assistance:
2 Sets of Weighted Hypers
4 Sets of Weighted Situps

Wednesday Squat 5 116 119 122 125

5 145 149 152 156
5 174 178 183 188
5 174 178 183 188
Incline Bench 5 107 110 113 116
5 129 132 135 139
5 150 154 158 162
5 171 176 180 185
Deadlift 5 145 149 152 156
5 174 178 183 188
5 203 208 213 219
5 232 238 244 250
Assistance:
3 Sets of Situps
Friday Squat 5 116 119 122 125
5 145 149 152 156
5 174 178 183 188
5 203 208 213 219
3 238 244 250 256
8 174 178 183 188
Bench 5 60 62 63 65
5 75 77 79 81
5 90 93 95 98
5 105 108 111 114
3 124 127 130 133
8 90 93 95 98
Row 5 56 57 59 60
5 70 71 73 75
5 83 86 88 90
5 97 100 102 105
3 114 117 120 123
8 83 86 88 90
Assistance
3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps

Tonnage:

Core Exercise Tonnage Monday 8,689 8,912 9,141 9,375

Wednesady 9,593 9,839 10,091 10,350
Friday 10,578 10,849 11,127 11,413
Weekly 28,860 29,600 30,359 31,138

Tonnage w/Significance Cutoff Monday 6,083 6,238 6,398 6,563

Wednesady 7,030 7,210 7,395 7,584
Friday 7,971 8,175 8,385 8,600
Weekly 21,083 21,624 22,178 22,747
diate Lifters

Version Beta 0.3

ke this simple

k for high performance on top sets)

Basically a proxy for workload.

unt light sets

precise with weight

innovative/inexpensive
a small lift is inherently smaller.
Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9
128 131 135 138 141
160 164 168 172 177
192 197 202 207 212
224 230 236 241 247
256 263 269 276 283
67 68 70 72 74
83 85 87 90 92
100 102 105 108 110
117 120 122 126 129
133 137 140 143 147
62 63 65 66 68
77 79 81 83 85
92 95 97 99 102
108 110 113 116 119
123 126 129 132 136

128 131 135 138 141

160 164 168 172 177
192 197 202 207 212
192 197 202 207 212
119 121 125 128 131
142 146 149 153 157
166 170 174 179 183
190 194 199 204 209
160 164 168 172 177
192 197 202 207 212
224 230 236 241 247
256 263 269 276 283
128 131 135 138 141
160 164 168 172 177
192 197 202 207 212
224 230 236 241 247
263 269 276 283 290
192 197 202 207 212
67 68 70 72 74
83 85 87 90 92
100 102 105 108 110
117 120 122 126 129
137 140 143 147 151
100 102 105 108 110
62 63 65 66 68
77 79 81 83 85
92 95 97 99 102
108 110 113 116 119
126 129 132 136 139
92 95 97 99 102

9,609 9,850 10,096 10,348 10,607

10,609 10,874 11,146 11,424 11,710
11,698 11,990 12,290 12,597 12,912
31,916 32,714 33,532 34,370 35,229

6,727 6,895 7,067 7,244 7,425

7,774 7,968 8,168 8,372 8,581
8,815 9,035 9,261 9,493 9,730
23,316 23,898 24,496 25,108 25,736
NOTE: All this sheet does is calculate the tonnage incorporating the specified cutoff parameter on the first sheet (
Don't Change or Touch Anything

0 Test WeightReps Achieved

1RM(<12) 5RM
Squat 250 5 281 250 Set Interval 13% Generally 10-15%
Bench 130 5 146 130 Tonnage Cutoff 60% Given % of Single Rep Max for Inclu
Row 120 5 135 120
Dead 250 5 281 250
Incline 185 5 208 185

Squat 1RM 1RM 281 281 281 281 288 296 303
Bench 1RM 1RM 146 146 146 146 150 154 158
Row 1RM 1RM 135 135 135 135 138 142 145
Incline 1RM 1RM 208 208 208 208 213 219 224
Deadlift 1RM 1RM 281 281 281 281 288 296 303

Day Exercise Reps Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7

Monday Squat 5 116 119 122 125 128 131 135
5 145 149 152 156 160 164 168
5 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
5 203 208 213 219 224 230 236
5 232 238 244 250 256 263 269
Bench 5 60 62 63 65 67 68 70
5 75 77 79 81 83 85 87
5 90 93 95 98 100 102 105
5 105 108 111 114 117 120 122
5 120 124 127 130 133 137 140
Row 5 56 57 59 60 62 63 65
5 70 71 73 75 77 79 81
5 83 86 88 90 92 95 97
5 97 100 102 105 108 110 113
5 111 114 117 120 123 126 129

Assistance:
2 Sets of Weighted Hypers
4 Sets of Weighted Situps

WednesdaySquat 5 116 119 122 125 128 131 135

5 145 149 152 156 160 164 168
5 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
5 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
Incline Bench 5 107 110 113 116 119 121 125
5 129 132 135 139 142 146 149
5 150 154 158 162 166 170 174
5 171 176 180 185 190 194 199
Deadlift 5 145 149 152 156 160 164 168
5 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
5 203 208 213 219 224 230 236
5 232 238 244 250 256 263 269
 Assistance:
3 Sets of Situps

Friday Squat 5 116 119 122 125 128 131 135

5 145 149 152 156 160 164 168
5 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
5 203 208 213 219 224 230 236
3 238 244 250 256 263 269 276
8 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
Bench 5 60 62 63 65 67 68 70
5 75 77 79 81 83 85 87
5 90 93 95 98 100 102 105
5 105 108 111 114 117 120 122
3 124 127 130 133 137 140 143
8 90 93 95 98 100 102 105
Row 5 56 57 59 60 62 63 65
5 70 71 73 75 77 79 81
5 83 86 88 90 92 95 97
5 97 100 102 105 108 110 113
3 114 117 120 123 126 129 132
8 83 86 88 90 92 95 97
Assistance
3 Sets of Weighted Dips x 5-8 reps
3 Sets of Barbell Curls x 8 reps
3 Sets of Triceps Extensions x 8 reps

Core Exercise Tonnage

Monday 8689 8912 9141 9375 9609 9850 10096
Wednesady 9593 9839 10091 10350 10609 10874 11146
Friday 10578 10849 11127 11413 11698 11990 12290

Relevant Tonnage Monday 6083 6238 6398 6563 6727 6895 7067
Wednesday 7030 7210 7395 7584 7774 7968 8168
Friday 7971 8175 8385 8600 8815 9035 9261
meter on the first sheet (i.e. if <, then 0, otherwise X)

of Single Rep Max for Inclusion in Relevant Tonnage

310 318
161 165
149 153
230 235
310 318

Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7
138 141 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
172 177 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
207 212 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
241 247 203 208 213 219 224 230 236
276 283 232 238 244 250 256 263 269
72 74 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
90 92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
108 110 90 93 95 98 100 102 105
126 129 105 108 111 114 117 120 122
143 147 120 124 127 130 133 137 140
66 68 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
83 85 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
99 102 83 86 88 90 92 95 97
116 119 97 100 102 105 108 110 113
132 136 111 114 117 120 123 126 129

138 141 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
172 177 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
207 212 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
207 212 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
128 131 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
153 157 129 132 135 139 142 146 149
179 183 150 154 158 162 166 170 174
204 209 171 176 180 185 190 194 199
172 177 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
207 212 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
241 247 203 208 213 219 224 230 236
276 283 232 238 244 250 256 263 269
 138 141 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
172 177 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
207 212 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
241 247 203 208 213 219 224 230 236
283 290 238 244 250 256 263 269 276
207 212 174 178 183 188 192 197 202
72 74 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
90 92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
108 110 90 93 95 98 100 102 105
126 129 105 108 111 114 117 120 122
147 151 124 127 130 133 137 140 143
108 110 90 93 95 98 100 102 105
66 68 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
83 85 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
99 102 83 86 88 90 92 95 97
116 119 97 100 102 105 108 110 113
136 139 114 117 120 123 126 129 132
99 102 83 86 88 90 92 95 97

10348 10607
11424 11710
12597 12912

7244 7425
8372 8581
9493 9730
Wk 8 Wk 9
0 0
0 0
207 212
241 247
276 283
0 0
0 0
108 110
126 129
143 147
0 0
0 0
99 102
116 119
132 136

0 0
0 0
207 212
207 212
0 0
153 157
179 183
204 209
0 0
207 212
241 247
276 283
 0 0
0 0
207 212
241 247
283 290
207 212
0 0
0 0
108 110
126 129
147 151
108 110
0 0
0 0
99 102
116 119
136 139
99 102