Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 guide and free spreadsheet
Beginner · 3 days a week · Until you stall · Full-body 5x5 with arm and ab work
StrongLifts-style 5x5 for lifters who also want bigger arms, traps and abs, as long as they can spend about 90 minutes a session.
Free. The spreadsheet needs no account.
How Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 works
Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 is a three-day-a-week, two-workout novice routine by Jason Blaha. You alternate A and B on non-consecutive days: A, B, A one week, then B, A, B the next. It keeps the five-sets-of-five core of StrongLifts and adds bodybuilding-style accessory work after the heavy lifts.
Workout A is squat, bench press and bent-over row for 5x5, then barbell shrugs, tricep extensions and curls for 3 sets of 8, hyperextensions for 2 sets of 10 and cable crunches for 3 sets of 10. Workout B is squat 5x5, one set of 5 on the deadlift, standing press 5x5, a second row session at about 10% less than A, then close-grip bench and curls for 3x8 and cable crunches for 3x10.
The main lifts drive strength and the accessories add size. Rest three to five minutes after the 5x5 sets and one to two minutes after the 3x8 work. Published set counts for hyperextensions and crunches vary a little between write-ups, so this guide follows the Berserk Barbell write-up.
In the Symmetric Strength app the A and B templates carry the same lifts, sets and reps as above, including the accessories. The sample week and spreadsheet on this page cover the main lifts only, because the accessories have no fixed percentage.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Every set uses the same weight, the one you can lift for the written reps.
Workout A
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 5 x 5 |
| Bench press | 5 x 5 |
| Bent-over row | 5 x 5 |
Workout B
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 5 x 5 |
| Deadlift | 1 x 5 |
| Standing press | 5 x 5 |
| Bent-over row (about 10% lighter) | 5 x 5 |
Week pattern: A-B-A / B-A-B, repeating.
Progression and stall rules
Add a small jump after a clean session
If you finished every rep of a lift, add weight next time. One secondary write-up suggests roughly 5 to 10 lb (2.5 to 5 kg) on the lower-body lifts and 2 to 4 lb (1 to 2 kg) on upper-body lifts. The sheet uses 5 lb (2.5 kg) as a simple default; use smaller plates for press and bench when 5 lb is too big a step.
Repeat the weight after a miss
If you miss a rep, a set or the workout, run the same weight at the next session.
Drop 10% after a second miss
If you fail again at that weight, lower it by 10%, round down to a weight you can load, and build back up from there.
Keep the accessories steady
The accessory work (shrugs, triceps, curls, hyperextensions, cable crunches) has no published progression rule. Add a little when every set is clean, and never let it cost you main-lift reps.
Bent-over row on Workout B
Workout B repeats the row at about 10% less than Workout A. The sheet takes that from your Workout A row weight.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
| Lift | Week 1 | Week 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 15 | 15 |
| Bench press | 10 | 5 |
| Bent-over row | 15 | 15 |
| Deadlift | 1 | 2 |
| Standing press | 5 | 10 |
Who it suits
A good fit
- New lifters who like the StrongLifts layout but want arm and ab work built in.
- Returning lifters who want a simple base and enjoy longer sessions.
- Anyone with a barbell, rack, bench, plates and a cable station who can train three days a week.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone short on time. Plan on roughly 75 to 90 minutes per session.
- Lifters who already stall on most main lifts. Piling on accessories will not fix that.
- People without a cable station and hyperextension bench. Substitutions exist, but the Berserk Barbell FAQ says not to change the plan without a medical reason.
Common mistakes
Going too heavy on the accessories
The 3x8 and 2x10 work is meant to be moderate. If curls and shrugs leave you wrecked, your squat and press pay for it two days later.
Lifting the same weight for the second row
Workout B calls for the bent-over row at about 10% less than Workout A. It follows presses and squats, so lighter is correct.
Adding extra deadlift sets
The deadlift is one set of five on purpose. Squats three times one week and twice the next already tax the lower back.
Rushing the rest
Five sets of five at a real working weight need three to five minutes between sets. Cutting rest to save time shows up as failed fifth sets.
Skipping squats or the deadlift when tired
These are the core of the plan. If a session is short, trim accessories instead.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Weight you can lift for 5 reps today. The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Workout A
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 135 |
| 2 | 5 | 135 |
| 3 | 5 | 135 |
| 4 | 5 | 135 |
| 5 | 5 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 95 |
| 2 | 5 | 95 |
| 3 | 5 | 95 |
| 4 | 5 | 95 |
| 5 | 5 | 95 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 85 |
| 2 | 5 | 85 |
| 3 | 5 | 85 |
| 4 | 5 | 85 |
| 5 | 5 | 85 |
Workout B
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 135 |
| 2 | 5 | 135 |
| 3 | 5 | 135 |
| 4 | 5 | 135 |
| 5 | 5 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 65 |
| 2 | 5 | 65 |
| 3 | 5 | 65 |
| 4 | 5 | 65 |
| 5 | 5 | 65 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 75 |
| 2 | 5 | 75 |
| 3 | 5 | 75 |
| 4 | 5 | 75 |
| 5 | 5 | 75 |
The spreadsheet
The file has three sheets: your numbers, the full week with every weight as a formula, and a progress table that carries the weights forward. It opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice. The weights in the link below use the numbers you typed above.
Open it in Google Sheets
- Download the .xlsx file above.
- Go to Google Drive and choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
- Double-click the uploaded file and choose Open with Google Sheets.
- Choose File, then Save as Google Sheets so you can edit it.
Want the weights to follow you into the gym? Create a free account and the program loads into Train for you.
How it compares
Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 vs StrongLifts 5x5
StrongLifts is the same core plan without the arm and ab block, so it is shorter. ICF 5x5 suits you if you want accessories planned for you and can spend the extra time. Read the StrongLifts 5x5 guide.
Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 vs Starting Strength
Starting Strength uses 3x5 on most lifts and no accessory work. ICF 5x5 gives you more squat volume and a built-in arm and ab block. Read the Starting Strength guide.
Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 vs Push Pull Legs
A push/pull/legs split spreads volume across more days and fits lifters past the novice stage. ICF 5x5 trains the whole body three times a week. Read the Push Pull Legs guide.
Load Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 into Train and log each session against the plan.
Start it in Symmetric StrengthCommon questions
How is ICF 5x5 different from StrongLifts 5x5?
The main work is the same A/B layout with a 5x5 squat and a one-set deadlift. ICF adds a second row session on Workout B, close-grip bench, shrugs, triceps, curls, hyperextensions and cable crunches, so sessions run longer.
How much weight should I add each session?
The Berserk Barbell write-up does not state one number. A secondary summary suggests about 5 to 10 lb (2.5 to 5 kg) for lower-body lifts and 2 to 4 lb (1 to 2 kg) for upper-body lifts. Pick smaller jumps if you start missing reps.
What if I fail a weight?
Repeat it next session. If you fail it again, drop 10%, round down, and work back up.
Can I skip the accessories?
You can on a short day, but the plan was written with them. The Berserk Barbell FAQ also says not to change the program unless you have a medical reason.
Is there an intermediate version?
Yes. Jason Blaha published a four-day intermediate plan with percentage weeks. This page covers the novice A/B plan only.
How long will I run it?
Until you stall on most main lifts despite sleep and food being in order. Then move to a program with weekly structure, such as 5/3/1 or Texas Method.
Know where you stand
Before you start, check how your lifts compare on the strength standards, estimate a max with the one-rep max calculator, or score your total with the DOTS calculator.
Sources and credit
Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 was created by Jason Blaha. This guide describes the program in our own words and links to the sources we read.
- Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 overview and FAQ (Berserk Barbell)
- Jason Blaha's ICF 5x5 programs summary (Dr. Workout)
- The Complete Guide to Jason Blaha's Ice Cream Fitness 5x5 Novice Workout (Anabolic Bodies)
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Jason Blaha or Ice Cream Fitness. Program names are used only to identify the programs.