Madcow 5x5 guide and free spreadsheet
Intermediate · 3 days a week · 12 to 16 weeks, then reset or move on · Ramping 5x5 with a weekly increase
A three-day full-body program for lifters who have stopped adding weight every session. Ramping sets build to one hard set, and the weights climb a little each week.
Free. The spreadsheet needs no account.
How Madcow 5x5 works
Madcow 5x5 uses three days: a heavy Monday, a light Wednesday and a medium Friday. Squat is trained all three days. Bench press and barbell row go on Monday and Friday. Overhead press and deadlift go on Wednesday.
On Monday you ramp through five sets of five, starting near 40% of your max and finishing at about 85%. Only that last set is a real test. Wednesday uses four sets of five that top out near 65%. Friday ramps through four sets of five, then one set of three at a weight above Monday's top set. Some versions add a back-off set of eight at about 65%.
Progress is weekly, not per session. Friday's triple sets next Monday's weight for five. The week-to-week change is small, so progress lasts for months before it stalls.
Madcow, a forum poster, adapted Bill Starr's heavy, light and medium 5x5 from his 1976 book The Strongest Shall Survive. Starr's version had power cleans in every workout and no deadlifts. Madcow's version swaps in barbell rows and deadlifts, which are easier to learn without a coach.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Percentages are of your training max, which is 100% of your one-rep max.
Monday, heavy day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 1 x 5 @ 65%, 1 x 5 @ 75%, 1 x 5 @ 85% |
| Bench press | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 1 x 5 @ 65%, 1 x 5 @ 75%, 1 x 5 @ 85% |
| Barbell row | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 1 x 5 @ 65%, 1 x 5 @ 75%, 1 x 5 @ 85% |
Wednesday, light day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 2 x 5 @ 65% |
| Overhead press | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 2 x 5 @ 65% |
| Deadlift | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 2 x 5 @ 65% |
Friday, medium day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 1 x 5 @ 65%, 1 x 5 @ 75%, 1 x 3 @ 87.5% |
| Bench press | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 1 x 5 @ 65%, 1 x 5 @ 75%, 1 x 3 @ 87.5% |
| Barbell row | 1 x 5 @ 40%, 1 x 5 @ 55%, 1 x 5 @ 65%, 1 x 5 @ 75%, 1 x 3 @ 87.5% |
A plus sign means AMRAP: do as many good reps as you can on that set.
Progression and stall rules
Add weight once a week, not every session
Raise your one-rep max numbers once a week, after a good Friday. One popular version adds 5 lb (2.5 kg) to squat and deadlift and 2.5 lb (1.25 kg) to bench, row and press. Another adds 2.5% to every lift each week. The two land close together at intermediate numbers. Pick one and stay with it.
Monday chases Friday's triple
Friday's top set of three is heavier than Monday's top set of five. Next Monday, the weight you lifted for three becomes your top set of five.
Ramp up, do not jump up
Every heavy day starts light and climbs in steps of 10 to 15% to one top set. The early sets are warm-ups that also add reps. Only the last one or two sets are truly hard.
Wednesday stays easy
The light day tops out at about 65% of your max. It keeps squat, press and deadlift practice going without eating into Friday.
First miss: repeat. Second miss: reset
If you miss the top set once, run the same weight again next week. If you miss it twice at the same weight, cut that lift about 10% and build back over three or four weeks. Reset only the lift that stalled.
Start a little light
If you only know a five-rep best, divide it by 0.85 to estimate a max. Entering a max 5 to 10% above your true number builds in two or three easy weeks that bring you up to your current strength.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
| Lift | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Squat | 14 |
| Bench press | 10 |
| Barbell row | 10 |
| Overhead press | 4 |
| Deadlift | 4 |
Who it suits
A good fit
- Lifters with roughly 6 to 18 months of steady barbell training who can no longer add weight at every workout.
- People who want one heavy set to aim at, rather than five hard sets of the same weight.
- Anyone with a barbell, a rack, a bench and plates who can train three non-consecutive days.
Look elsewhere if
- True beginners who can still add weight every session. A simple novice program fits them better.
- Lifters who want a lot of variety, accessory work or a focus on size over strength.
- Anyone training for a max single this month. The program builds fives and triples, so test a single in a separate short peak.
Common mistakes
Skipping the ramp
The early sets are not filler. They groove the movement and warm the body up. Going straight to the top set invites a miss and an injury.
Starting with an inflated max
Plug in a max you cannot hit and Monday's top set becomes a grind from week one. Use a real or slightly low max.
Turning Wednesday into a hard day
The light day is there to help you recover. Loading it up leaves you flat on Friday, where the record is.
Resetting the whole program for one miss
One missed set means repeat that lift. Only a second miss at the same weight calls for a cut, and only on that lift.
Running it forever
Weekly jumps cannot continue indefinitely. After one or two reset cycles on the same lift, or three or more stalled weeks, move to a program with more room to grow.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Your one-rep max on each lift (a real or estimated max; see the tips below). The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Monday, heavy day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 110 |
| 2 | 5 | 150 |
| 3 | 5 | 180 |
| 4 | 5 | 205 |
| 5 | 5 | 235 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 80 |
| 2 | 5 | 115 |
| 3 | 5 | 135 |
| 4 | 5 | 155 |
| 5 | 5 | 175 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 75 |
| 2 | 5 | 100 |
| 3 | 5 | 120 |
| 4 | 5 | 140 |
| 5 | 5 | 155 |
Wednesday, light day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 110 |
| 2 | 5 | 150 |
| 3 | 5 | 180 |
| 4 | 5 | 180 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 50 |
| 2 | 5 | 70 |
| 3 | 5 | 80 |
| 4 | 5 | 80 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 125 |
| 2 | 5 | 175 |
| 3 | 5 | 205 |
| 4 | 5 | 205 |
Friday, medium day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 110 |
| 2 | 5 | 150 |
| 3 | 5 | 180 |
| 4 | 5 | 205 |
| 5 | 3 | 240 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 80 |
| 2 | 5 | 115 |
| 3 | 5 | 135 |
| 4 | 5 | 155 |
| 5 | 3 | 180 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 75 |
| 2 | 5 | 100 |
| 3 | 5 | 120 |
| 4 | 5 | 140 |
| 5 | 3 | 160 |
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
Madcow 5x5 vs StrongLifts 5x5
StrongLifts adds weight almost every session with five flat sets of five, and suits beginners. Madcow ramps to one hard set and adds weight weekly, so it fits when per-session jumps stop. Read the StrongLifts 5x5 guide.
Madcow 5x5 vs Texas Method
Texas Method also runs a volume, light and intensity week, but its Friday is an all-out record set of five. Madcow ends Friday with a planned triple and a smaller, scripted weekly rise. Read the Texas Method guide.
Load Madcow 5x5 into Train and log each session against the plan.
Start it in Symmetric StrengthThe workouts in Train list the number of sets and reps for each lift, not the ramp of rising weights, and Friday leaves out the back-off set of eight. Use the schedule above for the full ramp.
Common questions
Who created Madcow 5x5?
A forum user known as Madcow wrote it in the mid-2000s. It builds on Bill Starr's heavy, light and medium 5x5 from his 1976 book, which Starr built around power cleans. Madcow added barbell rows and deadlifts in place of the Olympic lifts.
How much weight do I add each week?
Sources differ. One adds 5 lb (2.5 kg) to squat and deadlift and 2.5 lb (1.25 kg) to bench, row and press each week. Another adds 2.5% to every lift. The spreadsheet uses the fixed amounts. Use the percentage if your lifts are heavy and the fixed numbers feel too small.
What do I enter in the spreadsheet?
A one-rep max for each lift. If you only know a five-rep best, divide it by 0.85 to estimate one. Entering a max a little above your real one gives you two or three lighter weeks first.
Why is the app workout flatter than the sheet?
The workouts in Train show the number of sets and reps, not the ramp of rising weights, and leave out Friday's back-off set. The spreadsheet shows the full ramp.
How long can I run it?
Many lifters get 12 to 16 weeks. After that, expect stalls. Reset the stalled lift, or take a break from heavy fives and return a few weeks back.
Does it work for advanced lifters?
StrengthLog says maybe. Weekly jumps suit intermediates, but a lifter returning after a short break can use it. Start a few weeks down in weight if you do.
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
Madcow 5x5 was written by a forum poster known as Madcow and adapted from Bill Starr's heavy, light and medium 5x5. This guide describes the program in our own words and is not affiliated with them.
- Madcow program with sets, ramp and reset rules (Liftosaur)
- Madcow 5x5 workout program for intermediate lifters (StrengthLog)
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Madcow, Bill Starr, Liftosaur or StrengthLog. Program names are used only to identify the programs.