Free tool
5x5 spreadsheet generator
Enter your starting weights and get a personalized week-by-week 5x5 plan with every session's weights pre-calculated. Download it for Excel or Google Sheets, or print it and pin it to the fridge.
Your program
Progression baked in: +2.5kg per session on each lift, +5kg on deadlift. Fail a set? Repeat the weight next session; after 3 fails, deload 10%.
Your plan
Workout A: Squat · Bench · Row — Workout B: Squat · OHP · Deadlift. All main lifts 5×5 (deadlift 1×5). Train three days a week with a rest day between sessions.
The sheet can't see you fail a set
A spreadsheet assumes you never miss. The free Lift5x5 app runs the same program but reacts to your actual sessions — repeats after fails, deloads after three, times your rest and does the plate math.
Get the free app insteadCommon questions
How does the 5x5 spreadsheet progression work? +
Every session you complete all 5x5 sets, the lift goes up 2.5kg (5lb) next time — except deadlift, which jumps 5kg (10lb) because it is trained with one heavy set and recovers fast early on. The generator pre-fills these jumps for every session so you always know the next target.
What do I do when I fail a set? +
Repeat the same weight next session instead of following the sheet — cross out the printed number and write the repeat. After three failed sessions at the same weight, deload: take 10% off and work back up. A static sheet can't predict your fails, which is exactly what the app automates.
Can I open the download in Excel or Google Sheets? +
Yes. The Excel download is a real .xlsx file that opens correctly in every Excel language version, and uploads straight into Google Sheets (File → Import → Upload). There is also a plain CSV option — note that Excel in some European locales expects semicolons and may show a comma CSV in one column, which is why the .xlsx is the default.
What weights should I start 5x5 with? +
If you are new to barbell training: the empty 20kg (45lb) bar for squat, bench and overhead press, 30kg (65lb) for rows, and 40kg (95lb) for deadlift. It feels too light — that is intentional. You will add weight every session, and starting light buys you weeks of technique practice while the numbers climb.
Is 3 workouts a week enough? +
Yes — 5x5 is built around three full-body sessions with at least one rest day between them, alternating workout A (squat, bench, row) and workout B (squat, overhead press, deadlift). The frequency is what drives the fast beginner progression.
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