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Progression Calculator
See how many sessions and weeks until you hit your goal — with an honest estimate that accounts for the stalls every lifter runs into.
Runs entirely in your browser. Default jump: 2.5 kg / 5 lb (deadlift usually 5 kg / 10 lb).
Best-case linear path
Realistic estimate:
Linear progression never runs perfectly to a goal — you will miss reps and deload along the way. The realistic figure pads for the stalls almost every lifter hits. What to do when you stall →
Milestones along the way
| Weight | Session # | ~ When |
|---|
Hit every milestone automatically
Lift5x5 sets your next weight every session, warns you before a stall, and forecasts when you'll reach your goal — based on your real lifts, not a calculator's best guess. Free, no ads.
Get the free appHow this calculator works
On a beginner linear program like 5x5, you add a fixed amount of weight every session you complete all your reps. The math is simple: the gap between your current weight and your goal, divided by how much you add each session, tells you how many sessions it takes — and how often you train turns that into weeks and a target date. The default jump is 2.5 kg (5 lb), which is standard for the squat, bench, overhead press and row; the deadlift usually moves in 5 kg (10 lb) steps, so set the "add per session" field to match the lift you're projecting.
Why the honest number is higher
Pure linear math assumes you never miss a rep. Nobody does. As the bar gets heavy you'll fail a session, repeat a weight, or deload 10% and rebuild — and each of those adds time. That's not a flaw in your training, it's how strength is built. The realistic estimate above pads the best-case path to reflect the stalls a typical lifter hits on the way to a meaningful goal. When the stalls become constant rather than occasional, you've outgrown linear progression and it's time to move to an intermediate program like Madcow or 5/3/1.
Make the climb last longer
The single best way to keep linear progression going is smaller jumps. Once 2.5 kg increases start failing — usually first on the press and bench — switch to 0.5 or 1 kg microplates. You'll add weight more often and stall later. Use the plate calculator to load any target weight, and the 1RM calculator to track your true strength as your working weights climb.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can you add weight on 5x5?
On classic 5x5 you add 2.5 kg (5 lb) to most lifts every session you complete all reps, and 5 kg (10 lb) to the deadlift. Training three times a week, that is roughly 7.5 kg per lift per week early on. This pace is real for the first couple of months, then slows as the weight gets heavy and you start missing reps.
Is linear progression realistic the whole way to my goal?
No, and any calculator that promises it is lying to you. Every beginner eventually stalls — you miss reps, repeat a weight, or deload 10% and climb back. That is normal and expected. This tool shows a best-case linear path plus a more realistic estimate that pads for those stalls, so the date is not pure fantasy.
What do I do when I stall before reaching my goal?
First, make sure you are sleeping and eating enough, then deload 10% and build back — that alone clears most early stalls. If you stall repeatedly at the same weight, you have outgrown beginner linear progression and should move to an intermediate program like Madcow or 5/3/1. See our guide on breaking through a plateau.
Can microplates help me reach my goal faster?
They help you keep progressing longer, not faster. Once 2.5 kg jumps start failing — usually first on the overhead press and bench — switching to 0.5 or 1 kg microplates lets you keep adding weight every session instead of stalling. Smaller, more frequent jumps beat big jumps you can not complete.