Stronglifts 5x5 vs. Starting Strength?

Stronglifts 5x5 and Starting Strength are both beginner programs which run on linear progression. The lifts involved are almost the same (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press). Which program should you do?

This is how Stronglifts 5x5 is set out:

Workout A

Squat 5x5

Bench 5x5

Row 5x5

Workout B

Squat 5x5

Overhead Press 5x5

Deadlift 1 x 5

This is how Starting Strength is set out:

Workout A

Squat 3 x 5

Bench 3 x 5

Deadlift 1 x 5

Workout B

Squat 3 x 5

Overhead Press 3 x 5

Power Cleans 5 x 3

You'll notice that Stronglifts has higher volume since it has 5 sets whereas Starting Strength advocates 3 sets. Once you get to fairly heavy weights (for a novice), squatting for 5x5 3 days a week will become excessive. This will probably occur around the 1.3-1.5xBW Squat mark (this will vary between individuals). At a heavy enough load, the stress from 5x5 will eventually take longer than 48 hours for an individual to recover from, and this will negatively impact the next workout. This doesn't mean than 5x5 is the devil and that you should have nothing to do with it. In intermediate programming, we take advantage of the fact that the stress from 5x5 takes longer to recover from (will touch on this in another post).

So the volume in Starting Strength is better for long term progress. You will be able to continue with linear progression for longer. Also because of the lower volume, you'll be able to handle heavier weights.

Does that mean you shouldn't do Stronglifts 5x5?

If you're starting out training for the first time, I think SL5x5 is ok as the extra sets will give you more technique practise. You'll get the benefit of being accustomed to higher volume if you end up switching down to 3 sets of 5. Its up to you in the end, but if you want to continue making progress through linear progression then you need to switch to 3x5 at some stage. You can even start out with SL"3x5" if you wish. I wouldn't suggest doing less than 3x5 though. The volume in 3x5 is just right, because the lifts are still performed on a regular basis.

Stronglifts 5x5 has Rows whereas Starting Strengths has power cleans though?

If you are benching, then you have to row. Otherwise you will end up with an imbalance in your shoulders which will invite injury later down the track.
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So if you decide to start out with Starting Strength, I would suggest you do rows instead of power cleans. Power cleans are quite a technical lift, and the mechanics involved are quite different to the deadlift, different enough that you shouldn't try to learn both exercises at the same time. Wait until you are confident with deadlifts first.


On an unrelated note, Starting Strength was created by Mark Rippetoe, a strength coach who runs a training facility in Texas. Stronglifts 5x5 on the other hand was created by Mehdi, a guy from Belgium who runs a website. Rippetoe has been around for much longer, which would probably give the impression that the Stronglifts program is a rip-off of Starting Strength. Personally I don't believe Rippetoe himself invented the squat-press-pull template for workouts. It's hard to say who did, but Bill Starr (who actually mentored Rippetoe) had been teaching this method of training since the 1960's (long before Rippetoe was coaching).

Bill Starr, known as the father of strength training