Reg Park's Three-Phase 5×5

FAQ

Why do the first two sets of every 5×5 use lighter weights?

Because that is what Park's 5×5 is. He describes "two progressively heavier warm-up sets and three sets at the same weight", and gives 135×5, 185×5, 3×225×5 as the example. The ramp is part of the programme, not a warm-up you add on top — which is why no separate warm-up is offered.

When does the weight go up?

When you complete the last three sets of five. Then it goes up on all five sets at once, by 5 lb (2.5 kg).

Why is there no AMRAP anywhere?

Park was explicitly against training to failure — he said it "encouraged a negative mindset when attempting other heavy, near-maximal lifts". Adding a rep-out would contradict a stated rule of the author rather than fill a gap he left.

How long is each phase?

Three months — "three days per week for three months" — modelled as 12 microcycles of three identical sessions. Phase Two and Phase Three are his bodybuilding continuations, and there is no isolation work at all until Phase Three, six months in.

What weight do I start with?

Whatever you can complete the last three sets of five with. The app will ask for a starting weight per lift, or seed one from your maxes if it has them; you can also just set the bar and adjust from there.

Do the calf raises and back extensions ramp too?

No. Park's ramp sentence is specifically about the 5×5s. Calf raises are 5×25 and triceps extensions 5×8 as straight sets, and the 45-degree back extension begins with no added weight at all.

What happens if I miss a rep?

You stay on the same weight next session, and if you stall three sessions running the app drops it 10% to give you a run-up. Be aware that this rule is ours and not Park's — he prescribes no stall and no deload anywhere. Everything else in the programme is his; this is the one place something had to be decided, because a missed set has to lead somewhere.

Behind-the-neck press bothers my shoulders. Can I do something else?

Yes. The source offers that slot as "Behind-the-Neck Press or One-Arm Dumbbell Press", and the app takes the first because phase three is otherwise entirely barbell work. The dumbbell version is Park's own alternative, not a substitution you are inventing, so swap it if the overhead position is uncomfortable.

How long should I rest between sets?

Park says three to five minutes between the last three sets in phase one, and two minutes throughout phases two and three — the later phases get longer and busier rather than heavier. The rest timer starts from the movement rather than from the programme, so set it to those numbers if you want to run it as written.

Can I test my max?

At the end of a phase, if you want to. Park allows a test — a set of five, a set of three, then three singles — followed by four days off before the next phase starts. The app does not generate it, because being allowed to do something is not the same as being told to; log it as ad-hoc work on the day.

How do I make the back extensions harder?

By adding weight once you can complete every set, which is exactly what Park says: begin without added weight, then increase the poundage each set while still getting all the sets and reps. They are prescribed at bodyweight here because that is where he tells you to start. The 135, 175 and 215 lb he and his training partner worked up to is reported practice, not a target set for you.

Can I stop after phase one?

Yes. Three months of 5×5 squats, bench and deadlifts is a complete block of training, and running only that is a reasonable way to use this. What phases two and three add is exercises rather than intensity — the same 5×5s progressing the same way, with more of them in a session, which is why the rest drops to two minutes. Move on when you want the extra work, not because the app is expecting you to.