Monday Strength — StrongLifts 5×5 Workout B, Session 6

Session specs

Warm-up (~5–8 min)

• 2 min light movement: jumping jacks or jog in place
• Joint mobility: ankle circles (10 each direction), leg swings (10 forward/back + 10 side-to-side per leg), hip circles (10 each direction), arm circles (10 each direction)
• Bodyweight activation: 5–8 slow bodyweight squats, 5–8 glute bridges

Exercise 1: Back Squat — 5×5 @ 70 lb

• Bar rests on rear deltoids (the muscle shelf just below the back of the shoulder), not on top of the traps
• Feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out roughly 30°
• Breath: big belly breath at the top, hold it through the entire rep (Valsalva maneuver), exhale only after you stand back up
• Descent: break hips and knees at the same time, keep chest up, lower until the hip crease drops just below the top of the knee
• Ascent: drive through the heels, keep knees tracking over the toes — do not let them cave inward

Exercise 2: Overhead Press — 5×5 @ 55 lb

• Bar starts on the front delts and clavicles, hands just outside shoulder-width, elbows slightly forward
• Before pressing, take a full breath; hold it through the press
• Drive the bar straight up — tuck your chin and move your head back slightly to clear the bar on the way up, then push the head back through once the bar passes the forehead
• At the top: arms locked out, shoulders shrugged up toward the ears, bar directly over the mid-foot when viewed from the side
• Common mistake to avoid: leaning back excessively turns the press into a partial incline press, which shifts the load away from the shoulders

Exercise 3: Deadlift — 1×5 @ 105 lb

• Bar sits over mid-foot (roughly 1 inch from the shins), feet hip-width apart
• Grip just outside the legs — double overhand is fine at 105 lb
• Before pulling: take the slack out of the bar first (you'll hear a small click as it tightens against the plates), then push the floor away with your legs rather than yanking with your back
• Keep the bar in contact with the shins and thighs on the way up — bar drift away from the body is the most common inefficiency at this weight
• Lockout: hips and knees finish at the same time, standing tall at the top; no hyperextension of the lower back
• Lower under control, reset breath at the floor between each rep

Rest intervals

Scaling table

Progression rule

Cool-down (~5–8 min)

• Quad stretch: standing, heel pulled to glute, each leg
• Hamstring stretch: seated forward fold or standing toe touch
• Hip flexor stretch: half-kneeling lunge, each side — priority after heavy squats
• Glute stretch: figure-4 stretch seated or lying down (also called pigeon-prep), each side
• Lat/shoulder stretch: cross-body arm pull across the chest, each arm
• Chest opener: hands interlaced behind the back, lift the arms, gentle shoulder retraction

Week 3 running preview