StrongLifts 5×5 — Workout B, Session 8 (Monday June 15)

Monday brings Workout B, the squat-overhead press-deadlift combination at the heart of the StrongLifts 5×5 program. 1 Session 8 lands every lift at a new personal best: 85 lb squat, 65 lb overhead press, and 115 lb deadlift — each up 5 lb from Session 7.

Today's session at a glance

Lift	Sets × Reps	Target weight
Squat	5 × 5	85 lb
Overhead Press	5 × 5	65 lb
Deadlift	1 × 5	115 lb

Rest ~3 minutes between work sets. If any set felt like a grind, push that to 5 minutes. 1

Warm-up (5 min)

Before touching the bar, run through a dynamic warm-up to wake up hips, shoulders, and thoracic spine — all three are called on hard today. Kaleigh Cohen's 5-minute sequence covers every joint you'll need.

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Barbell warm-up note: once you're moving, start each lift with two sets of 5 reps at the empty bar (45 lb) before stepping through your ramp-up sets. No rest between warm-up sets — the weight is light enough to keep moving. 1

Squat — 5 × 5 @ 85 lb

The squat opens every StrongLifts session because it demands the most technically and physically. Your legs are freshest right now. 1

Warm-up ramp

Set	Weight	Reps
1	45 lb (empty bar)	5
2	45 lb (empty bar)	5
3	65 lb	5
Work sets (×5)	85 lb	5

Form cues

Bar position (low-bar): rest the bar across the rear deltoids, not the traps — lower shelf, more hip drive
Hip hinge to start: push hips back first, then bend knees; keep shins close to vertical
Knees track toes: shove knees out in line with your pinky toes throughout the descent
Break parallel: hip crease must drop below the top of the knee at the bottom — no high squats
Drive through the floor: think "push the floor away" on the way up, squeezing glutes at lockout

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Overhead press — 5 × 5 @ 65 lb

After squats, the OHP gives your legs a breather while your upper body takes over. At 65 lb, you're now pressing a loaded bar — core bracing and shoulder-path discipline matter more than ever. 1

Warm-up ramp

Set	Weight	Reps
1	45 lb (empty bar)	5
2	45 lb (empty bar)	5
3	55 lb	5
Work sets (×5)	65 lb	5

Form cues

Grip just outside shoulder-width: wrists neutral, bar sitting in the heel of the palm, not fingertips
Squeeze glutes and brace abs before the press: treat this like a vertical plank — full-body tension prevents lower-back arch
Bar clears the face, then shifts back over the ears: move your chin back as the bar passes, then drive your head through once it's overhead
Elbows slightly in front of the bar at the start position: not flared out wide — this protects the shoulder joint
Lock out completely: arms straight, bar stacked over the midfoot at the top of every rep

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Deadlift — 1 × 5 @ 115 lb

The deadlift is one heavy working set, preceded by ramp-up sets that get progressively heavier. Unlike the squat and OHP, you're not doing 5 identical sets — you're building to a single set of 5 at 115 lb. 1

Warm-up ramp

Set	Weight	Reps
1	65 lb	5
2	95 lb	5
Work set (×1)	115 lb	5

Start the deadlift ramp higher than you would for squat — the bar needs to sit on the floor, so a minimum of ~65 lb is required to get the standard bar height.

Form cues (5-step setup)

Stance hip-width, toes turned out slightly: stand so the bar is over mid-foot (roughly 1 inch from shins)
Hinge to grip: push hips back, bend knees until shins touch the bar — don't squat down to it
Chest up, lats tight: big breath, brace the core, pull your shoulder blades into your back pockets
Feel the weight in your hands before pulling: take the slack out of the bar; feel the load get heavy before the plates leave the floor
Drag the bar up your legs: keep it in contact with your shins and thighs all the way to lockout; squeeze glutes hard at the top

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3-level scaling

StrongLifts 5×5 is a self-scaling program — you start light and add weight each session based on what you actually completed. The table below maps today's session to where you are in the progression. 1

Level	Squat	Overhead press	Deadlift	Notes
Beginner (weeks 1–4)	45–65 lb	45–55 lb	65–95 lb	Follow program as written; add 5 lb every session; miss a rep → repeat same weight next time
Intermediate (weeks 5–12, ~this session)	65–115 lb	55–75 lb	95–145 lb	Continue linear progression; use 2.5 lb micro-plates when OHP stalls (upper-body presses plateau earlier); rest 3–5 min between sets
Advanced (post-linear, ~3–6 months in)	115 lb+	75 lb+	145 lb+	Transition to Madcow 5×5 weekly periodization when adding weight every session is no longer possible; deload 10% and rebuild if you miss the same weight 3 sessions in a row

Progression rule for today: if you complete all five reps on all five sets of each lift, add 5 lb to each exercise next session (Workout A, Session 9). If one lift falls short, repeat that weight next time — each exercise progresses independently. 1

Cool-down (7 min)

After the deadlift, your hips, hamstrings, and upper back all need attention. MadFit's 7-minute full-body stretch routine covers the exact muscles you just loaded.

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Next session: Workout A, Session 9 (Wednesday)

Wednesday returns to Workout A: Squat 5×5, Bench Press 5×5, Barbell Row 5×5. Target weights step up 5 lb across the board — Squat 90 lb, Bench Press 70 lb, Row 90 lb — assuming you hit all reps today.

Cover photo by Ardit Mbrati via Pexels

参考来源

1StrongLifts 5×5 Workout Program: Quick Start Guide