5x5 vs 3x8: which one fits strength and muscle growth?

If you're building a routine, there comes a day when you wonder whether to run 5x5 or 3x8. This guide on 5x5 vs 3x8 is for beginners and lifters with about a year of training. Both land near 25 total reps, and 5x5 leans toward strength with heavy weight while 3x8 leans toward muscle growth with moderate weight.

✏️ What are 5x5 and 3x8?

5x5 means 5 sets of 5 reps on one lift. Put simply, you split 25 total reps into heavy sets. 3x8 means 3 sets of 8 reps. Put simply, you split 24 total reps into moderate-weight sets.

Strength means the most weight you can lift. Muscle growth (hypertrophy) means your muscles getting bigger. In both schemes the first number is sets and the second is reps per set. The totals, 25 and 24 reps, are 1 rep apart.

Fewer reps per set let you use more weight. A compound lift means a lift that works several joints at once, like the squat. An accessory lift means a lift you add after your main lift to work one area more. 5x5 is common on compound lifts and 3x8 is common on accessory lifts. These are general tendencies, and both schemes can serve either goal.

📊 How do the weight, fatigue and progression differ?

The biggest differences are the weight you use and how long you rest. The table below shows general tendencies, and it varies by person and lift.

With heavy 5x5 you have to pace yourself across 5 sets. Reps tend to drop in the last set. A set of 3x8 lasts longer, so the last 2 or 3 reps burn. In return, you have only 3 sets, so you finish sooner.

I couldn't find a study that compares the two head to head. Some coaches and forum posters say both work when total reps are close and you push your sets. So rather than declaring a winner, pick the one you can keep finishing.

🏋️ What do the two look like on an overhead press?

At the same weight the totals are nearly equal, and in practice 3x8 usually ends up lighter. Let's say you run 5x5 on the overhead press at 40kg (88 lb). Volume means weight x reps added up. 40kg x 25 reps is 1,000kg.

At the same 40kg, 3x8 would be 40kg x 24 reps, or 960kg. That's only 40kg apart. But getting 8 reps three times at that weight is much harder than getting 5 reps five times. So let's say you drop 3x8 to 35kg (77 lb). 35kg x 24 reps is 840kg.

Total reps are close at 25 and 24, but volume is 1,000kg and 840kg, a 160kg gap. At 40kg you spend 5 reps per set, and at 35kg you spend 8. The same total reps still mean a different amount of time holding each set.

Here's what a missed day looks like. If you do 5 / 5 / 5 / 4 / 4 at 40kg on 5x5, that's 23 reps. If you do 8 / 8 / 7 at 35kg on 3x8, that's also 23 reps. The totals match, but 5x5 faded over the last two sets and 3x8 faded in the last one.

📈 When do you add weight on each?

A common method is to add weight next session once you finish every set. It's a widely used rule, and it isn't the only way. For the big picture on adding load, see progressive overload.

On 5x5 you add weight when all 5 sets hit 5 reps. Let's say you did 5 / 5 / 5 / 5 / 5 on the overhead press at 40kg. Next time you go to 42.5kg (94 lb). If you did 5 / 5 / 5 / 4 / 4, you repeat 40kg.

On 3x8 you add weight when all 3 sets hit 8 reps. If you did 8 / 8 / 8 at 35kg, next time you go to 37.5kg (83 lb). If you did 8 / 8 / 7, you repeat 35kg. The goal becomes turning that 7 into an 8 at the same weight.

If you're stuck at the same weight for weeks on either one, check your lifts and sets again in how to build a workout routine.

🤔 Which one should you pick for your goal?

If you want to raise heavy weights, 5x5 often fits. If it's a muscle-building day or an accessory lift, 3x8 often fits. Find the row below that looks most like you.

You might be thinking, "Do I have to use only one?" No, you can mix them. Run your main lift as 5x5 and your accessory lifts as 3x8. Let's say you do the overhead press 5x5 at 40kg, then lateral raises 3x8 at 8kg (18 lb).

Mixing adds sets to the day. Five sets of overhead press plus two accessory lifts at 3 sets each makes 11 sets. If time is short, cut to one accessory lift. Log one scheme for a month and see which one let you add weight more often. That shows you which one fits.

📱 What does logging with Progro make easier?

Progro is a workout log app built around looking at your last session to set the next target. When you start a routine, every set has a target weight and reps filled in. For 5x5 that's five rows of 40kg x 5, and you fix only the number that changed and check it off.

After your workout, you see previous, today and change for each lift, set by set. A 5 / 5 / 5 / 4 / 4 shows at a glance which set slipped. A set that hit its target becomes the next target, and a set that missed does not lower it. Saving targets is a Pro feature, and you can try it free for the first 30 days.

There's no sign-up and no ads, and your log stays only on your phone. There's no cloud backup. Two routines are free, and Pro is a lifetime pass with no subscription (US $2.99 / Korea ₩4,400).

Get Progro on the App Store