Madcow 5×5
Three weekly sessions wave squat, bench and row volume toward a heavier Friday top set. Deadlift and overhead press appear once each week. The twelve-week calendar is a tracking block, not a claimed original contest cycle.
Overview
Requires consistent resistance-training experience, established technique and recovery capacity. This is not a first-time lifting plan or an injury-rehabilitation prescription.
This weekly wave adds a small percentage to the working sets after a completed week. Keep Friday’s top set crisp. If a prescribed set is missed, repeat the week rather than forcing the next increase. Percentages are relative targets, never preset kilograms. Establish the stated reference load conservatively, round to available equipment, and reduce the load if technique or recovery requires it.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain or unwell. Returning after injury or managing a health condition requires individual advice.
What you need
Workouts & weeks
Preview every workout before you join.
Week 1
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 43%
Week 2 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 43%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 43%
Week 3 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 44%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 44%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 44%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 44%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 44%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 44%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 44%
Week 4 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 45%
Week 5 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 45%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 45%
Week 6 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 46%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 46%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 46%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 46%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 46%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 46%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 46%
Week 7 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 47%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 47%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 47%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 47%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 47%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 47%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 47%
Week 8 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 48%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 48%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 48%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 48%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 48%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 48%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 48%
Week 9 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 49%
Week 10 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 49%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 49%
Week 11 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 50%
Week 12 · Later weeks
Heavy full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell bench press · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell row · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
Light full body
3 exercises · 70 min
- Barbell squat · 4 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell overhead press · 4 sets · 5 reps
- Barbell deadlift · 4 sets · 5 reps
Moderate full body
3 exercises · 75 min
- Barbell squat · 5 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell bench press · 4 sets · 5 reps · 50%
- Barbell row · 4 sets · 5 reps · 50%
Sources & adaptations
An independently written adaptation, not an official or endorsed edition. Program structure and block length are explained below.
This is an independently written app adaptation. The finite calendar is a tracking block, not a duration prescribed by the original author.