Three to five rule
Strength template built on threes and fives across every variable
Three to five days a week, three to five exercises, three to five sets, three to five reps per set, three to five minutes of rest between them. Load sits near your heaviest for those reps. It is a memory aid, not a periodized plan. The rule exists because the numbers that matter for strength cluster in similar ranges: low reps, high load, long rest. Lifters use it to start a strength block without reading a textbook first, then adjust once they know how they respond.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Andy GalpinRecommends
Exercise physiologist · Perform podcast
Three to five days, exercises, sets, reps and minutes of rest. He credits the heuristic to work going back about 80 years and offers it as a rough starting point for strength and power, not as a finished program.
Source: Perform: The Fundamentals of Training for Muscle, Strength & Longevity
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
Backed by 43 of 62 stacks: 37 do it, 4 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
Backed by 21 of 62 stacks: 15 do it, 5 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
Backed by 12 of 62 stacks: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
Backed by 9 of 62 stacks: 9 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Stability and mobility work
Daily joint, foot and breathing work to keep strength usable
Backed by 8 of 62 stacks: 7 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Yoga
Regular yoga practice for flexibility, strength and a calmer nervous system
Backed by 8 of 62 stacks: 8 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.