Best App for Starting Strength & 5x5

Linear progression works because of the "Novice Effect." When you are new, your body adapts to stress rapidly. Simply adding 5lbs (2.5kg) to the bar every session is enough stimulus to force adaptation. **Why 5x5 works:** Five sets of five reps provide extensive practice with the motor pattern (25 reps total) while being heavy enough (roughly 80-85% 1RM) to drive strength. **When to stop:** You stop linear progression when you can no longer recover between sessions (stalling 3 times in a row). At that point, you need more complex programming (like Texas Method or 5/3/1), which RepLog also supports.