Best Rep Range for Strength: 3x5, 5x5 or Something Else?

By the One Rep Max Calculator team · Published October 24, 2026 · Facts checked against the sources listed below · About us

Safety note. These numbers are estimates for healthy adults. They are not medical advice. Max lifts carry real risk. Warm up, use a spotter or safety bars, and stop if you feel pain. If you have a health condition, an injury or are new to lifting, talk to a doctor or a certified coach first. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest muscle strengthening at least 2 days a week.

On Reddit’s r/Fitness, a lifter asked which is better for strength: 5x5 or 3x5. It is one of the most common questions in lifting. Behind it is a bigger one. What is the best rep range for strength? This guide covers what the research says, how to pick your loads, and how to choose between popular set and rep schemes.

The short answer

For strength, most of your hard sets should be heavy, with about 1 to 6 reps. The NSCA suggests 4 to 6 reps at 85% of your max or more. Both 3x5 and 5x5 fit that range. The best choice is the one you can recover from and stick with for months.

What the research says about load

The key point is load, not just reps. Reps and load are tied together. The heavier the weight, the fewer reps you can do.

A 2017 review by Schoenfeld and others pooled 21 studies. It compared light loads, at or under 60% of max, with heavy loads, over 60%. All sets were taken to failure. The result was clear. Heavy loads led to bigger gains in 1RM strength. Muscle growth was about the same with both (Schoenfeld and others, 2017).

So light sets can build muscle. But if you want to lift more for one rep, you need to practice lifting heavy.

The NSCA rep ranges

The NSCA training loads, as listed by HPRC, break goals down like this (HPRC):

Goal	Reps	Load
Strength	4 to 6	85% of max or more
Muscle size	6 to 12	67% to 85%
Muscle endurance	12 or more	under 67%

These ranges overlap with each other. A set of 6 at 85% is both a strength set and a size set. That is fine. The lines are guides, not walls.

What the ACSM says

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has a position stand on how to progress in strength training (ACSM, 2009). Here are the parts that matter most for rep range:

New lifters: use loads you can lift for 8 to 12 reps.
Intermediate and advanced lifters: use a wide range of 1 to 12 rep loads over time, with more focus on heavy 1 to 6 rep loads.
Rest: 3 to 5 minutes between heavy sets.
Progress: add 2% to 10% when you can do 1 or 2 reps over your goal.

Notice that new lifters start with higher reps. That gives them time to learn good form with lighter weights. Heavier work comes later.

How percent of max maps to reps

To set loads, you need to know about how many reps you can do at each percent. The NSCA training load chart gives this (NSCA):

% of max	Max reps
100%	1
95%	2
93%	3
90%	4
87%	5
85%	6
80%	8
75%	10
70%	12

So “5 reps” really means about 87% of your max if you go to failure. Most plans leave a rep or two in the tank. A set of 5 at 80% to 85% is a common choice.

Our one rep max calculator shows this chart with your own weights.

5x5 vs 3x5

Now back to the Reddit question. Both are 5 rep sets, so both sit in the strength range. The difference is the number of sets.

5x5

25 total reps per lift.
More total work, which may help muscle growth.
Takes longer and needs more recovery.
You may need a slightly lighter weight to finish all 5 sets.

3x5

15 total reps per lift.
Shorter workouts.
Easier to recover from, so you can often add weight more often.
Less total work for muscle size.

Here is how the numbers look with a 300 lb squat max at 80%.

Plan	Weight	Total reps	Total pounds moved
3x5	240 lb	15	3,600 lb
5x5	240 lb	25	6,000 lb

The 5x5 plan moves 67% more weight. That is more training, but it is also more fatigue.

So which should you pick?

There is no perfect answer, but here are some rules of thumb.

Pick 3x5 if you are short on time, you train often, or you find it hard to recover.

Pick 5x5 if you want more muscle as well as strength, and you have the time and energy for longer sessions.

Mix them if you like. Many plans use 3 heavy sets of 3 to 5 reps, then a few lighter sets of 8 to 10.

The most important thing is that you keep doing it. A plan you follow for a year beats a perfect plan you quit in a month.

Rest matters too

A heavy set of 5 is hard. If you rest only 60 seconds, your next set will suffer. The ACSM suggests 3 to 5 minutes between heavy sets. That way each set is high quality.

How to progress

Pick a weight you can lift for your target reps with a rep or two left. When you can beat your target by 1 or 2 reps, add 2% to 10%, as the ACSM suggests.

You can also use RPE to set your weights. A set of 5 at RPE 8 means you had 2 reps left. Read our RPE chart guide to see how to use it.

Check your progress with your max

Every few weeks, enter your best heavy set into a calculator to get an estimated max. If the estimate climbs, your plan is working. If it stalls for a month, change one thing, like adding a set or more rest.

Use the same formula each time so you are comparing like with like. Our guide on how to calculate your 1RM shows how.

A note on safety

Heavy sets are safe for healthy adults who use good form and a safe setup. Use a spotter or safety bars on the bench press and squat. Warm up well. If you have a health condition, get a doctor’s okay first.

Bottom line

For strength, keep most hard sets heavy, in the 1 to 6 rep range. Both 3x5 and 5x5 work. 5x5 adds more work, while 3x5 is easier to recover from. Rest 3 to 5 minutes, add weight when you beat your target, and track your max to see if it is working.

Tools for this guide

FAQ

Is 5 reps best for strength?

Sets of about 1 to 6 reps are the usual range for strength. The NSCA suggests 4 to 6 reps at 85% of max or more. Five reps sits right in that range, which is why plans like 5x5 and 3x5 are so common.

Is 3x5 or 5x5 better?

Both build strength. 5x5 has more total work, which may help muscle growth but takes more time and recovery. 3x5 is shorter and easier to recover from. Pick the one you can do well and keep doing.

Can I get strong with high reps?

You will get some stronger, especially as a beginner. But a 2017 review found heavy loads built more 1RM strength than light loads. If your main goal is a bigger max, keep most hard sets heavy.

How many sets should I do?

Plans like 3x5 and 5x5 use 3 to 5 work sets per lift. The ACSM notes that higher volume, multiple set programs are best for muscle size. Add sets slowly, and watch whether your lifts keep going up.