Madcow 5x5 Logbook Template: Weekly Progression Tracking Made Simple

Madcow 5x5 was popularized on the old Madcow Training forums and is based on Bill Starr's intermediate 5x5 model. The program uses three full-body training days per week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — with each day serving a distinct purpose. Monday is the heavy day where you set new personal records. Wednesday is the light day that promotes recovery. Friday builds to a single heavy set that prepares you for the following Monday.

The key feature that separates Madcow from beginner programs is the ramping set structure. Instead of doing 5 sets of 5 at the same weight (like Stronglifts), you start light and add weight each set, building up to one top set of 5 at your target weight. A Monday squat session might look like: 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, 265x5, 295x5. Only that final set at 295 is the money set — the earlier sets are structured warm-ups that prepare your nervous system for the heavy work.

Progression happens weekly, not daily. Each Monday, your top set increases by 2.5-5 lbs over the previous Monday. Wednesday uses roughly 70-80% of Monday's top set for recovery. Friday builds to what was last Monday's top set but for a triple or attempts a new rep PR. This structure creates a sustainable loading pattern that intermediate lifters can follow for months without burning out.

The exercises are the big compound lifts: squat (every session), bench press and barbell row on one rotation, overhead press and deadlift on the other. The simplicity of exercise selection keeps the focus on progressive overload rather than exercise variety.

Each training day in Madcow needs a slightly different layout because the ramping set structure demands more notation than a straight-sets program. Here is the template that captures everything without clutter.

The biggest logbook mistake Madcow athletes make is treating ramping sets like straight sets. In a straight-sets program, every set is at the same weight and every set matters equally. In Madcow, the ramp sets are preparation — only the top set is the actual working set. Your logbook should make this hierarchy visually obvious.

The simplest approach is a single row per exercise with ascending weight values: 135 / 185 / 225 / 265 / 295. Circle or box the final number. When you flip through your logbook during a review, your eyes should immediately jump to the circled numbers — those are the progression markers. The ramp sets only matter if something felt wrong during the buildup.

An alternative notation for experienced Madcow athletes is to only log the top set weight and use shorthand for the ramp. Write 'Ramp to 295x5' instead of listing every intermediate set. This saves space and keeps the page clean. You already know the ramp pattern — it does not change week to week unless you adjust the increments. The top set is what drives the program forward.

If you are using ForgeLogbooks, design the page with a prominent top-set field and smaller sub-fields for the ramp weights. This visual hierarchy is built into the template so you never have to think about formatting. The top set field is where your attention goes when you sit down to plan next week's numbers.

Stalls are inevitable on Madcow. When you fail to complete your top set of 5 on Monday for two consecutive weeks at the same weight, it is time for a reset. The standard protocol is to drop your working weights by 10% and build back up over the following weeks. This means your top set drops from, say, 295 to 265, and you add 5 lbs per week again until you surpass the stall point.

In your logbook, mark a reset clearly. Draw a horizontal line across the page after the second failed attempt and write 'RESET: [stall weight] to [new starting weight].' Below the line, the ramp calculations start fresh from the new baseline. This visual break makes resets unmistakable when you review your training history months later.

Keep a reset log at the back of your logbook or on a dedicated page. Record: date, exercise, stall weight, reset weight, and the number of weeks to get back to the stall point. After two or three resets, this table reveals whether you are actually progressing past the stall or just cycling through the same weight range. If you reset to 265 and stall at 295 twice in a row, Madcow has run its course and you need a more advanced periodization model.

The reset log also tells you which lifts stall first and at what relative strength levels. Most intermediate lifters find that overhead press stalls first, followed by bench, then squat, then deadlift. This pattern is normal and reflects the ceiling of weekly progression for different movement patterns. When all four lifts are stalling and resetting frequently, it is time to move on to a program like 5/3/1 or the Texas Method.

Here is what three weeks of Madcow squats look like in a logbook, assuming a starting top set of 275 lbs and 5-lb weekly increases.

Week 1 — Monday (Heavy): Squat ramp 135/175/215/245/275x5 (all completed, RPE 8). Wednesday (Light): 135/175/215/245x5 (easy, readiness note: 'legs feel good, slept 8 hours'). Friday (Medium): 135/175/215/255/275x3 (completed, bar speed solid). Notes: 'Strong week. Monday PR felt manageable. Ready to push up.'

Week 2 — Monday (Heavy): Squat ramp 135/180/220/250/280x5 (completed, RPE 8.5, last rep was a grind). Wednesday (Light): 135/180/220/250x5 (easy, readiness: 'minor knee tightness, foam rolled before session'). Friday (Medium): 135/180/220/260/280x3 (completed, slower than last week). Notes: 'Weight is getting serious. Sleep was 6 hours Tuesday night — felt it on Wednesday.'

Week 3 — Monday (Heavy): Squat ramp 140/185/225/255/285x5 (completed 5-5-5-5-4, missed last rep on top set). Wednesday (Light): 140/185/225/255x5 (felt heavier than it should at these weights). Friday (Medium): 140/185/225/260/285x3 (completed, grind on rep 3). Notes: 'Missed the 5th rep at 285. Will retry 285 next Monday. If I miss again, reset to 260 and rebuild.' This three-week block shows the classic Madcow progression arc: confident early weeks, increasing difficulty, and the first sign of a stall. The logbook captures not just the numbers but the context that drives smart decisions.