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But the sessions with 5 sets will cause more stress (than 3 sets) on your body which will take longer to recover from.
So your probably not rested enough to maximise the days with a single set... Or if you try adding extra weight then you won't be able to keep that for 5 sets.Considering 3x5 Linear Progression and 5x5 with 1x5.
Over two sessions, they would both contain 6 sets and at the same weight would give the same tonnage.100kg 5x5 2500kg
100kg 1x5 500kg
3000kg total100kg 3x5 1500kg
100kg 3x5 150kg
3000kg totalBut if 100kg is all you can manage for the last rep of your fifth set and 2500kg is the maximum your capable of recovering from, your adaptation will stall as your not fully recovered for the single set and 100kg becomes your ceiling.
If you were only doing 3 sets, you could probably do 110kg and should still be able to add a kg each workout for a while as you can fully recover from the lower stress of 3 sets.
Cue 15 weeks later
Tuesday 140kg 3x5 2100kg
Friday 141kg 3x5 2115kg...Do you need that 5th (or 4th) set? Or could you use that time and effort recovering a bit better and add a little bit more weight next time?
Im 48, not particularly athletic and don't need the explosive force, plus the amount I could Power Clean isn't worth while
https://barbell-logic.com/5-linear-progression/
user69121-
I was 51 yesterday! I’m not sure I understand your point. More sets means more weight - obviously. This all presumes that, as you lift heavier, you can actually lift it. Failure is part of the process. Fail three times and the weight drops by 10%.
I think (don’t quote me) that if you plateau on StrongLifts you move to a 3x5 plan.
I’ve been doing it on and off for about three years and haven’t properly plateaued. Due to injury, work, holidays etc i had to stop. Depending when you can start back, the weight will drop - either back to the beginning or a substantial drop from where you left off.
I think you can set the StrongLifts app for 3x5.
The last point is - why are you doing it?
StrongLifts and Starting Strength are for strength training. There will be other plans for other goals. My friend, who is younger, stronger and fitter then me does weights to maintain strength and improve conditioning. He does more reps at lighter weights for this although his ‘lighter weights’ are close to my maximum!
TGR
StrongLifts accounts for this - only 5 reps every other session. The deadlift does get heavier quicker than the other lifts but it has never caused me an issue.