Understanding the 5/3/1 program
Calling 5/3/1 “A Program” is a bit of a misnomer. 5/3/1 more specifically represents a style of programming and if you have followed or read material from its creator, Jim Wendler, you know that there are at least a few dozen iterations of the program at this point and seeing them all together can feel downright overwhelming. You have 5/3/1 Basic, Boring But Big, First Set Last, Five and Dime, Rhode’s 5/3/1, and SVR II, just to name a few of the variations. Some are better suited for beginners while others are best for people with more training experience. Then there are versions that are great for almost everyone, and that’s the version we will be doing - 5/3/1 FSL. FSL stands for first set last which just means you perform addition volume sets with the weight you used in your first set. Get it? First set last? More on that later.
I recorded a short (ish) video talking about the 5/3/1 program and how we are going to apply it to our programming. I walk through some of the concepts that are included in this blog, including how to calculate your training max, so give it a watch if you are more of a visual person! What I don’t talk about in the video is how we are handling the scaled / light equipment option so if that’s you, you will want to watch and read this blog.
Principles of a 5/3/1 Program
The 5/3/1 program is based on 5 principles. I’m including them in this write up because if someone takes 5/3/1 at face value or does any amount of google searching, they may develop the belief that 5/3/1 is for gym bros, football players, and burly bearded dudes only and that’s simply not the case. I think taking a look at the underlying principles not only demystifies this program, but makes it feel infinitely more approachable for anyone to do.
The 5 principles of 5/3/1 are:
Start too light - Begin with a conservative Training Max so you have room to grow over many cycles, not just a few weeks. For both the beginner and advanced lifter, starting too light gives them the opportunity to keep building their strength base without risk of injury or stagnation. It allows you to use the correct weights, with the correct speed, and leaves room to account for good and bad days.
Progress slow - Add small amounts of weight cycle to cycle. Strength is built through accumulated work over time, not by testing yourself every session. The biggest mistake many people make is that they try to fit in 5 years of training into 1. They way to put as much weight on the bar as quickly as possible in order to make fast progress. While admirable, this approach is not sustainable or supportive of a lifelong relationship with the barbell. Progressing slow leaves energy and interest for assistance work, athletic work, and conditioning work. It also reduces the likelihood of hitting a plateau.
Use multi-joint movements - The program is built around the squat, bench, deadlift, and press. Big compound lifts drive the most strength and muscle. The goal is to build a truly strong person who is strong in other areas as well, such as mobility and conditioning. Using big, compound, multi-joint movements as the foundation for strength while adding in running, pushing, pulling, box jumps, medballs, and functional training allows us to develop a more well rounded athlete. The lifts and concepts of 5/3/1 are basic and that’s because they work, time and time again.
Set PRs - Whether it's a rep PR on a top set, a weight PR over a cycle, or a personal best on a conditioning piece, always be reaching for something measurable. Keep track of your numbers. Take an interest in what you’re doing. Progress may be slow but it will happen if you remain positive. That big breakthrough will come. The average days result in the paydays. Every 5/3/1 program gives you the chance to PR in some way. It may not happen every day, every week, or even every cycle but if you embrace the work, you will get to enjoy the success of setting PRs and achieving new things.
Balance - Training isn't just about strength. A complete program addresses strength, mobility/flexibility, conditioning, and recovery together. This principle is what allows 5/3/1 to fit so well into a functional training program. The Olympic work, conditioning, and accessory work we already do are part of the philosophy of the program. We want to create a balanced, functional athlete who gets to use their strength in real life, not just someone who can push a lot of weight on a leg press machine.
the Basic 5/3/1 cycle format
5/3/1 cycles tend to be 4 weeks long and the idea is that you do several of them back to back so you can maximize the effectiveness of the program. It’s not a deal breaker if someone jumps in during the third repetition of the cycle, there is still lots of progress to be made, but for you all who are either already on the programming or thinking of starting it - Monday May 4th is going to be the official start date for these cycles.
5/3/1 uses percentages of a of a Training Max (TM), not your true 1 Rep Max (1RM) to keep loading manageable, repeatable, and progressive over time. Each week the rep target drops and the intensity climbs.
Week 1 Top Set: 85% TM x 5 reps
Week 2 Top Set: 90% TM x 3 reps
Week 3 Top Set: 95% TM x 1 rep
What is training max?
TM is not your 1RM. It's a working number, about 85% of your estimated 1RM, that gives you room to make progress without grinding. Working from a TM is what makes 5/3/1 sustainable across many cycles. Working too heavy, which is a common fault for many lifters, tends to result in stalled progress, frustration, and very simply overcooking the potato. You are the potato. The easiest way to find your training max is to multiply your estimated 1RM by 0.85. That will be the number you work from for the remainder of the cycle.
If you don’t have a 1RM but you have something like a heavy set of 8 reps for the lift, then you can use the Epley Formula to estimate your 1RM from which you will calculate your TM. For an athlete who has an 8 rep max of 170lbs, that math looks like:
Weight Lifted x (1+(Reps/30))
170lbs x (1+(8 reps/30)) = 215.33lbs
215 = estimated 1RM
TM = 0.85 × 215 = 183lbs
If you don’t have a recent heavy set to work off of, you have two options. Option 1 - pick a weight you are pretty sure you could do for 8 with 2 reps left in reserve. That weight will be a save starting point for TM and you can adjust up after the first cycle if it feels easy. Option 2 - use the final set from the first week of 5/3/1 as your theoretical 10 rep max and use the formula above to calculate your estimated 1RM and TM.
How to read a 5/3/1 section?
Each 5/3/1 section during the week will look like this:
Back Squat (or other lift)
Set 1: 5 reps @ 65% TM
Set 2: 5 reps @ 75% TM
Set 3: 5 reps @ 85% TM
FSL: 3-5 sets of 5reps @65% TM
Sets 1 and 2 are work up working sets. Do the prescribed reps and load, not more even though they won’t feel heavy.
Set 3 is the top set. If you ever see this set appear with a “+” next to the number of reps, that means you can do an AMRAP set and complete additional reps if you have them in you. For this cycle we are running PRO which means straight sets, no AMRAP on the final set.
FSL (First Set Last) repeats the weight you used in set 1 for additional sets of 5 reps. This is your volume work. The important thing to focus on here is bar speed.
The percentages shown are for week 1, they will increase over the course of the cycle.
lift and FSL Volume by Day
Monday - Back Squat - 5 FSL Sets
Tuesday - Bench Press - 5 FSL Sets
Friday - Deadlift - 3 FSL Sets
Saturday - Strict Press - 5 FSL Sets
Deadlift FSL is capped at 3 sets because Friday already includes Olympic clean work so pushing FSL to full volume is likely to over tax the CNS and posterior chain.
How to Progress TM Between Cycles
Part of what makes 5/3/1 so great is how simple it is to progress over time. After completing a 4-week cycle, all you need to do is add to your Training Max and start the next cycle. Here’s how you do that:
Upper body lifts (Bench Press, Strict Press): +5 lbs
Lower body lifts (Back Squat, Deadlift): +10 lbs
That’s it! If a top set from the previous cycle was very difficult and you barely hit reps, repeat the same TM next cycle rather than adding weight. If you missed reps, reset that lift's TM to 90% of its current TM.
Scaled/Light Equipment Training Track
If you're training with limited equipment - adjustable DBs that cap out at 50-90 lbs, a few fixed kettlebells, banded resistance - you won’t have the ability to add weight and progress in a traditional 5/3/1 format. This is fine, we have a solution for that.
Tempo Volume
The idea here is you will work with the same load for all 4 weeks. Each week the tempo will get more demanding. Tempo is written as four numbers (eccentric / pause at bottom / concentric / pause at top), like 30X1 which indicates 3 seconds lowering, 0 seconds paused, explosive up, 1 second pause at the top.
Here’s how your 4 week progression will look:
Week - Reps × Sets - Tempo - What it feels like
Week 1 -8 reps × 3-5 sets - 30X1 - Steady and controlled
Week 2 - 5 reps × 3-5 sets - 41X1 - Tougher, the pause adds difficulty
Week 3 - 3 reps × 3-5 sets - 51X2 - Hardest, long eccentric and a real pause
Week 4 - 8 reps × 2-3 sets - Normal tempo, lighter, easy deload
How to choose your load: Pick a weight that's an honest 8 reps at RPE 7 (4 reps left in tank) for week 1. This will be the weight you use for the rest of the cycle and it should feel correct across the cycle as the tempo escalates. If it's getting easy by Week 3, the load was too light, bump up next cycle. If it feels too hard and you can’t make the tempo or reps, lower the weight immediately and either stay the same or bump it up for the next cycle.
A note on tempo: the eccentric (the slow lowering part) is where most of the stimulus comes from. Don't rush it. A 5-second descent feels longer than you think. Almost everyone tends to rush their tempos so put a timer on and be honest!
How to Progress Between Cycles (Scaled)
Because Scaled paths don't use percentages, progression looks different than the Daily Workout track. Here are your options for progressing between cycles:
Option 1 - increase the load. If you have access to a heavier dumbbell or kettlebell, use the next weight up starting Week 1 of the new cycle. Same tempo prescription.
Option 2 - increase the difficulty. If your load is fixed, increase the demand by varying the tempo. Lengthen the eccentric by 1 second across the cycle (so Week 1 becomes 40X1 instead of 30X1).
What to Do If You Miss a Day
Missed a strength day: Push it to the next available training day if possible, or skip it for the week and resume the next lift on schedule.
Missed two or more sessions: Consider restarting the week from where you left off the following week. Don't cram missed sessions into other days. It’s better to be a week behind than overly tired from doing too much.
Don't double up lifts. While some 5/3/1 program variants combine big lifts on single days, that is not how this program variant is designed so please don’t combine two main lifts into a single session. That is simply too much volume.
5/3/1 Troubleshooting
Top sets feel too easy (Daily Workout): If you complete your top set and feel like you have more than a few reps in research, your TM is set too low. Add 10 lbs (upper) or 20 lbs (lower) starting the next training day. Don’t repeat the sets.
Top sets are grinding even on Week 1 (Daily Workout): If you feel like you are barely able to complete your final set, your TM is set too high. Drop TM by 10% and recalculate moving forward.
Tempo work feels too easy by Week 3): Load was too light to start. Bump it next cycle, increase the tempo duration, or reduce the rest interval.
Strength is stalling but conditioning is fine: Likely accumulated fatigue. Take a few days off or take a deload week, then resume. Fatigue can also accumulate from every day life, it’s not always the gym! Be sensitive to this fact.
Conditioning is suffering: Consider that you may be pushing top sets too hard or working at a TM that is too high. This also happens if people are trying to add additional sets into a program like 5/3/1 either by doing AMRAP sets or repeating sets that don’t feel heavy “enough.” The strength volume in this 5/3/1 variation should leave room for the rest of the day, so don’t over do it.
