Wendler 5/3/1

Wendler 5/3/1 is a monthly-cycle strength program built around four main lifts: Back Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, and Press. Every session is built from a percentage of a Training Max — not your true 1RM — and every cycle ends with an AMRAP set that drives progression.

Overview

The program is organized in 4-week cycles:

• Week 1: 5/5/5+ (top set is 5+ reps)
• Week 2: 3/3/3+ (top set is 3+ reps)
• Week 3: 5/3/1+ (top set is 1+ reps)
• Week 4: Deload (light sets, no AMRAP)

All weights are percentages of your Training Max, which is 90% of your true 1RM. Progression happens through the AMRAP set — the more reps you hit, the more your Training Max rises next cycle.

Who It Is For

Wendler 5/3/1 is for athletes who have trained consistently for at least six months, have established 1RMs on all four main lifts, and want a sustainable program they can run for years. It is one of the most tested intermediate strength programs in the world.

Prerequisites

1. Complete all foundational concepts.
2. Master all four main lifts.
3. Establish 1RMs (or estimate from recent AMRAP).
4. Know how to run a Training Max calculation (90% of 1RM).

The Four Lifts

• Back Squat
• Bench Press
• Deadlift
• Press

Weekly Structure

Wendler is flexible. The most common template is 4 days per week:

Day	Focus
Monday	Press
Tuesday	Deadlift
Thursday	Bench Press
Friday	Back Squat

Alternative templates: 3 days, 2 days, or 6 days. The cycle structure stays the same regardless.

Cycle Structure

Week	Set Structure	Percentages
Week 1	3 sets: 5 / 5 / 5+	65% / 75% / 85% of TM
Week 2	3 sets: 3 / 3 / 3+	70% / 80% / 90% of TM
Week 3	3 sets: 5 / 3 / 1+	75% / 85% / 95% of TM
Week 4	Deload: 3 sets of 5 at 40/50/60%	Recovery week

The ”+” means AMRAP — as many reps as possible at that weight.

Progression Rules

After each cycle, recalculate your Training Max:

• Take the weight used on your top set.
• Multiply by reps performed.
• Multiply that by 0.0333.
• Add the top set weight to that number.
• The result is your new estimated 1RM.
• Multiply by 0.9 → that’s your new Training Max.

Or simpler: add 5 lbs to Press and Bench, 10 lbs to Squat and Deadlift after each successful cycle.

Autoregulation in Practice

Wendler is highly structured but leaves room for adjustment:

• On the AMRAP set, push hard but stop 1 rep before technical failure.
• On bad days, aim for the minimum reps — progress still accumulates.
• If a cycle fails (miss reps on top set), drop Training Max by 10% and rebuild.

Sample 4-Week Cycle

Assume Training Max of 300 lbs on Squat:

Week 1: 195x5, 225x5, 255x5+ Week 2: 210x3, 240x3, 270x3+ Week 3: 225x5, 255x3, 285x1+ Week 4: 120x5, 150x5, 180x5 (deload)

Assistance Work

Wendler recommends “Boring But Big” (BBB) as the default assistance template:

• After the main lift, do 5x10 of the same lift at 50-60% of Training Max.
• Or 5x10 of the opposite lift.

Other templates: Triumvirate, Periodization Bible, Bodyweight.

When to Switch Programs

Wendler is designed to be run for years. Consider switching when:

1. You want to specialize (Smolov, Smolov Jr.).
2. You want hypertrophy focus (PPL).
3. You want a different strength approach (Texas Method).

Common Pitfalls

• Using true 1RM instead of Training Max (should be 90%).
• Going to failure on AMRAP.
• Skipping the deload week.
• Adding weight faster than the program prescribes.
• Doing too much assistance work.

Related Programs

• Texas Method — weekly progression alternative.
• PPL — hypertrophy-focused alternative.
• Smolov — squat specialization.
• Starting Strength / StrongLifts — linear progression predecessors.

Journal

Uses the Training Log — Wendler 5/3/1 template.