5/3/1 weight training program

parisallez
parisallez Posts: 30
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi all,
I don't post much but read the posts often and it seems I see a lot of new to intermediate lifters asking about programs for building strength and muscle. Well, there are many out there that are of sound design and with a proper diet will lead to results. Anyone who says they have the one and best program is selling fool's gold.
This may have been talked about here at length in the past but I haven't seen it lately. For those of you who are relatively new to lifting and have completed some rounds of 5x5, West side of skinny *kitten*, Starting Strength, etc, I thought I would throw out my current program for consideration from some of you. It's not THE workout of workouts, it is simple, it is based on compound basic movements, and I rather enjoy it.
If you want to look it up: google Jim Wendler's 5/3/1. There are now several variations he has made, but many bodybuilders like myself prefer "Boring But Big" template.
A very basic summary:
week 1 - 3 sets of 5
week 2- 3 sets of 3
week 3- a set of 5, a set of 3, a set of 1
week 4 you "deload" or take a break from heavy weights and do a light week or a week off altogether
Hence, you finish a whole "cycle" in 4 weeks.
p.s.- each workout after the heavy sets listed above, you add whatever exercises YOU want for your weaknesses, called assistance work for a few sets of 10 or so at lighter weight. So every workout you get heavy work and you get the higher rep range for hypertrophy. It's a win-win for me. There is more to it than this, but again, check the program out for the finer points and explanations.

I'm on my 4th or 5th cycle in a row now. It's very, very simple to keep track of. You make sustainable progress if you are eating in a calorie surplus. And most of all, I think it's a lot of fun! If you are here to argue about programs, please don't bother, I'm not here to argue which programs are "the best." I'm just throwing the 5/3/1 boring but big out there for consideration for those of you who may be wanting to try something new. good luck whatever you choose.

Replies

  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Well designed program. If you put in the effort on the AMAP sets, you will definitely make good progress.

    GOod luck :smile:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yeah, I love 5/3/1...IMHO, the best intermediate/advanced programming out there for strength and mass gains. I'm an old grey pube so I just do a full body twice per week, but yeah...Jim Wendler and his programming rocks.
  • LifterDave
    LifterDave Posts: 112 Member
    Wendler's 531 programming is pretty good. I ran 531 with BBB assistance for 11 cycles with good gains in strength.
  • parisallez
    parisallez Posts: 30
    thx for the replies. I've done a lot of programs over the years and I like this simplicity. I only write down my progress on the main lifts. all assistance work is whatever and how ever much I feel like or have time for. I don't even write down assistance work. couldn't be easier. hopefully more people will get into 5/3/1.
    I'm getting old too! turn 40 this year. my beard has a lot of gray hairs! still love throwing some weights around though.
  • LifterDave
    LifterDave Posts: 112 Member
    thx for the replies. I've done a lot of programs over the years and I like this simplicity. I only write down my progress on the main lifts. all assistance work is whatever and how ever much I feel like or have time for. I don't even write down assistance work. couldn't be easier. hopefully more people will get into 5/3/1.
    I'm getting old too! turn 40 this year. my beard has a lot of gray hairs! still love throwing some weights around though.
    You are still a youngster at 40. I wish I could say I was only turning 40 this year.

    Yes the simplicity of 531 makes it a good, and that deload week every 4 week comes in handy when the weights are getting heavy and as we age and need more recovery. I switched to Sheiko programming for 8 1/2 months after 531 and despite building good strength, I hit a brick wall with recovery being as I never took any deloads between cycles. And hind sight being 20/20, I probably should have ate better while doing it.
  • Unknown
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  • Chris_Pierce
    Chris_Pierce Posts: 267 Member
    haha. I Googled it like you said to and I found my answers. :D

    Thanks
    -Chris
  • CrusaderSam
    CrusaderSam Posts: 180 Member
    I am not sure you get how this program works, or any program for that matter. Rep ranges are not what causes strength or size gains. What does this is progressive overload, and its the same for powerlifting as it is for bodybuilding.

    In order to minimize injury and maximize results, the novice begins at a comfortable level of muscular intensity and advances towards overload of the muscles over the course of the exercise program. Progressive overload requires a gradual increase in volume, intensity, frequency or time in order to achieve the targeted goal of the user. This technique results in greater gains in physical strength and muscular growth, but there are limits. An excess of training stimuli can lead to the problem of overtraining. Overtraining is the decline in training performance over the course of a training program, often increasing the risk of illness or injury or decreased desire to exercise. In order to help avoid this problem, the technique of periodization is applied.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_overload

    5/3/1 is a good program because it follows this (just like every program). Now the problem it has is the same problem as every other program has. The closer you get to your 1 rep max or failure the more your form breaks down. Your program will only be as good as the ability of a coach/spotter/yourself to fix it. What will work best, will depend on what kind of "help" you are getting.
  • lawwang
    lawwang Posts: 24
    I think this program is more tailored to strength gains as opposed to size gains. The low rep ranges induce myofibrillar hypertrophy (strength) more so than sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (size).
  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    On my 5th cycle of 5/3/1, using the triumvirate assistance template. Been really happy with the results, though I do feel my squats are lagging. Bench, OHP, and Deadlifts are all progressing very well though. I have found this to be very useful.
    http://blackironbeast.com/5/3/1/calculator

    Regarding size gain, while it may not be specifically designed for it, I have gained mass with the program. Though honestly, I think a lot of that has been the result of diet plus the accessory lifts being in the 8-12 rep range.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    I love 5/3/1!

    I'm using the triumvirate / assistance (Dips, Pullups, Good Mornings, Hanging leg raise, DB bench press, DB row, Hip Thrusts and Leg curls)

    I moved on from PHAT after running it for a couple of months. It was a bit too intense for me at the time. Maybe I will go back to it eventually but for now I really am enjoying 5/3/1
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    I love 5/3/1 (my name is a bit of a giveaway)

    It is very adaptable to a variety of goals.

    I didn't see anyone posting link to www.strstd.com, which is a great resource to use if you are doing 5/3/1
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    5/3/1 can be tailored to goals. I don't particularly love the accessory programs in the book. I like more volume and targeted hypertrophy than he outlines.

    I did 5/3/1 last year, but I have modified it over the past 5 months because I was increasing in strength more than the program specified. I added an extra set, increased the weight weekly, but didn't drop the reps for the sets (continued doing 5 reps plus the last set to max). Now that my strength gains are slowing down and approaching a stall, I plan to switch back to traditional 5/3/1. I plan to keep up my own accessory program, which is based more on Bret Contreras's Strong Curves.

    A lot of people who post here use 5/3/1 and have for years. However, I don't recommend it for beginners. The strength gains can be too slow if you are a new lifter; Starting Strength and Strong Lifts are better programs for beginners.
  • watto1980
    watto1980 Posts: 155 Member
    5/3/1 can be tailored to goals. I don't particularly love the accessory programs in the book. I like more volume and targeted hypertrophy than he outlines.

    I did 5/3/1 last year, but I have modified it over the past 5 months because I was increasing in strength more than the program specified. I added an extra set, increased the weight weekly, but didn't drop the reps for the sets (continued doing 5 reps plus the last set to max). Now that my strength gains are slowing down and approaching a stall, I plan to switch back to traditional 5/3/1. I plan to keep up my own accessory program, which is based more on Bret Contreras's Strong Curves.

    A lot of people who post here use 5/3/1 and have for years. However, I don't recommend it for beginners. The strength gains can be too slow if you are a new lifter; Starting Strength and Strong Lifts are better programs for beginners.
    That's true, the programming is not designed for beginners as weight progression is too slow. I was planning on doing 531 but decided against it for that reason.

    The programming looks fully legit though, I look forward to using it at some stage in the future when I am more experienced.

    I like the idea of Big But Boring assistance work alternating with 531 sets, like 531 squat / BBB deadlift, 531 bench / BBB OH press etc.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I also love 5/3/1. I'm on cycle 6 now. Personally, I couldn't get anywhere, upper body wise with SS and SL (just kept getting to 25kg then having to deload :$) but I've steadily managed to up the weight with this programme - hoping for 40 kg on OHP and bench this week, puny i know but a big improvement for me.

    An entertaining read too. I haven't tried The Boring But Big suggestion yet as I'm still trying to master my chins and dips :/ (I'm also a fan of the Strong Curves stuff on squat and deads nights)
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    In for later. I have read through the 5/3/1 program and it strongly appeals to me, but seeing as I will be new to lifting and have been advised against it as a newbie I will start with Stronglifts. Just wondering how long I should do Stronglifts before I am ready for the 5/3/1 program? When do you know that you are ready for this one?
  • parisallez
    parisallez Posts: 30
    it's difft for everyone but I would say when your gains slow. as a newbie, your gains will be much faster than the rest of us. from what I read most people do SS and programs like it for 6 mos- 1 year. my advice to anyone new. don't waste time with lots of single joint lifts -- stick primarily to compound lifts which involve large muscle groups, and some of which involve several muscle groups. doing bicep curls all day, you're not going to get big. I wasted many years being inconsistent and not doing deadlifts, squats, etc.
  • parisallez
    parisallez Posts: 30
    I think this program is more tailored to strength gains as opposed to size gains. The low rep ranges induce myofibrillar hypertrophy (strength) more so than sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (size).
    maybe. I believe if you eat a calorie surplus and you add assistance work to your powerlifting you will get stronger and add mass. when I get done with the 3 heavy sets of shoulder or bench, I add 5 sets of 10 of shoulder or bench on something different like dumbbells or a machine. and as the weeks go on, my assistance sets get heavier as I get stronger: progressive overload and I mix in the deload week and start all over again.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    bump
  • Vanguard1
    Vanguard1 Posts: 393 Member
    I agree, great program, I am on my second cycle. I did 5x5's for a while, then a cycle of body weight and now on this. Very simple with measurable gains!

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