5/3/1 Method

 

Change up your routine with this popular strategy for gaining major strength

WHAT IT IS A popular strategy using weights much lighter than your max. ORIGIN Unveiled in 2008 by powerlifter and strength coach Jim Wendler. DO IT Choose four barbell lifts you want to improve, such as the overhead press, deadlifts, bench press, and squat. Estimate the most you can lift on each and then take 90% of those numbers. You’ll base your workouts on those new values. Each week, you’ll do three sets using percentages of those values. The first week, you’ll do 65%, 75%, and 85% for five reps each. The second week goes 70%, 80%, and 90% for three reps. The third week is done with 75%, 85%, and 95% for five, three, and one rep, respectively. On the third set each week, you can do more than the prescribed five, three, or one rep. Push yourself to do as many as you can. Reduce your loads on the fourth week so the workouts won’t be taxing. Then increase the 90% max by five to 10 pounds for the next month. THE GOOD Users can increase their max without training with max weight, which improves recovery and lessens the risk of injury and overtraining. CAUTION! You need to increase the loads you’re lifting gradually. Resist the urge to go heavier sooner than prescribed. If you can’t get more than the prescribed reps in any workout, you need to lighten the load. To buy the 5/3/1 ebook, 

5/3/1 Variations
Two more ways to reap the benefits of this no-plateau plan

By Jim Wendler

In the April issue, we introduced you to the 5/3/1 method by showing you how to do it with two assistance exercises. This is a great template to follow, but there are two other effective options for building muscle mass-the bodybuilder and boring but big templates.

Before we get into those, know that you do not have to limit yourself to improving on just the shoulder press, deadlift, bench press, and squat. You can, and should, rotate your lifts from time to time. Just make sure you're switching to similar movements that work the same basic muscle groups. For instance, you can apply the 5/3/1 method to these substitution lifts.

Shoulder and bench press substitutions: Incline press, rack lockout, floor press, close-grip bench press

Deadlift substitutions: Rack pull, trap-bar deadlift, deadlift standing on plates or step, snatch-grip deadlift

Squat substitutions: Box squat (using different heights), front squat

• Variation #1 The Bodybuilder Template
• Variation #2: Boring But Big

Variation #1: The Bodybuilder Template

Follow the set and rep guidelines for 5/3/1 on your first lift of the day, and then perform four or five assistance lifts with very high volume. Because the volume is a large increase over what we offered you in the magazine, do not take any of your sets to failure. Just go for a big "pump".

Here's an example of how you could set up your training days:

Workout A

• 1 Barbell Shoulder Press
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Barbell Upright Row
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Dumbbell Shoulder Press
  Sets: 4 Sets: 12 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 4 Bentover Dumbbell Raise
  Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 5 Dumbbell Curl
  Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 60-90 sec.

Workout B

• 1 Deadlift
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Chinup
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Dumbbell Row
  Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 4 Back Extension
  Sets: 4 Reps: 25 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 5 Ab Wheel Rollout
  Sets: 4 Reps: 15 Rest: 60-90 sec.

Workout C

• 1 Bench Press
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Dumbbell Bench Press
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Dip
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 4 Dumbbell Fly
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 5 Triceps Pushdown
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 60-90 sec.

Workout D

• 1 Squat
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Leg Press
  Sets: 4 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Leg Extension
  Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 4 Leg Curl
  Sets: 4 Reps: 12 Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 5 Situp
  Sets: 4 Reps: 25 Rest: 60-90 sec.

Variation #1: Boring But Big

In this template, you'll only do two assistance lifts, one of which will be a repetition of your main lift for the day, but using a moderate weight and very high volume. The other will either work a complementary group of muscles or your core. The lack of variety means it's not the most exciting way to train, but it will build muscle and strength quickly.

Workout A

• 1 Barbell Shoulder Press
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Barbell Shoulder Press
  Sets: 5 Reps: 10 using 50%-60% of your max Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Chinup
  Sets: 5 Reps: As many as possible Rest: 60-90 sec.

Workout B

• 1 Deadlift
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Deadlift
  Sets: 5 Reps: 10 using 50%-60% of your max Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Hanging Leg Raise
  Sets: 5 Reps: 12 Rest: 60-90 sec.

Workout C

• 1 Bench Press
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Bench Press
  Sets: 5 Reps: 10 using 50%-60% of your max Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Dumbbell Row
  Sets: 5 Reps: 10-20 Rest: 60-90 sec.

Workout D

• 1 Squat
  Sets and reps according to 5/3/1
• 2 Squat
  Sets: 5 Reps: 10 using 50%-60% of your max Rest: 60-90 sec.
• 3 Leg Curl
  Sets: 5 Reps: 10 Rest: 60-90 sec.