A hardcore look at Wendler's 5/3/1 powerlifting program

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 Powerlifting System is so popular because it works! Wendler lets you train 3 to 4 days a week with a rotating wave system.

Training description

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 Powerlifting System is quickly becoming one of the most popular powerlifting and strength building programs on the planet. A few years ago, most powerlifters I know were still using the Westside Barbell System. Westside was the gospel and there was no other. But today, things have changed. A good percentage of my friends use Wendler's 5/3/1 or a Westside/Wendler combination. Westside is still the king of powerlifting programs, but Wendler's 5/3/1 has emerged as an alternative worth considering.

In this guide to Wendler's 5/3/1 you will find information on the 2, 3 and 4 day splits. You will also find information about a Wendler 5/3/1 Westside Hybrid program. I've also included detailed information about supportive training - including possible variations described in Wendler's 5/3/1 e-book.

The core components of Wendler's 5/3/1

• 4 to 5+ week mesocycle: A Wendler's 5/3/1 mesocycle lasts 4 weeks if you train 4 days per week and 5+ weeks if you train 3 days per week. If you train three times a week (Monday-Wednesday-Friday), then you will rotate 4 core training sessions. If you train 4 days per week, you will perform each training session once per week on the same training day.
• 4 core training sessions: Wendler's 5/3/1 consists of 4 core workouts

• Training session A: Squats and supportive training
• Training session B: Bench press and assistance training
• Training session C: Deadlift and supportive training
• Training session D: Overhead press and assistance training

• 3 days per week: As mentioned above, if you use Wendler's 5/3/1 and train three days per week, you will rotate between 4 workouts. Over the course of a mesocycle, you will perform each of these four workouts four times, for a total of 16 workouts. The weeks of the mesocycle are as follows:

• Week 1: Monday - training session A, Wednesday - training session B, Friday - training session C
• Week 2: Monday - training session D, Wednesday - training session A, Friday - training session B
• Week 3: Monday - training session C, Wednesday - training session D, Friday - training session A
• Week 4: Monday - training session B, Wednesday - training session C, Friday - training session D
• Week 5: Monday - training session D, Wednesday - training session A, Friday - training session B
• Week 6: Monday - training session D

• 4 days per week: If you use Wendler's 5/3/1 and train 4 days per week, your mesocycle will only last 4 weeks. Your weekly training program should look something like this:

• Monday: Squat day
• Wednesday: Bench press day
• Friday: deadlift day
• Saturday: overhead press day

• The training session waves: Each training session is performed four times over the course of a Wendler 5/3/1 mesocycle. Simply put, you will perform 4 bench press workouts, 4 squat workouts, 4 deadlift workouts and 4 overhead press workouts. Each specific workout (A-B-C-D) consists of 4 waves or 4 different workouts. These waves are:

• Wave A. Warm-up, 75% x 5, 80% x 5, 85% x 5
• Wave B. Warm-up, 80% x 3, 85% x 3, 90% x 3
• Wave C. Warm-up, 75% x 5, 85% x 3, 95% x 1
• Wave D. Discharge wave - 60% x 5, 65% x 5, 70% x 5

The complete mesocycle of Wendler's 5/3/1 in detail

Now that we've looked at the practical basics of the Wendler 5/3/1 powerlifting program, it's time to put it all together into a structured mesocycle. It should be noted at this point that the following tables do not include supportive training. The letters (ABCD) after the core workouts represent the corresponding wave that you will perform on that training day.

Wendler's 5/3/1 mesocycle
3 days per week
week	Monday	Wednesday	Friday Friday
1	Squats - A	Bench press - A	Deadlift - A
2	Press overhead DEADLIFT - A	Squats - B	Bench press - B
3	Deadlift - B	Press overhead DEADLIFT - B	Squats - C
4	Bench press - C	Deadlift - C	Press overhead DEADLIFT - C
5	Squats - D	Bench press - D	Deadlift - D
6	Press overhead DEADLIFT - D

Wendler's 5/3/1 mesocycle
4 days per week
	Monday	Wednesday	Friday	Saturday
1	Squats - A	Bench press - A	Deadlift - A	Press overhead DEADLIFT - A
2	Squats - B	Bench press - B	Deadlift - B	Press overhead DEADLIFT - B
3	Squats - C	Bench press - C	Deadlift - C	Press overhead DEADLIFT - C
4	Squats - D	Bench press - D	Deadlift - D	Press overhead DEADLIFT - D

Exercise substitutions

For each of the 4 workouts (ABCD), you can replace the primary workout with an appropriate substitute at the beginning of a new mesocycle. The following are examples of acceptable substitutions:

• Squats: you can replace squats with box squats, front squats, squats with bands or chains, etc.
• Bench Press: You can replace bench presses with floor presses, 2 board presses, rack presses, etc.
• Deadlift: You can replace deadlifts with deficit deadlifts, rack pulls, deadlifts with bands or chains, etc.
• Overhead presses: You can replace overhead presses with push presses (standing shoulder presses with momentum from the legs), dumbbell shoulder presses, rack presses, etc.

Supportive training

How much supportive training you do is entirely up to you. Natural trainers should try not to spend more than 60 minutes in the gym. If you can't complete your training sessions within this time frame, then you need to take a long, hard look at the rest intervals you allow yourself between sets of supportive training.

A quote from Wendler on training duration:

"People laugh and call me crazy while they do their 3 hour workouts and make no progress at all. Sometimes it's not what you do in the weight room, but what you don't do that will lead to success."

Wendler's 5/3/1 book presents the following supportive training plans:

• Boring But Big: Main exercise, again the main exercise with 5 x 10 (50% of the 1RM) and 5 more sets of another support exercise. - The Triumvirate: Main exercise and 2 supporting exercises with 5 sets each.
• I'm Not Doing Jack Shit (I'm not doing anything at all): Main exercise and nothing else.
• Periodization Bible by Dave Tate: Main exercise and 3 exercises of 5 x 10-20 repetitions each.
• Bodyweight: Main exercise and two bodyweight-only exercises such as pull-ups, dips, sit-ups, etc.

Here are some example training plans for supportive training based on your goals.

Supportive training for strength building

Squat training session

• Squats: 5 x 10 x 50%
• Leg curls: 5 x 10

Bench press training session

• Bench press: 5 x 10 x 50%
• One-arm dumbbell row: 5 x 10

Deadlift training session

• Deadlift: 5 x 8 x 50%
• Hanging leg raises: 5 x 12

Overhead press training session

• Overhead press: 5 x 10 x 50%
• Pull-ups: 5 sets until muscle failure

Supportive training for bodybuilders

Squat Training Session Day - Supporting Exercises Option A

• Hackenschmidt squats: 4 sets of 10-20 repetitions
• Leg extensions: 4 sets of 10-30 repetitions
• Leg curls: 4 sets of 10-15 repetitions
• Sit-ups with additional weight: 4 sets of 10 repetitions

Squat Training Session Day - Supporting Exercises Option B

• 45 degree leg press - 4 sets of 10-20 repetitions
• Leg extensions - 4 sets of 10-30 repetitions
• Leg curls - 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Sit-ups with additional weight - 4 sets of 10 reps

Bench Press Training Session Day - Supporting Exercises Option A

• Dumbbell bench press: 4 sets of 10-20 repetitions
• Dips (with additional weight): 4 sets of 8-15 repetitions
• Flying movements with dumbbells: 4 sets of 12 repetitions
• Tricep presses on the cable pulley: 4 sets of 10-20 repetitions

Bench Press Training Session Day - Supporting Exercises Option B

• Dumbbell incline bench press - 4 sets of 10-20 repetitions
• Dip (with additional weight) - 4 sets of 8-15 repetitions
• Flying movements with dumbbells - 4 sets of 12 repetitions
• Tricep presses on the cable pulley - 4 sets of 10-20 repetitions

Deadlift Training Session Day - Supporting Exercises Option A

• Pull-ups: 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions
• Rowing bent forward with a dumbbell: 4 sets of 15 repetitions/arm
• Hyperextensions: 4 sets of 10 repetitions (with a barbell in the neck)
• Hanging leg raises: 4 sets of 15 repetitions

Deadlift training session day - Supporting exercises option B

• Lat pulldown - 4 sets of 10-12 repetitions
• Rowing bent forward - 4 sets of 15 reps/arm
• Reverse hyperextensions - 4 sets of 12 repetitions
• Hanging leg raises - 4 sets of 15 reps

Overhead Press Workout Day - Supporting Exercises Option A

• Dumbbell shoulder press sitting: 4 sets of 10 reps
• Rowing upright with a barbell: 4 sets of 10 repetitions
• Dumbbell side raises: 4 sets of 10-15 repetitions
• Standing barbell curls: 4 sets of 10 repetitions

Overhead Press Training Session Day - Supporting Exercises Option B

• Shoulder presses on the hammer machine - 4 sets of 10 repetitions
• Rowing upright with a rope handle - 4 sets of 10 reps
• Reverse flying movements bent forward - 4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Standing dumbbell curls - 4 sets of 10 reps

Notes on Wendler's 5/3/1

Maximum weight for one repetition (1RM)

When you start with Wendler's 5/3/1, you should use a realistic maximum weight for one repetition (1RM weight). It's better to start slightly below your estimated max weight and work your way up than to overestimate your 1RM weight and waste a mesocycle. Powerlifting is not a sprint - it's a marathon. Don't kill yourself at the start. Wendler recommends starting the first mesocycle at 90% of your 1RM weight.

The last set

Jim Wendler recommends going all out on the last set of the core exercise in every training session. Remember that the core exercise is either squats, bench presses, deadlifts or overhead presses. On this last set, perform as many repetitions as you can with the given weight. Do not use this approach in the unload training sessions.

Increase the weight

After each mesocycle, add 2.5 kilos to your 1RM for bench press and overhead press and 5 kilos to your 1RM weight for squats and deadlifts and recalculate your percentages of 1RM weight. If you do Wendler's 5/3/1 for a year, this progression scheme will add 25 kilos to your bench press and shoulder press weight and 50 kilos to your deadlift and squat weight. Be patient and stick to the plan.

2 days per week approach

Those who can only make it to the gym twice a week can use the following template:

• Monday - squats and bench press
• Thursday - deadlift and overhead press

This is a 4 week cycle. Perform the core exercises first and then add appropriate supporting exercises. Remember to limit your time per training session to 60 minutes.

Wendlers 5/3/1 and Westside Hybrid

Wendlers 5/3/1 is a very flexible training system. For this reason, the door is wide open to combine Wendler's training system with core components of the Westside system.

Some exercisers may want to integrate dynamic effort days (DE) from Westside Training. How you structure this integration is up to you.

Some exercisers will be able to do heavy squats and heavy deadlifts on one day and then use the second day for posterior chain dynamic effort training.

Others may choose to combine heavy Wendler squats with deadlifts with dynamic effort and heavy Wendler deadlifts with squats with dynamic effort.

Other possible integrations of Westside and Wendler might be to skip the heavy overhead press day and instead perform overhead press exercises on bench press days. This would free up one training day per week for bench press training with dynamic effort.

Example program structure for Westside/Wendlers 5/3/1

• Monday - Bench press with dynamic effort. Heavier overhead press.
• Tuesday - Wendler's squat day. Deadlift with dynamic effort.
• Thursday - Wendler's bench press day.
• Friday - Wendler's deadlift day. Squats with dynamic effort.

Use exercises that address your weak points for supportive training. Please remember that this sample hybrid program is just one of many possible examples I've presented to get you thinking about the possibilities. There are many ways to combine Westside and Wendler and many reasons to want to do so.

If you are starting out with a hybrid program, approach it with caution. Start slowly and work your way up. Don't plan too much work into your hybrid program. It's better to get the right feel for a hybrid program first and then keep adding work than to literally kill yourself and then have to cut back.

Final notes

Far too many young exercisers are looking for magical training programs. Wendler's 5/3/1 powerlifting program is not magical. It works if you train hard and stick with the program. Wendler's 5/3/1 generally needs to be done over several mesocycles - so don't choose this program if you don't want to stick with it.

There are many heated discussions about which training system is best. In this context, remember that the key to success with any program is your drive to succeed.

Source: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/hardcore-look-at-jim-wendlers-5-3-1-powerlifting-system.html