5/3/1 CALCULATOR

Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program has become incredibly popular because it’s simple and it works for a lot of people. If you’re a patient intermediate lifter or a smart advanced lifter and you want to get stronger by making deliberate and steady progress each month then follow this program. (If you are new to powerlifting-style workouts, check out Starting Strength. You’ll progress faster and end up back here soon enough ready to get the most out of 5/3/1.)

Instructions:

Get the book. This calculator does not explain the program or why you might make certain choices. The book explains how to do the exercises properly, how to choose your assistance work, how to progress each month, and what to do if your progress stalls … and Wendler needs your cash for another tattoo.
Enter your current maximum lift numbers in the form below.
Click the “Calculate Program” button.
Print this page.
Crank some Black Sabbath. Do not underestimate the importance of this step.
Lift weights.
Get stronger.

Template
Pick your poison!

Boring But Big (most popular)
Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge (from T Nation)
Triumvirate (smart man’s program)
I’m Not Doing Jack Shit (not recommended)
Periodization Bible
Bodyweight (less body stress, more athletic)
Young Jim Wendler (from T Nation)
Simplest Strength
Full Body, Full Boring
Full Body Training
Two Days Per Week Option 1
Two Days Per Week Option 2
More Squatting
For Beginners
Offseason For Mass (from 5/3/1 for Powerlifting)
Offseason For Strength (from 5/3/1 for Powerlifting)
Offseason For Conditioning (from 5/3/1 for Powerlifting)
Bodybuilder (from Men’s Fitness)
Bodybuilder (from Blood and Chalk 8 and Wendler’s Blog)
Beach Body Challenge (from T-Nation)
Building the Monolith NEW! (from Wendler’s Blog. Read this article!)

Other

Karl’s Method (from Karl Schudt)

Units

pounds
kilograms

Real Rep Maxes
Wendler Training “Maxes”
1+ Set Weights

Press	reps × pounds
Bench Press	reps × pounds
Close Grip Bench Press	reps × pounds
Incline Press	reps × pounds
Power Clean	reps × pounds
Hang Clean	reps × pounds
Front Squat	reps × pounds
Squat	reps × pounds
Deadlift	reps × pounds
Stiff Leg Deadlift	reps × pounds

Press	1 rep × pounds
Bench Press	1 rep × pounds
Close Grip Bench Press	1 rep × pounds
Incline Press	1 rep × pounds
Power Clean	1 rep × pounds
Hang Clean	1 rep × pounds
Front Squat	1 rep × pounds
Squat	1 rep × pounds
Deadlift	1 rep × pounds
Stiff Leg Deadlift	1 rep × pounds

Press	1+ reps × pounds
Bench Press	1+ reps × pounds
Close Grip Bench Press	1+ reps × pounds
Incline Press	1+ reps × pounds
Power Clean	1+ reps × pounds
Hang Clean	1+ reps × pounds
Front Squat	1+ reps × pounds
Squat	1+ reps × pounds
Deadlift	1+ reps × pounds
Stiff Leg Deadlift	1+ reps × pounds

Barbell Weight

pounds

Plates

Enter how many pairs of each weight you have.

Unrealistically large plate counts might cause your browser to slow down or crash. So just enter what you actually have, not what you wish you had, dreamer. (This note has always been here but now it is yellow so people see it.)

100 pounds
55 pounds
45 pounds
35 pounds
25 pounds
20 pounds
15 pounds
10 pounds
7.5 pounds
5 pounds
2.5 pounds
2 pounds
1.5 pounds
1.25 pounds
1 pounds
0.75 pounds
0.5 pounds
0.25 pounds

General Warm-up

foam roll, stretch, jump rope (recommended in 5/3/1)
DeFranco Agile 8 (recommended in Beyond 5/3/1)
None (You still have to warm-up.)

Main Lifts Programming
See the book.

Option 1: fresher (recommended)
Option 2: heavier

Other

Kaczmarski’s 8/6/3 (see T Nation article.)

Weeks Order

5/3/1 (standard)
3/5/1 (from 5/3/1 for Powerlifting)

Work Sets Order

Normal
Bastard (see Wendler’s Blog.)

Joker Sets
See Beyond 5/3/1 page 31

+5% more than the AMRAP work set
+10%
+15%
+20%
+25%
+30%

Down Sets
See Beyond 5/3/1 pages 12-13

None
5/3/1 Pyramid
First Set Last
First Set Last: Multiple Sets

Boring But Big Options

5 × 10 @ 30% (start here and increase 5% or 10% each cycle)
5 × 10 @ 35%
5 × 10 @ 40%
5 × 10 @ 45%
5 × 10 @ 50%
5 × 10 @ 55%
5 × 10 @ 60%
5 × 10 @ 65%
5 × 10 @ 70%
5 × 10 @ 75% (you are brave)
5 × 10 @ 80% (attempting this is probably verging on insane and injury)
5 × 5 @ 80%
5 × 3 @ 90%
5 × 1 @ 100%
pyramid down

Full Body, Full Boring Options

Squat: 65%×5, 75%×5, 85%×5
65%×3, 75%×3, 85%×3
70%×3, 80%×3, 90%×3
75%×5, 85%×3, 95%×1
80%×1, 90%×1, 100%×1
Bench Press: 65%×5, 75%×5, 85%×5
65%×3, 75%×3, 85%×3
70%×3, 80%×3, 90%×3
75%×5, 85%×3, 95%×1
80%×1, 90%×1, 100%×1
Deadlift: 65%×5, 75%×5, 85%×5
65%×3, 75%×3, 85%×3
70%×3, 80%×3, 90%×3
75%×5, 85%×3, 95%×1
80%×1, 90%×1, 100%×1

Main Lifts Deload
See Beyond 5/3/1 page 52

Deload 1 (standard)
Deload 2
Deload 3
Deload 4
Deload 5