5/3/1 Boring But Big

Overview

5/3/1 Boring But Big is one of the most popular templates from Jim Wendler. The main work follows the classic 5/3/1 percentage progression. After your top sets, you do 5 sets of 10 reps of the same lift at a lower weight. This supplemental volume (the "boring but big" part) drives hypertrophy while the main sets build strength. It is simple, effective, and has produced results for thousands of lifters.

You need to know your training max (TM) for squat, bench, deadlift, and overhead press. Your TM should be 85-90% of your true 1RM.

The 5/3/1 Sets (Main Work)

Week 1 (5s Week)

• •Set 1: 65% of TM x 5
• •Set 2: 75% of TM x 5
• •Set 3: 85% of TM x 5+ (AMRAP)

Week 2 (3s Week)

• •Set 1: 70% of TM x 3
• •Set 2: 80% of TM x 3
• •Set 3: 90% of TM x 3+ (AMRAP)

Week 3 (5/3/1 Week)

• •Set 1: 75% of TM x 5
• •Set 2: 85% of TM x 3
• •Set 3: 95% of TM x 1+ (AMRAP)

Week 4 (Deload)

• •Set 1: 40% of TM x 5
• •Set 2: 50% of TM x 5
• •Set 3: 60% of TM x 5

Day 1: Squat

Main Work

• •Barbell Back Squat: 5/3/1 sets as prescribed above

BBB Supplemental

• •Barbell Back Squat: 5x10 at 50% TM (90s rest)

Assistance

• •Leg Curl: 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Hanging Leg Raise: 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Dumbbell Lunge: 3x10 per leg (60s rest)

Day 2: Bench Press

Main Work

• •Barbell Bench Press: 5/3/1 sets as prescribed above

BBB Supplemental

• •Barbell Bench Press: 5x10 at 50% TM (90s rest)

Assistance

• •Dumbbell Row: 5x10 (60s rest)
• •Dumbbell Curl: 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Face Pull: 3x15 (45s rest)

Day 3: Deadlift

Main Work

• •Conventional Deadlift: 5/3/1 sets as prescribed above

BBB Supplemental

• •Conventional Deadlift: 5x10 at 50% TM (90s rest)

Assistance

• •Good Morning: 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Ab Wheel Rollout: 3x10 (60s rest)
• •Dumbbell Shrug: 3x15 (45s rest)

Day 4: Overhead Press

Main Work

• •Standing Overhead Press: 5/3/1 sets as prescribed above

BBB Supplemental

• •Standing Overhead Press: 5x10 at 50% TM (90s rest)

Assistance

• •Lat Pulldown: 5x10 (60s rest)
• •Tricep Pushdown: 3x12 (60s rest)
• •Lateral Raise: 3x12 (45s rest)

Weekly Schedule

• •Monday: Squat
• •Tuesday: Bench Press
• •Thursday: Deadlift
• •Friday: Overhead Press

12-Week Cycle Structure

Run three 4-week cycles (3 working weeks + 1 deload). After each cycle, increase your training max by 5 lbs for upper body lifts and 10 lbs for lower body lifts.

Cycle 1 (Weeks 1-4)

BBB sets at 50% TM. Focus on getting the volume in and nailing AMRAP sets.

Cycle 2 (Weeks 5-8)

BBB sets increase to 55% TM. AMRAP sets should show improvement over Cycle 1.

Cycle 3 (Weeks 9-12)

BBB sets at 60% TM. This is where the supplemental work gets hard. If you cannot complete 5x10 at 60%, stay at 55%.

Key Principles

Never miss the prescribed reps on your main sets. The AMRAP set is where you push, but do not grind ugly reps. Stop when bar speed slows significantly. Long-term progress matters more than a single set PR.

The BBB sets should feel like work but not be a grind. If 5x10 takes more than 15 minutes, the rest periods are too long or the weight is too heavy.

Assistance work is flexible. Pick one push, one pull, and one core/single-leg exercise. Do 25-50 total reps of each. Do not overthink assistance, the main work and BBB sets are what drive progress.