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5/3/1 Strength

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 with four-week waves, submaximal training, and built-in deloads.

The selected Grain Gym catalog has 13 programs, 448 exercises, and 11 progression systems. This page covers one program's structure.

Intermediate4 days/week12 weeksBarbell, Dumbbell, Machine, Cable
01Progression
02

WAVE

Three loading weeks that climb, then a deload week.

02Spec
Intermediate
Level
4
Days / week
12 wks
Duration
Strength
Focus

Equipment: Barbell, Dumbbell, Machine, Cable

03Run this program

Who this is for

Intermediate lifters who've stalled on linear progression. Wendler designed 5/3/1 to be slow and durable: you train at percentages of a training max (90% of your true 1RM), so the working weights always feel doable, and you progress by tiny increments over months rather than chasing PRs every week.

If you've been lifting consistently for at least a year, can squat your bodyweight, and want a program you can run for years, this is it.

Structure

Four days a week for 12 weeks, one main lift per day: Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Overhead Press. Each lift cycles through a four-week wave.

  • Week 1: 5 reps at 65/75/85% of training max (last set is AMRAP, as many reps as possible)

  • Week 2: 3 reps at 70/80/90% (last set AMRAP)

  • Week 3: 5/3/1 at 75/85/95% (last set AMRAP)

  • Week 4: Deload at 40/50/60%

  • Squat Day: Barbell Squat (wave sets, see above), Machine Leg Press 5×8-12, Machine Lying Leg Curls 3×8-12, Bodyweight Hanging Leg Raise 3×8-12.

  • Bench Day: Barbell Bench Press (wave sets, see above), Dumbbell Bench Press 5×8-12, Barbell Bent Over Row 5×8-12, Bodyweight Dips 3×8-12.

  • Deadlift Day: Barbell Deadlift (wave sets, see above), Barbell Good Morning 5×8-12, Bodyweight Chin-Up 5×8-12, Bodyweight Hanging Leg Raise 3×8-12.

  • OHP Day: Barbell Overhead Press (wave sets, see above), Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5×8-12, Cable Lat Pulldown 5×8-12, Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise 3×8-12.

How to run it in Grain Gym

Pick the program and set your training max for each main lift (90% of your true 1RM). The program works out the wave percentages from it and adds 5 lb (bench, overhead press) or 10 lb (squat, deadlift) to the training max after each four-week wave. Accessory work is RPE-based.

Notes

  • The AMRAP set is where you find out where you really are. Don't sandbag, don't chase PRs.
  • The deload week isn't optional. It's the reason this program works for years.
  • If you miss reps two waves in a row on the same lift, lower that lift's training max 10% yourself and rebuild. The app doesn't do it for you.
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