Key Takeaways
- 5/3/1 builds every set from a training max, set below your true max. The 2009 article uses 90% of 1RM[1], and Wendler's site now recommends 85% for most lifters who are new to 5/3/1 but not to lifting[3].
- Each four-week cycle runs 65/75/85% for 5s, 70/80/90% for 3s, 75/85/95% for 5/3/1, then a 40/50/60% deload. The top set of weeks 1 to 3 is a + set[1].
- After each cycle the training max goes up 5 lb for bench and press and 10 lb for squat and deadlift[1]. The kilogram version used here, 2.5 and 5 kg, is a conversion.
- Boring But Big is sourced to Wendler's site. The First Set Last and Second Set Last percentages and the warm-up sets rest on secondary references only, and the page marks them that way.
What 5/3/1 Is
5/3/1 is a four-week strength cycle on the squat, bench press, deadlift and standing press, with every set a percentage of a training max.
Jim Wendler described it in a 2009 T Nation article. Training happens three or four days a week, and each workout centres on one of the four lifts[1].
The point of the top set is to break rep records, not to chase a one-rep max. Wendler calls living and dying by the 1RM "foolish and short-sighted"[1].
The 5/3/1 Percentages
All four weeks use the same three-set shape. Percentages apply to the training max, not to the true 1RM.
| Week | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (5s) | 65% × 5 | 75% × 5 | 85% × 5+ |
| Week 2 (3s) | 70% × 3 | 80% × 3 | 90% × 3+ |
| Week 3 (5/3/1) | 75% × 5 | 85% × 3 | 95% × 1+ |
| Week 4 (deload) | 40% × 5 | 50% × 5 | 60% × 5 |
Original 5/3/1 percentages of the training max (Wendler, T Nation, 2009). A + means as many good reps as you can, at least the number shown.
Wendler's own worked example uses a 315 lb bench press. The article starts from 90% of the 1RM, which is 283.5 and is written as 285[1].
| Week | Set 1 (lb) | Set 2 (lb) | Set 3 (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (5s) | 185 × 5 | 215 × 5 | 240 × 5+ |
| Week 2 (3s) | 200 × 3 | 230 × 3 | 255 × 3+ |
| Week 3 (5/3/1) | 215 × 5 | 240 × 3 | 270 × 1+ |
| Week 4 (deload) | 115 × 5 | 145 × 5 | 170 × 5 |
Bench press, 1RM 315 lb, training max 285 lb, rounded to 5 lb. The article gives 185, 215 and 240 or 245 for week 1.
The calculator above reproduces those week 1 numbers in its tests. It works for any lift and any weight, and the kg and lb switch changes the rounding steps.
Setting the Training Max: 90%, 85% or 80%
The training max is a deliberately low number, so the sets stay repeatable. There is no single correct percentage for it.
The 2009 article takes 90% of an estimated or actual 1RM[1]. A forum post by Kevin Deweese on Wendler's site calls 90% "the recommended starting point"[2].
That post, which Wendler did not write, adds that there is no hard rule. After a while the training max drifts away from a fixed percentage of your max[2].
His training max calculator page now lists 85% as the recommendation for most lifters who are new to 5/3/1 but not new to lifting[3]. His beginner article talks about 80 to 85%[4].
Training max = 1RM × training max %
Set weight = training max × set % ÷ 100, rounded to your plate step
| Training max % | Training max (lb) | Week 1 top set (lb) | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90% | 270 | 230 × 5+ | 2009 article, starting point |
| 85% | 255 | 215 × 5+ | Training max calculator page, recommended for most |
| 80% | 240 | 205 × 5+ | Beginner article, which says 80 to 85% |
Squat 1RM of 300 lb at each training max percentage, rounded to 5 lb.
Wendler's beginner article says that if you are in doubt, you should err on the side of "too light"[4]. The forum post on his site says the more progress you get from a low training max, the better[2]. If you are unsure between two numbers, take the lower one.
Worked example in kilograms: squat 1RM 140 kg at 85%
Training max = 140 × 0.85 = 119, rounded to 2.5 kg = 120 kg
Week 1 top set = 120 × 0.85 = 102.5 kg × 5+, after rounding
No recent 1RM? The article suggests working up to a four-rep-max set on each lift. It also says your 3RM is about 90% of your 1RM, so a 3RM can go straight in as the base[1].
The Weight × reps option estimates a 1RM from a set of 2 to 10 reps with the Epley equation[13]. The Fitness Wiki trusts such calculators up to about 8 reps[8].
That estimate is a planning number. For a closer look at the equations, see the Epley Formula Calculator or the One Rep Max Calculator.
Progression: What Changes Each Cycle
After the four-week cycle, add 5 lb to the training max for bench and press and 10 lb for squat and deadlift, then recalculate every weight[1].
| Lifts | Pounds | Kilograms |
|---|---|---|
| Bench press, overhead press | +5 | +2.5 |
| Squat, deadlift | +10 | +5 |
Default training max increase per completed cycle.
The pound figures are Wendler's. The kilogram figures are the usual conversion, and the options panel lets you change both.
The training max only goes up when reps were good. Wendler's beginner article says that if reps were slow, grinding or short of excellent form, the training max does not increase[4].
The forum post on Wendler's site describes programmed resets, such as going up for 5 cycles and back 3[2]. Lift Vault gives a different rule, a reset to 90% of the training max after missing minimum reps[11]. The rules differ and neither is Wendler's own, so no reset is built in.
The Deload Week
The 2009 article ends each cycle with a deload week at 40, 50 and 60% of the training max for 5 reps each[1]. There is no + set that week, so the aim is recovery, not a record.
5/3/1 Forever has a chapter called "The Deload/7th Week Protocol"[7]. The Fitness Wiki and Train531 both say it replaced the fixed fourth-week deload in current 5/3/1[8][12]. No page by Wendler states this, and the protocol itself is in the book.
This calculator plans the original four-week cycle only.
Wendler's Boring But Big page says to keep the 5x10 work in the deload or cut it to 3x10[5]. It gives no weight for that week, so the calculator does not plan it.
Supplemental Work: Boring But Big, FSL and SSL
Supplemental work adds volume after the three main sets. Boring But Big is sourced to Wendler. The FSL and SSL percentages come from secondary references.
| Template | Sets × reps | Weight rule | Weeks 1, 2, 3 (lb) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boring But Big | 5 × 10 | 50 to 60% of the training max | 135, 135, 135 | JimWendler.com[5] |
| First Set Last | 5 × 5 | First main set's percent: 65, 70, 75% | 175, 190, 205 | Name and 5x5 from JimWendler.com[4][6]; percentages from secondary references[8][9] |
| Second Set Last | 5 × 5 | Second main set's percent: 75, 80, 85% | 205, 215, 230 | Secondary references[8][10] |
Examples use a 270 lb squat training max, rounded to 5 lb. Week 4 has no supplemental work in the calculator.
Boring But Big is 5 sets of 10, and Wendler says the general rule is 50 to 60% of the training max[5]. Beginners are told to start light, around 30%, and the site suggests 30%, 45% and 60% across three cycles[5].
The calculator offers 30, 45, 50, 60% for that reason and uses one weight for all five sets. Wendler says the aim is to finish 5 sets of 10, that you can vary the weight across sets, and that lower-body BBB can leave you very sore if started heavy[5].
His page shows the 5x10 on the same lift in one layout and on a different lift in another. The calculator adds it for the same lift.
By the secondary references, First Set Last repeats the weight of that week's first main set for 5 sets of 5[8]. Wendler compares 5x5 at FSL with Boring But Big and says the 5x5 is easier to recover from[6].
Second Set Last works the same way from the second main set. Lift Vault says Wendler suggested it right after a reset and for about two cycles[10]. That rests on a forum link, so treat it as unconfirmed.
For a way to choose between rep schemes in general, see the Sets and Reps Calculator.
What the + Sets Mean
A + after the reps means as many good reps as you can with that weight, at least the number shown. Wendler's stated goal is a rep record each workout, except in the deload week[1].
The calculator's Check a + set panel turns your reps into an estimated 1RM with the Epley equation[13]. It reads low if you stopped before failure, and it never tells you to raise or lower the training max.
The Fitness Wiki says Wendler is adamant that these sets should not go to absolute failure, and that you stop when bar speed or rep quality drops[8]. No Wendler page states this, but his beginner article does rule out slow, grinding reps[4].
No minimum rep target for the + sets was found in a Wendler source, so none is shown.
Warm-Up Sets
The optional warm-up toggle adds 40% × 5, 50% × 5, 60% × 3 of the training max before the three main sets in weeks 1 to 3. These numbers come from secondary references[11][12], so treat them as a common default, not as Wendler's rule.
For warm-up sets built another way, use the Warm-Up Calculator. To load any of these weights on the bar, use the Barbell Plate Calculator.
How the Calculator Works
What happens when you press Build my 5/3/1 cycle
- It takes the training max from your 1RM and the percentage you chose, rounds it to your plate step, or uses the training max you entered as it is.
- It multiplies the training max by each week's percentages and rounds each set to the same step.
- If you picked supplemental work, it adds Boring But Big, First Set Last or Second Set Last for weeks 1 to 3.
- It adds the cycle increment for each lift to give the next training max, and lists the training max for the next cycles if each one goes to plan.
Rounding can shift a set by a few percentage points at light weights. If a planned set is lighter than an empty bar, the results show a note.
What Is Sourced and What Is Not
Each claim the calculator relies on, and how well it is sourced:
| Claim | Level | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly percentages and reps (65/75/85 x5, 70/80/90 x3, 75/85/95 x5/3/1, deload 40/50/60 x5) | Wendler's own writing | Wendler, T Nation, 2009 |
| Training max at 90% of 1RM as the starting point | Wendler's own writing | Wendler, T Nation, 2009 |
| Training max at 85% (recommended for most lifters new to 5/3/1) or 80 to 85% | Wendler's own writing | JimWendler.com, its training max calculator page and the beginner article |
| No hard rule for the training max; it can drift from a fixed percentage over time | Forum post on Wendler's site, not by him | Kevin Deweese forum post reproduced on JimWendler.com, The Training Max |
| Add 5 lb to upper-body and 10 lb to lower-body training maxes each cycle | Wendler's own writing | Wendler, T Nation, 2009 |
| 2.5 kg and 5 kg as the kilogram version of that progression | Arithmetic | Conversion of the pound figures, not Wendler's wording |
| Boring But Big: 5 sets of 10 at 50 to 60% of the training max, beginners 30/45/60% over three cycles | Wendler's own writing | JimWendler.com, Boring But Big |
| First Set Last is done as 5x5 | Wendler's own writing | JimWendler.com, the beginner article and 5x5 FSL vs BBB |
| FSL and SSL use the first and second working-set percentages of that week | Secondary references only | The Fitness Wiki 5/3/1 primer; Lift Vault. No Wendler page printing these was found |
| Warm-up sets of 40% x5, 50% x5, 60% x3 | Secondary references only | Lift Vault; Train531 |
| 1RM from a set with the Epley equation | Published study | LeSuer et al., 1997, Table 1 |
The T Nation article is the origin of the percentages, and the training max advice has since shifted, so the page shows all three percentages Wendler has given.
Wendler's books were not available. Anything printed only in them is not claimed here, and the web pages cited can change.
What This Page Does Not Cover
Widowmaker, Joker sets, Pyramid sets and Anchor
Only secondary references or Wendler's books describe them, so they are not built in.
5/3/1 Forever programs
Leaders and anchors, 5s PRO, the 3/5/1 order and the 7th Week Protocol are not planned. This page covers the original four-week cycle.
A stall-reset formula
The forum post on Wendler's site and Lift Vault give different reset rules, and neither is Wendler's own text, so none is built in.
Minimum reps on the + sets
No Wendler source with a rule was found. The Check a + set panel gives an estimate only.
Supplemental work on the deload week
Wendler says to do the 5x10 or cut it to 3x10 but gives no weight, so it is not planned.
This is an independent calculator built from Wendler's published material. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jim Wendler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
- 5/3/1: How to Build Pure Strength. Wendler J. T Nation (article, 7 July 2009) (2009)
- The Training Max: What You Need to Know. Deweese K (forum post reproduced on JimWendler.com). jimwendler.com (web page, current version)
- 5/3/1 Training Max Calculator. Wendler J. jimwendler.com (web page, current version)
- The 5/3/1 Philosophy for Beginners. Wendler J. jimwendler.com (web page, current version)
- Boring But Big. Wendler J. jimwendler.com (web page, current version)
- 5x5 First Set Last vs Boring But Big: Which Should You Choose?. Wendler J. jimwendler.com (web page, forum excerpt, current version)
- 5/3/1 Forever: Contents and Excerpt on Supplemental Lifts. Wendler J. jimwendler.com (web page, current version)
- 5/3/1 Primer (secondary reference). The Fitness Wiki. thefitness.wiki (web page, current version)
- First Set Last (FSL) (secondary reference, not endorsed by Wendler). Lift Vault. liftvault.com (web page, current version)
- Second Set Last (SSL) Definition and Examples (secondary reference, not endorsed by Wendler). Lift Vault. liftvault.com (web page, current version)
- 5/3/1 Calculator: All Rep Schemes (secondary reference for warm-up sets). Lift Vault. liftvault.com (web page, current version)
- 5/3/1 Percentages: The Complete Reference Chart (secondary reference for warm-up sets). Train531. train531.com (web page, current version)
- The accuracy of prediction equations for estimating 1-RM performance in the bench press, squat, and deadlift. LeSuer DA, McCormick JH, Mayhew JL, Wasserstein RL, Arnold MD. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 11(4):211-213 (1997)
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Disclaimer: This tool is for informational and personal journaling purposes only. Results are estimates based on published formulas and may vary based on individual factors such as genetics, training history, and measurement technique.