5/3/1 Calculator
Our weightlifting calculator computes 5 3 instantly. Get accurate stats with historical comparisons and benchmarks. Get results you can export or share.
Formula
Working Weight = Training Max x Week Percentage
Where Training Max = 1RM x 85-90%. Week 1: 65/75/85% x 5/5/5+ reps. Week 2: 70/80/90% x 3/3/3+ reps. Week 3: 75/85/95% x 5/3/1+ reps. Week 4 (Deload): 40/50/60% x 5/5/5. The + indicates AMRAP (as many reps as possible) with good form.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Week 1 (5/5/5+) Squat Workout
Problem: An athlete with a 140kg squat 1RM using a 90% training max. Calculate all working sets for Week 1.
Solution: Training Max = 140 x 0.90 = 126kg\nWarm-up: 40% = 50kg x 5, 50% = 62.5kg x 5, 60% = 75kg x 5\nSet 1: 65% of TM = 126 x 0.65 = 82.5kg x 5\nSet 2: 75% of TM = 126 x 0.75 = 95kg x 5\nSet 3: 85% of TM = 126 x 0.85 = 107.5kg x 5+\nBBB: 5x10 at 50% = 62.5kg
Result: Working sets: 82.5kg x 5, 95kg x 5, 107.5kg x 5+ | BBB: 62.5kg x 5x10
Example 2: Week 3 (5/3/1+) Full Program Overview
Problem: Calculate all four lifts for Week 3 with 1RM values: Squat 140kg, Bench 100kg, Deadlift 180kg, Press 60kg at 90% TM.
Solution: Training Maxes: Squat 126kg, Bench 90kg, Deadlift 162kg, Press 54kg\nWeek 3 scheme: 75% x 5, 85% x 3, 95% x 1+\nSquat: 95kg x 5, 107.5kg x 3, 120kg x 1+\nBench: 67.5kg x 5, 77.5kg x 3, 85kg x 1+\nDeadlift: 122.5kg x 5, 137.5kg x 3, 155kg x 1+\nPress: 40kg x 5, 45kg x 3, 52.5kg x 1+
Result: Top sets: Squat 120kg, Bench 85kg, Deadlift 155kg, Press 52.5kg (all x 1+)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 5/3/1 program and who created it?
The 5/3/1 program is a strength training methodology created by Jim Wendler, a former elite powerlifter who squatted over 1000 pounds in competition gear. The program is built around four core barbell lifts: the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. Each lift is trained once per week in a 4-week cycle consisting of three progressively heavier weeks followed by a deload week. The program uses submaximal training based on a training max rather than a true one-rep max, which promotes consistent long-term progress while reducing injury risk. The philosophy emphasizes starting light, progressing slowly, and breaking personal records on the AMRAP (as many reps as possible) sets. Its simplicity and flexibility have made it one of the most popular strength programs worldwide.
What is a training max and why is it important in 5/3/1?
The training max is a calculated percentage of your true one-rep maximum, typically set at 85 to 90 percent, and it serves as the foundation for all weight calculations in the 5/3/1 program. Using a training max rather than a true max is critically important because it ensures you are training with submaximal weights that allow for perfect form, consistent progress, and adequate recovery. Jim Wendler recommends starting with a training max of 90 percent of your true max, or even 85 percent if you are new to the program. This means that your heaviest working set in week 3 at 95 percent of your training max is actually only about 85 percent of your true max. This built-in safety margin is what allows the program to work for months and years without stalling or causing overtraining injuries.
How does the weekly progression work in a 5/3/1 cycle?
Each 4-week 5/3/1 cycle follows a specific percentage and repetition scheme across three working sets per lift. Week 1 uses 65, 75, and 85 percent of your training max for sets of 5, 5, and 5-plus reps. Week 2 uses 70, 80, and 90 percent for sets of 3, 3, and 3-plus reps. Week 3 uses 75, 85, and 95 percent for sets of 5, 3, and 1-plus reps. Week 4 is a deload week using 40, 50, and 60 percent for sets of 5 reps each. The plus sign on the final set of weeks 1 through 3 indicates an AMRAP set where you perform as many reps as possible with good form. These AMRAP sets are where you set personal records and demonstrate your strength gains beyond the prescribed minimum reps.
How much weight should I add between 5/3/1 cycles?
After completing each 4-week cycle, you increase your training max by a fixed amount: 5 pounds or 2.5 kilograms for the upper body lifts (bench press and overhead press), and 10 pounds or 5 kilograms for the lower body lifts (squat and deadlift). This conservative progression rate is intentional and is one of the key reasons the program works so well for long-term strength development. Over 12 months of training, this equates to adding 30 kilograms to your squat and deadlift training maxes and 15 kilograms to your bench and press training maxes. Many lifters make the mistake of adding more weight than prescribed, which eventually leads to stalling and needing to reset. Jim Wendler emphasizes that the slow progression is a feature, not a bug, and allows for years of uninterrupted progress.
What assistance work should I do with the 5/3/1 program?
Jim Wendler has outlined several assistance templates that complement the main 5/3/1 lifts. The most popular is Boring But Big, where you perform 5 sets of 10 reps of the same lift at 50 percent of your training max after completing the main work. The Triumvirate template uses two assistance exercises per training day with 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps each, focusing on muscles that support the main lift. First Set Last has you repeat your first working set for 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps after the main sets. Regardless of the template, Wendler recommends organizing assistance into three categories: push movements like dips and tricep extensions, pull movements like chin-ups and rows, and single-leg or core work like lunges and hanging leg raises. Keep assistance work simple and do not let it interfere with recovery for the main lifts.
When should I deload and how does the deload week work?
In the standard 5/3/1 program, the deload occurs every fourth week using reduced weights of 40, 50, and 60 percent of your training max for 5 reps each. The deload serves multiple critical purposes: it allows accumulated fatigue to dissipate, gives joints and connective tissue time to recover, and provides a mental break from heavy training. Some advanced variations like 5/3/1 Forever use a 7th-week protocol where you test your training max with a single or triple before deloading, ensuring your training max remains appropriate. Never skip deload weeks thinking you do not need them, as the accumulated fatigue from three weeks of progressively heavier training creates a recovery debt that must be addressed. Training through deload weeks consistently leads to premature stalling and potential overuse injuries.