5/3/1 vs 5x5: Which Program Fits You, and When to Switch

If you are new to lifting, start the free 5x5 routine in Hardy. If you have stalled on it already, the 5/3/1 for Beginners routine is the next step. Hardy works out every set in both.

How 5/3/1 and 5x5 differ

StrongLifts 5x5 is a linear progression program. That means you add weight every session. You train three full-body days a week and squat each time.

Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 is a percentage-based program. Every set is a share of your Training Max, which is 90% of the most you can lift once. The Training Max goes up once every 4-week cycle.

They are built for different stages of the same lifting career. 5x5 comes first.

Why 5x5 wins for true beginners

A new lifter recovers from a heavier squat in 48 hours. So a jump every session is free strength. On 5x5 your squat can climb 60 lbs (about 27 kg) in a month.

Starting 5/3/1 on day one throws that away. You would wait four weeks for a 10 lb (5 kg) raise. Your body was ready for it on Wednesday.

So stay on 5x5 while it works. Progressive overload, which means doing a little more over time, does not get simpler.

The signs you've outgrown 5x5

• You stalled, took 10% off the bar, and stalled again at about the same weight. This usually happens 3-6 months in.
• Your sets of five grind from the first rep, even after a reset.
• Sessions take 75-90 minutes because you need 5 minutes of rest between squat sets.
• You dread squatting three times a week, and you never feel recovered.

The chart shows one example lifter. The 5x5 line climbs fast, hits a wall, resets and hits the same wall again. The 5/3/1 line is slower but keeps going up.

Why 5/3/1 fixes those problems

5/3/1 attacks the stall in three ways:

• The Training Max goes up once a month. That matches how fast you adapt after the beginner stage.
• Every set is worked out from 90% of your true max, so the bar feels manageable again. The AMRAP set, where you do as many reps as you can, rewards good days.
• Week 4 of every cycle is a deload week, an easy week. Tiredness gets cleared before it stops your progress.

The closest step from 5x5 is 5/3/1 for Beginners. It keeps three full-body days a week. If you want four days and more size work, run 5/3/1 Boring But Big instead.

How to switch: set your Training Max from your 5x5 numbers

1. Take your best recent 5x5 weight for each lift. Work out your estimated 1RM: weight x reps x 0.0333 + weight. A 225 lb (102 kg) squat for five gives about 262 lbs (119 kg).
2. Set the Training Max at 90% of that, which is about 235 lbs (107 kg) here. How to calculate your training max has the full walkthrough.
3. Run your first cycle at those numbers. It should feel easy, and that is by design. If you get 3-5 reps or more on the week 3 AMRAP set, the Training Max is right.
4. After each cycle, add 5 lbs (2.5 kg) to upper-body lifts and 10 lbs (5 kg) to lower-body lifts.

Pros and cons of switching to 5/3/1

Starting Strength vs 5/3/1: the same switch, fewer sets

Starting Strength is a close cousin of 5x5. You do three sets of five instead of five, and you add weight every session. The power clean replaces the barbell row.

So Starting Strength vs 5/3/1 is the same choice as above. Run Starting Strength while the jumps keep coming. Switch to 5/3/1 when you stall and reset twice on the same lift.

The switch works the same way too. Use your best set of five to set each Training Max.

Madcow vs 5/3/1 after StrongLifts

Madcow 5x5 is the classic next step after StrongLifts. It moves the raise from every session to every week. You ramp up to one heavy set of five.

It works, but the runway is short. There is no planned easy week and no extra work for size. Most lifters stall again within a few months.

In Madcow vs 5/3/1, pick 5/3/1 if you want one program for years. Pick Madcow if you love 5x5 and want a few more months of it.