Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 Triumvirate: the classic 4-day strength program built on squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press over a 4-week cycle. Three working weeks plus a deload, with every set calculated from your training max by Hardy automatically.
Weekly structure
Each workout is one main lift at training-max (TM) percentages with an AMRAP final set, followed by exactly two assistance exercises — three lifts per day, the “triumvirate” that gives the template its name:
- Overhead press day: dips 5×15, chin-ups 5×10
- Deadlift day: good mornings 5×12, hanging leg raises 5×15
- Bench press day: dumbbell bench press 5×15, dumbbell rows 5×10
- Squat day: leg press 5×15, leg curls 5×10
Main lift percentages:
- Week 1: 5 reps at 65 / 75 / 85% of TM
- Week 2: 3 reps at 70 / 80 / 90% of TM
- Week 3: 5 / 3 / 1 reps at 75 / 85 / 95% of TM
- Week 4 (deload): main lift only, 5 reps at 40 / 50 / 60% of TM
Progression
Your training max is 90% of your 1RM. After each completed cycle, add 2.5 kg to the upper-body training maxes and 5 kg to the lower-body ones — slow, sustainable strength progression.
Tips
Warm up to the first work set (for example 40 / 50 / 60% of TM for 5 / 5 / 3 reps), and follow Wendler's advice to add conditioning work 2–3 times per week alongside the lifting.
Starting TM is 90% of 1RM.
More official programs
- 5/3/1 Boring But Big — the 4-day 5/3/1 template with 5×10 supplemental volume
- 5/3/1 First Set Last — 5×5 back-off sets at the first work-set weight
- 5/3/1 for Beginners — three full-body days with two main lifts each
- 5/3/1 for MMA & Combat Sports — two-day 5/3/1 for fighters and grapplers
Guides and tools for this program
- 531 app: run 5/3/1 in Hardy — choose a template, set four training maxes, review the next cycle
- How to start the 5/3/1 program — training max, percentages and the first cycle
- 5/3/1 calculator — every set of the cycle from your training max
- 5/3/1 template — printable spreadsheet of the whole cycle
Targeted muscles
Training blocks
Week 1
W1 Overhead Press
overhead press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
overhead press
3×5+
dip
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
dip
5×15
chinup
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
chinup
5×10
W1 Deadlift
deadlift
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
deadlift
3×5+
good morning
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
good morning
5×12
hanging leg raises
Set
Reps
Rest time
hanging leg raises
5×15
W1 Bench Press
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
bench press
3×5+
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
bench press
5×15
single arm row
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
single arm row
5×10
W1 Squat
squat
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
squat
3×5+
leg press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
leg press
5×15
leg curl
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
leg curl
5×10
Week 2
W2 Overhead Press
overhead press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
overhead press
3×3+
dip
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
dip
5×15
chinup
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
chinup
5×10
W2 Deadlift
deadlift
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
deadlift
3×3+
good morning
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
good morning
5×12
hanging leg raises
Set
Reps
Rest time
hanging leg raises
5×15
W2 Bench Press
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
bench press
3×3+
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
bench press
5×15
single arm row
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
single arm row
5×10
W2 Squat
squat
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
squat
3×3+
leg press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
leg press
5×15
leg curl
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
leg curl
5×10
Week 3
W3 Overhead Press
overhead press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
overhead press
3 sets
dip
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
dip
5×15
chinup
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
chinup
5×10
W3 Deadlift
deadlift
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
deadlift
3 sets
good morning
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 10-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
good morning
5×12
hanging leg raises
Set
Reps
Rest time
hanging leg raises
5×15
W3 Bench Press
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
bench press
3 sets
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
bench press
5×15
single arm row
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
single arm row
5×10
W3 Squat
squat
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
squat
3 sets
leg press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 12-15 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 5 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 5 lbs.
leg press
5×15
leg curl
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Double Progression: Work within 8-12 reps, adding one rep per successful session. At the top of the range, weight increases by 6 lbs; failing at the bottom decreases it by 6 lbs.
leg curl
5×10
Week 4 (Deload)
W4 Overhead Press
overhead press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Overload: After 1 successful session, Training Max will be suggested to increase by 5 lbs.
overhead press
3×5
W4 Deadlift
deadlift
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Overload: After 1 successful session, Training Max will be suggested to increase by 10 lbs.
deadlift
3×5
W4 Bench Press
bench press
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Overload: After 1 successful session, Training Max will be suggested to increase by 5 lbs.
bench press
3×5
W4 Squat
squat
Set
Intensity
Weight
Reps
Rest time
Overload: After 1 successful session, Training Max will be suggested to increase by 10 lbs.