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
- The 5/3/1 program: how it works and how to start — 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
About this program
What is the 5/3/1 Triumvirate?
The Triumvirate comes from Jim Wendler's first 5/3/1 book, where it sits beside Boring But Big. The rule is strict: three exercises per training day and no more. The first is the day's main lift, run through the normal 5/3/1 progression. The other two are assistance exercises done for 5 sets each.
Where Boring But Big follows the main lift with fifty more reps of the same barbell lift, the Triumvirate follows it with two well-chosen assistance exercises. That means less volume and much easier recovery. What follows is the widely published base version, and Wendler's books have the full method.
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.
squat
3×5
The 5x15 / 5x10 assistance scheme
Each assistance exercise gets 5 sets, usually one exercise around 15 reps and one around 10. That is fifty to seventy-five reps per exercise at moderate loads. The point is added muscle and work capacity, not another maximal effort.
Pick weights you could do a few more reps with and rest about 90 seconds between sets. Progress by adding reps first and weight second. The heavy lifting for the day already happened in the main sets.
The pairings above are a starting point, not scripture. The 5/3/1 assistance work article covers what each slot is for and how to substitute. The full set-by-set breakdown of the main lifts is in 5/3/1 percentages by week.
Is the 5/3/1 Triumvirate a beginner program?
It depends which beginner. If you are in your first months of lifting and still add weight to the bar every session, keep doing that. Hardy's 5/3/1 for Beginners routine is the better start if you want 5/3/1 from day one.
The Triumvirate suits the late beginner: weekly progress has stalled and the four main lifts are technically stable. One main lift and two assistance exercises per day is easy to learn. Set your first Training Max at 90% of an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set of 3-5 reps, and go lower when in doubt. How to calculate your Training Max has the method.
The book's assistance numbers assume some training history, so scale them:
- Chin-ups: 5 sets of as many clean reps as you have, or band assistance or lat pulldowns until 5x10 is realistic.
- Dips: bench dips, push-ups or assisted dips for 5x15.
- Good mornings: an empty or lightly loaded bar for the first cycles, or Romanian deadlifts or back raises instead.
- Hanging leg raises: bent-knee or lying leg raises for the same 5 sets.
Is the 5/3/1 Triumvirate enough volume?
For strength, yes. The main sets are the same progression engine as every other 5/3/1 variant, and the two assistance blocks add 100-135 quality reps per session. For maximum muscle growth, no: most muscle groups get around 10 hard sets per week, below what dedicated hypertrophy training uses. That is by design, because the Triumvirate trades volume for recovery and short sessions.
The AMRAP set is your volume meter. If those reps climb from cycle to cycle, the program has all the volume it needs. Do not judge it in your first two cycles, because the Training Max starts conservative and week 3 at 95% collects the debt.
If AMRAP reps stall while sleep and food are good, add volume in this order:
- Push the existing assistance: take every 5-set block to the top of its rep range, then add load.
- Add one assistance exercise per day for 25-50 easy reps, such as curls, face pulls, back raises or ab work.
- Switch a cycle to Boring But Big or First Set Last for structured barbell volume.
If a lift stalls, with grinding AMRAP sets or missed reps, reset that TM to 90% of its current value and rebuild. First-cycle setup is covered in how to start the 5/3/1 program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the Triumvirate?
A triumvirate is a ruling group of three. Each training day has exactly three exercises: the main 5/3/1 lift plus two assistance exercises. The name is the program's rule.
What are the sets and reps in the 5/3/1 Triumvirate?
The main lift gets three work sets on the 5/3/1 waves, with the last set an AMRAP in weeks 1-3. Assistance is two exercises for 5 sets each, usually one around 15 reps and one around 10-12.
Should I add exercises if the 5/3/1 Triumvirate feels like too little volume?
Not in your first two cycles. After that, add one assistance exercise per day only if AMRAP reps have stalled while sleep and food are good. Do not bolt a bodybuilding session onto it, because that is how the 95% week starts missing reps.
Can I run the Triumvirate on 3 days per week?
Yes. Like any 5/3/1 variant, you can rotate the four main-lift days across three weekly sessions, so a cycle takes longer than four calendar weeks. The 4-day layout is the classic version and the one to use if your schedule allows.
Does the Triumvirate build muscle or just strength?
Both, in moderation. The main sets drive strength, and the 5x15 and 5x10 assistance blocks are straightforward hypertrophy work. If size is the primary goal, Boring But Big is the bigger stimulus: see 5/3/1 Triumvirate vs BBB.
Enter your Training Maxes once and Hardy calculates every 5/3/1 set, AMRAP target, deload and cycle increase for you.
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