Building the Monolith – 6-Week 5/3/1 for Size Program

Building the Monolith is Jim Wendler's six-week 5/3/1 for Size program. Three days a week: squat and press, deadlift and bench, then a 20-rep squat and ten or more sets of presses. Eat a lot, and you grow.

Hardy works out every set from your training max and raises it by the rule below. Log your reps. No spreadsheet.

It is built as Wendler published it on his blog. The 5/3/1 Building the Monolith template is free. It is not in the books.

Weekly structure

Train three days a week, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Every main-lift set is a percentage of your training max.

• Day 1: squat 5×5 and press 3 ramp sets plus an AMRAP set, then 100 chins, 100 face pulls and 100 dips
• Day 2: deadlift 3×5 and bench press 5×5, then dumbbell rows 5×10 or more and 100 curls
• Day 3: squat 3 ramp sets and a 20-rep set, press 10 to 15 sets of 5, weighted chins 5×5, then face pulls and shrugs

The 5×5 and 3×5 come after two ramp sets. Day 3 ends with 100 face pulls and 100 shrugs.

The percentages change each week.

• Weeks 1 and 4: 70, 80 and 90%
• Weeks 2 and 5: 65, 75 and 85%
• Weeks 3 and 6: 75, 85 and 95%

The 20-rep squat starts at 45% and climbs to 70% by week 6. The Day 3 press is 10 sets of 5 at 70, 50 and 75% in weeks 1 to 3. Weeks 4 to 6 use 12, 15 and 12 sets at 60, 65 and 75%.

Rest 3 minutes on the main lifts. The 100-rep exercises are 10 sets of 10 here. Do them between main sets or at the end, in any set breakdown you like.

Only squat, press, deadlift and bench press are required. Wendler calls the rest window dressing.

Progression

Set your training max at 85% of your one-rep max. Wendler says to pick a lower number than you think. Hardy asks for your maxes when you start and does the maths.

Finish every rep of a lift in week 3 and Hardy raises its training max. Squat and deadlift go up 10 lbs (5 kg). Press and bench press go up 5 lbs (2.5 kg).

Weeks 4 to 6 use the new number. Week 6 raises it again for your next run.

Miss reps in week 3 and the training max stays where it is. The Building the Monolith program has no deload week.

Eating and conditioning

Wendler's one food rule: 1.5 lbs (700 g) of ground beef and a dozen whole eggs every day, for six weeks. Eat what you like on top of that.

Conditioning is mandatory, three or four times a week. He prefers the bike, walks in a weight vest and the Prowler. No hills.

Changes from the original

• "100 total reps" is 10 sets of 10 in the app. Dips are 100 here, not 100 to 200.
• Dumbbell rows are 5 sets of 10 or more. Wendler writes 10 to 20.
• Face pulls stand in for band pull-aparts. Swap in the editor if you train with a band.
• Wendler allows squatting last on Day 3 and swapping the Day 1 and Day 3 press work. This version keeps his order.

Tips

• Never move the 20-rep squat to Day 1. Wendler says it will ruin the rest of your week.
• Use the warm-up calculator before the first ramp set.
• The 85% training max matters most in weeks 3 and 6, where 5 sets of 5 sit at 95%.
• After six weeks, assess and run it again, or go back to 5/3/1 Boring But Big. New to 5/3/1? Read how to start 5/3/1 first.

Building the Monolith is Jim Wendler's free 5/3/1 template, published on jimwendler.com. Not affiliated with Jim Wendler or 5/3/1.