If you are looking for a simple, but proven method of how to seriously increase strength, then you should take a good look at Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 powerlifting system.
As a former competitive powerlifter he deadlifted 320kg, bench pressed 306kg, and squatted 450kg. His programme is rapidly growing into one of the most popular powerlifting and strength building training routines on the planet.
Wendler's 5/3/1 Core Components
The programme is based around four main compound lifts: the military press, the deadlift, the bench press, and the squat. The beauty of the programme is the ease with which you can customise the training to your schedule. Most people stick with one main lift a day and add some assistance work. Others just do the main lift. There are many options to play with.
The programme is based on four to five week cycles. In the first week you do three working sets of 5 reps with increasing percentages of your 1 rep max. In the second week you do three working sets of 3 reps with increasing percentages of your 1 rep max. During the third week you do one working set with 5 reps, one working set with 3 reps, and a max effort 1 rep set. The fourth week is a deload week in which you back off and recuperate.
The weights you use are all based on percentages of your one rep max so you know exactly what weight you need to use and exactly how many reps you should get on every set. You always get the chance to set new personal bests on the last set of every training session. If the programme calls for 5 reps and you’re feeling strong, go ahead and get 6 or 7.
If you work out three times per week (Monday-Wednesday-Friday), you will rotate between 4 core workouts. If you work out 4 days per week, you will hit each workout once a week on the same training day. Over the course of a mesocycle, you will perform each of the 4 workouts four times, for a total of 16 workouts. A week mesocycle looks like this:
• Week 1 – ABC (Monday - Workout A, Wednesday - Workout B, Friday - Workout C)
• Week 2 – DAB
• Week 3 – CDA
• Week 4 – BCD
• Week 5 – ABC
• Week 6 – D
If you use Wendler's 5/3/1 and train 4 days per week, your mesocycle will last only 4 weeks. Your workout schedule should look something like this:
• Monday: Squat day
• Wednesday: Bench press day
• Friday: Deadlift day
• Saturday: Overhead press day
Workout waves
Each workout is performed 4 times during the course of a Wendler's 5/3/1 mesocycle. Simply stated, you will have 4 bench press workouts, 4 squat workouts, 4 deadlift workouts, and 4 overhead press workouts. Each specific workout (A-B-C-D) is comprised of 4 waves, or 4 different workouts. These waves are:
• Wave A – Warmup, 75% x 5, 80% x 5, 85% x 5
• Wave B – Warmup, 80% x 3, 85% x 3, 90% x 3
• Wave C – Warmup, 75% x 5, 85% x 3, 95% x 1
• Wave D – Deload wave – 60% x 5, 65% x 5, 70% x 5
Wendler's 5/3/1 complete mesocycle breakdown
Now that we've looked at the nuts and bolts of the Wendler's 5/3/1 powerlifting system, let's put them together into a structured mesocycle. Please note that the following tables do not include assistance work. The letter (ABCD) following the core workout is the corresponding wave that you will be performing on that training day.
Assistance work
How much assistance work you do is up to you. Natural lifters should try to be in and out of the gym in 60 minutes. If you can't "hit it" in that period of time, you need to take a long, hard look at the rest periods you are taking between assistance work sets.
In the Wendler's 5/3/1 book, the following assistance plans are presented:
• Boring But Big. Main lift, the main lift again @ 5x10 (50% 1RM), and another accessory exercise for 5 sets.
• The Triumvirate. Main lift, and two assistance exercises - 5 sets each.
• I’m Not Doing Jack Shit. Main lift, and nothing else.
• Periodization Bible by Dave Tate. Main lift, and 3 exercises - 5 x 10-20 reps each.
• Bodyweight. Main lift, and 2 bodyweight exercises such as the pull up, sit ups, dips, etc.
Richard Geres is an ACE-certified
Personal Trainer
www.richardgeres.com