Strength
5/3/1 Boring But Big
Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 main work + 5×10 Boring But Big accessories on the same lift. Intermediate program with planned deload every 4th week. Four days a week, about 60 minutes a session.
- Days per week
- 4
- Session length
- About 60 min
- Level
- Intermediate
- Focus
- Strength
What it takes
You will need four sessions a week of roughly 60 minutes, plus a warm-up.
Your week
Rest or walk on the other three days. Spread the sessions out if you can, so the same muscles get a day off in between.
- Day 1: Overhead Press (about 60 min)
- Day 2: Deadlift (about 60 min)
- Day 3: Bench (about 60 min)
- Day 4: Squat (about 60 min)
Overhead Press (5/3/1 + BBB)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead Press (main work (65/75/85%)) | 3 × 5/3/1 | 3 min |
| Overhead Press (BBB @ 50%) | 5 × 10 | 90 s |
| Chin-Up | 5 × 10 | 90 s |
Deadlift (5/3/1 + BBB)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift (main work) | 3 × 5/3/1 | 4 min |
| Deadlift (BBB @ 50%) | 5 × 10 | 2 min |
| Hanging Leg Raise | 5 × 10–15 | 1 min |
Bench (5/3/1 + BBB)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Bench Press (main work) | 3 × 5/3/1 | 3 min |
| Bench Press (BBB @ 50%) | 5 × 10 | 90 s |
| Dumbbell Row | 5 × 10 | 90 s |
Squat (5/3/1 + BBB)
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Back Squat (main work) | 3 × 5/3/1 | 4 min |
| Back Squat (BBB @ 50%) | 5 × 10 | 2 min |
| Lying Leg Curl | 5 × 10 | 1 min |
Adding weight
Where an exercise has a rep range, like 6–8, stay at the same weight until you hit the top of the range on every set. Then add the smallest jump you can and build back up from the bottom.
For fixed-rep work, add weight once every set moves well and you finish with a rep or two in reserve.
Jumps of 1–2.5 kg on upper-body lifts and 2.5–5 kg on lower-body lifts are plenty. Bigger jumps stall sooner.
Making it fit
- Take a lighter week every five or six weeks: same exercises, about half the sets.
- If a session runs long, cut the last exercise rather than rushing the rest.
