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# 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength (2nd Edition)

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Review: Worthwhile long term plan - I love buying fitness books; I'm not an expert, never will be (I think I missed my true calling), but I was an overweight guy who lost 60+ pounds about ten years ago by following the programs in the magazines and the internet. I did succeed, but that was more dumb luck than knowledge. After about 18 months to 2 years, I stalled, and I didn't change my physique at all. At 190 pounds, I was weak. I could crank out some pushups, tons of situps, yes, but my first attempt with a real barbell in 2005 was a humbling attempt to bench 125 lbs. From them until 2012, well, I played with medicine balls, dumbbells, chinups, etc. in a sort of haphazard fashion. This second edition has more programming options than the first edition. The first edition, however, has everything you need. The second edition addresses our (meaning us men) for many different options so that we can put our own personal stamp on our training program. I have a whole bookcase of stuff--yes, many of them were cheaper, but only a few (Rippetoe, Dan John) are worth as much as Wendler's 5/3/1. If you love working out and love having a precise plan, Wendler's program is for you. If you would rather "wing-it," and work chest and biceps whenever you feel like it for whatever weight feels "right" until "failure," this book is not for you. Read on if curious; if not, you have my go-ahead to spend your hard-earned money. It is short and sweet: no science or explanations or sales-pitches, just the plan. My only negative remark for Jim: for $25 bucks for each black and white book, hire a proofreader who will ensure your product is professional (some formatting and punctuation issues/typos). The programming in 5/3/1 is not revolutionary; this is not an insult, I've read enough of Wendler's internet articles/posts to tell you that he would agree. What is a revolutionary is the way you determine your poundage. Many workouts tell you to use a "weight that you can lift for X reps." Not here, every lift is planned based on a percentage of your working load (which is 10% less than your 1 rep max). You rotate through four workouts (there are other variations), with each workout focusing on a primary lift to build pure strength: squat, deadlift, bench, and press (overhead). On each lift, you follow a predetermined template; for example, during week one, assuming your press 1RM is 117 lbs, you take 10% less, 105 lbs. You warmup with 40% for 5 reps, 50% for 5 reps, and 60% for 3 reps. Then, it's 5 reps at 65% (70 lbs) and 75% (80 lbs). Now, the fun part: your final set is 5 or more at 85% (90 lbs). By the time you go to week 3, you are going for one or more reps at 95% (100 lbs in our example). Week 4 is a deload: no heavy lifting, no breaking goals or going for as many reps as possible. Then, you start a second round, but you add 5 or 10 lbs to your working load and do it all again. Yes, you have to do some math. I created a spreadsheet, complete with the 1RM calculations, to calculate the prescribed weights for up to a 10 month period (or until you reset). I'm sure a quick Google search will help you find a template. In order to compare "rep maxes," Wendler recommends a formula to calculate your 1RM (the Epley formula), which gives a fair estimate of your 1RM based on your weight and load. In my experience, lifting a "load that feels right" offers very little progress; you need to push past your comfort zone. It might sound simple, but following a predetermined chart removes the guesswork and forces you to "try" to lift a weight that you might not have tried until you were "sure you could lift it." Well, follow the program, and the pounds just keep going up--slow and steady. After the primary lift on each day, you follow up with assistance exercises for mass building (the "sets of 10" you are accustomed to). Dumbbell stuff, chins, rows, lunges-all stuff to keep you well rounded and offer variety for those (like me) with a serious case of exercise ADD. Also, in contrast to many experts who want to build muscle and maximal strength--Wendler recommends "conditioning," hill sprints or similar hard activity to condition your body. I agree that conditioning should be a part of every well-rounded program. Human beings should be strong AND able to move (or walk a flight of steps). Don't skip the "deload" week. I did--it felt too easy to follow a week of easy lifting. I paid for it. I never thought I could be "over-trained"; after all, I'm not an athlete, I'm a father with a job and a hobby that involves lifting my cheap barbell set in my cold garage. Anyway, I followed 5 evolutions (my own term) without de-loading. By the 6th cycle, my whole body hurt, and I was completely unable to beat my PRs (personal records). I was sore, my joints hurt, etc. I was too greedy. I needed to reset the weights back a few cycles and lift twice in 10 day period before things felt right again. Then, I started my second "season" (again, my own term) of 5/3/1. As you can probably tell, I like writing reviews. So, you're probably wondering about my personal experience. Well, I have no intentions of competing (power lifting or bodybuilding), but I sure love competing against the barbell. My lifts have steadily increased over the six months or so that I have followed 5/3/1. My bench max is finally over my body-weight--all because I decided to keep "trying" at the heavier weights instead of just cranking out 'sets of ten.' Also, I am convinced that my improvements came because I made steady, slow progress and because of the periodized workouts (each week a slightly different rep/weight focus). Speaking of body-weight, I'm up to the 224 mark from a low of 188 (in 2005 after losing a bunch). That s six or eight inches on the pants, depending on which country manufactured my garments. I believe that most of my gains came on 5/3/1 during 2012. No complaints, other than some of my jeans just don't fit (the thighs are too tight to be comfortable), and my dress shirts and suit coats are noticeably tight. I had been wearing these clothes for years. I don't measure myself, and it's always hard to tell looking at yourself in the mirror, but the clothing tells the story. The last suit I bought was 2" larger in the chest and an "athletic" cut; the smaller coats are almost uncomfortable and certainly restrictive. I finished with a full "season" of 5/3/1, then messed around with some other stuff for about 3 weeks. I finally decided to go back to 5/3/1, and, sure enough, I felt a "good" soreness/DOMS again and, after only two workouts, realized that I was absolutely starving during the workday. No, not scientific, but it is something to think about. I do my conditioning on lower-body days with limited assistance work. For example, I do some deadlifts (I limit to 10 reps, since I beat myself up with these, which might be because I'm 6'4" and/or because I could use some coaching) and some squats (for reps) followed by conditioning. I work hard: sprints, high-effort jumping rope, box jumpers, heavy-bag work, or some combination of these. I generally stick with the Boring but Big template with the "3-month challenge" twist. (Check out T-nation article for more details). Basically, I bench 5/3/1 style then press for 5 sets of 10 reps. Oh, and I grease-the-groove (Pavel's term) by doing 8 sets of chins/pullups between each set on the upper body days. I vary the assistance work occasionally but not often. I like consistency, which allows me to gauge my progress. I also like the split--one upper body day, one lower body day (alternating), up to four times per week (three is okay two; other templates are suggested for two days per week). This way, I can workout two days in a row or every-other-day to accommodate my unpredictable work schedule. I like "full-body training," but I feel like (in my thirties), I just don't "recover" fast enough to do three full-body days each week. As far as Wendler's writing style, you will enjoy his "honest" writing style. There is no pretension in his writing, just straightforward advice and a plan. I hope my fellow desertcart shoppers found this review to be helpful!
Review: Solid Program - I have been lifting for almost 20 years, and have tried many different approaches. While I don't claim to have impressive strength, I am usually pretty far ahead of most people in commercial gyms. Even with numerous injuries--acute and chronic--over the years of playing sports and training hard, I have no thoughts of giving up my strength and physique pursuits. But there comes a time when just beating yourself to death every workout is not an option anymore. After listening to some interviews with Jim and following his work at EliteFTS for a while, 5/3/1 sounded like a reasonable approach to generate continued strength and conditioning gains. After the first month, I am very pleased with the program. It is straightforward, and the structure makes sense. The 5/3/1 system has already helped my strength in the overhead press, which seems to require more diligence, patience, and dedicated practice than most other lifts. If you're a young or novice lifter, 5/3/1 may seem boring because it doesn't have you doing marathon puke sessions, the hallmark of the early weight room years. You won't be testing your manhood or your pain threshold six days per week. You'll just be making steady gains over time. You have to take the long view to fully appreciate this program. It is a professional approach--the working man's program. It is not for the frat boy who thinks he's going to get in shape the week before spring break. But intelligent lifters willing to use reason and set aside emotion will be happy with the results. The book itself is easy to read, and gives simple explanations of the system and lifting technique. There is some crude language (What do you expect? This is Wendler, after all), so be warned if you're sensitive about that kind of thing. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a solid, well designed program, or just interested in expanding his knowledge of various training systems.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | B00686OYGQ |
| Best Sellers Rank | #34,501 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #284 in Exercise & Fitness (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,939) |
| Edition  | 2nd Edition |
| ISBN-10  | 0578097389 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0578097381 |
| Item Weight  | 11.8 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 133 pages |
| Publication date  | January 1, 2011 |
| Publisher  | Jim Wendler LLC |

## Images

![5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength (2nd Edition) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91Pbip3v-gL.jpg)
![5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength (2nd Edition) - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81n5zQ-8GlL.jpg)
![5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength (2nd Edition) - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/911X0AIdYTL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Worthwhile long term plan
*by J***A on March 1, 2013*

I love buying fitness books; I'm not an expert, never will be (I think I missed my true calling), but I was an overweight guy who lost 60+ pounds about ten years ago by following the programs in the magazines and the internet. I did succeed, but that was more dumb luck than knowledge. After about 18 months to 2 years, I stalled, and I didn't change my physique at all. At 190 pounds, I was weak. I could crank out some pushups, tons of situps, yes, but my first attempt with a real barbell in 2005 was a humbling attempt to bench 125 lbs. From them until 2012, well, I played with medicine balls, dumbbells, chinups, etc. in a sort of haphazard fashion. This second edition has more programming options than the first edition. The first edition, however, has everything you need. The second edition addresses our (meaning us men) for many different options so that we can put our own personal stamp on our training program. I have a whole bookcase of stuff--yes, many of them were cheaper, but only a few (Rippetoe, Dan John) are worth as much as Wendler's 5/3/1. If you love working out and love having a precise plan, Wendler's program is for you. If you would rather "wing-it," and work chest and biceps whenever you feel like it for whatever weight feels "right" until "failure," this book is not for you. Read on if curious; if not, you have my go-ahead to spend your hard-earned money. It is short and sweet: no science or explanations or sales-pitches, just the plan. My only negative remark for Jim: for $25 bucks for each black and white book, hire a proofreader who will ensure your product is professional (some formatting and punctuation issues/typos). The programming in 5/3/1 is not revolutionary; this is not an insult, I've read enough of Wendler's internet articles/posts to tell you that he would agree. What is a revolutionary is the way you determine your poundage. Many workouts tell you to use a "weight that you can lift for X reps." Not here, every lift is planned based on a percentage of your working load (which is 10% less than your 1 rep max). You rotate through four workouts (there are other variations), with each workout focusing on a primary lift to build pure strength: squat, deadlift, bench, and press (overhead). On each lift, you follow a predetermined template; for example, during week one, assuming your press 1RM is 117 lbs, you take 10% less, 105 lbs. You warmup with 40% for 5 reps, 50% for 5 reps, and 60% for 3 reps. Then, it's 5 reps at 65% (70 lbs) and 75% (80 lbs). Now, the fun part: your final set is 5 or more at 85% (90 lbs). By the time you go to week 3, you are going for one or more reps at 95% (100 lbs in our example). Week 4 is a deload: no heavy lifting, no breaking goals or going for as many reps as possible. Then, you start a second round, but you add 5 or 10 lbs to your working load and do it all again. Yes, you have to do some math. I created a spreadsheet, complete with the 1RM calculations, to calculate the prescribed weights for up to a 10 month period (or until you reset). I'm sure a quick Google search will help you find a template. In order to compare "rep maxes," Wendler recommends a formula to calculate your 1RM (the Epley formula), which gives a fair estimate of your 1RM based on your weight and load. In my experience, lifting a "load that feels right" offers very little progress; you need to push past your comfort zone. It might sound simple, but following a predetermined chart removes the guesswork and forces you to "try" to lift a weight that you might not have tried until you were "sure you could lift it." Well, follow the program, and the pounds just keep going up--slow and steady. After the primary lift on each day, you follow up with assistance exercises for mass building (the "sets of 10" you are accustomed to). Dumbbell stuff, chins, rows, lunges-all stuff to keep you well rounded and offer variety for those (like me) with a serious case of exercise ADD. Also, in contrast to many experts who want to build muscle and maximal strength--Wendler recommends "conditioning," hill sprints or similar hard activity to condition your body. I agree that conditioning should be a part of every well-rounded program. Human beings should be strong AND able to move (or walk a flight of steps). Don't skip the "deload" week. I did--it felt too easy to follow a week of easy lifting. I paid for it. I never thought I could be "over-trained"; after all, I'm not an athlete, I'm a father with a job and a hobby that involves lifting my cheap barbell set in my cold garage. Anyway, I followed 5 evolutions (my own term) without de-loading. By the 6th cycle, my whole body hurt, and I was completely unable to beat my PRs (personal records). I was sore, my joints hurt, etc. I was too greedy. I needed to reset the weights back a few cycles and lift twice in 10 day period before things felt right again. Then, I started my second "season" (again, my own term) of 5/3/1. As you can probably tell, I like writing reviews. So, you're probably wondering about my personal experience. Well, I have no intentions of competing (power lifting or bodybuilding), but I sure love competing against the barbell. My lifts have steadily increased over the six months or so that I have followed 5/3/1. My bench max is finally over my body-weight--all because I decided to keep "trying" at the heavier weights instead of just cranking out 'sets of ten.' Also, I am convinced that my improvements came because I made steady, slow progress and because of the periodized workouts (each week a slightly different rep/weight focus). Speaking of body-weight, I'm up to the 224 mark from a low of 188 (in 2005 after losing a bunch). That s six or eight inches on the pants, depending on which country manufactured my garments. I believe that most of my gains came on 5/3/1 during 2012. No complaints, other than some of my jeans just don't fit (the thighs are too tight to be comfortable), and my dress shirts and suit coats are noticeably tight. I had been wearing these clothes for years. I don't measure myself, and it's always hard to tell looking at yourself in the mirror, but the clothing tells the story. The last suit I bought was 2" larger in the chest and an "athletic" cut; the smaller coats are almost uncomfortable and certainly restrictive. I finished with a full "season" of 5/3/1, then messed around with some other stuff for about 3 weeks. I finally decided to go back to 5/3/1, and, sure enough, I felt a "good" soreness/DOMS again and, after only two workouts, realized that I was absolutely starving during the workday. No, not scientific, but it is something to think about. I do my conditioning on lower-body days with limited assistance work. For example, I do some deadlifts (I limit to 10 reps, since I beat myself up with these, which might be because I'm 6'4" and/or because I could use some coaching) and some squats (for reps) followed by conditioning. I work hard: sprints, high-effort jumping rope, box jumpers, heavy-bag work, or some combination of these. I generally stick with the Boring but Big template with the "3-month challenge" twist. (Check out T-nation article for more details). Basically, I bench 5/3/1 style then press for 5 sets of 10 reps. Oh, and I grease-the-groove (Pavel's term) by doing 8 sets of chins/pullups between each set on the upper body days. I vary the assistance work occasionally but not often. I like consistency, which allows me to gauge my progress. I also like the split--one upper body day, one lower body day (alternating), up to four times per week (three is okay two; other templates are suggested for two days per week). This way, I can workout two days in a row or every-other-day to accommodate my unpredictable work schedule. I like "full-body training," but I feel like (in my thirties), I just don't "recover" fast enough to do three full-body days each week. As far as Wendler's writing style, you will enjoy his "honest" writing style. There is no pretension in his writing, just straightforward advice and a plan. I hope my fellow Amazon shoppers found this review to be helpful!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Solid Program
*by J***Y on June 3, 2013*

I have been lifting for almost 20 years, and have tried many different approaches. While I don't claim to have impressive strength, I am usually pretty far ahead of most people in commercial gyms. Even with numerous injuries--acute and chronic--over the years of playing sports and training hard, I have no thoughts of giving up my strength and physique pursuits. But there comes a time when just beating yourself to death every workout is not an option anymore. After listening to some interviews with Jim and following his work at EliteFTS for a while, 5/3/1 sounded like a reasonable approach to generate continued strength and conditioning gains. After the first month, I am very pleased with the program. It is straightforward, and the structure makes sense. The 5/3/1 system has already helped my strength in the overhead press, which seems to require more diligence, patience, and dedicated practice than most other lifts. If you're a young or novice lifter, 5/3/1 may seem boring because it doesn't have you doing marathon puke sessions, the hallmark of the early weight room years. You won't be testing your manhood or your pain threshold six days per week. You'll just be making steady gains over time. You have to take the long view to fully appreciate this program. It is a professional approach--the working man's program. It is not for the frat boy who thinks he's going to get in shape the week before spring break. But intelligent lifters willing to use reason and set aside emotion will be happy with the results. The book itself is easy to read, and gives simple explanations of the system and lifting technique. There is some crude language (What do you expect? This is Wendler, after all), so be warned if you're sensitive about that kind of thing. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a solid, well designed program, or just interested in expanding his knowledge of various training systems.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good Workout Plan, Bad Nutritional Advice
*by B***R on March 2, 2016*

Great read so far. I am a 43 year old male who got back in the weight room a year ago after about 10 years off. I pretty much lift heavy doing the compound exercises listed in this book with many of the listed secondary lifts. I haven't followed a structured program like this because of work and family stuff my schedule always changes, but I have increased my strength and size more so than when I was in my 20's. Back then I didn't dead lift or squat, it showed! Now that I do those 2 I can't believe the gains! I am going to start Jim's program after I figure my 1RM using his formula. I can't wait! Only thing I don't like is his eating plan. I think he gives some bad advice when he writes to eat whatever carb you can get your hands on (if you want to get big) like donuts. There is a reason some guys look like their cheeks are about to explode and it's because they eat a ton of sugary junk food (many power lifters probably have fatty liver and don't know it). For cripes sake, eat clean and you'll look better, way better than some of these bloated power lifters. But if you want to be strong fat I guess eat whatever the hell is in your view, but in the long run your health will deteriorate. I tried that approach and paid dearly. Keep it real and stay away from the sugar and processed refined s*** if you want to feel and look good.

## Frequently Bought Together

- 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength (2nd Edition)
- Title: 5/3/1 Forever: Simple and Effective Programming for Size, Speed and Strength
- Beyond 5/3/1: Simple Training for Extraordinary Results by Jim Wendler (2013) Paperback

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