Beyond 5/3/1: Simple Training for Extraordinary Results

by Jim Wendler

Like the “Rule of 50,” the aim of this 5/3/1 variation is to achieve a total of 10 reps. The difference is that you want to get 10 reps with the last work set of the week (there

you will have bad days. This is lifting weights and nothing is linear; there are peaks and valleys and the strongest and most experienced lifters understand this.

The point of the deload is to not have to take it when you need it, but rather to use it as a tool to NEVER need it. This seems to be pretty common sense to me. It is similar to preventative medicine,

two main pulling movements are Rows and Chins/Pull-ups. This is simply because I have a garage gym and this is what I have access to. And really, you can’t go wrong with these choices.

let’s keep kipping where it belongs: in the trash.

you can’t do 10 reps of a chin up, do lat pulldowns instead.

The best football coach I ever had, Dino Babers, used to say, “I will make practices hell so that games are easy. You will be begging for game day so you can get a break.”

there is a huge difference between training and working out. Workout is “for the day.” These are the people that go into the gym, do a few of these, a few of those and measure their fitness and “progress” by how tired they are. Yes, they may remember their best bench press or the fastest mile time but they don’t train specifically to be better; only to be tired. Somehow this makes sense to them.

Day Three - Conditioning Test 10, 40-yard sprints with 180 added pounds with 60 seconds rest between sprints.

test with Prowler, pushing on the uprights.

You can rest during the 100-rep set but you cannot put bar down and you cannot make the exercise “easier” during this time, i.e. laying down during a rest period during a sit-up. If you are in doubt of what constitutes rest, you are probably doing it wrong.

You can rest as much as you want between exercises. Don’t bring a stop watch – we are in the weight room, not on a track.