About the Wendler System and Progressive Gains

The Wendler 5/3/1 workout program is my first program where I am using mostly percentages, and slow progression.  I am used to just putting on the weight that feels right, but this program is very much about slow steady gains.  The average weightlifter should make a 100 lb gain in both their squats and dead lifts over the course of one year on this program.  Also, a 50 lb increase on their bench is possible over the span of one year as well.  The program MUST be followed correctly in order for this to happen.  This program is divided into 4 waves, or mesocycles.  I like to call them waves.  The way that works is fairly simple.  You MUST find your true max in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and standing overhead barbell press.  YOU MUST FIND A TRUE MAX.  DO NOT USE A MAX THAT YOU "THINK" YOU CAN DO!!!! You a max that you know that you have done before.  For the first wave, you are going to get your max for each one of these lifts, however, in order to familiarize yourself with this type of programming you are only going to use 90% of your max to start off.  That means that if your max in the squat is 100 lbs, then for the first wave, you are going to base all of your percentages off of a 90 lb max.  Got it?  Good.  Now, you are using 4 CORE lifts.  Those 4 lifts are as follows, squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press.  The way the program works is like this.  You have a session of 5's, a session of 3's, a session of 5/3/1's, and a de-load 5/5/5 phase.  So for example, you have a 200 lb max bench.  Your first bench press session looks like this....75%x5 80%x5 and 85%x5.  Like I said above,FOR THE FIRST WAVE, we are using 90 percent as our MAX.  So for these percentages you are basing them off of a 180 lb max.  So for your first bench workout your poundages will be like this,  135x5, 145x5, and 155 x 5.  Round to the nearest place.  Now, your first two sets are going to be easier, but this is the first wave, so they should be.  You are getting familiarized with the workout.  The last set of every CORE exercise should be done until failure.  The CORE exercises once again are the bench press, squat, deadlift, and standing overhead press.  So your first two working sets could be easy.  You might so 135 x5 then 145x5 and then 155 for 8-10 or more or less.  It is important that you go to failure on your last set of these lifts.  The only exception might be for squats because of lack of a spotter, you may go until 1 rep until failure.  Now, this is what you did the first bench press day.  The following time you do bench press, you are going to follow different percentages.  You are doing 3's now.  They work like this.... 80%x3 85% x3 and then 90%x3.  Your workout, should be these poundages.  145x3 155x3 and then 160 x 3.  On your last set do as many reps as possible.  Then, the next time you do bench press, your percentages are as follows, 75%x5 85%x3 and 95%x1.  Your poundages are 135x5, 155x3, and 170x1.  Remember, the last set must be pushed until failure.  Now, the next time you bench press it is time to de-load.  This is not meant to be strenuous.  It is meant to keep your joints in tact, because you are going to be taxing them a lot with this program.  The de load week consists of percentages going like this...60% x5 65%x5 and 70%x5.  Your rep scheme would be, 110x5, 120x5, and 125x5.  The last set of de-load week IS NOT going to failure.  You just complete the specified number of reps.  You complete 5 reps.  Then you hit your accessory exercises hard.  This program is made the same way for each lift.  Now, after you complete the first wave, and move into the second wave is when you can start using harder weight.  Starting in the 2nd wave, roughly 6 weeks into the program, add 10lbs to your squat and deadlift max and 5 lb to your bench press and overhead press max.   The 200 lb bench presser would no longer use his 180 lbs for his max.  Now he uses 185 lbs as his max.  You simply calculate the percentages using your higher max now.  After each wave that you complete, once again roughly 6 weeks, you add 5lbs to your bench press and overhead press max, and 10 lbs to your squat and deadlift max.  For the first wave we are using 90% of these maxes to calculate what weights we use.  In the second wave, we are increasing our maxes. Calculate percentages accordingly and round to the nearest place.  As far as exercise substitution goes, I am going to use these 4 exact CORE lifts for a while to build strength.  Once I feel that my body needs a change I may substitute deadlifts for rack pulls, or squats for box squats, or bench presses for floor presses, or overhead presses for rack presses.  I may even substitute bench presses for incline presses depending how my programming is going.  Remember, start with 90% of your rep max and increase accordingly after each wave.  All in all, follow the program, remember to add lbs after each wave you complete.  This program is about progressively getting stronger over time.  Everybody wants a quick fix, an easy 8 week 50 lb on your max bench program.  This will not work.  Follow this program, and it will work.  Jim Wendler is a famous powerlifter and lifted in Westside Barbell for years.  He is a legend in the sport and he knows what he is doing.  Also, as far as assistance work goes.  On de-load days, make sure you attack your accessory exercises heavy, and I mean HEAVY.  And also, make sure that on the days you are working up to your 1 rep max, keep the reps on your accessory lifts a little bit higher.  Remember to go to failure every last set of your CORE exercises.  This program uses reps to build a one rep max.  Try to beat you reps from the weeks before.  That is still a gain.  People think that only making your one rep max go up constitutes getting stronger.  Well if you did 205 lb for 6 reps on 1 week, and then a couple weeks later you did 205 lbs for 7 or even 8 reps, that is stronger isn't it?  YES IT IS.  Beat reps, train hard, the program will get harder and harder, the longer you keep on it.  The first couple of waves may not be so hard to complete, but it as all about progression.  Keep at it, don't give up,train hard.  Sooner or later in this program, you will hit a plateau and you will not be able to complete your given 1 rep max.  It happens.  However, this program can be done for an extremely long amount of time just like Westside.  It is constantly changing with exercises you may select and especially your accessory exercises, so don't get caught up in all the bullshit about your body adapting to it.  Your body isn't adapting your just being too much of a pantsy to work harder.  Thank you, have a good day.