5-3-1 Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge

by Jim Wendler
Full Program Details are available @
T NATION | The Boring But Big 3-Month Challenge
The Program in a Nutshell
Month one. 5 sets of 10 reps at 50% of Training Max (TM).
Month two. 5 sets of 10 reps at 60% of Second Month's TM.
Month three. 5 sets of 10 reps at 70% of Third Month's TM.
5/3/1 sets and reps are explained in the 5/3/1 book.
Buy it on Amazon
Last sets on the 5/3/1 are not taken to failure; only the required reps are done.
All other assistance work should be kept to a minimum.
On upper body days, be sure to do some kind of pulling (rows or chins) exercise.
This is a 4 days/week program, not 3 days/week or 2, or 5.
This is a self calculating formula only fill data in yellow cells!
General Guidelines:
Increase Squat and Deadlift by at least 10lbs each cycle.
Increase Bench Press & Overhead Press by at least 5lbs each cycle.
Each worksheet will print out in its entirity on one sheet of paper.
arthurpalac@yahoo.com

h Challenge

e@
Challenge

5-3-1 Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge - Cycle 1

Overhead Press
120

Deadlift
245

mo
3/19/2012

tu
3/20/2012

Bench Press
140

Squat
195

Start Date
3/19/2012

Week1

Overhead Press
3x5 75/80/85
5x50
5x60
3x75
5x90
5x100
>5x105
Bench Press
5x10 50%
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70

th
3/22/2012

Deadlift
Bench Press
3x5 75/80/85
3x5 75/80/85
5x100
5x60
5x125
5x70
3x150
3x85
5x185
5x105
5x200
5x115
>5x210
>5x120
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 50%
5x10 50%
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

mo
4/2/2012

w
4/3/2012

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

Week2
fr
3/23/2012

mo
3/26/2012

Squat
3x5 75/80/85
5x80
5x100
3x120
5x150
5x160
>5x170

Overhead Press
3x3 80/85/90
5x50
5x60
3x75
3x100
3x105
>3x110

Deadlift
5x10 50%
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125

Bench Press
5x10 50%
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70

Leg Raises
5 x 10

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

fr
4/6/2012

mo
4/9/2012

Squat
5/3/1 75/85/95
5x80
5x100
3x120
5x150
3x170
>1x190

Overhead Press
3x5 60/65/70
5x50
5x60
3x75
5x75
5x75
5x75

Deadlift
5x10 50%
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125

Bench Press
5x10 50%
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70
10x70

Leg Raises

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Week3
th
4/5/2012

Overhead Press
Deadlift
Bench Press
5/3/1 75/85/95 5/3/1 75/85/95
5/3/1 75/85/95
5x50
5x100
5x60
5x60
5x125
5x70
3x75
3x150
3x85
5x90
5x185
5x105
3x105
3x210
3x120
>1x115
>1x235
>1x135
Accessory Work
Bench Press
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 50%
5x10 50%
5x10 50%
10x70
10x100
10x60
10x70
10x100
10x60
10x70
10x100
10x60
10x70
10x100
10x60
10x70
10x100
10x60
Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

5 x 10

tu
3/27/2012

th
3/29/2012

Deadlift
Bench Press
3x3 80/85/90
3x3 80/85/90
5x100
5x60
5x125
5x70
3x150
3x85
3x200
3x115
3x210
3x120
>3x225
>3x130
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 50%
5x10 50%
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

DELOAD Week4
tu
th
4/10/2012
4/12/2012
Deadlift
Bench Press
3x5 60/65/70
3x5 60/65/70
5x100
5x60
5x125
5x70
3x150
3x85
5x150
5x85
5x150
5x85
5x150
5x85
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 50%
5x10 50%
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
10x100
10x60
Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

fr
3/30/2012
Squat
3x3 80/85/90
5x80
5x100
3x120
3x160
3x170
>3x180
Deadlift
5x10 50%
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125

Leg Raises
5 x 10

fr
4/13/2012
Squat
3x5 60/65/70
5x80
5x100
3x120
5x120
5x120
5x120
Deadlift
5x10 50%
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125
10x125

Leg Raises
5 x 10

5-3-1 Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge - Cycle 2

Overhead Press
125

Deadlift
255

mo
4/15/2012

tu
4/16/2012

Bench Press
145

Squat
205

Start Date
4/15/2012

Week1

Overhead Press
3x5 75/80/85
5x50
5x65
3x75
5x95
5x100
>5x110
Bench Press
5x10 60%
10x90
10x90
10x90
10x90
10x90

th
4/18/2012

Deadlift
Bench Press
3x5 75/80/85
3x5 75/80/85
5x105
5x60
5x130
5x75
3x155
3x90
5x195
5x110
5x205
5x120
>5x220
>5x125
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 60%
5x10 60%
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

mo
4/29/2012

w
4/30/2012

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

Week2
fr
4/19/2012

mo
4/22/2012

Squat
3x5 75/80/85
5x85
5x105
3x125
5x155
5x165
>5x175

Overhead Press
3x3 80/85/90
5x50
5x65
3x75
3x100
3x110
>3x115

Deadlift
5x10 60%
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155

Bench Press
5x10 60%
10x90
10x90
10x90
10x90
10x90

Leg Raises
5 x 10

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

fr
5/3/2012

mo
5/6/2012

Squat
5/3/1 75/85/95
5x85
5x105
3x125
5x155
3x175
>1x195

Overhead Press
3x5 60/65/70
5x50
5x65
3x75
5x75
5x75
5x75

Deadlift
5x10 60%
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155

Bench Press
5x10 60%
10x90
10x90
10x90
10x90
10x90

Leg Raises

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Week3
th
5/2/2012

Overhead Press
Deadlift
Bench Press
5/3/1 75/85/95 5/3/1 75/85/95
5/3/1 75/85/95
5x50
5x105
5x60
5x65
5x130
5x75
3x75
3x155
3x90
5x95
5x195
5x110
3x110
3x220
3x125
>1x120
>1x245
>1x140
Accessory Work
Bench Press
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 60%
5x10 60%
5x10 60%
10x90
10x125
10x75
10x90
10x125
10x75
10x90
10x125
10x75
10x90
10x125
10x75
10x90
10x125
10x75
Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

5 x 10

tu
4/23/2012

th
4/25/2012

Deadlift
Bench Press
3x3 80/85/90
3x3 80/85/90
5x105
5x60
5x130
5x75
3x155
3x90
3x205
3x120
3x220
3x125
>3x230
>3x135
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 60%
5x10 60%
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

DELOAD Week4
tu
th
5/7/2012
5/9/2012
Deadlift
Bench Press
3x5 60/65/70
3x5 60/65/70
5x105
5x60
5x130
5x75
3x155
3x90
5x155
5x90
5x155
5x90
5x155
5x90
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 60%
5x10 60%
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
10x125
10x75
Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

fr
4/26/2012
Squat
3x3 80/85/90
5x85
5x105
3x125
3x165
3x175
>3x185
Deadlift
5x10 60%
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155

Leg Raises
5 x 10

fr
5/10/2012
Squat
3x5 60/65/70
5x85
5x105
3x125
5x125
5x125
5x125
Deadlift
5x10 60%
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155
10x155

Leg Raises
5 x 10

5-3-1 Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge - Cycle 3

Overhead Press
130

Deadlift
265

mo
5/12/2012

tu
5/13/2012

Bench Press
160

Squat
215

Start Date
5/12/2012

Week1

Overhead Press
3x5 75/80/85
5x55
5x65
3x80
5x100
5x105
>5x115
Bench Press
5x10 70%
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115

th
5/15/2012

Deadlift
Bench Press
3x5 75/80/85
3x5 75/80/85
5x110
5x65
5x135
5x80
3x160
3x100
5x200
5x120
5x215
5x130
>5x230
>5x140
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 70%
5x10 70%
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

mo
5/26/2012

w
5/27/2012

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

Week2
fr
5/16/2012

mo
5/19/2012

Squat
3x5 75/80/85
5x90
5x110
3x130
5x165
5x175
>5x185

Overhead Press
3x3 80/85/90
5x55
5x65
3x80
3x105
3x115
>3x120

Deadlift
5x10 70%
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190

Bench Press
5x10 70%
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115

Leg Raises
5 x 10

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

fr
5/30/2012

mo
6/2/2012

Squat
5/3/1 75/85/95
5x90
5x110
3x130
5x165
3x185
>1x205

Overhead Press
3x5 60/65/70
5x55
5x65
3x80
5x80
5x80
5x80

Deadlift
5x10 70%
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190

Bench Press
5x10 70%
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115
10x115

Leg Raises

Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Week3
th
5/29/2012

Overhead Press
Deadlift
Bench Press
5/3/1 75/85/95 5/3/1 75/85/95
5/3/1 75/85/95
5x55
5x110
5x65
5x65
5x135
5x80
3x80
3x160
3x100
5x100
5x200
5x120
3x115
3x230
3x140
>1x125
>1x255
>1x155
Accessory Work
Bench Press
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 70%
5x10 70%
5x10 70%
10x115
10x155
10x95
10x115
10x155
10x95
10x115
10x155
10x95
10x115
10x155
10x95
10x115
10x155
10x95
Dumbbell Rows
5 x 10

Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

5 x 10

tu
5/20/2012

th
5/22/2012

Deadlift
Bench Press
3x3 80/85/90
3x3 80/85/90
5x110
5x65
5x135
5x80
3x160
3x100
3x215
3x130
3x230
3x140
>3x240
>3x145
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 70%
5x10 70%
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

DELOAD Week4
tu
th
6/3/2012
6/5/2012
Deadlift
Bench Press
3x5 60/65/70
3x5 60/65/70
5x110
5x65
5x135
5x80
3x160
3x100
5x160
5x100
5x160
5x100
5x160
5x100
Accessory Work
Squat
Overhead Press
5x10 70%
5x10 70%
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
10x155
10x95
Ab Wheel
5 x 10-20

Chins/Pull-Ups
5 x 10

fr
5/23/2012
Squat
3x3 80/85/90
5x90
5x110
3x130
3x175
3x185
>3x195
Deadlift
5x10 70%
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190

Leg Raises
5 x 10

fr
6/6/2012
Squat
3x5 60/65/70
5x90
5x110
3x130
5x130
5x130
5x130
Deadlift
5x10 70%
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190
10x190

Leg Raises
5 x 10