Question on 5/3/1 7 week program

The way I’m running 5/3/1 makes it an 11 week mesocycle with 3 microcycles inside. I’m running it as a standard leader/leader/anchor 2/1. The first two leaders are 7 weeks

Micro #1
Forever BBB 3 weeks
Add 5lbs upper, 10lbs lower

Micro #2
Forever BBB 3 weeks
Add 5/10

7th week protocol deload

Micro #3
5’s PRO 3/5/1 FSL 3 weeks
Add 5/10

7th week protocol TM Test

Then back to a leader template.


Overall what you have there is correct minus the deload. That’s not the 7th week protocol deload, but frankly I don’t think it matters much.

You want a deload correct and not a PR test or a TM test? It varies between them. For a 7th week protocol deload...

70%x5, 80%x3-5, 90%x1, 100% (TM) x 1

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Interesting. I wonder why his deload week is different on the 7 week program than the 4? Doesn't make much sense to me.

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He completely changed everything in Forever. He created the 7th week protocol which is supposed to be completed between leader and anchor cycles and the 7th week protocol TM test is supposed to be completed after the last anchor prior to running another leader.

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Just for my knowledge, what is his 7th week PR protocol?

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70% x 5, 80% x 5, 90% x 5, 100% (TM) x PR or a goal


ETA: Also in forever he said he’s changed his programming some and actually prefers 3/5/1 programming for the majority of people, but if you are comfortable with 5/3/1 or like it better you can do it still.

I used to live there now I live in Huntsville.

Read forever. It's his most complete and up to date work.

He has altered things slightly over the years, especially since he started training all the athletes at London high school. It's allowed him to test and refine things.

I need to. I haven’t read Wendler’s shite since 2013 which is why my format is so basic. 777, that setup in the OP look good enough for you? Not worried about the accessory shite - I can program that no problem.

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I need to. I haven’t read Wendler’s shite since 2013 which is why my format is so basic.

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Yeah you should read Forever. He completely changed the program. The basic 5/3/1 you are referencing is buried at the bottom of the book. He essentially says look I’ve been learning a lot in the last couple of years and the most effective way to train is 5’s PRO, but if you want to run the normal 5/3/1 here it is buried at the bottom of the book.

He does speak to its sentimentality for him and how it is still an effective program and gives you an option to run it as a 2/1 leader/anchor meso. On the anchor it’s 10/5/5+, 10/5/3+, 10/5/1+

you are gonna stall out faster and forced to reset your max using that method instead of the standard +5/10. i think its better to follow that linear progression imo.

Jim talks at length about this. So you think you can program better? Jim says it doesn’t matter if you can do an AMRAP at 15 on your TM do not increase more than 5/10 each cycle.

We are playing for sustainability and the long game.

As am I and I’ve managed to do this for over 5 years now with 1 minor injury, so I think I’m doing just fine. Did I ever say that I could do this better than him? I simply offered a spreadsheet to help program 531.

Regardless, the spreadsheet rarely has my lifts increased by more than 5/10 lbs (in fact, it’s usually less) because I have been doing this for a long time and progress is extremely incremental.