About the 5/3/1 Calculator
This 5/3/1 calculator builds a full four-week cycle of Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 program for any lift. Enter your one-rep max — or a recent heavy set and the reps you got — and it works out your training max, then lists every main working set for the 5s week, the 3s week, the 5/3/1 week and the deload, rounded to the smallest plate jump you can actually load.
It is meant for lifters running 5/3/1 on the squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press, coaches writing cycles for clients, and anyone who wants a quick plate-ready printout before a session. Run it once per lift. You can also add a supplemental template: Boring But Big (5 × 10 at 50% of the training max) or First Set Last (5 × 5 at the first-set weight).
The program is deliberately conservative: all percentages come from a training max set below your true max — 90% in the original book, 85% in later versions — so the “+” sets on the last set of each week leave room for rep records. After each cycle the usual progression is +5 lb (2.5 kg) for upper-body lifts and +10 lb (5 kg) for lower-body lifts.
With the default inputs, the training max is 202.5. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the 5/3/1 calculator
- 1Choose pounds or kilograms.
- 2Enter your one-rep max, or a recent set weight and the reps you completed.
- 3Pick your training max percentage — 90% classic or 85% for a gentler start.
- 4Choose the smallest jump you can load and any supplemental template.
- 5Use the table as your session sheet; push the “+” sets for extra reps.
Formula and method
Every weight in 5/3/1 is a percentage of the training max (TM), not of your true one-rep max. The TM is 90% of your 1RM in the original program (many lifters now use 85%). Week 1 uses 65/75/85% for 5, 5, 5+ reps; week 2 uses 70/80/90% for 3, 3, 3+; week 3 uses 75/85/95% for 5, 3, 1+; and week 4 is a deload at 40/50/60% for 5 reps.
If you do not know your 1RM, it is estimated with the formula Wendler uses in the book: weight × reps × 0.0333 + weight, which is the Epley equation. Each set is rounded to the nearest plate increment you choose. Boring But Big adds 5 sets of 10 at 50% of the TM; First Set Last repeats the first working set for 5 × 5.
- TM
- Training max
- 1RM
- One-repetition maximum (true or estimated)
- TM%
- Training max percentage (90%, 85% or 80%)
Worked examples
Bench press, 225 lb 1RM, 90% TM
The training max is 225 × 0.90 = 202.5 lb. Week 1 tops out at 85% (172.1 → 170 lb), week 2 at 90% (182.3 → 180 lb) and week 3 at 95% (192.4 → 190 lb). The deload top set is 60%, 121.5 → 120 lb.
Squat from a 100 kg × 5 set, kg plates
100 × 5 × 0.0333 + 100 gives an estimated 1RM of 116.65 kg and a 90% training max of 105.0 kg. Week 1’s 85% set is 89.2 → 90 kg and week 3’s 95% set is 99.7 → 100 kg, rounded to 2.5 kg.
Deadlift with Boring But Big, 85% TM
An 85% training max of a 315 lb deadlift is 267.75 lb. The week 3 single is 95% = 254.4 → 255 lb, and the BBB sets at 50% are 133.9 → 135 lb for five sets of ten.
Frequently asked questions
What is a training max in 5/3/1?+
It is a deliberately reduced max that every percentage is based on — 90% of your true 1RM in the original program, 85% in the newer books. Training from a lower number keeps bar speed high, lets you beat rep records and leaves room to progress for months.
How much should I add each cycle?+
The standard progression is +5 lb (2.5 kg) to the training max for the bench press and overhead press, and +10 lb (5 kg) for the squat and deadlift, after each four-week cycle. If you miss the minimum reps on a + set, reset the training max lower.
What do the plus signs mean?+
A “+” on the last set (5+, 3+, 1+) means do at least that many reps and as many more as you can with good form. These AMRAP sets drive progress and are where you set rep records.
What is Boring But Big?+
Boring But Big (BBB) is the most popular 5/3/1 assistance template: after the main sets you do 5 sets of 10 reps of the same lift at about 50% of the training max (some use 60%). It adds a lot of volume for size and work capacity.
Do I need to take a deload week?+
The original program uses a light fourth week at 40/50/60% to recover. Later versions such as 5/3/1 Forever often run two or three cycles before a deload. Listen to how your joints and bar speed feel.