5/3/1 Calculator: Training Max, Weekly Percentages and BBB
Turn your 1-rep max into a full four-week 5/3/1 cycle, with every set's weight and reps worked out for you.
TL;DR
A 5/3/1 calculator turns your 1-rep max into a training max (90% of your 1RM, or 85% for Wendler's more conservative option), then builds all four weeks of Jim Wendler's percentage scheme for press, deadlift, bench press and squat, with optional Boring But Big sets, rounded to a weight you can load.
Your training maxes
Overhead press
120 lb
Deadlift
365 lb
Bench press
205 lb
Squat
285 lb
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead press | 1 × 5 | 80 lb(65%) |
| 1 × 5 | 90 lb(75%) | |
| 1 × 5+ | 105 lb(85%) | |
| BBBOverhead press | 5 × 10 | 60 lb(50%) |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlift | 1 × 5 | 235 lb(65%) |
| 1 × 5 | 275 lb(75%) | |
| 1 × 5+ | 310 lb(85%) | |
| BBBDeadlift | 5 × 10 | 180 lb(50%) |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 1 × 5 | 130 lb(65%) |
| 1 × 5 | 150 lb(75%) | |
| 1 × 5+ | 170 lb(85%) | |
| BBBBench press | 5 × 10 | 100 lb(50%) |
Day 4
| Exercise | Sets | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Squat | 1 × 5 | 185 lb(65%) |
| 1 × 5 | 215 lb(75%) | |
| 1 × 5+ | 240 lb(85%) | |
| BBBSquat | 5 × 10 | 140 lb(50%) |
A "+" means as many reps as you can with good form on that last set.
Next cycle: add 5 lb to your press and bench training max, 10 lb to squat and deadlift.
Log Your 5/3/1 Sessions in PR Streak
Build your own 5/3/1 routine with rep ranges and rest times, then save it in one tap so it's ready for your next cycle. PR Streak shows what you lifted last time next to every set and catches every PR automatically.
What Is 5/3/1?
5/3/1 is a strength program by Jim Wendler built around four main lifts: press, deadlift, bench press and squat, one per training day. Every lift runs the same four-week wave off a percentage of your training max, not your true 1-rep max.
Your training max (TM) is 90% of your 1RM, Wendler's original recommendation. His later books also mention 85% for lifters who want to start lighter, and this calculator lets you pick either.
The 5/3/1 Weekly Percentages
Every lift follows the same four-week wave, as percentages of your training max. The "+" on the last set of weeks 1 to 3 means as many reps as you can with good form.
- Week 1: 65% x 5, 75% x 5, 85% x 5+
- Week 2: 70% x 3, 80% x 3, 90% x 3+
- Week 3: 75% x 5, 85% x 3, 95% x 1+
- Week 4 (deload): 40% x 5, 50% x 5, 60% x 5
How This 5/3/1 Calculator Sets Your Weights
Enter your 1RM for each lift (use the 1RM calculator if you only know a rep max), choose 90% or 85% for your training max, and the calculator multiplies every week's percentages by that training max for you.
Every result rounds to a weight you can actually load, in 5 or 2.5 lb jumps or 2.5 or 1.25 kg, whichever step you pick. Print the cycle or work straight from the week tabs at the gym.
Boring But Big (BBB)
Boring But Big adds 5 sets of 10 reps of the same lift after your main sets, at 50 to 60% of your training max. Beginners can start lighter, around 30%. This calculator adds BBB at 50, 60 or 70%, on every week except the deload week.
Wendler's Boring But Big 3-month challenge steps the percentage up over time: 50% in month one, 60% in month two and 70% in month three.
How to Progress Between Cycles
After each four-week cycle, add weight to your training max and start again: 5 lb to the press and bench, 10 lb to the squat and deadlift (about 2.5 kg and 5 kg in kilograms). The calculator shows your exact next-cycle numbers under the weekly percentages.
Use the RPE calculator on your AMRAP set each week to turn those extra reps into an estimated 1RM, a quick way to check your training max is still tracking your real strength.
Who 5/3/1 Suits
5/3/1 for beginners works because the training max builds in a buffer: you're always lifting a little under what you could actually do, so the weekly percentages stay manageable while you learn the lifts.
It also suits any lifter who wants a simple, repeatable four-week structure on the four main barbell lifts, with Boring But Big as an add-on when you want more volume. For the full history and weekly breakdown, see our 5/3/1 program guide.
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 5/3/1?
5/3/1 is Jim Wendler's strength program for press, deadlift, bench press and squat. Each lift follows the same four-week percentage wave off your training max, with the last set of the first three weeks an AMRAP set, then a lighter deload week.
How do I calculate my 5/3/1 training max?
Take 90% of your 1-rep max for each lift, Wendler's original recommendation. His later books also mention 85% as a more conservative option. This calculator works out both from your 1RM and builds every week's weights from whichever you choose.
What percentage is the 5/3/1 training max?
90% of your 1RM in Wendler's original write-up, or 85% in his later books for lifters who'd rather start lighter. Both are valid starting points, and this calculator lets you switch between them.
What is Boring But Big (BBB) in 5/3/1?
BBB adds 5 sets of 10 reps of the day's main lift after your regular 5/3/1 sets, at 50 to 60% of your training max (beginners can start around 30%). Wendler's 3-month challenge raises it to 50%, then 60%, then 70% over three months.
How much weight do I add each 5/3/1 cycle?
Add 5 lb to your press and bench press training max and 10 lb to your squat and deadlift training max after every four-week cycle, or about 2.5 kg and 5 kg if you train in kilograms.
What does the + mean in 5/3/1?
The "+" after a set, like "85% x 5+", means it's an AMRAP set: as many reps as you can get with good form, not just the number listed. It appears on the top set of weeks 1 to 3, but not during the deload week.
Is 5/3/1 good for beginners?
Yes. Building your training max at 90% or 85% of your 1RM leaves room under your true max, so the percentages stay manageable while you're still learning the lifts, and Boring But Big can start as light as 30% for extra practice volume.
What is the 531 Boring But Big 3-month challenge?
It's Wendler's structured way to run BBB over three months: 50% of your training max for 5x10 in month one, 60% in month two, and 70% in month three, alongside your regular 5/3/1 weekly percentages.
Sources
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