531 For Beginners: The Full Workout Program Made Easy

Certainly one of the largest things that stops novice lifters from making progress is a poor routine. Beginners often overlook compound exercises, focusing as an alternative on isolation exercises in high rep ranges in hopes of getting shredded.

Even worse, young people often take advice from other beginners on message boards which have minimal knowledge and even less experience.

Individuals with little or no gym experience should follow a basic program with proven results, comparable to the 531 For Beginners Workout Program.

531 For Beginners (5/3/1B) is a strength training program created by Jim Wendler that is predicated on the principles of strength training and focuses on the 4 principal lifts.

In this text, we’ll teach you all the things it’s essential learn about 531 For Beginners. 

Table of Contents:

• What Is 531 For Beginners?
• 5/3/1 Beginner Programming Explained
• The Best 531 Workout Program for Beginners (Complete Routine)
• How & When You Can Alter the Plan
• Assistance Exercise Options for 531 Beginners
• 531 Beginner Progression and Failure Protocols
• 531 Program Testimonials from Reddit
• 531 Workout Suggestions for Beginners
• FAQs

What Is The 531 Workout For Beginners?

Jim Wendler was a former college football player and powerlifter that sought to develop a strength training program that may also help experienced or novice lifters by keeping things easy. Jim’s philosophy is beginners could make incredible gains by performing a full-body routine three days every week and following a number of easy principles.

In keeping with Jim, ¹

The unique workout program, known simply as 5/3/1, was introduced in an e-book titled “5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength.”

This system is called after its rep scheme within the workout, with lifters performing five, three, or one rep.

The unique 5/3/1 program is healthier for advanced lifters, so Jim Wendler created a more straightforward, introductory program for novice lifters following the identical principles.

The core principles of the 5/3/1 program are:

• 4 Primary Lifts: Squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press (OHP)
• Intelligent Progression System: This system is designed to make regular progress by increasing the load lifted every month.
• Assistance work: Except for the 4 principal lifts, you must do “assistance lifts”, which essentially work to enhance your the 4 core lifts of this system (i.e. lunges to enhance your back squat). These even have the additional advantage of constructing muscle, which in turns allows for more strength (and vice versa). 
• Excellent form: Prioritize form and technique over the quantity of weight lifted, ensuring that you simply use a weight you possibly can handle with proper execution.
• 4-week cycles: 3 weeks heavy progression, 1 week deload. You’ll be able to repeat the 4-week cycle as again and again as you want, nevertheless it’s really helpful to maneuver to the unique 531 program after you begin to see diminishing returns on progress. Most individuals will run the beginner plan for 3-6 months (or more) before changing. The nice thing is, you possibly can alter your assistance lifts each cycle.

The principal difference between the unique 531 program and the 531 program for beginners is that the beginner’s routine performs two of the principal lifts per workout, whereas the unique 531 program does only one principal lift.

The rationale behind it’s that the original 5/3/1 is structured across the principle of maximizing strength in each lift with focused effort and recovery, while 5/3/1 for Beginners is designed to rapidly construct a foundation in strength and technique across all major lifts by increasing frequency and reducing intensity.

531 Workout Programming for Beginners, Explained

Before jumping into the workout program, we’d like to review essentially the most essential elements of the 531 workout routine for beginners:

1) The rep scheme to your 4 principal lifts over the course of a 4 week cycle.

2) The First Set Last (FSL) method, which is a specific approach to structuring additional sets after the principal working sets of the 5/3/1 program.

3) How one can program assistance lifts after the principal lifts are accomplished 

4) Conditioning Days (optional)

5) Warming up (semi-optional)

1) Beginner 531 4-Week Cycle Rep Breakdown:

The load for every principal lift is predicated on a percentage of your training max (TM). The training max is a conservative estimate of your 1 rep max. 

Below is a table representing how each 4 week cycle works. Remember, you could have to principal lifts each workout, so this rep scheme applies to each principal lifts. 

After week 4 (in case you proceed with the plan), you may repeat back at week 1 but with a rather higher training max (hence the linear progression). 

• aim so as to add 5 lbs every month for upper body exercises.
• aim so as to add 10 lbs every month for lower body exercises.

Many linear progression programs use this idea to administer intensity so you possibly can consistently make progress over time. This permits you to continually progress without pushing your body (immune system/recovery needs) too hard. 

2) First Set Last (FSL):

One other essential concept with Jim’s philosophy is a rep scheme technique called .

After you complete your final set to your primary lift (based on the above rep scheme), you’ll drop the load all the way down to your first set starting weight then do one in all the next:

• Do 5 sets for five reps (5 x 5)
• AMRAP: as many reps as possible for one set (1 x AMRAP)
• Do one other 3-4 sets of 5-8 reps (3-4 x 5-8)

Jim Wendler suggests 5×5 FSL for beginners, but there are numerous 531 lifters who go for one in all the opposite options above, based on various reasons or goals.³

You’ll be able to select whichever option suits you best, and this could be altered as needed. 

Here’s an example of how one can employ FSL to make things clear:

As an example your bench press training max is 100 lbs. Your routine in week 1 can be:

1. First set: 5 reps @65% (65lbs)
2. Second set: 5 reps @75%
3. Third set: 5+ reps @85%

4. FSL: 5×5, 1x

   AMRAP, or 3-4×5-8 @65% (65lbs)

3) Assistance Work:

While the 4 compound exercises are the core lifts of the workout program, the help work is amazingly vital. The help work (assistance/accessory exercises) is significant since it helps develop the smaller muscles and helps improve your major lifts. 

The three categories of assistance work exercises are:

1. Push
2. Pull
3. Single-leg/core.

You may select one exercise from each of the three categories above and perform a complete of 50 to 100 reps for every. Select a weight/movement that permits you to perform 50-100 reps at moderate intensity (i.e. 5-7 out of 10 intensity smart). ¹

Most individuals do , nevertheless it doesn’t matter what number of sets you divide the reps into so long as you finish them with proper form.

For those who cannot finish the reps for the primary exercise, which normally only applies to body weight exercises like push-ups or pull-ups, you just pick a second exercise to finish the reps or do less and work your way up over the weeks/months. 

4) Conditioning Days (Optional):

Jim Wendler highly recommends adding conditioning workouts to the routine, on separate days from lifting days.

He states, “Tues/Thurs/Sat/Sun some sort of running or conditioning done [Prowler push/pulll, hill sprints, jump rope, etc.]. It will largely be based on your individual goals, your current fitness level and what you could have access to. DO NOT run yourself into the bottom with conditioning; follow the “5/3/1 50% Rule” when conditioning.”⁴

…but for beginners, that is loads. It’s essential ensure you’re getting adequate rest and recovery.

So, consider one other statement from Jim Wendler regarding conditioning:

“I’m not asking everyone to run a marathon a day or push the Prowler every morning – what I’m asking people to do is to have the foresight to appreciate that conditioning is a necessary part of coaching. Leaving something out, one in all the three pillars, all the time leaves a niche. And the earlier you realize your gap, the higher of your life will likely be. On all levels.”

All in all, loads of beginners on the 531 program disregard this aspect of his training philosophy, on account of personal goals, preferences or lack of time. At SET FOR SET, we recommend that you simply add 1-3 conditioning days to the below 531 routine (conditioning days won’t be included in this system below, but we’ll discuss it after so keep reading on).  

5) Warm Up:

Jim Wendler emphasizes the importance of properly warming up before entering into the principal lifts of the day, which incorporates each an ordinary warm up and warm up sets for the principal lifts. 

Jim’s warm up advice is to do the Defranco’s Agile 8 mobility routine + 10-15 reps of med ball slams or box jumps before lifting.¹

A perfect warm up before each workout will seem like this:

• Standard Warm Up: 5-10 minutes for light cardio & dynamic stretching and/or muscle activation (i.e. glute bridges, planks, lateral walks, etc.)
• Progressive Warm Up Sets: Before your principal lifts, perform 2-3 warm up sets. For instance, set 1 @bar-only for 5-10 reps, set 2 @40% for 4-5 reps, and set 3 @50% for 3-4 reps. The goal is to increase blood flow to the working area and mentally prep for the movement, but NOT to tire yourself out. You’ll be able to alter the nice and cozy up set scheme as you would like and feel best. 

Note: It’s often really helpful to do throwing/jumping type warm ups, like med ball slams and box jumps. Nevertheless, many individuals don’t do that but moderately their very own preferred warm up. Warm up sets, nonetheless, should all the time be done, especially in case you resolve to skip the “standard” warm up stuff.

Your Complete 531 Beginners Workout Routine To Follow

Below is a full workout plan that is a “beginner modification” to the usual 5/3/1 workout program.

Ideal Weekly Schedule:

• Day 1: 531 Workout
• Day 2: Rest or Conditioning
• Day 3: 531 Workout
• Day 4: Rest or Conditioning
• Day 5: 531 Workout
• Day 6: Rest or Conditioning
• Day 7: Rest Day

While you possibly can add conditioning to your 531 lifting days, we recommend doing it on a separate day. Aim for 1-3 times per week.

4 Week Cycle Rep Scheme for the Primary Lifts (reminder of the rep scheme):

Note: After you complete week 4, you begin a latest cycle and increase the load by 5-10 kilos (upper body lifts) and 10-20 kilos (lower body lifts).

Are you able to alter the plan in any respect?

You’ll be able to alter the 531 plan in various ways in case you want, comparable to changing around which principal lift comes first or your assistance lifts, but for it to be a real 531 program, you’ll have the 4 principal lifts and the 4-week cycles (3 weeks of heavy progression, followed by 1 deload week).

We recommend keeping the principal lift structure as shown above to start out, after which after a cycle or two you possibly can consider changing things up a bit for the principal lifts order, as you will have a greater understanding of this system by then. 

As for assistance exercises, these could be altered and tailored to your needs or liking. So, if you should change up an exercise from what was suggested above, be happy. We are going to provide an inventory of excellent options just under. Nevertheless it’s vital to first note that we recommend sticking with the identical assistance exercise you’ve got chosen for every workout day for the complete 4 week cycle before switching things up.  

And at last, you could have conditioning days which you possibly can add on the off days of the 531 lifting programming. That is very flexible, and could be done/modified at the same time as much as week by week. While highly really helpful as conditioning is an important element of fitness, that is optional. 

5/3/1 Assistance Exercises 

So, as you saw in this system above, each workout has one assistance exercise for Push, Pull, and Single-Leg/Core and you may do a complete of 50-100 total reps (typically with 8-15 reps per set). All the time hearken to your body, though. This aspect of the plan has more flexibility. For body weight exercises, chances are you’ll have to lower the whole reps and that is tremendous, because it gives you room for progress too.

In keeping with Jim Wendler, an important assistance movements are dumbbell squats, body weight squats, Bulgarian one leg squats, dumbbell rows, chin-ups/pull-ups, dips, reverse hyperextensions, and the ab wheel or any abdominal work.¹

He’s also made it very clear that he like body weight assistance work together with barbell strength programs:

““I’m an enormous fan of using body weight movements for assistance work. On their very own, body weight assistance work is limiting. Body weight-only proponents wish to sell you that anyone can get big and robust using push-ups and their brethren. They often cite Herschel Walker and Olympic gymnasts as their examples – but Walker played pro-football and won the Heisman. Olympic gymnasts are within the Olympics. So let’s not use the exception to prove the rule. Nevertheless, body weight work as assistance—when used as a part of a balanced program of barbell training, jumping, throwing, mobility work and conditioning—becomes one other animal.”⁵

So, including Jim’s recommendations, listed here are among the top decisions for assistance exercises based on each category:

Wendler has an ordinary protocol of assistance work that beginners should strive for. He believes the below are the fundamental physical requirements of general fitness that beginners should strive for (to find a way to do in 1 set):

• 10 reps of chin-ups/pull-ups
• 35 reps of push-ups
• 20 reps of dips
• 20 reps of DB goblet squats using about 40-50% your body weight 

5/3/1 Progression and Failure Protocol

After you complete a four-week cycle, you increase the load of your TM for all 4 core lifts and restart the method.

Like other progression programs, your goal for progression is:

• Add 5 lbs for upper body exercises (bench press and overhead press)
• Add 10 lbs for lower body exercises (squat and deadlift).

The goal is so as to add weight every 4 weeks, but all of the reps have to be accomplished with perfect form.

For those who cannot complete with perfect form, you’ll follow the failure protocol. 

Within the 5/3/1 program for beginners, in case you fail to finish your reps or cannot increase the load on a lift:

• Recalculate your one-rep max (1RM) for that lift.
• Take 90% of this latest 1RM as your adjusted training max.
• Restart the next 4 week cycle for that specific lift using this adjusted max.

Note: These adjustments only apply to the lifts you possibly can’t complete; the opposite major lifts should follow the regular schedule. 

5/3/1 Program Suggestions

• Good Form: All barbell lifts must be performed at a weight so you can complete the reps with excellent form. It’s also extremely vital that the load be lifted in a controlled, explosive manner with none slow or jerky motions.
• Tempo: Jim Wendler states you must have complete control of the barbell on the lowering phase of the lift (eccentric) and be explosive through the lifting phase (concentric) of the exercise. ¹
• Conditioning: Perform some sort of cardio or running on as many non-lifting days as possible, depending in your goals and current fitness level. It’s also vital to not over-do it with the cardio because this may wear you down and hurt your muscle-building progress.
• Assistance Exercises: Be thoughtful of the help exercises. Take into consideration lagging areas, gaps that should be filled, personal goals whether or not they are aesthetic or performance, etc. The help exercises are meant to enrich the principal lifts that are truly the guts of 531 workouts. 
• Rest & Recovery: Getting proper rest and recovery is significant for achievement. Make sure that to follow a clean weight-reduction plan high in protein and get loads of sleep. 

5/3/1 Beginner Testimonials on Reddit

At SET FOR SET, we wish to share real user experiences and testimonials from across the web. Several people have shared their success with the 5/3/1 for Beginners workout routine.

1. Thread: “Quick review about 5/3/1 for beginners”

Within the subReddit r/gainit, user DrinkWater shared their experience with this system, despite having two years of lifting on-and-off. “3 weeks ago, I began 5/3/1 for beginners and Im 100% satisfied, I can already see my numbers going up but most significant I feel stronger and never afraid to try some heavy squat for reps that up to now I used to be all the time conscious about.. With the accessories, I get the pump that I used to be missing with 5×5 and this sense that I actually did the work for the day.” 

2. Thread: “531 for beginners”

One common theme in one other threads was beginners believing this system was too easy on paper.

One user shared a helpful tip for individuals who find this system easy at first. User seekingadvice432 stated, “You’ll be able to all the time do higher reps on the FSL sets in case you want. I’d recommend doing a 3-week cycle by the books first simply to see how your body reacts. The 5×5 within the third week is loads harder at 75%, and you do not need to enter that third week worn out from pushing an excessive amount of in the primary two weeks.” – As this user states, be sure to follow this system by the book before you make any changes. 

One other user jpat229 within the thread shared excellent advice concerning the big picture and recovery. “5/3/1 takes loads out of you. You wish the sunshine weeks in the combo of course. They keep you moving and engaged but let your body and CNS calm down. It is a routine that you will really feel in case you get off course with weight-reduction plan and recovery too. Make sure that you are eating, working on mobility via Agile 8, stretching twice per day as really helpful and sleeping. It doesn’t appear to be much volume, but it would catch as much as you.”

These are only a number of discussions that you will find online regarding the 531 program. There may be even a subreddit for 531 called Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 r/531Discussion.

All in all, we selected to spotlight the above threads because they supply good insight into this system’s effectiveness and the importance of the week 4 deload, and recovery usually. It’s essential perform some sort of mobility and stretching exercises to arrange the body and forestall injury.

Take a look at the YouTube video regarding Joe Defranco’s Agile 8 warm-up routine:

FAQs:

On this section, we’ll answer among the mostly asked questions regarding 5/3/1 for Beginners. 

Is 531 good for beginners?

The unique 5/3/1 workout program is for more experienced weight lifters, which is why there are variations of 531 designed specifically for brand new or inexperienced weight lifters. 

What should I do after 531 for beginners?

After completing 5/3/1 for beginners, you possibly can consider transitioning to the usual 5/3/1 program, which is more geared towards intermediate to advanced lifters, or other specialized programs tailored to your goals. It’s also possible to set latest objectives for conditioning and assistance work. 

Take a look at this thread from Reddit about “At what point should I move on from 531 for beginners?“

What are the advantages of the 5/3/1 program?

The 5/3/1 program offers simplicity, flexibility, linear progressive overload, and a long-term approach to foundational strength training. It emphasizes strength development, allows customization, and promotes proper recovery, making it suitable for gaining strength, muscle, and endurance (principally, it’s great for overall fitness, with emphasis on strength).

Is 5/3/1 good for constructing muscle too?

While 5/3/1 primarily focuses on strength, it would definitely allow beginners to pack on considerable muscle. To start with, it’s very easy for beginners to placed on muscle. We have all heard of the newbie gains phenomenon. Plus, muscle growth occurs with low volume, not only “8-12 reps”, so even non-beginners will see growth. Furthermore, the help work you do will likely be highly helpful to muscle gain, and you possibly can concentrate on lagging areas that you should improve for aesthetics.

How long does the 531 for Beginners Workout take to finish?

Each training session for the 531B workout program takes roughly one hour to an hour and a half within the gym. 

When should I add weight on 5/3/1?

Increase your training max (TM) after completing a full four-week cycle in case you consistently achieve the minimum prescribed reps on the “+” set and feel confident. A typical TM increase is 5-10 kilos for upper body lifts and 10-20 kilos for lower body lifts, as a beginner (newbie strength gains also come quick). 

What’s the explanation for a deload week within the 531 Workout program?

The de-loading week is crucial to let the body get well and forestall overtraining. The primary three weeks of the cycle place tremendous stress on the body and mind, so recovery is crucial. This also helps prevent injury since the goal is to start out over and increase weight after a de-loading. 

Do I would like to do conditioning for 531?

While not a requirement, it’s really helpful as conditioning days make sure the program is well-rounded for all of the principal pillars of fitness.

Listed here are some interesting threads from the 531 subreddit regarding conditioning:

Summary:

A lot of the newest training methods are incredibly complex and confusing to follow, especially for novice lifters. The 531 for Beginners strength program is straightforward and effective, specializing in 4 principal lifts and accessory work.

This system uses a proven method of assorted rep ranges and intensities to assist users make regular progress every month. The most effective parts concerning the 5/3/1 for Beginners program is the customizability. This system could be very easy and easy regarding the core lifts, allowing users to customize this system from there. While the user has the choice to choose their very own assistance lifts, it’s important to follow the principal elements of the program.

Do not be fooled by the proven fact that it’s only three workouts every week – the complete program is intense (especially in case you do the conditioning days too) and designed for monthly progression. This system is about up so you possibly can repeatedly break personal records and set a latest max every cycle. 531 for Beginners is probably the greatest novice programs available and may also help anyone, regardless of coaching age and goals.

If you find yourself ready, you possibly can tackle the unique, more advanced 531 workout plan (from our blog).

If you should dig more into the “science” behind Jim Wendler’s 531 methods, try his books on Amazon:

Note: I’ve read these books very thoroughly (and greater than once!) that are more geared towards intermediate-advanced. That is why (with the assistance of Jim’s ‘531 for beginner’ discussions online) I put together this 531 plan for beginners. Essentially, the goal was to offer a simplified and arranged 531 plan for beginners. The identical with our “more advanced 531 workout plan” linked above. Hopefully we have succeeded on this effort. Good luck along with your training!

Not loving 531? Take a look at one other beginner program that focuses on constructing a solid foundation of strength and muscle – the GZCLP Program.

References:

1. https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/101065094-5-3-1-for-a-beginner
2. https://www.reddit.com/r/531Discussion/comments/tz2y9s/comment/i41fgfs/
3. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/6bwz5o/comment/dhq4unx/
4. https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/do-you-need-to-condition
5. https://www.jimwendler.com/blogs/jimwendler-com/excerpt-from-forever-5-3-1-bodyweight-assistance-work