- Level
- Intermediate
- Days a week
- 4 days
- Goal
- Strength and size
- Equipment
- Barbell
- How long
- 3–6 months per run
- Created by
- Jim Wendler
Boring But Big (BBB) is Jim Wendler’s best-known 5/3/1 template. Four days a week you do the main 5/3/1 sets for one lift, then five sets of ten at a light percentage, then a little assistance work. It is plain, it is hard, and it puts on muscle.
Wendler has written several versions in his books. What follows is the widely known original structure; for the full details and the newer variations, buy the books from jimwendler.com.
This page explains the program in our own words. All credit for it goes to Jim Wendler. The original: Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 books, at jimwendler.com. The full program is published commercially; if you run it, buy the original. It has detail this page leaves out.
Who it’s for
Intermediate lifters who want size as well as strength and can train four days a week. The 5×10 sets are tiring; expect sore legs for the first few weeks.
BBB is a good fit for an off-season or a block where size matters more than peaking a lift. It is less suited to someone getting ready for a powerlifting meet, since the volume leaves you tired going into heavy singles.
It also asks a lot of your conditioning. Wendler pairs it with regular walking, prowler pushes or other easy conditioning so the 5×10 sets don’t feel like a different sport.
The weekly schedule
| Day | Main lift | 5 × 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Overhead press | Overhead press |
| Tuesday | Deadlift | Deadlift (some versions use squat) |
| Thursday | Bench press | Bench press |
| Friday | Back squat | Back squat (some versions use deadlift) |
Every workout
| Exercise | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main lift, 5/3/1 sets | Week 1: 65/75/85% × 5, 5, 5+ | Week 2: 70/80/90% × 3, 3, 3+; Week 3: 75/85/95% × 5, 3, 1+ |
| Same lift, BBB sets | 5 × 10 at 50–60% | Start at 50% on your first run |
| Chin-up or row | 50–100 reps total | |
| Ab work | 50–100 reps total | Hanging leg raises, ab wheel |
Percentages are of the training max (90% of your one-rep max).
The original cycle has a fourth, deload week of light sets (40–60% for fives). Wendler’s later books changed when and how often to deload.
How to progress
After each cycle, add 5 lb (2.5 kg) to the training max for press and bench and 10 lb (5 kg) for squat and deadlift. Raise the 5×10 percentage only when the sets feel easy across the board.
The training max is the number that drives everything. Keep it honest: if the plus sets in week three are only ever one rep, the training max has drifted too high and should come down.
Stalls and deloads
Use the deload week, or if you miss the minimum reps on a plus set, lower that lift’s training max by 10% and carry on.
How long to run it
Run it for two to four cycles at a time, then switch to a lower-volume 5/3/1 template for a while before coming back.
Expect each session to take 60–75 minutes. Most of that is the 5×10, which goes faster with short rests of 60–90 seconds.
What to do next
Wendler’s books include strength-focused templates to alternate with BBB. nSuns 5/3/1 LP is a high-volume community alternative.
Common mistakes
Starting the 5×10 too heavy
At 70% it stops being "boring" and starts eating your main sets. 50% is enough at first.
Skipping the chin-ups
Fifty-plus reps of pulling a day is part of the template, not an optional extra.
Ignoring conditioning
Fifty-rep sessions are as much a fitness test as a strength test. Some easy conditioning on off days makes the 5×10 sets much more manageable.
Running it in Splyt
Build each workout above as a template in Splyt. When you finish a session, the weights you actually lifted carry into the next run of that template, so every set shows last time’s numbers beside it and you can see at a glance whether to add weight. Log on iPhone or Apple Watch, and the Watch counts your reps for you.
Have the program in a spreadsheet or screenshot already? Import it and Splyt turns it into editable templates. Use the one-rep max calculator to set a training max, the warm-up calculator for warm-up sets in whole plates, and strength standards to see where your lifts sit for your bodyweight.
Questions
Is Boring But Big good for hypertrophy?
Yes. Fifty extra reps of a compound lift each session is a lot of volume, and it is one of the most popular 5/3/1 templates for size.
Same lift or opposite lift for the 5×10?
The original uses the same lift. Wendler’s later versions sometimes pair opposite lifts, for example squats after deadlifts. Both work.
Similar programs
- 5/3/1 for Beginners — beginner, 3 days
- nSuns 5/3/1 LP — intermediate, 4–5 days
- PHUL (Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower) — intermediate, 4 days
- Madcow 5×5 — intermediate, 3 days
- Every program, by level and days
More for your training
- Workout splits: how push pull legs, upper/lower and full body compare
- Ready-made workouts for every muscle and piece of equipment
- The exercise library: how to do every lift above
- Strength standards by lift and bodyweight
Run this program in Splyt, the workout tracker for iPhone and Apple Watch that remembers what you lifted. Get Splyt free on the App Store