5/3/1 BBB for bodybuilding is a hypertrophy-focused interpretation of Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 Boring But Big. It runs a 7-week cycle (two 5/3/1 waves plus a deload) across 4 training days per week. The twist that sets it apart: leg extensions and leg curls run as the main 5/3/1 lift, the squat and deadlift get demoted to supplemental slots, and you stack 5 supplemental movements at 5×10 behind every main lift. Every exercise is swappable through dropdown menus in the sheet.
It’s a high-volume bodybuilding spin on Wendler’s Boring But Big. Instead of squatting and deadlifting heavy off the 5/3/1 percentages, you push the legs with isolation work on the main slot and chase size with a wall of 5×10 accessory volume. The GriefandHoz deviations are deliberate: leg-ext/leg-curl as the main lift (the creator’s personal preference, not a Wendler prescription), 5 supplemental movements instead of 2, and the BBB 5×10 rep scheme on everything. The author describes it as a “bastardization of BBB which is a leader, with the accessory volume of an anchor.”
This one’s for lifters who like the 5/3/1 structure but want it aimed at size, not a 1RM. You should be comfortable customizing a template, because the default exercise selection reflects one person’s preferences and you’ll likely want to tweak it. If you’d rather keep squat/bench/deadlift/OHP as your main lifts, you can swap them back in a couple of clicks. Newer lifters are better served by a leaner program first, since the accessory volume here runs well past what most beginners can recover from.
Table of Contents
5/3/1 BBB for Bodybuilding Program Structure
The sheet’s creator cites the training principles in Wendler’s book 5/3/1 Forever as the main influence on this program. If you want to understand the logic behind 5/3/1, that book is the source and it’s well worth reading.
A 2017 Wendler article, “5/3/1 and Bodybuilding,” lines up with most of what’s in the sheet, though the sheet is a lot more flexible. It was put together by /u/GriefandHoz and isn’t officially endorsed by Jim Wendler.
Here’s how Week 1 lays out across the four training days.
- Day 1: Squat
- Leg Extensions – 5/3/1
- Hack Squat – 5×10
- Barbell Curl – 5×10
- Lateral Raise – 5×10
- Incline Curl – 5×10
- Cable Rope Pushdown – 5×10
- Day 2: Bench Press
- Bench Press – 5/3/1
- Bench Press – 5×10
- Cable Row – 5×10
- Incline Bench Press – 5×10
- Wide Grip Lat Pulldown – 5×10
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 5×10
- Day 3: Deadlifts
- Leg Curls – 5/3/1
- Romanian Deadlift – 5×10
- Close Grip Bench Press – 5×10
- Hammer Curl – 5×10
- Overhead Tricep Extension – 5×10
- Face Pulls – 5×10
- Day 4: Overhead Press
- Overhead Press – 5/3/1
- Overhead Press – 5×10
- Close Grip Lat Pulldown – 5×10
- Dumbbell Bench Press – 5×10
- Straight Arm Lat Pull Down – 5×10
- Cable Flyes – 5×10
Cycle and Percentage Overview
The main 5/3/1 lift follows Wendler’s canonical percentages off your training max (TM). Each week ramps across three sets, with the last set an AMRAP (denoted by the “+”). Week 7 is a deload.
| Week | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 (AMRAP) | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 65% | 75% | 85% | 5 / 5 / 5+ |
| Week 2 | 70% | 80% | 90% | 3 / 3 / 3+ |
| Week 3 | 75% | 85% | 95% | 5 / 3 / 1+ |
| Weeks 4-6 | Second 5/3/1 wave, same scheme with a TM bump | 5/5/5+, 3/3/3+, 5/3/1+ | ||
| Week 7 | Deload (Week-1 percentages, supplemental cut to 2×10) | light | ||
Program Notes and Customization Options
You’ll have spotted the big differences between this bodybuilding adaptation of BBB and the 5/3/1 bodybuilding template Wendler shared.
- This template doesn’t program squat or deadlift as the 5/3/1 lifts. It uses leg extensions and leg curls instead, then runs the squat/deadlift variations (hack squat and Romanian deadlift) at the BBB 5×10 scheme.
- That was the spreadsheet creator’s personal preference, not something prescribed for everyone. If you’d rather stick to squat/bench/deadlift/OHP, swap them back in.
- Instead of the 4×12 rep scheme in Wendler’s article, this uses the BBB 5×10. No surprise given the name.
- You can change the rep scheme through dropdown menus: 2×10, 3×15, 4×12, or even 1×20 (widowmaker sets).
- Widowmaker sets aren’t for beginners. Use them carefully.
- 5 supplemental movements are programmed here vs. 4 in Wendler’s generic 5/3/1 for bodybuilding template. That’s way more volume than Wendler’s original 5/3/1 BBB article, which prescribed 2 supplemental movements at 5×10.
- Wendler usually recommends 50-100 reps per accessory category (push, pull, single leg/core) for “leader” cycles. This program blows past that at times and doesn’t specifically program single-leg or core work. The author knows this and suggests you run it as-is for one cycle, then add 0-100 reps of single-leg OR core work to each workout if you’d like.
- That’s a deviation from Wendler’s usual recommendations.
Spreadsheet: 5/3/1 BBB for Bodybuilding
via /u/GriefandHoz
Progression (Adding Weight)
There are two sets of lifts to progress: the main 5/3/1 movement and the BBB supplemental lifts.
You assess the 5/3/1 movement after the 6th week. If you hit all your reps in the first 3 weeks but missed some in weeks 4 through 6, add 5 lbs to the TM. If you hit every rep across weeks 1 through 6, add 10 lbs.
The supplemental lifts wave from 50% to 55% to 60% of TM, then start over at 50% on the 4th week. On that 4th week you can add 5 to 10 lbs per lift depending on how they feel and how much muscle the movement recruits (adding 10 lbs to a Romanian deadlift is a lot easier than adding 10 lbs to face pulls).
5/3/1 BBB for Bodybuilding FAQs
What is 5/3/1 BBB for bodybuilding?
It’s a hypertrophy-oriented take on Wendler’s 5/3/1 Boring But Big, built by /u/GriefandHoz. You keep the 5/3/1 main-lift structure but aim it at size: leg extensions and leg curls run on the main 5/3/1 slot, squat/deadlift drop to supplemental work, and 5 movements at 5×10 stack behind each main lift. It runs a 7-week cycle across 4 days a week.
Is 5/3/1 good for hypertrophy?
5/3/1 on its own is built around strength, but the Boring But Big supplemental work (5×10 at 50-60% of TM) adds plenty of volume, which is what drives size. This template leans all the way into that with 5 supplemental movements per day, so it’s well set up for hypertrophy if you can recover from the volume.
How is this different from regular Boring But Big?
Standard Boring But Big keeps squat/bench/deadlift/OHP as the main 5/3/1 lifts and adds 1-2 supplemental movements at 5×10. This version uses leg extensions and leg curls on the main slot, demotes the big barbell lifts to supplemental, and runs 5 supplemental movements instead of 2. It’s a higher-volume, more bodybuilding-flavored build.
Can I swap leg extensions back to squats?
Yes. The main-lift choice is just the creator’s preference, and every exercise in the sheet runs off a dropdown. Set squat as the Day 1 main lift and deadlift as the Day 3 main lift, and you’re back to a more conventional 5/3/1 BBB setup.
How long is one cycle?
One cycle is 7 weeks: two 3-week 5/3/1 waves back to back, then a deload week. You bump your training max and start the next cycle from there.
