Please note: This is not official 5/3/1 advice and is not associated in any way with Jim Wendler. If you want official 5/3/1 advice, buy the book.
The Triumvirate is the original assistance template from Jim Wendler’s first 5/3/1 book. The name refers to the three exercises you perform each training day: one main lift run through the standard 5/3/1 progression, plus two assistance exercises.
Table of Contents
What is the Triumvirate?
The Triumvirate keeps each training day simple: train one of the four main lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift, or overhead press) using the 5/3/1 rep scheme, then pick two assistance exercises to back it up. Each assistance exercise is done for 5 sets, usually one movement in the 15-rep range and one in the 10-rep range.
It’s a good fit for lifters who want a small, focused amount of assistance work without the higher volume of a template like Boring But Big. Three exercises per day is easy to recover from and easy to stick with.
The Triumvirate Example
You run the Triumvirate across four training days, one main lift per day. The main lift follows your normal 5/3/1 sets, then two assistance exercises follow it. Here are the classic pairings from the original book:
- Bench Press day
- Bench Press: 5/3/1
- Dumbbell Chest Press: 5 sets x 15 reps
- Dumbbell Row: 5 sets x 10 reps
- Squat day
- Squat: 5/3/1
- Leg Press: 5 sets x 15 reps
- Leg Curl: 5 sets x 10 reps
- Overhead Press day
- Overhead Press: 5/3/1
- Dip: 5 sets x 15 reps
- Chin-up: 5 sets x 10 reps
- Deadlift day
- Deadlift: 5/3/1
- Good Morning: 5 sets x 12 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise: 5 sets x 15 reps
The exercises themselves aren’t sacred. The structure is what matters: one main lift, two assistance movements, 5 sets each.
How to Choose Your Assistance Exercises
Pick your two assistance exercises to train your weak points and the muscles involved in that day’s main lift. A common approach is one exercise that hits the same movement pattern as the main lift and one that trains the opposing muscle group, like the dumbbell row on bench day.
Keep the loads moderate. The point of the assistance work is added volume and muscle, not another maximal effort, so leave the heavy lifting for your 5/3/1 main sets.
Triumvirate Resources
Here are some helpful discussions of the Triumvirate template from around the internet:
- Triumvirate Variations (T-Nation Forum)
- A Hardcore Look at Wendler’s 5/3/1 (Muscle & Strength)
- Triumvirate option in the Black Iron Beast 5/3/1 calculator
5/3/1 Glossary
Learn about other 5/3/1 terms in our 5/3/1 glossary.
5/3/1 Forever Book (Recommended Reading)
To best utilize the 5/3/1 training framework, the book is highly recommended. It’s a small investment for a lifetime of training knowledge.
The most up-to-date and complete collection of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 programming framework. Contains dozens of templates to keep 5/3/1 fresh and adaptable.
