Creating the 5/3/1 Workout Plan in LiftTrack

The 5/3/1 program, created by Jim Wendler, is one of the most popular and effective strength training programs for intermediate to advanced lifters. Built around four core lifts—Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, and Overhead Press—5/3/1 uses percentage-based training with systematic progression over 4-week cycles.

LiftTrack’s training max feature and workout scheduler make it perfect for implementing 5/3/1. This guide walks you through setting up your complete 5/3/1 program step-by-step.

Understanding the 5/3/1 Program

Before diving into the setup, let’s understand how 5/3/1 works:

Core Principles

1. Training Max (TM)

• Your Training Max is 90% of your estimated 1-rep max (1RM)
• Example: If your 1RM squat is 300lb, your Training Max is 270lb (300 × 0.9)
• This conservative approach ensures you can complete all prescribed reps while building strength over time

2. Four-Week Cycle Structure The program follows a repeating 4-week pattern:

• Week 1 (5/5/5+): 65% × 5, 75% × 5, 85% × 5+ (last set is AMRAP - As Many Reps As Possible)
• Week 2 (3/3/3+): 70% × 3, 80% × 3, 90% × 3+ (last set is AMRAP)
• Week 3 (5/3/1+): 75% × 5, 85% × 3, 95% × 1+ (last set is AMRAP)
• Week 4 (Deload): 40% × 5, 50% × 5, 60% × 5 (no AMRAP, active recovery)

3. Progression After each 4-week cycle:

• Increase Training Max by 5 lbs for Press and Bench Press
• Increase Training Max by 10 lbs for Squat and Deadlift
• Start the cycle over with the new Training Max

4. Training Schedule

• Train 3-4 days per week
• Each day focuses on one main lift
• Add 2-3 accessory exercises after the main lift
• Common split: Monday (Press), Wednesday (Deadlift), Friday (Bench), Sunday (Squat)

Why 5/3/1 Works

The program’s effectiveness comes from:

• Submaximal training: Working at 85-90% of true max reduces injury risk and allows consistent training
• Built-in progression: Automatic increases every cycle ensure continuous improvement
• Volume management: The deload week prevents overreaching and promotes recovery
• Flexibility: The AMRAP sets allow you to push when you feel strong while maintaining structure

Setting Up 5/3/1 in LiftTrack

Now let’s walk through creating your complete 5/3/1 program in LiftTrack. We’ll cover each step in detail.

Step 1: Create a Folder for Your Program

First, organize your 5/3/1 workouts in a dedicated folder. This keeps everything together and makes it easy to find your program workouts.

How to create a folder in LiftTrack:

1. Open the Workouts tab
2. Tap the folder icon (📁) in the top-right corner of the app bar
3. In the dialog that appears, enter a name like “5/3/1 Program”
4. Tap “Create”

The folder is created and ready to store your workouts. When you create workouts later, you can select this folder to keep them organized.

Step 2: Set Your Training Maxes

Before creating workouts, set your Training Maxes for each of the four main lifts. This is the foundation of your 5/3/1 program.

How to set Training Maxes:

1. Go to Settings → Training Maxes
2. For each main lift (Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, Overhead Press):
   • If the exercise already appears in the list, tap the weight value to edit it
   • If it doesn’t appear, you’ll set it when creating the workout (see Step 3)
3. Enter your Training Max (90% of your estimated 1RM)
4. The training max is saved and will be used across all workouts

Example: If your estimated 1RM for Back Squat is 300lb:

• Training Max = 300 × 0.9 = 270lb
• Enter 270 as your Training Max

Note: Training maxes are shared across all workouts. Once you set a training max for “Back Squat,” it applies to “Back Squat” in every workout you create.

Step 3: Create Workouts for Each Day

Create four separate workouts—one for each main lift. Each workout will contain the main lift programmed with the correct percentages for each week.

How to create a workout:

1. Tap the ”+” button (or “Create Workout” button) in the Workouts tab
2. If you have multiple folders, select the “5/3/1 Program” folder you created
3. Enter a workout name (e.g., “5/3/1 - Squat Day”)
4. Add your main lift exercise (e.g., “Back Squat”)

Programming the main lift with Training Max percentages:

For each workout, you’ll program the main lift with three sets using percentages of your Training Max:

1. Tap the exercise to edit it
2. Tap the weight unit dropdown (showing “LBS” or “KGS”)
3. Select ”% OF TM” from the dropdown menu
   • If you haven’t set a training max yet, you’ll be prompted to enter one
4. Program the three working sets:
   • For Week 1 workout: Enter 65%, 75%, and 85% (for 5, 5, 5+ reps)
   • For Week 2 workout: Enter 70%, 80%, and 90% (for 3, 3, 3+ reps)
   • For Week 3 workout: Enter 75%, 85%, and 95% (for 5, 3, 1+ reps)
   • For Week 4 workout (Deload): Enter 40%, 50%, and 60% (for 5, 5, 5 reps)

Important: Since 5/3/1 uses different percentages each week, you have two options:

Option A: Create separate workouts for each week (Recommended)

• Create 4 workouts per main lift (16 total workouts)
• Name them: “5/3/1 Squat - Week 1”, “5/3/1 Squat - Week 2”, etc.
• Program each with the correct percentages for that week
• This approach works best with the scheduler (see Step 4)

Option B: Create one workout per main lift

• Create 4 workouts total (one per main lift)
• Program Week 1 percentages
• Manually adjust percentages each week (less ideal)

Adding accessory exercises:

After programming your main lift, add 2-3 accessory exercises. Common choices:

• Squat day: Leg press, leg curls, calf raises
• Bench day: Rows, tricep extensions, face pulls
• Deadlift day: Pull-ups, rows, ab work
• Press day: Lateral raises, tricep work, face pulls

Accessories can use absolute weights or their own training maxes if desired.

Tip: Use Duplicate Workout to Speed Up Creation

Creating 16 workouts (4 lifts × 4 weeks) can be time-consuming. LiftTrack’s duplicate feature makes this much faster:

1. Create your first workout for each main lift (e.g., “5/3/1 Squat - Week 1”)
2. Program it with Week 1 percentages (65%, 75%, 85%)
3. Add your accessory exercises
4. Save the workout
5. Tap the three dots (⋮) menu on the workout card
6. Select “Duplicate Workout”
7. The duplicate is created with “(copy)” added to the name
8. Edit the duplicate: change the name to “5/3/1 Squat - Week 2” and update percentages to 70%, 80%, 90%
9. Repeat for Weeks 3 and 4

This approach saves significant time—you only need to create 4 base workouts (one per main lift), then duplicate and modify them for each week. The duplicate automatically stays in the same folder as the original.

Step 4: Schedule Your 4-Week Cycle

Use LiftTrack’s scheduler to automatically cycle through your workouts over the 4-week period.

How to schedule your 4-week cycle:

1. Go to the Upcoming tab (the calendar icon in the bottom navigation)

2. Tap the schedule icon (📅) in the top-right corner of the app bar, or tap “Schedule Workouts” if you see that button

3. Tap “Create Weekly Routine” or “Add Another Week” to create 4 weeks

4. For each week, assign workouts to the appropriate days:

   Week 1:

   • Monday: 5/3/1 Press - Week 1
   • Wednesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift - Week 1
   • Friday: 5/3/1 Bench - Week 1
   • Sunday: 5/3/1 Squat - Week 1

   Week 2:

   • Monday: 5/3/1 Press - Week 2
   • Wednesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift - Week 2
   • Friday: 5/3/1 Bench - Week 2
   • Sunday: 5/3/1 Squat - Week 2

   Week 3:

   • Monday: 5/3/1 Press - Week 3
   • Wednesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift - Week 3
   • Friday: 5/3/1 Bench - Week 3
   • Sunday: 5/3/1 Squat - Week 3

   Week 4 (Deload):

   • Monday: 5/3/1 Press - Week 4
   • Wednesday: 5/3/1 Deadlift - Week 4
   • Friday: 5/3/1 Bench - Week 4
   • Sunday: 5/3/1 Squat - Week 4

5. Set the “Current Week” dropdown to Week 1 to start your cycle

6. Tap the checkmark (✓) in the top-right to save your schedule

How the scheduler works:

• The scheduler automatically repeats your 4-week cycle
• Scheduled workouts appear in the Upcoming tab, organized by date
• The scheduler generates workouts for the next 14 days automatically
• After Week 4, it automatically cycles back to Week 1
• You can change the “Current Week” dropdown at any time to jump to a different week in the cycle
• If you have multiple weeks, you’ll see a “Current Week” selector at the top of the scheduler screen
• For single-week routines, the week automatically repeats every week

Step 5: Update Training Maxes After Each Cycle

After completing your 4-week cycle, increase your Training Maxes to progress to the next cycle.

How to update Training Maxes:

1. Go to Settings → Training Maxes
2. For each main lift, tap the current weight value
3. Increase the Training Max:
   • Press and Bench Press: Add 5 lbs (or 2.5 kg)
   • Squat and Deadlift: Add 10 lbs (or 5 kg)
4. Tap “Save”

Automatic weight recalculation:

When you update a Training Max, LiftTrack automatically recalculates all weights in workouts that use that exercise with ”% OF TM”.

Example:

• Your Back Squat Training Max was 270lb
• Week 1 workout had 85% = 229.5lb (rounded to 230lb)
• You update Training Max to 280lb
• Week 1 workout automatically updates: 85% = 238lb (rounded based on your settings)

This means you don’t need to manually update each workout—just update the Training Max, and all your workouts adjust automatically.

Complete Example: Setting Up 5/3/1 Squat Day

Let’s walk through a complete example for one workout:

Assumptions:

• Estimated 1RM Back Squat: 300lb
• Training Max: 270lb (300 × 0.9)

Step-by-step:

1. Set Training Max:

   • Settings → Training Maxes
   • Find “Back Squat” (or set it when creating the workout)
   • Enter 270

2. Create Workout:

   • Name: “5/3/1 Squat - Week 1”
   • Add exercise: “Back Squat”

3. Program Main Lift:

   • Tap “Back Squat”
   • Change weight unit to ”% OF TM”
   • Set three working sets:
     • Set 1: 65% (5 reps) = 175.5lb → rounds to 175lb
     • Set 2: 75% (5 reps) = 202.5lb → rounds to 205lb
     • Set 3: 85% (5+ reps) = 229.5lb → rounds to 230lb

4. Add Accessories:

   • Leg Press: 3 sets × 10 reps (absolute weight)
   • Leg Curls: 3 sets × 12 reps (absolute weight)
   • Calf Raises: 3 sets × 15 reps (absolute weight)

5. Save and Repeat:

   • Create “5/3/1 Squat - Week 2” with 70%, 80%, 90%
   • Create “5/3/1 Squat - Week 3” with 75%, 85%, 95%
   • Create “5/3/1 Squat - Week 4” with 40%, 50%, 60%
   • Repeat for Bench, Deadlift, and Press

Tips for Success

1. Start Conservative

• If unsure of your 1RM, err on the side of a lower Training Max
• You can always increase it faster if workouts feel too easy

2. Track Your AMRAP Sets

• The ”+” sets (AMRAP) are important for gauging progress
• If you consistently hit 8+ reps on your 5+ week, consider a larger Training Max increase

3. Don’t Skip Deload Week

• Week 4 is crucial for recovery
• Use it as active recovery, not complete rest

4. Adjust Accessories as Needed

• Accessories should complement your main lifts
• Rotate exercises every few cycles to prevent boredom

5. Use Weight Rounding Settings

• Go to Settings → Workout Settings → Weight Rounding
• Set increments that match your gym’s plates (5lb for pounds, 2.5kg for kilograms)

Troubleshooting

Q: My calculated weights don’t match what I expect

• Check your Training Max is set correctly (90% of 1RM)
• Verify weight rounding settings match your preferences
• Remember: weights are rounded to match available plates

Q: Can I use progressions with 5/3/1?

• No. Training maxes and progressions are mutually exclusive in LiftTrack
• 5/3/1 uses fixed percentages that change week-to-week, not automatic progression based on performance
• Use Training Maxes for 5/3/1, not progressions

Q: What if I miss a workout?

• The scheduler will continue with the next scheduled workout
• You can manually select any workout from your list
• Consider adjusting the “Current Week” if you’re significantly off schedule

Q: How do I know when to increase my Training Max?

• After completing the full 4-week cycle
• If you’re consistently hitting high reps on AMRAP sets, you might increase faster
• If you’re struggling, maintain the same Training Max for another cycle

Conclusion

Setting up 5/3/1 in LiftTrack takes some initial setup, but once configured, the program runs smoothly with automatic weight calculations and scheduling. The key benefits:

• Automatic weight calculation: Set percentages once, LiftTrack does the math
• Automatic updates: Update Training Max, all workouts adjust
• Scheduled cycles: The scheduler handles week-to-week rotation
• Garmin sync: All workouts sync to your watch automatically

The 5/3/1 program is proven effective for building long-term strength. Combined with LiftTrack’s features, you have a powerful system for structured strength training.

Start by setting your Training Maxes, creating your workouts, scheduling your cycle, and then focus on what matters most: lifting weights and getting stronger.

Ready to get started? Download LiftTrack and begin building your 5/3/1 program today.