5/3/1 Building the Monolith

A brutal size-and-strength challenge: three full-body days a week pairing a heavy 5/3/1 main lift with monster assistance volume — 100+ reps each of chins, dips, and face pulls. Eat big, train hard, and grow.

Level: Advanced
Goal: Size
Days per week: 3 days / week
Cycle: 4-week cycle
Progression: 5/3/1 wave

What you need to start

A training max for: Squat, Bench press, Deadlift, Overhead press

How the weight moves

Squat: +5 kg (10 lb) per successful cycle
Bench press: +2.5 kg (5 lb) per successful cycle
Deadlift: +5 kg (10 lb) per successful cycle
Overhead press: +2.5 kg (5 lb) per successful cycle

The week

Squat & Press

Exercise	Sets × reps	Load
Back Squat	65% × 5 · 75% × 5 · 85% × 5AMRAP	Training max
Overhead Press	65% × 5 · 75% × 5 · 85% × 5AMRAP	Training max
Chin-Upvolume	10 × 10	Your choice
Face Pullvolume	5 × 20	Your choice
Dipvolume	10 × 10	Your choice

Deadlift & Bench

Exercise	Sets × reps	Load
Deadlift	65% × 5 · 75% × 5 · 85% × 5AMRAP	Training max
Barbell Bench Press	65% × 5 · 75% × 5 · 85% × 5AMRAP	Training max
Dumbbell Rowvolume	5 × 15	Your choice
Barbell Curlvolume	5 × 20	Your choice

Volume

Exercise	Sets × reps	Load
Back Squatvolume	1 × 20	Your choice
Overhead Pressvolume	10 × 5	Your choice
Chin-Upvolume	5 × 5	Your choice
Face Pullvolume	5 × 20	Your choice
Dumbbell Rowvolume	5 × 20	Your choice

Sets marked "volume" are supplemental or recovery work — they don't decide whether the weight goes up.

Week by week

Used by: Back Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift, Barbell Bench Press

Week 1	65% × 5 · 75% × 5 · 85% × 5
Week 2	70% × 3 · 80% × 3 · 90% × 3
Week 3	75% × 5 · 85% × 3 · 95% × 1
Week 4	40% × 5 · 50% × 5 · 60% × 5