3 Boring But Big (531 BBB) Spreadsheets

Don’t you think that ideal training sessions must be challenging along with being interesting? Of course, you do. What if we tell you about a training program that is named “Boring But Big” but its result will be so interesting that you will not be willing to leave the gym? Excited…aren’t you?

The 531 Boring But Big program aka 531 BBB is surely one of its kind. It combines the strength gaining protocol of the 5/3/1 program and it’s hypertrophy oriented approach of performing 5 sets of 10 reps. If you follow the 5/3/1 Boring But Big program religiously, your strength and size gains would surely make you stand out from the rest.

Recommended Readings:

Now before you proceed to follow the boring but big spreadsheet and start using the boring but big templates, we would recommend you to invest some of your time in going through these books.

• 5/3/1 Forever by Jim Wendler

This book includes basic training methods and over 50 varying 5/3/1 training templates. It covers everything about the program but it’s a bit on the pricier side.

• Beyond 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler

This book is not as expensive as the former and introduces concepts of First Set Last and Joker sets that are the staples of the 5/3/1 program.

• 5/3/1 for Powerlifting by Jim Wendler

This book presents a more powerlifting oriented approach to the 5/3/1 training program.

What is Boring But Big?

The Boring But Big program aka BBB program is a 5/3/1 training method. In other words, it is a variation of Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1. It involves performing hypertrophy oriented volume accessory work after you get your 5/3/1 work completed.

The Boring But Big protocol has gained popularity owing to its feature that facilitates easy programming of it. This program is easy to be put into use and it enhances both your strength and size gains. Primarily the Boring But Big program focuses to up your poundages on the four basic compound lifts along with promoting hypertrophy. They are squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press. Getting strong in these lifts further enhances up your lifting potential and also promotes size gains without being too brutal. The accessory work of this program involves following a scheme of 5 sets of 10 reps (5×10).

How Do You Do 531 BBB?

The Boring But Big program’s core is to add up the volume and increase the weights you lift on the big four lifts deadlift, squat, bench press, and overhead press. Once you have completed the basic 5/3/1 lifts, you can then deload the weights to 50% of your training max. Then you are required to perform five sets of ten reps (5×10) with that weight on the bar. You can even swap the lifts to avoid the monotony. For instance, you can do 5×10 overhead press with 5/3/1 bench press. Similarly, you can perform 5×10 squats with 5/3/1 deadlifts.

If you are in pursuit of a more rounded workout program, you can add up some assistance work too. While focussing primarily on the four big lifts you can also throw in some push-ups, chin-ups, face-pulls, dumbbell curls, tricep extensions, cable crossovers, leg extensions, etc.

5/3/1 Boring But Big (BBB) Spreadsheet

Spreadsheets tend to become more significant when it comes to calculating the percentage of weights you will be lifting in your workout sessions. In the spreadsheet mentioned below you can easily have a look at what weights you would be using and proceeding with while following the 5/3/1 Boring But Big (BBB) spreadsheet.

Owing to the formatted schedule of the excel spreadsheet you can choose to bring printouts of this spreadsheet too in your training sessions.

The statistics page mentioned in the spreadsheet aids you in tracking your performance catering to the top workset of the third week of each cycle. The strength to weight ratio statistic that has been presented in the spreadsheet requires your body weight which you will be entering while beginning every cycle. To monitor your progress resulting from increase in your strength levels, you can make the use of graphs given in the spreadsheet. You can also modify the spreadsheet as per your individual preferences.

5/3/1 BBB Spreadsheet

The 7 cycles of this spreadsheet bring a detailed and descriptive overview of how you will be proceeding with the program. You can even use the templates to get properly guided. Apart from your basic compound lifts, you will be required to perform some assistance work for smaller muscle groups. The assistance work under this spreadsheet will comprise of cable flyers, hip thrusts, shrugs, skull crushers, hammer curls, wide upright rows (don’t confuse this with the high pull), farmer walks, leg curls, etc.

Boring But Big 3 Month Challenge Spreadsheet

If you are amongst those who like to take up new challenges every now and then, this BBB 3 month challenge Google sheet will definitely test your capabilities. In these three months, you would be upping your strength levels on the basic compound lifts following the program’s protocol by using the weights mentioned in the spreadsheet.

In the first month, you would be performing 5 sets of 10 reps at 50% of your Training Max. In the second month, you would follow the same set and rep pattern of the first month but will be lifting 60% of your second month’s Training Max. In the third and final month, you would be required to lift 70% of your third month’s Training Max with same set and rep pattern that you followed in the previous two months.

You don’t need to take your last sets to failure following the 5/3/1 program. Just do the reps as given in the spreadsheet. In each cycle of this program, you must increase your squat and deadlift weights by 10 lbs. Your bench press and overhead press are required to be increased by 5 lbs in each cycle.

Reference

Boring But Big 3 month challenge
Boring But Big

Related:

5/3/1 Spreadsheets
Cowboy Method Spreadsheets
Texas Method Workout Program
Smolov Jr. 531 Spreadsheet
Smolov Jr. Program with Spreadsheets
Smolov Squat Program
Thinner Leaner Stronger Workout Program Spreadsheets
Phrak’s Greyskull LP Program