barbell overhead press
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65% | 5 |
| 2 | 75% | 5 |
| 3 | 85% | 5+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
Plans
Block Periodization 4 days/week ~50 min
Boring But Big (5/3/1)
This hitPR version implements Jim Wendler’s Boring But Big as a four-day 5/3/1 volume block. In each session, the classic three-week wave with a plus set is followed by 5×10 of the same main lift at 50% of the Training Max. Three fixed assistance exercises for 3×10 each finish the session. The block covers two cycles, and hitPR increases the Training Max automatically after each cycle.
Who is this plan for?
- Intermediate lifters with reliable technique in the barbell overhead press, deadlift, bench press, and squat.
- You know your realistically set Training Max for all four main lifts and can judge clean, controlled repetitions.
- You want to combine regular heavy work with substantial supplemental volume rather than adding weight every session.
- Four training days and roughly 50 minutes per session fit your weekly schedule.
How it works
- Three-Week Wave: Week 1 uses 65/75/85% TM for 5/5/5+, Week 2 uses 70/80/90% for 3/3/3+, and Week 3 uses 75/85/95% for 5/3/1+. On the plus set, perform as many clean reps as possible, stopping before reps become slow, forced, or technically unstable.
- Boring But Big: Immediately afterward, perform the same main lift for 5×10 at 50% TM. Complete all 50 reps with consistent technique; easy early sets are not a reason to raise the percentage within the block.
- Fixed Assistance: Each session ends with three preset exercises for 3×10 and 60 seconds of rest. The configured starting split is 3×10, and the goal is 30 completed reps per exercise.
- TM Progression in hitPR: After each cycle, hitPR adds 5 kg to the Training Max for the barbell deadlift and squat, and 2.5 kg for the overhead press and bench press. The app does not evaluate rep speed or technique, so adjust the TM manually when needed.
- Six-Week Block: The plan ends after the second three-week cycle. Reassess your TMs before choosing the next block; a realization phase is an optional hitPR follow-up, not a requirement of Boring But Big. This schedule has no dedicated deload week.
Pros & Limitations
+ A simple, repeatable structure combines regular heavy work with 50 supplemental reps of the same main lift.
+ The fixed 50% TM load keeps the 5×10 work conservative and predictable throughout both cycles.
+ One main lift per day makes the four-day schedule easy to follow.
− The 5×10 work on the barbell deadlift and squat can be demanding even at 50% TM.
− There is no dedicated deload between the two cycles, and the fixed TM increases may be too aggressive for some lifters.
− Each main lift appears only once per week, while the assistance selection and rep targets are fixed.
Muscles trained
Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5
Front
Back
Front Delts
18
Triceps
17
Chest
17
Core
12
Glutes
12
Lats
9
Upper Back
9
Quads
8
Rear Delts
6
Biceps
6
Forearms
6
Side Delts
4
Upper Traps
4
Hamstrings
4
Lower Back
4
Adductors
4
Plan Structure
Your Training Max (TM)
Enter your TM for each lift and every percentage gets its weight, rounded to 2,5 kg. The values stay in this tab and are not stored anywhere.
Week 1 · barbell overhead press
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~51 min
triceps dip
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose assisted triceps dip (kneeling).
chin-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose lever assisted chin-up.
hanging leg raise
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 1 · barbell deadlift
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~51 min
barbell deadlift
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65% | 5 |
| 2 | 75% | 5 |
| 3 | 85% | 5+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
triceps dip
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose assisted triceps dip (kneeling).
chin-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose lever assisted chin-up.
hanging leg raise
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 1 · barbell bench press
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~51 min
barbell bench press
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65% | 5 |
| 2 | 75% | 5 |
| 3 | 85% | 5+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
push-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
wheel rollout
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 1 · barbell squat
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~51 min
barbell squat
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 65% | 5 |
| 2 | 75% | 5 |
| 3 | 85% | 5+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
push-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
wheel rollout
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 2 · barbell overhead press
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell overhead press
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70% | 3 |
| 2 | 80% | 3 |
| 3 | 90% | 3+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
triceps dip
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose assisted triceps dip (kneeling).
chin-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose lever assisted chin-up.
hanging leg raise
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 2 · barbell deadlift
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell deadlift
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70% | 3 |
| 2 | 80% | 3 |
| 3 | 90% | 3+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
triceps dip
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose assisted triceps dip (kneeling).
chin-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose lever assisted chin-up.
hanging leg raise
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 2 · barbell bench press
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell bench press
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70% | 3 |
| 2 | 80% | 3 |
| 3 | 90% | 3+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
push-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
wheel rollout
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 2 · barbell squat
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell squat
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70% | 3 |
| 2 | 80% | 3 |
| 3 | 90% | 3+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
push-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
wheel rollout
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 3 · barbell overhead press
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell overhead press
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75% | 5 |
| 2 | 85% | 3 |
| 3 | 95% | 1+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
triceps dip
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose assisted triceps dip (kneeling).
chin-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose lever assisted chin-up.
hanging leg raise
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 3 · barbell deadlift
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell deadlift
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75% | 5 |
| 2 | 85% | 3 |
| 3 | 95% | 1+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
triceps dip
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose assisted triceps dip (kneeling).
chin-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
If you cannot yet complete 3×10: Choose lever assisted chin-up.
hanging leg raise
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 3 · barbell bench press
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell bench press
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75% | 5 |
| 2 | 85% | 3 |
| 3 | 95% | 1+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
push-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
wheel rollout
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Week 3 · barbell squat
4 exercises · 17 sets · ~50 min
barbell squat
MAIN
| Set | % TM | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75% | 5 |
| 2 | 85% | 3 |
| 3 | 95% | 1+ |
| 4–8 | 50% | 10 |
push-up
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
wheel rollout
Goal: 30 reps totalRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
“+” means as many clean reps as possible (AMRAP).
Based on Jim Wendler’s “Boring But Big,” published on JimWendler.com on May 20, 2013. The hitPR version uses the same main lift for 5×10 at 50% TM, presets three 3×10 assistance exercises, automates fixed metric TM increases, and packages the work as two cycles. It does not reproduce the later 3 Month Challenge. hitPR is not affiliated with Jim Wendler.
Jim Wendler: Boring But Big (2013)Talk to your doctor before starting a new training program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or haven't trained in a while. Start lighter than you think — good technique always comes before heavy weight.
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