531 question

[wankerman]

What makes 531 so special and why does everyone use it?

[swoleramon]

It makes progression simple. Not only that but the progression system works good for most.

[BendtheBar]

It's a system and not just a list of exercises. How many times do you see a workout as just a listing of exercises. I know this sounds idiotic, but I think it's surprising how many trainees don't understand progression. I am constantly being asked how much weight to use for exercises.

Wendler's does an excellent job of focusing guys on progression. And the periodization helps so that you aren't ramming ultra heavy week in and week out.

[austin.j.taylor]

Its popular because you can change the accessories every wave and still make progress monthly on the 4 main lifts.

[Aurik]

It's popular because it's very simple and straightforward. As long as you follow the progression scheme outlined in 5/3/1 for your 4 main lifts, you're free to choose whatever assistance exercises you want. Also, it's easy to judge your progress on 5/3/1. You can just use Wendler's 1RM formula to compare one week to the next and one month to the next. As long as your calculated 1RM goes generally upwards, you're making progress.