Comparing 5 Strength Philosophies – Part 2!
Here’s Comparing 5 Strength Philosophies – Part 2! In this section we will continue our in-depth look at 5 of the most common approaches to strength training. We’ll pick it up where we left off in Part 1, so let’s get to it, then you can go right into Part 3!
| The Quick-Reference Blueprint | |||
| Program | Core Target Lifters | Progression Model | Key Distinct Feature |
| Stronglifts 5×5 | Absolute beginners | Linear Progression(session-to-session) | App-driven simplicity,high volume squatting. |
| Starting Strength | Absolute beginners | Linear Progression(session-to-session) | Focuses on 3×5, strict technicalbiomechanics, power cleans. |
| Glenn Pendlay (Glenn 5×5) | Early intermediates | Weekly/Block Progression | Introduces heavy/light/mediumdays, heavy emphasison rows/cleans. |
| Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 | Intermediatesto advanced | MonthlyWave Progression | Sub-maximal training (90% TM),AMRAP sets, highly customizable. |
| Westside Barbell | Elite powerliftersAdvanced Lifters | Conjugate Method | Max Effort (ME) and DynamicEffort (DE) speed days,multi-ply gear focus. |
Pendlay 5×5
Pendlay 5×5 (which is often associated with the Reg Park Method or the Texas Method) was popularized by the late legendary Olympic weightlifting coach Glenn Pendlay. It serves as the ultimate bridge for lifters who have completely exhausted their session-to-session beginner-level linear progression. (1)
Instead of lifters attempting a new personal record every 48 hours, Pendlay 5×5 introduces Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP) through a system of Heavy, Light, and Medium training days, allowing the central nervous system to recover within a weekly cycle. I remember hearing about this concept many years ago when I was first starting.
The Pendlay 5×5 Workout Structure
The program utilizes a fixed three-day-per-week schedule (typically Monday, Wednesday, Friday) that manipulates volume and intensity across the week.
| Monday (Heavy Day) | Wednesday (Light Day) | Friday (Medium Day) |
| Barbell Back Squat(5 sets x 5 reps – Work up to a top heavy set) | Barbell Back Squat(4 sets x 5 reps – Light/Speed) | Barbell Back Squat(4 sets x 5 reps, 1 set x 3 reps – Medium) |
| Barbell Bench Press(5 sets x 5 reps – Work up to a top heavy set) | Barbell Overhead Press(4 sets x 5 reps – Light/Speed) | Barbell Bench Press(4 sets x 5 reps, 1 set x 3 reps – Medium) |
| Pendlay Barbell Row(5 sets x 5 reps – Work up to a top heavy set) | Barbell Deadlift(1 heavy set x 5 reps) | Pendlay Barbell Row(4 sets x 5 reps, 1 set x 3 reps – Medium) |
*Note: The Pendlay Row requires pulling the barbell explosively from a dead stop on the floor while keeping your upper body strictly parallel to the ground.
Why Pendlay 5×5 Works So Well
- Undulating Fatigue Management – By inserting a “Light Day” on Wednesday, Pendlay gives the lower back and nervous system a functional break, preventing the chronic burnout common in Stronglifts 5×5.
- The Pendlay Row Workout – Replacing standard rows or power cleans with the Pendlay Row promotes upper-back muscle growth and helps build a strong posterior chain that transfers directly to a bigger deadlift.
- Rate of Force Development (RFD) – The program prioritizes bar speed and explosive concentric power, training the nervous system to fire fast and hard.
- Weekly “Supercompensation” – The cumulative fatigue from Monday and Friday is fully flushed during the weekend rest, allowing you to hit a brand new weekly peak every successive Monday.
Weekly Progression and Adaptation
- The Ascending Pyramid – Unlike Stronglifts 5×5 where all 5 sets are the same weight, Monday’s 5×5 uses “ramped sets,” meaning you gradually increase the weight on each set until your 5th set is your true, heavy top set of 5.
- The Workout – If you successfully hit your top sets on Monday, you increase the targeted weight for the following Monday by 5 pounds.
- The Friday Catalyst – Friday uses a slightly lower volume but pushes into a higher-intensity triple (1 set of 3 reps) using a heavier weight than Monday’s top set, preparing your brain for the heavier 5-rep load coming up next week.
The Major Shortcoming: The Technical Toll
As an Olympic weightlifting-like routine, Pendlay 5×5 demands a level of physical discipline that many recreational lifters may struggle to maintain.
- The Cheat Row Pitfall – The Pendlay Row requires absolute strictness. As the weights get heavy, lifters almost universally begin changing their torso angle, turning the movement into a sloppy, upright shrug that robs the lats and upper back of stimulation.
- Strict Weekly Deadlift Setup – Deadlifting only once a week for a single top set on Wednesday (after squatting) can sometimes be insufficient practice for lifters who have structural mechanical issues with the deadlift.
- Unforgiving for Low-Mobility Lifters – The sheer volume of deep hip hinge work across the week can irritate the lower back or hamstrings if the lifter lacks proper hip mobility.
- The Answer – In this case, I feel like the built-in medium and light days should be sufficient. If it isn’t, I would most likely drop a set or include well-placed deload weeks to save my lower back. Another option might be to think in terms of an 8 or 9 day week and get in more recovery time.
Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1
Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 is a legendary, slow-and-steady strength philosophy designed to build a lifetime of progress while keeping injuries at bay. Created by former elite powerlifter Jim Wendler during his post-competitive career, the program abandons the high-fatigue approach of constantly grinding out maximum-effort lifts.
Instead, it relies on the golden rule of submaximal training—using a percentage of a “Training Max” rather than your true 1-Rep Max—and introduces autoregulation to let your body dictate how hard you push on any given day. (1, 2)
The 5/3/1 Workout Structure
The base program operates on a 4-week mesocycle, typically training 3 days per week. Each workout centers entirely around one core multi-joint lift, building up to a final, definitive AMRAP set (As Many Reps As Possible). (3)
| Week 1 (The 5s Week) | Week 2 (The 3s Week) | Week 3 (The 5/3/1 Week) | Week 4 (The Deload Week) |
| Set 1: 65% x 5 reps | Set 1: 70% x 3 reps | Set 1: 75% x 5 reps | Set 1: 40% x 5 reps |
| Set 2: 75% x 5 reps | Set 2: 80% x 3 reps | Set 2: 85% x 3 reps | Set 2: 50% x 5 reps |
| Set 3: 85% x 5+ (AMRAP) | Set 3: 90% x 3+ (AMRAP) | Set 3: 95% x 1+ (AMRAP) | Set 3: 60% x 5 reps (No AMRAP) |
*Note: Percentages are strictly calculated using your Training Max (TM), which is established as exactly 85% to 90% of your actual, true 1-Rep Max.
Why 5/3/1 Works So Well
- The Training Max Buffer – By lifting well under your absolute limits, you protect your joints, avoid central nervous system burnout, and ensure you almost never fail to complete your reps.
- Built-in Autoregulation – The final AMRAP sets allow you to smash personal records through rep volume on days where you have a lot of energy. Plus, you still get a solid workout if you are tired or sleep-deprived.
- Adaptability – The core 5/3/1 framework is highly adaptable. It can be combined with other programs (Wendler suggests “Boring But Big” (5 sets of 10 for hyper-growth) or “First Set Last “ back-off sets for power) to line up with any fitness goal.
- Consistent, Scaled Progression – Increments happen quietly and predictably at the end of every 4-week cycle, establishing sustainable results over years instead of weeks.
Monthly Progression and the Deload Week
- The Calculation – At the start of a cycle, multiply your true 1RM by 0.90 to calculate your initial Training Max.
- The Monthly Progression – If you successfully complete the 4-week cycle, add exactly 5 pounds to your upper-body Training Maxes (Bench, Press) and 10 pounds to your lower-body Training Maxes (Squat, Deadlift) for the next cycle.
- The Deload Week – Week 4 deliberately drops the load intensity to 40-60%. This mandatory deload week flushes deep fatigue out of the body before you begin the next phase.
The Major Shortcoming: The Impatience Trap
While 5/3/1 is virtually flawless for long-term health and joint longevity, it requires a mindset shift that many competitive lifters struggle to maintain.
- The Agonizingly Slow Pace – Because the weight increments occur only once a month, early intermediates who still have fast adaptation potential can feel like they are wasting time lifting weights that are far too light.
- Potential for Over-Calculating Maxes – If a lifter sets their initial Training Max too high out of ego, the math breaks completely, causing them to hit a major fatigue wall by cycle two or three.
- High Accountability for Accessories – The core program only lays out the main barbell movement. If a lifter chooses poor accessory movements or skips them entirely, they risk creating muscle imbalances.
- My Take – In this case, I don’t have an “answer” because if it was me, I would do the program exactly as laid out. I do have a complaint. When I was doing my research for this article, I found that you can’t just go to his website and get all the info you need to get started. You have to buy a PDF or a book. Compare that to Stronglifts 5×5 where everything you need to know is right there, free of charge.
Westside Barbell
To many, Westside Barbell represents the absolute peak of hardcore, advanced powerlifting philosophies . Created by the legendary Louie Simmons in Columbus, Ohio, Westside completely rejects traditional block periodization (which separates size, speed, and strength training into separate monthly phases).
Instead, it pioneers the Conjugate Method, which utilizes a four-day split to train maximum strength, explosive velocity, and muscular hypertrophy simultaneously within the single training week. (4)
The Westside Barbell Workout Structure
The system divides the week into two Max Effort (ME) days to push absolute force production, and two Dynamic Effort (DE) days to maximize acceleration and strength development.
| Monday (Max Effort Lower) | Wednesday (Max Effort Upper) | Friday (Dynamic Effort Lower) | Sunday (Dynamic Effort Upper) |
| Main Lift: Work up to a 1-Rep Max on a variation (e.g., Deficit Deadlift or Box Squat). | Main Lift: Work up to a 1-Rep Max on a variation (e.g., Board Bench Press or Floor Press). | Main Lift: Speed Box Squats (e.g., 10-12 sets x 2 reps @ 50-60% 1RM). | Main Lift: Speed Bench Press (e.g., 9 sets x 3 reps @ 50% 1RM). |
| Accessories: Heavy hamstring, glute, and lower back hypertrophy work. | Accessories: High-volume triceps, upper back, and rear delt hypertrophy work. | Main Lift 2: Speed Deadlifts (e.g., 6-8 sets x 1 rep @ 50%). | Accessories: High-volume chest, shoulder, and arm hypertrophy work. |
*Note: Westside relies heavily on Accommodating Resistance (attaching heavy chains or tension bands to the barbell) on Dynamic Effort days to force the athlete to accelerate aggressively through the entire range of motion.
Why Westside Barbell Works So Well
- Constant Central Nervous System Stimulation – Rotating the Max Effort variations every single week allows lifters to push 100%+ loads year-round without frying their neural pathways.
- The Velocity (Speed) Advantage – Dynamic Effort days train the nervous system to move submax weights with maximum explosiveness, teaching a lifter how to blast past sticking points.
- Targeting Weakness – Up to 75% of a Westside workout consists of accessory movements. If your bench press stalls at the midpoint, the program mandates hitting triceps with extreme volume to conquer that specific weakness.
- “Accommodation of Resistance” – Bands and chains alter the strength curve. The weight gets heavier as you reach the lockout, perfectly matching the body’s natural mechanical leverage and overloading the top of the lift.
Conjugate Rotation and Speed
- The Max Effort Rule – You must rotate your main Max Effort exercise every 1 to 2 weeks (e.g., swapping a regular Squat for a Safety Squat Bar Box Squat) to avoid adaptation.
- The “Pendulum Wave” – Dynamic Effort days run on a strict 3-week progression or “wave”. For example, Squats are performed at 50% 1RM in Week 1, 55% in Week 2, and 60% in Week 3, before dropping back down to 50% to start a new wave with a different bar variation.
- The 72-Hour Boundary – Max Effort and Dynamic Effort days for the same muscle groups are placed exactly 72 hours apart to ensure absolute recovery between force and velocity (speed).
The Major Shortcoming – The Raw Powerlifting Disconnect
Westside Barbell was explicitly engineered for equipped powerlifting (lifters wearing multi-ply canvas squat suits, briefs, and bench shirts), this creates major problems for the average gym-goer.
- The “Unequipped” Dilemma – Equipped lifting relies heavily on using a wide stance, a massive arch, and hip/tricep dominance to leverage the gear. A raw lifter training exactly like a Westside athlete will often severely understimulate their quads and chest.
- Extreme Complexity and Gear Cost – Executing true Westside periodization requires specialized equipment—specialty bars (Cambered, Safety, Football bars), specific tension bands, heavy industrial chains, and solid box targets.
- High Injury Risk Without Groups – Pushing a true 1-Rep Max every single week demands elite technical mastery and an attentive, experienced crew of spotters. Attempting a Westside Max Effort day alone in a commercial gym can be extremely hazardous.
- My Answer – I would probably only recommend this program to a lifter pursuing powerlifting or other strength sports. In addition, you could certainly trim the program down to make more sense for the average gym rat (meaning drop the chains and bands).
Summary
In Part 2 of my 3-part Series, Comparing 5 Strength Philosophies, we’ve looked at 3 more popular approaches to strength training. And by the way, this is serious, hardcore strength training! In Part 3, we’ll do a head to head comparison, cover nutrition and go over supplements. Before we go there, feel free to stop by illpumpyouup.com and see what we have to offer. Once you’ve done that, get going with Part 3!