5/3/1 Squat + FSL
5/3/1 squat with First Set Last assistance. 3 main working sets (week-1 wave 65/75/85% TM, AMRAP last), then 5×5 squats at the first working set's weight. Lower volume than BBB. ~12 working sets, ~65 min.
Estimated session
- Movements 2
- Loads Coach-filled
- Progresses Every session
Every movement, in order
Each lift with its working sets and target, in the order you run them. The coach sets the loads from your training and moves them up as the work gets easier.
| Order | Exercise | Sets | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Barbell Squat Main 3 working sets — same as BBB. AMRAP final set. 3 warm-up sets first 3 × 5, last AMRAP · rest 4 min | 3 | 5–AMRAP | 4 min |
| 02 | Barbell Squat FSL — 5×5 at the first working set's weight (65% TM week 1). Builds volume without crushing CNS. 5 × 5 · rest 2:30 | 5 | 5 | 2:30 |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Anchor all loads to the squat training max (~90% true 1RM), not the 1RM. AMRAP only on the third set — stop when bar speed slows, since that count drives the +5 kg TM increase. Keep depth consistent every rep so weights stay comparable week to week. FSL is the first working set's weight held for 5×5, so it auto-loads and builds volume without crushing the CNS. Favor it in a cut, when time-boxed, or for older intermediates. Front squat at matched volume substitutes for FSL if recovery is limited.
Every workout
The coach reads your log, tunes the loads and volume to where you are today, and tells you when to add weight.
Programs that use this template
This session is scheduled across a week and progressed over the mesocycle in the programs below.
Common questions
The facts most people check before they drop this session into a week.
01When should I use the 5/3/1 Squat + FSL template?
Anchor all loads to the squat training max (~90% true 1RM), not the 1RM. Add it to your week in Squatly and the coach schedules it, sets the loads from your training, and tells you when to move up.
02How many working sets is 5/3/1 Squat + FSL, and how long does it take?
5/3/1 Squat + FSL runs 2 movements and about 8 working sets, roughly 48 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
Built on the Squatly method
Every set count, rep target, and rest period here comes from how the coach weighs volume, intensity, and fatigue. See where the numbers come from.
Read the methodVolume, intensity, and fatigue — read per lift, every session.
Last updated: June 2026
Keep moving forward.
Add this template to your week. The coach reads your training, sets the loads, and tells you when to push.
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Aleks · Coach
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