5/3/1 is a whole-program strategy built around a four-week percentage cycle off a Training Max for each main lift. In the strategy picker, it's described as: "Four-week percentage cycle."
Where to find it
5/3/1 is assigned when a program is created in Program Builder, not per exercise. Unlike other strategies, it isn't offered in an individual exercise card's Strategy panel, because it needs a Training Max and cycle state coordinated across your main lifts.
Setting your Training Max
The first time you start a 5/3/1 program (or a workout that needs it), Kenso opens a Training Max setup screen. For each main lift, you enter your estimated one-rep max; the app calculates your Training Max as 90% of that number and shows it next to your entry. If Kenso already has a recent estimated one-rep max or a Training Max from a previous program, it pre-fills the field so you can confirm or adjust it. You can skip setup and come back to it later.
Cycle-complete review
When a cycle finishes, Kenso shows a review screen with your Training Maxes already incremented for the next cycle. You can adjust any of them before confirming, or skip and adjust later.
Good to know
- Because 5/3/1 is program-level, changing an exercise's strategy away from it isn't done from the exercise menu: it's a program-level change in Program Builder.
- Training Maxes are stored per program, so switching programs doesn't carry a 5/3/1 program's Training Maxes into a different one automatically; expect to confirm them again the first time.
- The rest of Kenso's progression engine doesn't need to know about 5/3/1 specifically: your logged sets still count toward PRs, e1RM, and Strength Score the same as any other exercise.