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Bench Press 2 Days per Week - Powerlifting Programs

These are bench press programs that call for the athlete to bench 2 days per week.

To search through all programs based on lots of different criteria, check out the Lift Vault Program Library.

Power Muscle Burn 5-Day Powerbuilding Split Spreadsheet

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Power Muscle Burn is a 5-day powerbuilding split that trains each muscle group three ways in a single session. You open with heavy power sets in the 3 to 5 range, drop to moderate muscle sets of 6 to 12, then close with a high-rep burn set taken to about 40 reps. The split runs chest and triceps, back and traps, quads and calves, shoulders and biceps, then deadlift and hamstrings.

Powerbuilding means you chase strength and size in the same block instead of picking one. That’s the whole point of the Power, Muscle, Burn method from Steve Shaw of Muscle & Strength. The heavy work keeps you strong, the moderate work adds muscle, and the burn set squeezes out the last bit of growth. You run it when you want to get bigger and stronger at once without switching programs.

It’s a good fit for intermediate lifters who want both strength and size and can commit to five training days a week. You don’t need a max or any percentages to start. Skip it if you want a pure strength or pure hypertrophy focus, or if you can’t train five days a week.

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8 Week Mass Building Hypertrophy Workout Spreadsheet

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This is an 8-week, 4-day hypertrophy program from Muscle & Strength built to add size. It runs a bro split: chest and side delts, upper back and rear delts, arms and abs, then legs. Most exercises are three sets in the 10 to 12 range, and the last set of the bigger lifts gets a high-intensity finisher like a rest-pause set, a drop set, or slow negatives.

It’s a high-intensity-technique mass block, the kind of bro-split hypertrophy plan you’ve seen built around training each set close to failure. The split sends plenty of volume at one or two muscle groups per day, and the finishing techniques squeeze a bit more out of the sets that matter. Pick weights that are hard for the listed reps, beat the log book week to week, and the size follows.

It’s for intermediate lifters chasing size who are willing to train each set hard, often to failure. You don’t need a max or any percentages here. Skip it if you want strength or percentage-based work, or if you’d rather run a full-body or push/pull/legs structure.

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Dan John Minimalist Training Program Spreadsheet

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Dan John’s Minimalist Training is a 2-day-per-week, full-body strength template. You train both days as full sessions and rest the other five or so days. There’s no fixed length to the program, and it’s built to run during busy stretches when you can’t give the gym much time.

It’s a good fit for busy lifters who still want real strength work. Two sessions a week covers the deadlift, squat, and press, plus enough accessory work to keep things balanced.

We built Dan John’s program into a clean Lift Vault spreadsheet. Enter your 10-rep max for each accessory once and the sheet works out every set load for you, so you just train and log what you hit.

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Stronger By Science (SBS) Program Bundle by Greg Nuckols

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The Stronger By Science (SBS) Program Bundle is a collection of six autoregulated training programs from Greg Nuckols. It’s free with an email signup on the Stronger By Science website, and it comes as a Google Sheets workbook.

The bundle covers six 21-week programs across different goals and experience levels. There’s also a standalone Program Builder that lets you customize almost everything. Getting autoregulation and periodization wired together like this is rare for a free resource.

There’s a catch worth knowing before you start. The spreadsheet automates so much of the programming that there’s a real learning curve. Spend 20-30 minutes with the included PDF instructions before your first session, and don’t skip that step.

If you’re already familiar with Greg Nuckols’ work, you might know his popular 28 Programs (also available here on Lift Vault). The SBS Program Bundle is a more recent and more sophisticated set of programs. Think of the 28 Programs as individual single-lift routines you mix and match yourself. The SBS Bundle is a full training system with built-in autoregulation and multi-lift programming already wired together.

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LSUS 10-5-3 Olympic Weightlifting Program Spreadsheet

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The LSUS 10-5-3 is a 10-week Olympic weightlifting program created by Dr. Kyle Pierce at Louisiana State University Shreveport. It’s built on block periodization – you spend 3 weeks doing sets of 10, then 3 weeks of sets of 5, then 3 weeks of sets of 3, followed by a 1-week taper into a max-out or competition. You’ll train 5 days per week with a mix of Olympic lifts, squats, presses, pulls, pull-ups, and accessories.

The progression is textbook linear periodization. You start with high-volume, lower-intensity work to build muscle and work capacity, then steadily drop volume while cranking up intensity. It works. The program has real pedigree, too. Dr. Pierce used it to develop three-time U.S. Olympian Kendrick Farris, he’s a 3x USOC Weightlifting Coach of the Year, and it’s based on published research by Stone, Pierce, and colleagues on periodized training for weightlifters.

The caveat: this thing is a volume monster. You’re looking at roughly 75 working sets per week in the 10s phase, so if you’re not used to that kind of workload, you’ll need to ease into it or modify the volume down. I’d recommend this for intermediate to advanced Olympic weightlifters who have at least a year of consistent training under their belt and can handle 5 sessions per week.

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Beast Slayer 2.0 Program Spreadsheet (Bald Omni-Man)

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Beast Slayer 2.0 is a 4 day per week hypertrophy program created by Coach Paris Butler, better known as Bald Omni-Man on YouTube. It uses a hybrid upper/lower + full body split to hit your upper body 3x per week and lower body 2x per week in 4 training sessions per week.

What I like about this program is how it handles progression. Instead of just one method, it gives you several tools: double progression, dynamic double progression, cluster sets, and an optional linear periodization track for your main compounds. You pick the right tool for each lift. That kind of flexibility is rare in a free program.

Note: If you’re looking for a more flexible schedule (3-5 days), check out Paris’s Golden Warrior program, which has built-in 3, 4, and 5 day variants. If you want a 6 day PPL, he also has Power Bomb PPL.

This is the 2025 update to the original Beast Slayer. The biggest changes: more pulling volume (the #1 piece of feedback from 1.0) and an updated exercise selection with dropdown menus in the spreadsheet. The lower body frequency is only 2x per week, so if legs are your priority, you might want something with more squat and deadlift volume.

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Bullmastiff Strength Program Spreadsheet

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Bullmastiff is a base-building strength program created by Alex Bromley at Empire Barbell. It originally appeared in Alex’s book Peak Strength. The main goal of the program is develop your base strength in the four big lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press) and then use that wider base to achieve higher peak strength.

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Deathdealer Strength Program Spreadsheet

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Deathdealer is a strength program influenced by 5/3/1 BBB and Simple Jack’d. Like 5/3/1, it is run in 3 week cycles, has one focus lift (i.e. T1 lift) per training session, and uses training maxes. Having a given number of goal reps for your T2 lift, to be completed in any number of sets, is borrowed from Simple Jack’d.

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6 Week Patrik Nyman Prilepin Bench Press Program

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This is a 6 week week bench press program based upon the Prilepin chart. As it only utilizes two bench press training days per week, I’d probably recommend it for more advanced bench pressers that are not able to recover from three bench press training days per week.

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10 Week PRS Beginner Powerlifting Program

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The PRS 10-Week Beginner Powerlifting Program is a free percentage-based program from Progressive Resistance Systems (PRS). It’s built to give a newer lifter a structured run at the squat, bench, and deadlift without guesswork.

Rather than locking your percentages in for the whole block, the program adjusts your training maxes every couple of weeks based on how you actually perform on AMRAP and plus sets. That keeps the weights honest as you get stronger.

It’s a good fit for beginners who know their rough 1-rep maxes and want a real powerlifting structure. If you’d prefer a rep-based linear progression instead of percentages, our GZCLP program is another solid beginner option.

PRS 10-Week Beginner Program Spreadsheet

PRS shares the program as a free, editable Google Sheet. The embedded copy below is the full program. Enter your training maxes and the sheet lays out your weights, sets, and reps for every session.

To use it yourself, open it and make your own copy (File then Make a Copy), then plug in your numbers. The accessory work is RPE-based, and your training maxes update at the built-in retest points.

Program via Progressive Resistance Systems (PRS) free programs.

PRS 10-Week Beginner Powerlifting Program Spreadsheet | LiftVault.com

About Progressive Resistance Systems

Progressive Resistance Systems is a powerlifting coaching team that puts out several free, well-built program spreadsheets alongside their paid coaching. Their free templates are popular for being clearly laid out and genuinely auto-adjusting rather than static.

How the 10-Week Beginner Program Works

The program is percentage-based and runs for 10 weeks. You start by entering your training maxes, and the sheet adjusts them every two to three weeks based on your performance, so the weights track your real progress instead of a fixed plan.

Retests happen through plus sets and AMRAPs at weeks 2, 3, 4, and 7, and the deadlift training max gets reset in week 4 based on how the set rated on RPE. Accessory work is prescribed by RPE so you can match it to how you feel that day.

Other Free PRS Programs

Once you outgrow the beginner program, PRS also publishes a free 15-week intermediate program and a 2022 15-week program with multiple versions for 3x or 4x weekly bench frequency and conventional or sumo deadlift. You’ll find all of them on the PRS free programs page linked above.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PRS 10-Week Beginner Powerlifting Program?

It’s a free 10-week percentage-based powerlifting program from Progressive Resistance Systems. It trains the squat, bench, and deadlift off your training maxes and adjusts those maxes every few weeks based on your AMRAP and plus-set performance.

Is the PRS program free?

Yes. PRS shares it as a free, editable Google Sheet. The version embedded here is a Lift Vault copy of their sheet so the link stays stable. Make your own copy before entering your numbers.

Do I need to know my 1-rep maxes?

Yes, you’ll want at least rough 1-rep maxes to set your starting training maxes. From there the program retests you with plus sets and AMRAPs and adjusts the maxes for you, so the starting numbers don’t have to be perfect.

How does the program progress?

It’s autoregulated through your training maxes. At built-in retest points in weeks 2, 3, 4, and 7 the program reads your AMRAP performance and updates your maxes, with the deadlift max specifically reset in week 4 based on RPE.

Is it good for a complete beginner?

It suits a beginner who can already perform the three lifts and knows roughly how strong they are. If you’ve never tested a max or are brand new to the barbell, a simpler rep-based program like GZCLP may be an easier first step.

What comes after the 10-week beginner program?

PRS offers a free 15-week intermediate program and a 2022 15-week program with several bench-frequency and deadlift-stance versions. Those are the natural next steps once linear-style progress on the beginner program slows down.

Simple Jack’d v1.0 + v2.0 Strength Training Program Spreadsheet

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May 2020 Update: Added Simple Jack’d 2x spreadsheet. You should probably run v2.0, as the creator of the program considers it superior to v1.0.

Simple Jack’d is a modified blend of the Bulgarian Method and the Smolov base cycle. It’s essentially a flexible one week volume accumulation block that can be run indefinitely for powerlifting and general strength goals.

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Heavy, Light, Medium (HLM) Program Spreadsheet

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Heavy, Light, Medium (HLM) programs are a simple and effective way to organize strength training. Each training session consists of either a heavy, medium, or light load for a given lift. The HLM training style is extremely flexible and can be used to accommodate many training goals.

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German Volume Training Routine Spreadsheet (GVT)

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German Volume Training (GVT), sometimes called the “10 sets method,” is a high-volume hypertrophy program popularized by Charles Poliquin. You do 10 sets of 10 reps on a main compound lift at roughly 60% of your 1RM, run across two phases (a 10×10 phase for the first four weeks, then a heavier 10×6 phase for three more weeks). The full program runs seven weeks; stopping after Phase 1 gives you a four-week block.

The idea is straightforward: drown the muscle in volume at a submaximal load. You can’t go heavy when you’re on set seven of ten. The weight stays the same across all sets, and if you complete all 100 reps with constant rest intervals, you add about 4-5% the next week. It’s similar in spirit to Vince Gironda’s 8×8: both programs beat you up with density and volume rather than max-effort intensity.

GVT is best for intermediate lifters in a caloric surplus who have the recovery capacity for five training days a week on a rolling cycle. If you’re a beginner, the volume will outpace your ability to recover. Start with something like the Fierce 5 program first. If you’re already well-trained and looking for a shock-stimulus block, GVT works well run once or twice a year.

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14 Week Block Periodization Powerlifting Program (Empire Barbell)

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This is a powerlifting program designed by Empire Barbell that utilizes block periodization. Training is broken into three distinct blocks: intensification #1, volume, and intensification #2. These blocks can be run in order straight through, or can be repeated with some limitations (explained more below). Running each block once would represent 14 weeks of training in total. [Read more…]

Lyle McDonald Generic Bulking Routine Spreadsheet

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Lyle McDonald’s Generic Bulking Routine (GBR) is a 4-day upper/lower split built for intermediate lifters who want to gain size. You train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each 6-8 week cycle ends with a 2-week deload, and Lyle targeted a weight gain of about 0.5 to 1 pound per week while running it. There are four spreadsheet variants below, from pure hypertrophy to strength focus.

The GBR originated on Lyle’s bodyrecomposition.com forum around 2008-2009. The core idea is moderate-volume compound and isolation work with built-in flexibility on set counts. You decide during each set whether to do the lower or upper end of the prescribed range based on how you feel. Lyle described this as intentional, not a gap in the program. The jcdfitness.com FAQ PDF is the best single reference for the full program details.

This program is for intermediate lifters who have moved past their beginner gains and want a structured split to build mass. You need to eat in a caloric surplus and be comfortable self-regulating volume. If you’re still new to lifting, a more prescriptive program like Starting Strength or the Ripped Body Intermediate Bodybuilding Program will serve you better before you tackle the GBR.

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12 Week Mass Building Hypertrophy Workout for Powerlifters (Mathias Method)

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This mass building workout focuses on stimulating muscular hypertrophy and developing raw strength. It is a 12 week powerlifting program built on 4 high volume training sessions per week and was developed by Ryan Mathias at Mathias Method. It is a peaking program that is designed to build your one rep max in the squat, bench press, and deadlift for meet day. [Read more…]

10 Week Glute Hypertrophy Workout Program Spreadsheet

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From Flap Jacks 2 Thick Stacks is a free 10-week glute hypertrophy program designed by Brendan Tietz. It runs 4 days per week on an upper-lower split, with each day assigned a distinct training goal: lower body overload, upper body overload, lower body hypertrophy, and upper body hypertrophy. The program runs in two 5-week blocks. Loading is calculated two ways: percentage of 1RM for the squat, bench, and deadlift, and reps in reserve (RIR) for accessories. You’ll need to know your 1RM (or a recent working max) before you start, since the spreadsheet auto-calculates your working weights once you enter it.

The idea behind the program is to build glute size without dropping full-body strength. Brendan programs squats, bench press, and overhead press twice per week alongside hip thrusts, lunges, and cable kickbacks, so you’re training glutes in context with compound movements rather than just isolation work. If you’ve run his beginner powerlifting program or his intermediate powerlifting program, this is a good next step if your goal has shifted toward glute development specifically.

This program is best for intermediate lifters who can train 4 days per week and already have solid form on the big lifts. It’s not a beginner program. The RIR prescriptions and percentage-based loading both assume you have a training history and know your way around the main movements. If you’re earlier in your training, Strong Curves is a better starting point for glute-focused training at a beginner-friendly level.

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Lee Hayward 12 Week Bodybuilding Workout Routine Spreadsheet

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Lee Hayward’s 12 week bodybuilding program is broken up into four 3 week cycles, each cycle focusing on adding volume to the same set of lifts before switching to new movement variations and rep ranges for the next 3 week cycle. Each week has four training days, with the recommended set up being Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday. [Read more…]

5/3/1 for Beginners Spreadsheet & Tips

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5/3/1 is one of the most popular strength training programs ever, influencing other programs like GZCL and nSuns along the way. Its popularity has stemmed from its simplicity, flexibility, and ability to be run over and over for long periods of time. It favors slow, steady, repeatable progression over the long term instead of programs that pile on the weight for a few weeks or months before progress grinds to a halt.

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Joe Delaney Ibiza Shreds 6 Day Upper/Lower Split Workout Routine

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Joe Delaney’s Ibiza Shreds program is a 6 day upper/lower split workout routine focused on bodybuilding and hypertrophy. It runs for 3 blocks spread across 10 weeks, each week comprised of two upper body training days, two lower body training days, and two isolation exercise + abs training days. [Read more…]