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Undulating Periodization Powerlifting & Strength Programs

Below you'll find powerlifting and strength training programs that utilize undulating periodization.

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6 Week Beginner Powerlifting Peaking Block – Squats & Science

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This is a 6 week beginner powerlifting peaking block from Squats & Science.

This is a pretty unique program because there aren’t many peaking program designed strictly for the beginner powerlifter. I believe [Read more…]

6 Week Beginner Powerlifting Volume Program- Squats & Science

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This is a 6 week long powerlifting volume block for novice lifters from the smart folks at Squats & Science. [Read more…]

6 Week Russian Bench Press Peaking Program (3 Day)

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The 6 Week Russian Bench Press Peaking Program is a free, percentage-based bench press cycle that runs 3 days per week for 6 weeks. It’s modeled directly after the Russian Squat Routine — the same high-frequency grid structure, just applied to bench. You enter your current 1RM, and the spreadsheet calculates every working weight for all 18 sessions. The cycle ends with a single at 105% of your starting max.

The idea behind the program is simple: spend 3 weeks piling up volume at 80% to 85%, then taper into progressively heavier singles as you peak. Week 6 Day 3 is your test — 1 rep at 105%. The approach is nothing flashy, but the accumulated work in weeks 1 through 3 is what makes the peak possible. It’s a bench-specific adaptation of a Soviet-era training method that’s been used successfully for decades.

This program is best for intermediate or advanced lifters who already know their bench 1RM and want to peak it — whether for a meet or just a personal best. It’s not a general strength program, and it’s not for beginners. If you’re newer to bench training, you’ll get more out of a program like the KIZEN 6 Week Bench Peaking Program first.

[Read more…]

10 Week Powerlifting Program (RPE, Meet Prep)

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Created and shared by /u/Kroamatik as a “generic 10 week program” structured around 4 days per week. It is designed to be started 10 weeks out from a competition or a max testing week (so the competition occurs during week 10). [Read more…]

Deep Water Program Spreadsheet (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)

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Deep Water is a high-volume strength program from strongman and pro wrestler Jon Andersen. It’s actually three separate 6-week programs run back to back – Beginner, then Intermediate, then Advanced – and each one is a complete 6-week, 5-day block (4 lifting days plus a recommended active recovery day). The whole thing is built around its infamous “100 reps in as few sets as possible” work for squat, deadlift, and push press, with the base level running 10×10 on the main lifts.

The idea behind Deep Water is to build strength and conditioning at the same time by burying you in volume. Andersen calls it training in “deep water” – you keep your head above the surface by getting fitter and stronger, week after week, as the program shortens your rest and tightens the sets. It’s closer to a brutal work-capacity builder than a peaking plan, which is why it shows up in the squat program and deadlift program collections, and why I’d file it under general strength training more than powerlifting.

Despite the name, the “Beginner” level is not a true-novice program. It assumes you already have roughly a year or more of barbell training and know your squat, deadlift, and press maxes. If you’re brand new to lifting, you’ll get more out of a real novice program first – the 10×10 volume here will flatten you otherwise. If you’ve got a base of training under you and you want your work capacity tested, Deep Water delivers.

[Read more…]

Shortcut to Shred Reviews

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Here are reviews of Jim Stoppani’s Shortcut to Shred strength building and weight loss program from people that have run the program. Overall, Shortcut to Shred reviews are positive and show that the program can be effective for building muscle and leaning out. [Read more…]

10 Week Squat Program (High Volume) by Greg Everett

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This is a 6 days per week, 10 week high frequency/volume squat peaking program designed by Greg Everett. While it was designed with Olympic weightlifters in mind, hence the high volume for front squats as well as back squats, it can be used by anyone looking for a high volume squat peaking program. [Read more…]

3 Day 20 Week Powerlifting Program by Powerlifting Academy

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This is a 20 week powerlifting program with 3 training days per week. It was originally published by Powerlifting Academy, a German coaching group. There is also a 16 week version available. [Read more…]

Fred Hatfield (Dr. Squat) 12 Week Peaking Program Spreadsheet

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This is a 12 week powerlifting peaking program designed by Fred Hatfield. It allows the athlete to input their current 1RM for the squat, bench press, and deadlift and programs every workout until meet day. It also includes a powerlifting meet attempt calculator. [Read more…]

Extended Russian Power Routine Spreadsheet

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The 9 week Extended Russian Power Routine is an extended version of the Russian Squat Routine that is designed to peak all three competition lifts. It is extended from the 6 week Russian Squat Routine to allow for more recovery since the lifter will be lifting at high intensity for squat, bench press, and deadlift. [Read more…]

Robert Frederick 4 Day Hypertrophy Program Spreadsheet (Modified Sheiko)

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This is a modified version of the 4 day advanced medium load Sheiko program with more reps in the 70-80% 1RM range and a greater focus on hypertrophy. There is a little more volume overall as well. [Read more…]

Tim Swords 7 Week Front Squat Program Spreadsheet

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The Tim Swords 7 Week Front Squat Program is a free percentage-based peaking cycle from Tim Swords, an Olympic weightlifting coach with Team Houston Weightlifting / FuBarbell. The program runs 7 weeks with 3 squat sessions per week. Front squats are the primary movement, trained twice a week, and back squats are trained once per week. The cycle builds to a max front squat attempt in week 6 and a max back squat attempt in week 7.

The training philosophy comes straight from Olympic weightlifting coaching: high-frequency submaximal front squat volume in the early weeks, gradually tightening intensity until you’re doing heavy singles and a true max attempt. You’ll work off both your front squat and back squat 1RMs throughout. Weeks 1-3 stay in the 60-80% range, weeks 4-5 climb to 85-95%, and week 6 peaks with singles at 100% and a max attempt. Week 7 is a taper that ends with a max back squat. It’s built to peak, not to build general fitness.

This program is right for intermediate-plus lifters who can handle squatting 3 days per week and want a bigger front squat. It’s popular with weightlifters who compete and need to peak both lifts on a set timeline. If you’re newer to squatting or haven’t run a peaking block before, you’d be better served by a longer general strength cycle first, like the Hatch Squat Program. For other Olympic weightlifting-focused programs, check out the LSUS 10-5-3 Olympic Weightlifting Program.

[Read more…]

8 Week Deadlift Program Spreadsheet – GC Performance Training

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An 8 week deadlift specialty program that utilizes high block pulls, low block pulls, and competition style deadlifts to help build maximal deadlift strength. [Read more…]

12 Week Strongman Deadlift Program Spreadsheet

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A 12 week deadlift program found on Strongman Ontario. Is it strictly a strongman program? Probably not – I’m sure it would benefit anyone looking for a ton of deadlift volume. [Read more…]

JV Askem Strongman Periodized Program

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This is a periodized program based on JV Askem’s article below. It aims for a 3% increase in strength over 8 weeks. Be sure to read the article below to help understand it better. [Read more…]

JV Askem 5×5 Compound Movement Program

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This is a simple 5×5 method that was developed based on JV Askem’s 5×5 training principles. You can find those below, originally featured here.

The spreadsheet comes with [Read more…]

Frozenkilt 8 Week Overhead Press Program Spreadsheet

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This is Frozenkilt’s pressing program, which is an 8 week, 4 days per week program that focuses on bench press, overhead press (aka military press), and dumbbell press. [Read more…]

Brazos Valley Barbell 8 Week Intermediate Powerlifting Program

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Brazos Valley Barbell Intermediate Powerlifting Program Overview

  • Written by David Woolson with Brazos Valley Barbell
  • 8 week powerlifting program
  • 1 deload week
  • 5 days per week
  • 3x weekly squat
  • 3-4x weekly bench press (if counting bench variations like CGBP)
  • 2x weekly deadlift

Long program description and video overview are available below. [Read more…]

TSA 9 Week Beginner Powerlifting Program

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The Strength Athlete (TSA) released their 9 week beginner powerlifting program (aka general beginner approach) as a follow up to their successful 9 week intermediate powerlifting program. Like the intermediate program before it, the beginner program is structured as a 4 day, 9 week program, but also includes a 4 week peak if preparing for a meet. 

[Read more…]

RTS General Intermediate Program Spreadsheet – Mike Tuchscherer

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The RTS General Intermediate Program is a free 9-week powerlifting program from Mike Tuchscherer and Reactive Training Systems (RTS), the coaches behind some of the strongest raw lifters in the sport. It runs four training days a week early on and drops to three days later in the cycle. Every session pairs a competition-style main lift with variations and accessories, and each lift is prescribed as a number of reps at a target RPE rather than a fixed percentage of your max.

The whole thing is autoregulated. Instead of grinding a fixed percentage on a bad day, you work up to a top set at the prescribed reps and RPE, then use RTS fatigue percents to add your working volume. You drop the bar by a set percentage and keep doing sets until the RPE climbs to target. It’s the same idea RTS built its reputation on, and it’s a different animal from a straight percentage block like GZCLP.

This is a loose template, not a polished beginner program. It’s built for intermediate lifters who already rate RPE well and understand fatigue percents. If you’re still learning to gauge RPE or you want something more scripted, run a percentage-based program first and come back to this one. For a similar 9-week RPE-driven peak that’s laid out a bit more cleanly, see the TSA 9 Week Intermediate Program.

[Read more…]