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.
This program has serious pedigree. Dr. Pierce used it to develop three-time U.S. Olympian Kendrick Farris and national-level lifter Jared Fleming. He’s a 3x USOC Weightlifting Coach of the Year (2006, 2007, 2010) and was inducted into the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2017. The program itself is based on published research by Stone, Pierce, and other colleagues on periodized strength training for weightlifters.
What I like about this program is how straightforward the progression is. You start with high-volume, lower-intensity work to build muscle and work capacity, then steadily drop volume while cranking up intensity. It’s textbook linear periodization, and it works. The caveat: this thing is a volume monster. You’re looking at roughly 75 working sets per week in the 10s phase. 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.
Table of Contents
- 1 LSUS 10-5-3 Spreadsheet
- 2 LSUS 10-5-3 Program Overview
- 3 LSUS 10-5-3 FAQs
- 3.1 What is the LSUS 10-5-3 program?
- 3.2 Who should run the LSUS 10-5-3 program?
- 3.3 Why do the Olympic lifts start from the hip instead of the floor?
- 3.4 Can I modify the volume if it’s too much?
- 3.5 How do the drop sets work in this program?
- 3.6 Should I deload between phases?
- 3.7 What is the 10-8-5-3 variation?
- 4 About Dr. Kyle Pierce
LSUS 10-5-3 Spreadsheet
The LSUS 10-5-3 spreadsheet below was created by FFF of Weightlifting Forums. It lays out the full 10-week program with all exercises, sets, reps, and target weights for each training day. You can make a copy and plug in your own numbers.
Spreadsheet via OWLsheets (created by FFF of Weightlifting Forums)
There are also a few useful variations available from the OWLsheets blog:
- LSUS 10-8-5-3 Modification – Adds an extra 3-week block of sets of 8 between the 10s and 5s phases
- Jared Enderton Modification – Tweaks from the former LSUS lifter
- LSUS Intermediate Program – An adjusted version with different rep schemes for intermediate lifters
The original research paper that the program is based on is also available: Stone, Pierce et al – Weightlifting Program Design.
Source: OWLsheets
LSUS 10-5-3 Program Overview
The LSUS 10-5-3 follows a classic block periodization model across 10 weeks (plus an optional deload between phases). Each block changes the rep scheme while the exercises also shift to become more sport-specific as you approach the peak.
- Weeks 1-3 (10s Phase): High volume. Olympic lifts from the hip (hip snatch, hip clean). Strength work at 10RM with drop sets
- Weeks 4-6 (5s Phase): Moderate volume. Olympic lifts from the knee (hang snatch, hang clean). Strength work at 5RM with drop sets
- Weeks 7-9 (3s Phase): Low volume, high intensity. Olympic lifts from the floor. Strength work at 3RM
- Week 10 (Peak/Taper): Max singles on snatch and clean & jerk. Reduced volume leading into competition or testing day
The program uses 5 training days per week. Days 1 and 3 are “push” days (squats, presses, bench). Days 2 and 4 are “pull” days (Olympic lifts, deadlift variations, rows, pull-ups). Day 5 (Saturday) is a technique and max-effort day where you hit snatch and clean & jerk at 80-90% along with front squats.
Program Summary
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Program Type | Olympic Weightlifting – Block Periodization |
| Duration | 10 weeks (12-14 with deloads) |
| Frequency | 5 days per week |
| Phases | 10s → 5s → 3s → Peak/Taper |
| Target Lifter | Intermediate to advanced Olympic weightlifters |
| Goal | Peak strength for competition or max testing |
| Creator | Dr. Kyle Pierce, EdD, CSCS (LSUS) |
Phase 1: Sets of 10 (Weeks 1-3)
The 10s phase is all about building a base. Volume is high, intensity is relatively low, and the Olympic lifts are done from the hip position to drill technique fundamentals. After hitting your 10RM on strength movements, you’ll do drop sets at -5% and -10% of your working weight.
| Day | Focus | Key Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | Push press, squat, bench press, military press (all to 10RM + drop sets) |
| Tuesday | Pull | Snatch from hip, snatch deadlift, RDL, shrugs, bent rows (10RM), pull-ups 3-5×10 |
| Wednesday | Push | Repeat Monday lifts at 3-5×10 within 10% of Monday’s 10RM |
| Thursday | Pull | Clean from hip (5RM), clean deadlift (10RM), RDL, shrugs, pull-ups |
| Saturday | Technique | Snatch and clean & jerk at 80-90%, front squat 2RM |
Phase 2: Sets of 5 (Weeks 4-6)
Volume drops and intensity goes up. Olympic lifts move to the hang position (from the knee). Strength work shifts to 5RM targets with the same drop-set protocol. Weighted pull-ups replace bodyweight sets.
| Day | Focus | Key Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | Power jerk, squat, push press, bench press (all 5RM + drops) |
| Tuesday | Pull | Snatch from knee (3RM), snatch deadlift, RDL, muscle snatch, bent rows (5RM), weighted pull-ups 3-5×5 |
| Wednesday | Push | Repeat Monday lifts at 3-5×5 within 10% of 5RM |
| Thursday | Pull | Clean from knee (3RM), clean deadlift (5RM), RDL, muscle snatch, shrugs, bent rows |
| Saturday | Technique | Snatch and clean & jerk AHAP, front squat 2RM |
Phase 3: Sets of 3 (Weeks 7-9)
This is where it gets heavy. Olympic lifts move to the floor. All strength work targets 3RM. Volume is at its lowest, and intensity is at its highest outside of the peak week.
| Day | Focus | Key Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Push | Split jerk, squat, push press, bench press, military press (all 3RM) |
| Tuesday | Pull | Clean from floor (3RM), clean pull, clean deadlift, RDL, bent rows (3RM), pull-ups |
| Wednesday | Push | Repeat Monday lifts at 3-5×3 within 10% of 3RM |
| Thursday | Pull | Snatch from floor (3RM), snatch pull, snatch deadlift, RDL, bent rows (3-5×3 within 10% of 3RM) |
| Saturday | Technique | Snatch and clean & jerk AHAP, front squat 2RM |
Phase 4: Peak and Taper (Week 10+)
The final phase is about expressing the strength you’ve built. You’ll work up to 1RM on snatch and clean & jerk with drop sets, hit 2RM on squat and front squat, and taper volume through the week. By the end of the week, you’re doing snatch and clean & jerk at 70% before competition day on Saturday.
| Day | Focus | Key Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Heavy | Power clean & jerk to 1RM (+ drops), squat 2RM, power/split jerk 2RM, push press 2RM, bench 2RM |
| Tuesday | Pull | Snatch to 1RM, clean pull 3RM, back extensions, pull-ups |
| Wednesday | Heavy | Clean & jerk to 1RM (+ drops), front squat 2RM (+ drops), power jerk 2RM, push press 3×2 |
| Thursday | Pull | Snatch to 1RM (+ drops), snatch pull 3RM, back extensions, pull-ups |
| Saturday | Max/Comp | Snatch and clean & jerk AHAP, front squat 1RM |
LSUS 10-5-3 FAQs
What is the LSUS 10-5-3 program?
The LSUS 10-5-3 is a 10-week Olympic weightlifting program designed by Dr. Kyle Pierce at Louisiana State University Shreveport. It uses block periodization to move from high-volume hypertrophy work (sets of 10) through strength building (sets of 5) into peaking (sets of 3), followed by a taper week where you test or compete at max effort. The program trains 5 days per week and includes Olympic lifts, squats, presses, deadlift variations, and pulling accessories.
Who should run the LSUS 10-5-3 program?
This program is best for intermediate to advanced Olympic weightlifters who can commit to 5 training sessions per week. You should already have solid technique on the snatch and clean & jerk before starting, since the early phases use abbreviated positions (hip, then hang) rather than teaching the full lifts from scratch. If you’re a beginner, you’d be better off with something like a Catalyst Athletics starter program to build your base first.
The volume in the 10s phase is genuinely high – we’re talking around 75 working sets per week. Compare that to something like the Texas Method at around 33 sets per week. If you’ve never run a high-volume block before, you might want to start with the intermediate variation or reduce sets per exercise to 1-2 instead of 3-5.
Why do the Olympic lifts start from the hip instead of the floor?
The program progressively lengthens the range of motion on the Olympic lifts as you move through the phases. In the 10s phase, you snatch and clean from the hip. In the 5s phase, you move to the knee (hang position). In the 3s phase, you work from the floor. This is intentional – the early phases focus more on general strength, and the later phases get more sport-specific as you approach competition. It also lets you handle the high rep ranges (sets of 10) without technique breaking down from pulling off the floor every rep.
Can I modify the volume if it’s too much?
Yes, and honestly, most people running this outside of a full-time training environment probably should. Here are a couple of approaches that lifters have used successfully:
- Keep the 5-day structure but do only 1-2 sets per exercise instead of 3-5
- Keep the sets but drop 1-2 exercises from each day
- Combine your Saturday technique work into Days 2 and 4 and train 4 days per week instead
- Add a deload week between each phase to manage accumulated fatigue
The key is keeping the periodization structure intact (10s → 5s → 3s → peak) while adjusting total volume to what you can actually recover from.
How do the drop sets work in this program?
After hitting your rep max (10RM, 5RM, or 3RM) on the main strength exercises, you’ll do drop sets at -5% and -10% of your working weight for the same number of reps. So if you hit a 10RM squat at 200 lbs, you’d do a set of 10 at 190 lbs and another set of 10 at 180 lbs. On the repeat days (Wednesday mirrors Monday), you work at 3-5 sets within 10% of your max-effort day’s numbers. So on a squat day, you’re hitting 3 sets of 10 at or near your 10RM. That adds up fast.
Should I deload between phases?
It’s recommended, especially between the 10s and 5s phases. The 10s block hammers you with ~75 working sets per week, and jumping straight into heavy 5s without a recovery week can leave you feeling flat. A deload week of light technique work at 60-70% is a good buffer. This extends the program from 10 weeks to 12-13 weeks, but it’s worth it for most lifters who aren’t training full-time with perfect sleep, nutrition, and recovery.
What is the 10-8-5-3 variation?
The 10-8-5-3 is a user-created modification that adds a 3-week block of sets of 8 between the 10s phase and the 5s phase. This creates a more gradual transition in intensity and gives you an extra block of moderate-rep work before moving to heavy sets. It extends the total program to about 13 weeks (before deloads). If you’ve found that the jump from 10s directly to 5s feels too aggressive, this variation is worth trying.
About Dr. Kyle Pierce
Dr. Kyle Pierce, EdD, CSCS, is a Professor of Kinesiology and Health Science and Director of the USA Weightlifting Center for High Performance and Development at Louisiana State University Shreveport. He earned his doctorate from Auburn University and has spent decades coaching Olympic weightlifters at the highest level.
Pierce’s most well-known athlete is Kendrick Farris, a three-time U.S. Olympian and three-time Pan American Champion. He also coached Jared Fleming and has directed U.S. and international teams at Olympic Games, World Championships, and Pan American Games. He’s currently the National Coach and High-Performance Director for the Ghana Weightlifting Federation.
His coaching accolades include 3x USOC Weightlifting Coach of the Year (2006, 2007, 2010), the USOC’s “Doc” Counsilman Science Award (2005), and induction into the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2017. He was later inducted into the International Weightlifting Federation Hall of Fame in 2023. He’s served on the IWF Coaching and Research Committee since 2000.
