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Home » Programs » Powerlifting Training Programs » Peaking Program » 17 Week Block Periodization Powerlifting Peaking Program by Brad Arbic

17 Week Block Periodization Powerlifting Peaking Program by Brad Arbic

By Kyle Risley
Last updated April 18, 2020

Experience level: Advanced, Intermediate

Weeks: 17

Periodization: Block Periodization

Meet prep program: Yes

Program goal: Peaking, Powerlifting

Uses RPE: No

Uses 1RM Percentage(%): Yes


As an affiliate of various sites, including Amazon Associates, I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases via links in this post at no extra cost to you. See Full Disclosure

Table of Contents

  • 1 Program Summary
    • 1.1 Deload Weeks
  • 2 Spreadsheet
    • 2.1 Customizing Accessories
  • 3 VIDEO: Program Overview by Brad Arbic

Program Summary

This is a 17 week powerlifting peaking program broken up into 3 different training blocks: hypertrophy, strength, and peaking. It uses 4 training days per week: squat, bench press, deadlift, and another bench press training session.

The hypertrophy block works in the 60% to 67% range, the strength block works in the 70% to 80% range, and the peaking block works in the 87% to 95% range – nothing fancy here, pretty standard intensity ranges for each block.

Week 17 calls for one rep max testing at 105% of the original 1RM for each lift.

Through all 3 phases additional accessories are recommended to help address weak points and build up key muscle groups for each primary movement. These are customizable within the spreadsheet and you can even add your own accessories if you’d like – what is provided is merely a suggestion.

Deload Weeks

Every fourth week a deload is programmed.

Brad provided the following suggestions for properly executing a deload week:

  • Reduce intensity
  • Reduce volume
  • Reduce rep range
  • Reduce number of sets
  • Increase amount of rest time

He begins talking about deloading around minute 9:00 in the video below if you’d like to learn more.

Spreadsheet

Source, with some enhancements made by Lift Vault.

17 Week Block Periodization Powerlifting Program by Brad Arbic | LiftVault.com

Customizing Accessories

You can customize your own accessories by overwriting the “custom accessory” cells in the spreadsheet. These lists are located to the right of each accessory log section on the “Accessory Log + Options” tab. This was added by Lift Vault for ease of use and was not part of the spreadsheet that Brad originally shared.

Accessory Exercise Selection

VIDEO: Program Overview by Brad Arbic

FREE POWERLIFTING PROGRAM
Watch this video on YouTube.

 

About Kyle Risley

Kyle Risley founded Lift Vault in 2016 to make finding great powerlifting programs easier. Since then, the site has grown to include hundreds of programs for strength, bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, and more. He currently lives in Massachusetts and continues to compete in powerlifting.

Filed Under: 17 Week Programs, Peaking Program, Powerlifting Program, Programs
Tagged With: 4 Day Workout Plan
Squat frequency: 1
Bench press frequency: 2
Deadlift frequency: 1

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