Askold Surovetsky’s 16-week powerlifting program is a percentage-based system that programs squat, deadlift, and bench press across 8 microcycles. It was designed by Surovetsky – an Honorary Coach of Russia, CMS in powerlifting, and European Powerlifting champion – and has been tested over 3 years with lifters at different levels. The program runs 3 days per week. Squat-focused and deadlift-focused weeks alternate, and bench press is trained every session using one of two bench systems.
What I like about this program is how structured and self-contained it is. You plug in your maxes, and every set, rep, and percentage is laid out for you across all 16 weeks. No guesswork. Intensities ramp from about 74% up to 88% on working sets, with max-out sessions built into weeks 7 and 8. It’s a style of programming you’ll see in other popular Russian systems like Sheiko, but the structure here is more rigid and less customizable.
One thing to know going in: this program doesn’t include any accessory work. It programs only the three competition lifts, and bench is trained at all three weekly sessions, so pressing volume is already high. If you’re someone who needs a lot of variety or accessory volume, this might feel limited. But if you want a focused, no-nonsense peaking program for the big three, it does the job well.
Table of Contents
- 1 Askold Surovetsky Program Spreadsheet
- 2 Askold Surovetsky Program Overview
- 3 Askold Surovetsky Program FAQs
- 3.1 What is the Askold Surovetsky powerlifting program?
- 3.2 What max should I use for this program?
- 3.3 Which bench press system should I use – System 1 or System 2?
- 3.4 Who is this program for?
- 3.5 Can I add accessory exercises to this program?
- 3.6 Can I repeat the program or start mid-cycle?
- 3.7 How does this compare to Sheiko programs?
- 4 About Askold Surovetsky
Askold Surovetsky Program Spreadsheet
We built a new, cleaner spreadsheet for this program. Surovetsky’s original is a translated Russian file that is hard to read and barely labeled, so this version keeps his exact percentages while adding clear labels, a Read Me with instructions, and a Setup tab. Enter your squat, deadlift, and bench maxes (use a weight you can confidently hit for a single at any session, not a competition max or a grinder) and every working weight is calculated for you across all 16 weeks.
The spreadsheet has five tabs: a Read Me with instructions, a Setup tab for your maxes, the squat/deadlift cycle (labeled PT-8), and the two bench press systems on their own tabs. Working sets are shaded so they stand out from the warm-ups.
We built this spreadsheet from Surovetsky’s program. You can find his original sheet here: Askold Surovetsky’s original Google Sheet.
Askold Surovetsky Program Overview
The Surovetsky program is built around 8 two-week microcycles (16 weeks total) with 3 training days per week. Each microcycle pairs one squat-priority week with one deadlift-priority week, so the two lifts rotate as the primary movement. Bench press is trained at every session using one of two systems.
- Program length: 16 weeks (8 microcycles)
- Training days per week: 3
- Lifts trained: Squat, deadlift, bench press
- Intensity range: ~36% to 100%+ of max (working sets typically 74%–88%)
- Bench press frequency: 3x per week (every training day)
- Max-out days: Week 7 (squat), Week 8 (deadlift)
- Accessory work: None prescribed (the program includes only the three competition lifts)
Squat and deadlift structure
Squats and deadlifts alternate as the primary lift across each two-week microcycle. Each training day falls into one of these intensity categories.
- Day 1 (medium): Working sets around 74%–88%, typically 4 sets of 4 reps at the top weight
- Day 2 (light): Working sets around 52%–66%, typically 4–6 sets of 6 reps at the top weight
- Day 3 (heavy): Ramp up to heavy singles or doubles, then back-off sets of 3–7 reps
All sessions start with warm-up sets that pyramid up in weight and down in reps (8 reps, 6 reps, 5 reps, 4 reps, etc.) before hitting the working sets. The top-end weights increase slightly across the 8 microcycles so you’re gradually handling heavier loads as you approach the max-out weeks.
Week 7 Day 3 is the squat max-out session, and Week 8 Day 3 is the deadlift max-out session. These follow the same warm-up pattern but work up to a true 1RM attempt.
Bench press systems
Surovetsky provides two bench press systems. You pick one and run it alongside the squat/deadlift cycle.
System 1 is a 12-workout cycle that rotates between light, middle, and hard sessions. The light sessions use higher reps (3–4 reps for multiple sets), middle sessions bump up the intensity slightly, and hard sessions push up to singles at or above your max. Certain sets are performed with a 2–3 second pause on the chest. Hard sessions also include partial reps from pins set 10–12 cm above the chest. After the 12 workouts, there’s a deload session followed by a max-out attempt.
System 2 is shorter – 6 workouts total. It uses a simpler progression with intensity ranging from about 83% to 92% of max on working sets, building to a max attempt at the end. This system is less complex than System 1 and doesn’t include the partial work.
Both systems assume you’re benching 3 times per week (every training day). That’s a lot of bench volume, and several lifters who’ve run this program have called it out. If you respond well to high bench frequency, you’ll probably do well here.
Intensity progression across microcycles
Here’s how the top working weights progress for squat and deadlift across the 8 microcycles (based on example maxes of 140 kg squat and 150 kg deadlift from the spreadsheet).
| Microcycle | Weeks | Squat Day 1 Top Set | Deadlift Day 1 Top Set | Day 3 Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–2 | 105 kg / 4×4 | 115 kg / 4×4 | Heavy singles + back-off 3×7 |
| 2 | 3–4 | 110 kg / 4×4 | 120 kg / 4×4 | Heavy doubles + back-off 3×5 |
| 3 | 5–6 | 120 kg / 4×4 | 125 kg / 4×4 | Heavy doubles + back-off 3×3 |
| 4 | 7–8 | 125 kg / 4×4 | 130 kg / 4×4 | Max attempt week |
You can see the top-set weight on Day 1 (medium day) increases by about 5 kg every two microcycles for both lifts. The heavy Day 3 sessions also progress, but the back-off volume drops from 7 reps down to 3 reps as intensity climbs – a classic periodization move.
Askold Surovetsky Program FAQs
What is the Askold Surovetsky powerlifting program?
It’s a 16-week, 3-day-per-week percentage-based powerlifting program designed by Russian coach Askold Surovetsky. The program covers all three competition lifts across 8 two-week microcycles. You plug in your maxes and the spreadsheet calculates every set and rep for the full cycle. Intensities ramp up over the 16 weeks and finish with max-out attempts in weeks 7 and 8.
What max should I use for this program?
Surovetsky specifies that you should use a weight “which you can get at every training at 1 rep.” This isn’t your all-time competition PR or a grinder you hit on a great day. It’s a weight you could walk in and hit on any given session. Think of it as your “everyday max.” If your best squat ever is 160 kg but you could only confidently hit 150 kg any day of the week, use 150 kg. Starting too heavy is the most common mistake people make with this program.
Which bench press system should I use – System 1 or System 2?
System 1 is more complex and longer (12 workouts before the max attempt). It includes paused reps, partial reps from pins, and a light/medium/hard rotation. System 2 is simpler and shorter (6 workouts). If you’re newer to high-frequency bench training or want a less complicated setup, start with System 2. If you’ve run percentage-based bench programs before and want the paused work and partials, go with System 1. You run the bench system you chose through the entire 16-week squat/deadlift cycle.
Who is this program for?
This program works for intermediate to advanced lifters who have established maxes in squat, bench, and deadlift. You need to know your numbers to run it – the entire program is built on percentages. Beginners who are still making session-to-session progress would be better served by a linear progression program like Greyskull LP or Starting Strength. The program is also popular with competitive powerlifters as a meet prep cycle since it peaks in weeks 7–8.
Can I add accessory exercises to this program?
The program as written includes only the three competition lifts, with no assistance exercises. The bench press volume is already high (3 sessions per week), so your pressing muscles are getting plenty of stimulus. Some lifters have successfully added light back work (rows, pull-ups) or core work without issues. I’d keep any additions minimal – the program is designed to work as-is, and piling on extra volume could interfere with recovery, especially as the intensities climb in the later microcycles.
Can I repeat the program or start mid-cycle?
Yes to both. Surovetsky says you can start the program from anywhere in the cycle and repeat it as many times as you want, as long as you’re still getting results. If you’re prepping for a competition, you’d time the program so that the max-out weeks (7 and 8) land close to your meet date. If you’re just training for general strength, you can run it back-to-back with updated maxes after each cycle.
How does this compare to Sheiko programs?
Both are Russian percentage-based systems with high bench frequency, but they differ in structure. Sheiko programs are typically 4 days per week with more total volume and a longer periodization timeline. Surovetsky is 3 days per week with a more condensed structure. Sheiko also programs more exercise variation (paused squats, board presses, etc.), while Surovetsky sticks strictly to the competition lifts. If you like the idea of a Russian-style program but want fewer training days and a simpler exercise selection, Surovetsky is worth trying.
About Askold Surovetsky
Askold Surovetsky is an Honorary Coach of Russia and holds a CMS (Candidate for Master of Sport) in powerlifting. He was a European Powerlifting champion and World silver medalist in the veterans division in 1996, competing in the under-75 kg class. His personal competition bests in that weight class included a 200 kg squat, 140 kg bench press, 262.5 kg deadlift, and 585 kg total. His programming methods spread through the Russian powerlifting community and were eventually translated and shared on English-language forums. The program spreadsheets were originally posted on Russian forums and have been floating around Western lifting communities for years.
