Jonnie Candito’s 6 week program is a powerlifting peaking program. It consists of several short training blocks dedicated to muscular conditioning, hypertrophy, strength, linear weight increases, acclimation to heavy weights, intensity, and testing. It is held in especially high regard for improving the one rep max of the squat, though it programs all three lifts.
Note: Novice lifters will progress more quickly using the Candito Linear Progression Program. For a deadlift specific program, see newly the released Candito Deadlift Program.
Based on personal experience, I highly recommend the Candito 6 Week Strength Program for squats. I’m able to run this repeatedly and continue to see gains of 5-10 lbs per every 5 weeks. It’s a solid choice for deadlifts as well, but I’ve had minimal success running this program for bench press. I’d recommend a bench specific program to help complement the Candito 6 Week Program. Alternatively, someone did combine this program with the Candito Advanced Bench Press Program: Candito 6 Week + Advanced Bench.
Table of Contents
Candito 6 Week Program on Boostcamp App
Prefer an app to a spreadsheet? If so, you’re in luck!
Boostcamp has a free app version of the Candito 6 Week Strength Program that you can use directly from your phone.
It tracks your progress and calculates your lifts, just like a spreadsheet.
Works on iOS and Android.
Candito 6 Week Strength Program - Boostcamp App
Prefer an app to a spreadsheet? If so, you're in luck!
Boostcamp has a free app version of the Candito 6 Week Strength Program that you can use directly from your phone.
It tracks your progress and calculates your lifts, just like a spreadsheet.
Works on iOS and Android.
If you prefer to use an app version of the Candito 6 Week Program, Boostcamp is a great choice.
It has popular programs like nSuns, GZCLP, Greg Nuckols Beginner Program, Reddit PPL, and PHUL.
Boostcamp is free on iOS and Android.
Candito 6 Week Program Spreadsheet
Jonnie provided a written summary of the program, which can be viewed in this PDF.
If you prefer to use an app on your phone, you can find an app version of this program at Boostcamp.
Jonnie Candito’s YouTube Channel
Note on Optional Exercises
From Jonnie’s PDF summary of the program, here are some notes on optional exercises.
- They are optional, and do not need to be completed.
- They should be done when you have the energy after the main work.
- They should be low impact in order to not negatively impact recovery from the main work.
- Use light weights in the 8 to 12 rep range.
- They can be done on a workout to workout basis. They can change whenever you’d like and do not necessarily need to progress in any particular way.
- They should probably be isolation accessory exercises (i.e. they work a single muscle/muscle group at a time, like a tricep extension or bicep curl).
- They are personal to you and should be tailored to your individual weaknesses.
Here are some examples of optional upper body exercises provided by Jonnie:
- Lateral dumbbell raise
- Incline chest fly
- One armed tricep extension
- Bicep cable/machine movements
- Preacher curl
- Skull crushers
- Hammer curl (if not already a main accessory)
Here are some examples of optional lower body exercises provided by Jonnie:
- Calf raises on leg press
- Leg curls
- Leg extensions
- Isolation glute exercises (e.g. barbell hip thrust)
- Single leg press
- Single leg curl
And here are some optional explosive lower body exercises:
- Box jumps
- Single leg box jumps
- Med ball throws
- Explosive single leg press
- Jump squats, deep squat jumps
- Power cleans
Explosive lower body exercises should be done for 4 reps each set so that each rep is truly explosive.
Candito 6 Week Program FAQs
Who should run the Candito 6 Week Program?
This program is best suited for intermediate lifters who have at least a year of consistent barbell training. If you’re still adding weight to the bar every session, you’ll get more out of a linear progression program like the Candito Linear Progression Program or GZCLP. Once you’ve stalled on linear gains, the periodized structure of the 6 Week Program is where it starts to shine.
Is the Candito 6 Week Program good for bench press?
Honestly, not really. The bench programming is widely considered the weakest part of the program. Squat and deadlift numbers tend to go up reliably, but bench progress is often minimal. I’ve experienced this myself. If bench is a priority, I’d recommend replacing the bench work with Jonnie’s separate Advanced Bench Press Program. There’s a hybrid spreadsheet that combines the 6 Week squat/deadlift programming with the Advanced Bench program.
Can I run this program back to back?
Yes, and I’d recommend it. I’ve run this program repeatedly and continue to see gains of 5-10 lbs per cycle on squat. When you finish Week 5, you have a few options for resetting your maxes:
- Skip Week 6 entirely and use your projected 1RM from Week 5 (multiply your working weight by 1.03 for 2 reps, 1.06 for 3 reps, or 1.09 for 4 reps)
- Test your true 1RM in Week 6 and use that for the next cycle
- Take a deload week before starting over
What happens if I fail a rep?
Drop your training max on that lift by 5% and keep going. Don’t repeat the workout – finish what you can and adjust the max for the next session. If you’re failing reps in the early weeks, your starting 1RM was probably too high. It’s better to start conservative and actually complete the program than to overshoot and grind through bad reps.
Can I run this program while cutting?
You can, but don’t expect PRs. The first two weeks are high volume and will beat you up if you’re in a big deficit. If you do run it while cutting, keep the deficit moderate, get enough protein, and skip the optional exercises. Expect to maintain your strength rather than build it. The program works best at maintenance or a slight surplus.
