This is the sample powerlifting program from our Muscle and Strength Pyramid training book.
The explanation section there spans multiple pages, so I have cut it down to give just the overview, relevant notation, and exercise selection explanations.
This, along with the Intermediate Bodybuilding Sample Program and Detailed Guide to Training Progression articles bring the site up to speed with the level of training programming that I typically find myself using with coaching clients nowadays. I hope you find them useful.
If you’re unsure whether you should choose this, the novice program, or our bodybuilding programs, consider reading: How to Choose The Right Training Program For You.
THE INTERMEDIATE POWERLIFTING ROUTINE OVERVIEW
The Intermediate Powerlifting Program is a four-day program that builds upon the base that was established from the beginner powerlifting program. Volume is increased globally, with a greater increase coming in the form of lower-body and upper-body pushing volume.
Four days are utilized to accommodate the increased volume. Unlike the novice program, there is no three-day option.
Heavy loading accounts for 70% of the main-lift volume while lighter loading accounts for 30%. A similar proportion of volume comes from the competition lifts and accessory movements, respectively.
(If you’re interested in why this new version of the powerlifting program differs slightly from that in the first edition of our book in 2015, see the FAQ item on it here.)
How The INTERMEDIATE POWERLIFTING Workout Looks
Take a look at the program and then I’ll explain the meaning of the ‘%1RM’ and ‘1st Set RPE’ notation and how to use it.
| THE INTERMEDIATE POWERLIFTING PROGRAM | |||
| Day 1 | |||
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | %1RM | 1st Set RPE |
Squat Variant variations»» Barbell Back Squats (either low or high bar position), Front Squat, Zercher Squat, or Safety-bar Back Squatsclose | 3 x 7–9 | NA | 7 |
| Bench Press | 3 x 7–9 | 67–72.5% | 7 |
| Vertical Pull
variations»» Chin-ups or Pull-ups (Use bands to assist you if too hard to reach the required number of reps, add weight if they are too easy), Lat-pull Downclose | 3 x 7–9 | NA | 8 |
| Day 2 | |||
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | %1RM | 1st Set RPE |
| Back Squat | 3 x 1–3 | 80–85% | 5 |
Bench Press | 3 x 1–3 | 80–85% | 5 |
Deadlift variations»» Conventional Deadlift or Sumo Deadlift. Choose one or the other and do it consistently on all training days you deadliftclose | 3 x 1–3 | 80–85% | 5 |
Vertical Push variations»» Overhead Barbell Press or Dumbbell Press(standing or seated), Landmine Pressclose | 3 x 3–6 | NA | 8 |
| Day 3 | |||
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | %1RM | 1st Set RPE |
| Back Squat | 3 x 3–5 | 82–87.5% | 8 |
| Bench Press | 3 x 3–5 | 82–87.5% | 8 |
Horizontal Pull variations»» Cable Rows, Dumbbell Rows, Barbell Rows, Seal Rows, TRX Rowsclose | 3×4–6 | NA | 8 |
| Leg Curl | 3 x 12 | NA | 8 |
| Day 4 | |||
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | %1RM | 1st Set RPE |
Bench Variant | 3 x 6–8 | NA | 8 |
Deadlift | 3 x 3–5 | 82.5–87.5% | 8 |
| Horizontal Pull
variations»» Cable Rows, Dumbbell Rows, Barbell Rows, Seal Rows, TRX Rowsclose | 3 x 8–12 | NA | 8 |
*NA = not applicable for that exercise.
Here’s a compact version on my Instagram profile you can easily take a screenshot of to keep on your phone.
How To Use The Program
WARMING-UP
Warm-up before you train so that your core temperature is raised, you’re ready to lift heavy and less likely to cause yourself an injury. Here’s my guide to warming up.
Exercise Selection Guidelines For Your Powerlifting Workout
Skill development is more important to a powerlifter than a bodybuilder, so the variety of exercises used is fewer by comparison.
Higher volumes of moderate-intensity work are performed on Day 1 with a squat variation and bench press. I advise a squat variation that allows you to say more upright to give your hips a break if you usually low bar squat: front, high-bar, or safety-bar versions.
Accessory movements are trained for both strength and hypertrophy on all days, and Day 2 is dedicated to heavy technique work with the competition lifts.
Strength work is spread between Day 3 and 4 with squats and bench press being trained for strength on Day 3, and then the deadlift trained for strength on Day 4 with some moderate load work on a bench variation.
Bench variants refer to alterations to your competition bench, such as a closer or wider grip, board presses, flat back or feet up, longer pauses (e.g. 2 count bench), or bench press with accommodating resistance. Close-grip bench press should not be performed with an extremely close grip, rather just closer relative to your competition bench press grip width. The closest the grip width should be is a width similar to that of a push up performed with the elbows tucked at your sides.
If you are a powerlifter and you aware of any specific technical faults well suited to a specific bench variant (see the weak point discussion in Level 4 of our book) this is a good place to use that variant.
Ideally to allow recovery between heavy competition lift training, place a day off between Day 3 and 4 if possible.
Additionally, a second horizontal pull (I advise a free weight option for the heavier rowing session) and a bench and squat variation are added to round out development and ensure that no “weak links in the chain” occur now that the foundations of technical skill have been established.
Powerlifting Program REST PERIODS
For powerlifting programs, it’s best to rest for as long as is needed to be recovered and ready to perform the next set. This will typically be ~2–4 minutes. (The more musculature the exercise uses and the stronger you get, the longer you’ll need.) Two minutes may be plenty for a novice squatting, but a high-level lifter may need five.
HOW TO PROGRESS WITH THE INTERMEDIATE POWERLIFTING PROGRAM
Now that you have some weight training experience under your belt, RPE based on reps in reserve (RIR) can be more accurately used; you should be able to tell with reasonable accuracy how many reps you have in the tank.
For this reason, load progression will be based more on RIR than it is a percentage of 1-rep max (%1RM). The %1RM is more used as a reference.
As a reminder, ‘RPE’ stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion based on Reps in Reserve. It is a means of managing fatigue which can help recovery and growth, telling you how many reps, ideally, you will stay short of failure.
While you will aim to add load each session, on a scale of 1–10, 7 means to stop the set when you could perform 3 more reps. 8 means to stop when you have 2 more reps in reserve.
| RPE Number | Meaning |
| 10 | Could not do more reps or load without form failure |
| 9.5 | Could not do more reps, could do slightly more load |
| 9 | Could do 1 more rep |
| 8.5 | Could definitely do 1 more reps, chance at 2 |
| 8 | Could do 2 more reps |
| 7.5 | Could definitely do 2 more reps, chance at 3 |
| 7 | Could do 3 more reps |
| 5-6 | Could do 4-6 more reps |
| 1-4 | Very light to light effort |
Add a little weight to each exercise every session whenever you are able to do so, then move onto my intermediate progression rules.
As an intermediate, a periodized approach to progression is utilized rather than the single-factor progression model that was used as a novice. A linear periodization model is utilized in a wave loading format for all lifts on a week to week basis.
Intensity will go up over the course of a four-week cycle, while volume will come down. Like the novice program, each day of each week is progressed independently, meaning, you will not compare Day 1 to Day 2 or Day 2 to Day 3, but each exercise progression continues from the same day the previous week.
A daily undulating model is still the approach used on a week-to-week basis in a similar manner to the beginner powerlifting program.
Savvy readers will realize that they can create versions of this powerlifting program geared more towards accumulating volume or more towards intensification (determined by the time point in the season) by simply increasing or decreasing the rep range and loads. For example:
- To make this powerlifting program more volume focused a lift performed for 3 to 5 repetitions at 82.5 to 87.5% of 1RM could instead be performed for 4 to 6 repetitions at 80 to 85% of 1RM.
- To make this powerlifting program more intensity focused, a lift performed for 3 to 5 repetitions at 82.5% to 87.5% of 1RM could instead be performed for 2 to 4 repetitions at 85 to 90% of 1RM.
INTERMEDIATE POWERLIFTING PROGRAM FAQ
The best powerlifting program is one you enjoy doing, can sustain, and allows you sufficient practice at the Big 3 lifts to progress. For intermediate lifters, four days should be enough. This article contains the sample routine from our popular book, The Muscle and Strength Pyramids, but we don’t pretend it is the only way to structure a program.
I recommend that you structure a program using a daily undulating model, where hypertrophy, power (heavy technique work), and strength are trained alternately.
Training with a lack of variation in load or volume is not only psychologically monotonous but also has been shown to increase the chance of overtraining, degrade performance, increase the frequency of illness; and when training that is highly monotonous (little variation in load and volume) is made less so, increases in performance occur. For these reasons, I recommend that you use different rep and load combinations on different days, as we have in this sample program.
To get the “ripped” look, you need a muscled body and low body fat. Powerlifting programs like this intermediate sample program will build a muscled body, but dietary control is what will help you to lose fat and give you defined abs. Combine this with my nutrition setup guide to get ripped.
Yes, beginners can do powerlifting, though it would be a good idea to spend 6–12 months training so that you are proficient at the lifts before entering any competitions where you’ll be required to push yourself to a 1-rep maximum attempt. Here is our beginner powerlifting program.
Ideally, you’ll do this: Day 1, Day 2, Off, Day 3, Off, Day 4, Off, because that is what most people will likely recover from best.
However, in life, there is what is ideal and what is practical and sustainable for you. Re-arrange things if you have a good reason to do so. Try not to have more than two days of training back to back.
For as many weeks as you continue to progress using the progression rules. You can then tweak it based on these plateau troubleshooting guidelines.
The second day is purposefully a low-volume, low-rep, ‘technique practice at high load’ strength focus day. It’s natural to not feel as challenged. Remember, the goal is not to hit the gym and hammer yourself as hard as you can every time. This will compromise recovery. Your goal is to deliver the right amount of training stimulus needed to get stronger and grow, then allow that to happen by eating well and sleeping well. Resist the temptation to always do more.
Well, you could, but the weight of the evidence suggests 10–20 hard sets per muscle/group or movement is an appropriate volume to prescribe when no foreknowledge of individual needs/tolerance/genetics exist.
The novice programs on this site provide a number of sets per movement/muscle group towards the low end of 10–20, this intermediate program towards the middle, and the advanced programs (in the book) towards the upper end.
This may or may not be less volume than what you are already doing, what you like to do, what ‘feels’ right or compared to other popular programs or what your favorite athlete or influencer does or suggests. But, unless you are an experienced lifter who knows from well-recorded observations over years what your specific volume needs are, I’d advise at least trying to progress using similar volumes to what we recommend first, before deciding it’s too low.
If you don’t make progress just do more volume. But in my experience as a coach, it’s just as likely (if not more likely) that you could progress just as well, if not faster, with a lower volume.
In short: Do enough to progress, not as much as possible. Increase training volume when plateaued if you are recovering well. More on this in my guide on breaking training plateaus.
Assuming that you’re following the progression rules diligently, meaning that you’re also keeping to the first set RPEs to manage fatigue, then your answer lies somewhere in the following three articles:
• How to Break Training Plateaus
• How to Address Weak Points in Your Lifts
• What is Realistic Progress When Cutting?
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON SAMPLE powerlifting PROGRAMS
It’s important to note that the primary purpose of this program is actually not for you just to take it and use it exactly as written.
By definition, a sample program cannot be optimal for you, because it is not specific to you and your needs. The programs in our book can get close, as they allow you to match up your goal (powerlifting or bodybuilding) and your experience level (novice, intermediate, or advanced) to the program, and in some spots they allow you freedom to choose a variation on an exercise or the schedule to fit your needs, but they still aren’t truly individualized programs.
Individuality is key to long-term success, and just like it’s not a good idea to use someone else’s diet regardless of whether your maintenance calorie intake or initial body-fat percentage is similar to theirs or not, it’s also not a good idea to jump into a program regardless of how the volume, intensity, or frequency of the program compares to what you are currently adapted to.
The idea behind presenting multiple sample programs in the book is that instead of readers seeing them as “the be all end all” that they just jump right into, they use them primarily as learning tools. The programs are the synthesis of the entire Training Pyramid, combining the concepts presented throughout the book into usable systems. By examining the sample programs they are looking at only a few of the possible iterations of the concepts embodied in the text. Trainers will be able to use the sample programs to help them learn how to create customized programs for their clients, and athletes will use the programs to help them design a more individualized plan for themselves.
If you have found this helpful, you might be pleased to know it is just a small section taken from my Muscle and Strength Training Pyramid book, written with my co-authors Eric Helms and Andrea Valdez. The second edition, along with the Nutrition companion book, was released last year.
Join 20,000 other readers, get your copies here.
Thank you for reading. Questions welcomed in the comments.
Please keep questions on topic, write clearly, concisely, and don't post diet calculations.
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Would it make sense to reverse the program (just flip it) so that the strength days come before the high rep days? I feel like it could be better for my fatigue (yes I keep the RPEs in mind all day)
Please feel free to try that.
For day 4, is it okay if I perform the bench press with 3-5 reps (RPE 8 for 1st set) or will that hinder my recovery?
Hi Johnson. The recovery costs are likely to be similar, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Rock on, see how you do.
I only have time to train on the weekdays. Wouldn’t it then better for me to have the week set up as follow:
Monday: day 3
Tuesday: day 1
Wedensday: day 2
Thursday: cardio/rest
Friday: day 4
I have trained with your program for some months, and i feel like i’m pretty tired on wedensday (which used to be day 3)
Generally, I’d suggest Mon/Tue then Thur/Fri, but if that’s not possible, you may need to switch things around.
However, ‘best’ isn’t always the same for each person. So please free to try that and see how you get on.
i’m a little bit confused with the RPE plus the %1RM. so for example in day 2, i’ll do my 1st set of bench press for like 80% of my %1RM and the 1st set RPE is 5. so does that mean that after i finish my 1st set i can still feel that i can do 4-6 more rep?
Hi Adam, that’s correct. Use the 1RM to guide the initial load you lift with and after that, forget about that metric as it’s not used in the progression model I recommend.
Hi, I’m wondering if 5 RPE for day 2 might be an error in text? The program specifies 80-85 % (5 RPE) as intensity for bench on day 2. On the other hand, for day 1 corresponding numbers are 67.5-72.5 % (7 RPE). According to the RPE table, higher RPE means higher load, whereas this suggests that higher RPE is a lower percentage of 1RM.
Hi Tapio, thank you for asking.
According to the RPE table, higher RPE means higher load
^ No, a higher RPE means the closer you go to failure (intensity of effort).
The percentage 1RM that that will be (intensity of load) will change depending on the rep ranges used.
makes sense, i was confused, thanks.
Most welcome. If you’d like to read more about RPE we have this guide: A Guide To Using RPE In Your Training
What is the intensity for each day
Hi Walter. The last two columns prescribe the intensity recommendations, the “How to Progress” section explains them.
Hi, loved book! But by this example, it says 15 UB pull sets/week. How come I only get 9 total Work sets?
You didn’t count the deadlifts.
Hi Andy!
If I do some extra sets of calves, delts or arms will it then interfere with recovery for the other muscles used in the program? And can I maybe even do a few high rep sets (Above 12 reps) for the quads and hamstrings?
Possibly. You have to try and see. Sounds like the intermediate bodybuilding program is more suited. But if you’d like to learn to make your own program, we’ve put all the principles here: A 6-Step Guide to Building Training Programs
Hi,
I m playing basketball once a week, it can be tough (sprinting jumping etc).
So right now I do 3 days weights +1 bball per week. And the next week I do the next workout from this programme, so essentially one cycle takes a bit more than one week. Is this ok for the expected strength gains? Or should I distribute the 2nd day to the other days to keep one cycle per week (in three days) ?
Or should I just remove completely the 2nd day?
(2nd day meaning the low volume +intensity weightlifting day)
Thanks!
Chris
If your schedule can allow for 5 days, then I’d train 4 times plus the basketball, but just lower the leg volume a little if necessary for recovery.
You could do is as suggested though. Which is better? You’ll have to try and see, Chris.
Thanks, I ll try it!
Just finished your book and I can’t be any happier to finally understand how to design my own program.
I also sketched an intermediate(?) power-focus routine with the exercises I enjoy doing the most. I’d like to know your opinion or at least if you see something that is evidently wrong.
[Deleted]
I’m sorry Emanuel, I can’t offer to critique a program you’ve designed for yourself. My guide to building training programs is here.
A couple of questions:
– every so often I notice that I’m just totally dead after 1 decent work set. I can force myself through more, but I end up exhausted, light headed, and unable to recover for the rest of the workout. After a few weeks of this I just end up giving up and taking a long break (like a month or more). I dont know what this is? Am I overtraining? Should I add in some light cardio (currently do none) or stronger by science article?
– so I took a long break, partially bc of the cause listed above, and just bc the holidays here in the US. I lost 3-5 lbs from my weight before the break. Is this muscle lost from no lifting? At what rate is muscle lost in off times?
Hi Eric, thank you for the question.
To only be able to manage the one set and then be completely shattered is… well, unusual. While I can’t pinpoint what it is either, the top four things that come to mind as potential issues are:
1. Are you breathing sufficiently between reps?
2. Are you under a lot of stress?
3. Are you chronically lacking sleep?
4. Are you eating enough? (Gauge this by your rate of weight loss.)
The first is the most likely issue, given that this appears to be an acute “in the moment” problem, rather than something chronic like the latter three.
If you’re unable to get back to the gym for a month, see a doctor (preferably one who lifts and won’t just say — lift a little lighter) as there may be something medical going on.
Sorry, I was a bit unclear. It’s not that it randomly come up once, and then goes away. It’s more like after I’ve had several months or so of good lifting where I’m making progress, I’ll just start noticing that workouts are feeling harder when they shouldn’t. And the only way I seem to be able to get through it is to completely stop lifting for a few weeks to a month.
Not under excessive stress. Sleep is decent. Could be breathing, or may calories too low.
What about rate of muscle loss while not lifting?
I’m having trouble reconciling the descriptions in your two comments, as the first one is very different.
Based on this second comment, it just sounds like a classic progression problem and the articles listed in the last bullet point in the article (Progress has stalled, what should I do?) should cover it.
What about rate of muscle loss while not lifting?
Slight losses over time are to be expected, but nothing measurable over a couple of weeks. Gradual from there. Something that will return far more quickly that it was originally built when resuming training.
What do you do for warm-up with the powerlifting program?
Harry flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled out his wand. “Lumos!” he exclaimed, and the article’s URL became clear: How to Warm Up for Strength Training
Regarding the deloads, i think i fall into the intermediate progression bracket. For the deloads do i reduce the load of each exercise on each day for the 4th week?
Hi Reece, you’ll see it covered in the progression guidelines article.
Thanks for the reply. So from what ive read you incorporate a deload every 4 weeks. I see there is mention of a deload week but is there another option? For example; the first session on the 4th week could i have a deload on that day and would that be enough to reap the benefits or is the deload week essential?
I recommend you deload the whole week.
Hi guys,
I”ve been following the program diligently and I’m on my 5th wave of progression (around 27 weeks total, starting with linear progression initially). However, I feel like I’m getting to a stage where I cannot keep to the 1st set RPE. For example, for Day 2, I’m up to 165kg back squat for 3×1, which feels easy as singles, but not easy enough that I would ever say my first set is RPE 5. If anything, I would say it was around RPE 7/8.
Any advice on what I should do? I (somehow) get the impression that I could get it up to around 170-175kg for 3×1, but my feeling is that it won’t be at 1st set RPE 5 any time soon.
Many thanks in advance
Hi Gavin, see the last item in the FAQ on this article — “Progress has stalled, what should I do?“
Hi Andy, thanks for the reply! I had a quick follow-on question related to final sets. Is there any recommendation for final sets RPE?
Just don’t go to failure.
What does RPE and N/A means? Cant figure it out on my own..
Hi Patrick,
RPE is explained in the article.
NA means ‘not applicable’ for the exercise. Thank you for asking, I’ve added that explanation.
Hey there, Great artcile, is floor press ok to do on the variant day?
Hi Paul. It depends on what you want to do and why.
1) Consider that it’s a shorter range of motion so you won’t be training to explode off the chest, it skews toward training the lock-out position.
2) It’s similar to a board press in this regard, but the board press can be performed with heavy loads a little more safely (you don’t risk banging your elbows on the floor and losing balance), and so is worth consideration as an alternative, assuming what I mentioned in point 1 is what you want.
Makes a lot of sense. So for training the bottom part would pauses be the best bet?
Exactly.
Hi!
So when it says RPE whatever, should I stick to that RPE in every set (even if it means less reps with the same load as the first set) or let the RPE go up as I do more sets?
Thank you!!
Just for the first set.
Hi Andy, would you recommend this program to supplement Brazilian Jui Jitsu training 3-4 times a week? To be more specific, an average of one hour low-intensity warm-up/cardio, two hours of low-intensity drilling, and an hour and a half to two and a half hours of high-intensity live rolling per week. Or would you recommend a strength program with lower volume?
Hi Mike. Yes, the latter. Just reduce the frequency to three days (I’d rip out the second day) and possibly the number of sets by one on the others.
I like your novice and intermediate powerlifting programs..why not an advanced program.
We have them in the book.
RPE doesn’t work for Me… reading again to see if I can make the conversion to all percentages but if I can’t, I’ll have to move on
What do you mean when you say, “doesn’t work”?