8 Week Powerlifting Peaking Cycle
Week 1
The first two weeks include four lifting days—two upper body and two lower body.
Additionally, there is a lot of variation. During the early phases of a training cycle, an intelligent
approach includes many different types of non-specific lifts.
This builds a foundation of fitness and mobility that leads to a dramatically reduced rate of
injury. Furthermore, it can allow you to pinpoint imbalances or weaknesses you may have,
thereby allowing you to bring up those areas.
Note: if you haven’t already, you can get the program in an easy-to-follow excel spreadsheet–
just enter your email information below:
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×10 at 60% of your 1RM (1 rep max)
Snatch-Grip RDL: 3×10 at 50% of your 1RM
Glute Ham Raise: 4×10
Ab Wheel Roll-outs: 4×10
Leg Exensions (optional)
Leg Curls (optional)
Day 2:
Pull-ups: 4×10
Dips: 4×10
Bench Press: 5×10 at 60% 1RM
OHP: 3×5 at 75% 1RM
Pendlay Row: 3×10 at 50% 1RM
Rear-Delt Flies
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Front Squats: 5×10 at 50% 1RM
Deficit Deadlifts (conventional): 5×5 at 60% 1RM
Glute Ham Raise: 4×10
Ab Wheel Roll-outs: 4×10
Leg Extensions (optional)
Leg Curls (optional)
Day 4:
Pull-ups: 4×10
Dips: 4×10
OHP: 5×10 at 60% 1RM
Dumbell Flies: 4×10
Pendlay Row: 3×10 at 60% 1RM
Rear-Delt Flies
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 2
The second week is identical to the first except for an increase in intensity and volume on certain
movements.
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×10 at 65% of your 1RM (1 rep max)
Snatch-Grip RDL: 3×10 at 60% of your 1RM
Glute Ham Raise: 4×10
Ab Wheel Roll-outs: 4×10
Leg Exensions (optional)
Leg Curls (optional)
Day 2:
Pull-ups: 5×10
Dips: 5×10
Bench Press: 5×10 at 65% 1RM
OHP: 3×5 at 80% 1RM
Pendlay Row: 3×10 at 50% 1RM
Rear-Delt Flies
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Front Squats: 5×10 at 60% 1RM
Deficit Deadlifts (conventional): 5×5 at 60% 1RM
Glute Ham Raise: 4×10
Ab Wheel Roll-outs: 4×10
Leg Extensions (optional)
Leg Curls (optional)
Day 4:
Pull-ups: 5×10
Dips: 5×10
OHP: 5×10 at 65% 1RM
Dumbell Flies: 5×10
Pendlay Row: 3×10 at 60% 1RM
Rear-Delt Flies
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 3
The third week is when you start to work with heavier weights. After building up a solid
foundation of work capacity (your ability to exercise at a high volume) and putting on some mass
at the same time, you are ready to crush the strength-building part of the training plan.
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×3 at 75% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×10 at 60% 1RM
Snatch-Grip RDL: 5×10
Hanging Leg Raises: 5 sets
Day 2:
Bench Press: 5×3 at 75% 1RM
Close-Grip Bench Press: 5×10
Pull-ups: 5×10
Dumbell Flies: 3×10
1-Arm DB Row: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Deadlifts (2 second pause below the knee): 10×3
Day 4:
Back Squats: 5×5 at 70% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×5 at 70% 1RM
RDL: 5×5
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets
Abdominal Planks: 3 sets
Day 5:
Bench Press: 5×5 at 70% 1RM
OHP: 5×5 at 70% 1RM
Pull-ups: 5×5
Incline Dumbell Flies: 3×10
Dumbell Pullover: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 4
The fourth week is very similar to the third in regards to sets and reps—the main differences will
include tweaks to intensity and volume in specific areas.
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×3 at 77.5% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×8 at 62.5% 1RM
Snatch-Grip RDL: 5×10
Hanging Leg Raises: 5 sets
Day 2:
Bench Press: 5×3 at 77.5% 1RM
Close-Grip Bench Press: 5×8
Pull-ups: 5×10
Dumbell Flies: 4×10
1-Arm DB Row: 4×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Deadlifts (2 second pause below the knee): 10×2
Day 4:
Back Squats: 5×5 at 72.5% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×4 at 72.5% 1RM
RDL: 5×5
Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets
Abdominal Planks: 4 sets
Day 5:
Bench Press: 5×5 at 72.5% 1RM
OHP: 5×4 at 72.5% 1RM
Pull-ups: 5×5
Incline Dumbell Flies: 4×10
Dumbell Pullover: 4×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 5
On the fifth week, intensity gets turned up to begin actualizing your strength gains—the previous
volume builds your work capacity while adding on muscle mass. The lower reps of this week
onward, however, will adapt your neuromuscular system and allow you to produce the most
amount of force possible on all three lifts.
The exercises remain the same, but don't forget about the note above; accessory movements can
be changed as long as the amount of repetitions and sets remains the same.
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×3 at 80% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×6 at 65% 1RM
Snatch-Grip RDL: 5×10
Hanging Leg Raises: 5 sets
Day 2:
Bench Press: 5×3 at 80% 1RM
Close-Grip Bench Press: 5×6
Pull-ups: 5×10
Dumbell Flies: 5×10
1-Arm DB Row: 5×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Deadlifts (2 second pause below the knee): 10×1
Day 4:
Back Squats: 5×5 at 75% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×3 at 75% 1RM
RDL: 5×5
Hanging Leg Raises: 5 sets
Abdominal Planks: 4 sets
Day 5:
Bench Press: 5×5 at 75% 1RM
OHP: 5×3 at 75% 1RM
Pull-ups: 5×5
Incline Dumbell Flies: 5×10
Dumbell Pullover: 5×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 6
The volume begins to decrease as the amount of weight increases. While both are responsible for
producing fatigue, volume is much more taxing on your body than intensity. As you gain
strength in the final weeks, you should also begin to feel much more recovered.
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×3 at 82.5% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×5 at 65% 1RM
Snatch-Grip RDL: 5×8
Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets
Day 2:
Bench Press: 5×3 at 82.5% 1RM
Close-Grip Bench Press: 5×5
Pull-ups: 5×8
Dumbell Flies: 4×10
1-Arm DB Row: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Deadlifts: 10×3
Day 4:
Back Squats: 5×5 at 77.5% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×2 at 77.5% 1RM
RDL: 5×5
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets
Abdominal Planks: 3 sets
Day 5:
Bench Press: 5×5 at 77.5% 1RM
OHP: 5×2 at 77.5% 1RM
Pull-ups: 5×5
Incline Dumbell Flies: 4×10
Dumbell Pullover: 4×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 5×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 7
This is the last week of training heavy and is a great time to test your progress. On each of the
heavier days (the first two days of the week), you will have the opportunity to do a set for
maximum repetions. Using the Epley formula, you can then get a general idea for what your
actual 1-rep-max is.
Epley formula = 1RM = weight * (1 + reps/30)
Day 1:
Back Squats: 5×3 at 85% 1RM, 1x* (as many reps as you can possibly do while keeping
good form)
Front Squats: 5×3 at 75% 1RM
Snatch-Grip RDL: 5×6
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets
Day 2:
Bench Press: 5×3 at 85% 1RM, 1x*
Close-Grip Bench Press: 5×3
Pull-ups: 5×6
Dumbell Flies: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 4×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Deadlifts: 10×2
Day 4:
Back Squats: 5×5 at 80% 1RM
Front Squats: 5×1 at 80% 1RM
RDL: 5×5
Abdominal Planks: 3 sets
Day 5:
Bench Press: 5×5 at 80% 1RM
OHP: 5×1 at 80% 1RM
Pull-ups: 5×5
Incline Dumbell Flies: 3×10
Dumbell Pullover: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 4×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Week 8
This is the final week in the 8 week powerlifting program. Both the volume and the intensity
drops allowing your body to supercomensate in preparation for a maximum attempt.
If you are competing, make sure to complete three singles sometime throughout the week that
will be your planned openers. It is recommended that you be able to hit your opener for a
triple—you want it to fly up in competion and build your momentum and confidence.
If you aren't competing, this is a great time to deload and prepare to restart the cycle again with
your new 1RM based on the sets you completed in week 7 (hopefully you set a new personal
best).
Day 1:
Back Squats: 3×3 at 75% 1RM
Front Squats: 3×5
Snatch-Grip RDL: 3×5
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 sets
Day 2:
Bench Press: 3×3 at 75% 1RM
Close-Grip Bench Press: 3×5
Pull-ups: 3×5
Dumbell Flies: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 4×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
Day 3:
Deadlifts: 5×1
Day 4:
Back Squats: 3×5 at 70% 1RM
Front Squats: 3×5
RDL: 3×5
Abdominal Planks: 3 sets
Day 5:
Bench Press: 3×5 at 70% 1RM
OHP: 3×5
Pull-ups: 3×5
Incline Dumbell Flies: 3×10
Rear-Delt Flies: 4×10
Curls (optional)
Tricep Pull-downs (optional)
