Free Strength Training & Powerlifting Programs

Newer lifters who want a small exercise list and can judge when to stop an AMRAP set.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Lifters comfortable with the basic lifts who want rows, chin-ups and alternating heavy/volume work.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Newer lifters who want a short list of barbell movements and can learn the power clean.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Newer lifters who prefer repeated sets of five and a simple alternating routine.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Beginners and returning lifters who want a classic 3-day full-body hypertrophy routine built around 4×10 Squat, wide-grip Bench Press, Chin-Ups, Behind-the-Neck or Overhead Press, Barbell Curls, and Ab Work.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Late-beginner and early-intermediate lifters who want to build strength on 3×6 Heavy Days while mastering positional control with Paused Squat, Paused Bench, and Paused Deadlift.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Lifters who want a main-lift framework with changing rep targets and a planned lighter week.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Lifters who want lower-rep and higher-rep sessions and can choose appropriate working loads.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Intermediate lifters seeking high technical frequency and multi-pyramid submaximal volume (70–85% 1RM) on squat, bench press and deadlift.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Intermediate lifters transitioning from high-volume muscular conditioning (Weeks 1–2) into heavy triples, doubles and a Week 6 peak.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Intermediate lifters who want to get heavier on 5×5 compound barbell lifts first, then chase a full bodybuilding pump on Chest, Back, Shoulders, Legs, and Arms.

Weekly schedule

5 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters combining 2 heavy Upper/Lower Power days (3–5 reps) with 3 high-volume bodybuilding hypertrophy days.

Weekly schedule

5 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters seeking a simple, proven 4-day barbell strength and muscular size block.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Lifters who enjoy training 6 days per week with a heavy barbell main lift first and high-frequency bodybuilding volume for every muscle group twice per week.

Weekly schedule

6 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters who have exhausted session-to-session linear progression and want weekly 5-rep max PRs on Squat, Bench Press, Overhead Press, and Deadlift.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters transitioning off StrongLifts 5×5 or Starting Strength who respond best to ascending 5-rep ramp sets rather than 5×5 sets across.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate-to-advanced bodybuilders and powerbuilders who love high-volume, twice-per-week frequency with antagonist Chest + Back pump sessions and dedicated Shoulder + Arm days.

Weekly schedule

6 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Lifters who want dedicated daily muscle-group focus—Monday Chest, Tuesday Back, Wednesday Shoulders, Thursday Legs, Friday Arms—anchored by a progressive barbell compound lift on each day.

Weekly schedule

5 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Lifters seeking the sweet spot of 4 training days per week, hitting every muscle group twice weekly with moderate-to-high hypertrophy volume and progressive barbell anchors.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Late-beginner and early-intermediate lifters who want a structured tiered system: Tier 1 heavy 5×3+ strength sets, Tier 2 3×10 secondary barbell volume, and Tier 3 3×15+ hypertrophy work.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters who want serious off-season size and strength through descending rep-max targets (10RM down to 1RM) paired with high-volume Tier 2 and Tier 3 bodybuilding work.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Intermediate and advanced strength athletes who dislike high-fatigue grinders and prefer submaximal, crisp 8×2 triples/doubles followed by 3×6 hypertrophy backoff work.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate and advanced powerlifters preparing for a meet or full 16-week macrocycle across Squat, Paused Bench Press, and Deadlift.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

16 weeks

Intermediate powerlifters who respond well to frequent Squat and Bench Press practice paired with structured upper-back volume.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

9 weeks

Powerlifters who want zero fluff—training only Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift three times per week across a 4-week volume phase and 4-week peaking phase.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters who love Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 progression and want crisp, explosive 5×5 supplemental sets rather than high-fatigue 5×10 Boring But Big sets.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Lifters who want the rapid weekly Training Max gains of nSuns 5/3/1 LP condensed into a 4-day Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday schedule.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

High-work-capacity lifters who recover well from 6 days per week and want extra Saturday dynamic Squat and Speed Deadlift volume.

Weekly schedule

6 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Intermediate lifters who want high-intensity barbell work (85%–100%) with manageable session length—or who want to maintain/peak strength during a fat-loss phase.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Lifters looking for an old-school, mentally tough 3-day full-body hypertrophy block anchored by a single 20-rep Breathing Squat ("Widowmaker") set.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Bodybuilders and powerbuilders looking to break through a size plateau with 10 sets of 10 reps at 60%–70% 1RM.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Bodybuilders and physique athletes who want heavy 4×6 barbell strength first and an extreme 7-set short-rest pump finisher at the end of every muscle group.

Weekly schedule

5 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate-to-advanced lifters committing to a demanding 6-week, 3-day barbell hypertrophy and strength block.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Experienced lifters who can recover from frequent pressing and substantial main/secondary lift volume.

Weekly schedule

5 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Advanced lifters who have completed Sheiko #29 and want to push submaximal Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift volume in the 80%–85% range.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Advanced lifters tapering from high-volume Sheiko accumulation (#29/#30) into a powerlifting meet or 1RM test day.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Experienced bodybuilders and powerbuilders who want to beat the logbook every week using Rest-Pause clusters (8+4+2 reps) and 20-rep Squat Widowmakers.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Advanced lifters who prefer short, brutal workouts built around 1 feeder set and 1 all-out Top Set per exercise rather than high-volume marathon sessions.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

8 weeks

Intermediate lifters running submaximal 10-, 8-, 5- and 3-rep waves across squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press.

Weekly schedule

4 days each week

Program length

16 weeks

Intermediate lifters running a 4-week Smolov Jr. squat block (6×6, 7×5, 8×4) while maintaining upper-body chest, shoulder, back, and arm hypertrophy.

Weekly schedule

5 days each week

Program length

4 weeks

Experienced squatters deliberately prioritizing both back and front squats.

Weekly schedule

2 days each week

Program length

12 weeks

Intermediate and advanced lifters dedicating one focused lower-body pull session per week to peak their 1-rep max Deadlift alongside speed pulls and heavy posterior-chain power circuits.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

10 weeks

Advanced lifters who want the classic 6-week Russian Squat Routine—alternating 6×2 dynamic sessions with progressive 80% volume up to 6×6 before peaking to 105%.

Weekly schedule

3 days each week

Program length

6 weeks

Very experienced squatters deliberately choosing a demanding squat-only cycle.

Weekly schedule

2–4 days (varies)

Program length

13 weeks