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Sisyphus Strength

Note this is a bench-only program - there is no squats or deadlifts. You can either bring your own squat and deadlift training, or do a bench specialisation program if you're looking to still squat and deadlift. 

This is a two day per week program for people who have done more than 6 months but less than 2 years of specialized powerlifting training. The program is 12 weeks and culminates either in a bench press meet or a testing day. It can be expanded to 16 weeks by repeating the intensification block. 

Suggested days: Any non consecutive days

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a bench press competition. This program can be repeated as many times as desired, or if you have a longer off-season, the bodybuilding programs will serve as good extended hypertrophy blocks. 

full-gym

2-days

bench-press

bench-focus

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Intermediate Bench Press (2 days)

This is an introductory block, with more or less fixed volume and steadily increasing intensity for three weeks. The final week is a deload; don't skip it, even if you're feeling good. It will be important to prepare for the next block. 

Introductory Block

This block sees a very moderate increase in volume on the introductory block, and still shows the same wave loading pattern. Again, don't skip the deload week.

Intensification Block

This block sees a reduction in volume and continuing increasing intensity. Day 2 of week 3 includes a small 3RM test, and the final day of week 4 should either be a mock meet or your competition. I have included guidelines for attempt selection, but use your best judgement. 

Testing Block

This is a three day per week program for people who have done some training before, but less than 6 months of specialised powerlifting training. In this program you will be focusing on building a strength baseline and technical proficiency in the powerlifting movements. If you don't have a 1 rep max for the powerlifting movements at the beginning of this program, use your 5 rep max divided by 80%. This program is 12 weeks, but can be extended by repeating the Intensification Block. 

Suggest days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a powerlifting competition. If this was your first time on the Beginner program, you can repeat it with your new maxes, or move onto the intermediate programs.

powerlifting

3-days

balanced

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Beginner Powerlifting (3 days)

This is a three day per week program for people who have done some training before, but less than 6 months of resistance training. In this program you will be focusing on building a muscle baseline and improving your work capacity. If you don't have a 1 rep max for the powerlifting movements at the beginning of this program, use your 5 rep max divided by 80%. This program is 12 weeks, but can be extended by repeating the Intensification Block. 

Suggested days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

If this is your first time on the beginner bodybuilding program, you can repeat this program. Otherwise, move to the intermediate program or one of the powerlifting programs next.

bodybuilding

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Beginner Bodybuilding (3 Days)

This is an introductory block, with more or less fixed intensity and steadily increasing volume for three weeks. The final week is a deload; don't skip it, even if you're feeling good. It will be important to prepare for the next block. 

Similarly to the previous block, this block maintains reasonably fixed intensity with ramping volume over three weeks, before the fourth week, which is a deload. This block can be repeated if desired, to extend the program to 16 weeks.

This block focuses on a different metabolic pathway to hypertrophy, and feels quite different to the earlier blocks. You will be using a lot of supersets and short rest periods in this block.

Metabolic Block

This is a four day per week program for people who have done some training before, but less than 6 months of specialised powerlifting training. In this program you will be focusing on building a strength baseline and technical proficiency in the powerlifting movements. If you don't have a 1 rep max for the powerlifting movements at the beginning of this program, use your 5 rep max divided by 80%. This program is 12 weeks, but can be extended by repeating the Intensification Block. 

Suggest days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a powerlifting competition. If this was your first time on the Beginner program, you can repeat it with your new maxes, or move onto the intermediate programs.

4-days

Beginner Powerlifting (4 days)

This is a four day per week program for people who have done some training before, but less than 6 months of resistance training. In this program you will be focusing on building a muscle baseline and improving your work capacity. If you don't have a 1 rep max for the powerlifting movements at the beginning of this program, use your 5 rep max divided by 80%. This program is 12 weeks, but can be extended by repeating the Intensification Block. 

Suggested days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

If this is your first time on the beginner bodybuilding program, you can repeat this program. Otherwise, move to the intermediate program or one of the powerlifting programs next. 

Beginner Bodybuilding (4 Days)

This is an intensification block, with more or less fixed intensity and steadily increasing volume for three weeks. The intensity is moderately increased from the previous block. 

Note this is a bench-only program - there is no squats or deadlifts. You can either bring your own squat and deadlift training, or do a bench specialisation program if you're looking to still squat and deadlift. 

This is a three day per week program for people who have done more than 6 months but less than 2 years of specialized powerlifting training. The program is 12 weeks and culminates either in a bench press meet or a testing day. It can be expanded to 16 weeks by repeating the intensification block.

Suggest days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a bench press competition. This program can be repeated as many times as desired, or if you have a longer off-season, the bodybuilding programs will serve as good extended hypertrophy blocks. 

Intermediate Bench Press (3 days)

This is a four day per week program for people who have done more than 6 months but less than 2 years of specialised powerlifting training. The program is 12 weeks and culminates either in a powerlifting meet or a testing day. It can be expanded to 16 weeks by repeating the intensification block. The assumption in this program is that you squat low-bar in competition; if that isn't true, do high-bar squats for your competition squat sessions and front squats anywhere high bar is programmed.

Suggest days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a powerlifting competition. This program can be repeated as many times as desired, or if you have a longer off-season, the bodybuilding programs will serve as good extended hypertrophy blocks.

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Intermediate Powerlifting (4 days) 

This block sees a very moderate increase in volume on the introductory block, and still shows the same wave loading pattern. Again, don't skip the deload week. This block we'll start seeing singles in preparation for testing/competition. Don't be tempted to push the RPE on the singles - you'll still have 8 weeks to build so be patient. 

This block sees a reduction in volume and continuing increasing intensity. Day 3 of week 3 includes a small 3RM test, and the final day of week 4 should either be a mock meet or your competition. I have included guidelines for attempt selection, but use your best judgement. Note that the final week has only two sessions plus the testing day (or your meet). 

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Intermediate Powerlifting - Bench Specialisation (4 days) 

squat-focus

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Intermediate Powerlifting - Squat Specialisation (4 days)

deadlift-focus

Intermediate Powerlifting  - Deadlift Specialisation (4 days)

This is a three day per week program for people who have done more than 6 months but less than 2 years of specialised powerlifting training. The program is 12 weeks and culminates either in a powerlifting meet or a testing day. It can be expanded to 16 weeks by repeating the intensification block. The assumption in this program is that you squat low-bar in competition; if that isn't true, do high-bar squats for your competition squat sessions and front squats anywhere high bar is programmed.

Suggest days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a powerlifting competition. This program can be repeated as many times as desired, or if you have a longer off-season, the bodybuilding programs will serve as good extended hypertrophy blocks.

Intermediate Powerlifting (3 days) 

This block sees a reduction in volume and continuing increasing intensity. Day 3 of week 3 includes a small 3RM test, and the final day of week 4 should either be a mock meet or your competition. I have included guidelines for attempt selection, but use your best judgement. 

Intermediate Powerlifting - Bench Specialisation (3 days) 

Intermediate Powerlifting - Squat Specialisation (3 days)  

Intermediate Powerlifting  - Deadlift Specialisation (3 days) 

This is a five day per week program for people who have done 6 to 24 months of resistance training before, or as an extended off-season for powerlifters. In this program, we will be focused on building overall muscle in your entire body, with a secondary emphasis on strength gain. 

Suggested days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 

You can repeat this program as many times as desired, or move to one of the specialised bodybuilding or powerlifting programs afterwards.

5-days

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Intermediate Bodybuilding  (5 days)

This is an introductory block, with dual progression of volume and intensity across three build weeks before a one week deload. Don't skip the deload even if you are feeling okay - you'll need to recover before the subsequent blocks!

This block follows a similar pattern to the previous block, where volume and intensity are ramped across three weeks before a one week deload. If desired, this block can be repeated before moving onto the metabolic training block. 

The block is a significant change to the previous paradigm, where we're targeting a different hypertrophy mechanism. In the block we make extensive use of giant sets and super sets, and volume is generally much higher. Aim for short rest periods generally - less than 2 minutes is ideal. 

This is a four day per week program for people who have done 6 to 24 months of resistance training before, or as an extended off-season for powerlifters. In this program, we will be focused on building overall muscle in your entire body, with a secondary emphasis on strength gain. 

Suggested days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

You can repeat this program as many times as desired, or move to one of the specialised bodybuilding or powerlifting programs afterwards.

Intermediate Bodybuilding  (4 days)

This is a three day per week program for people who have done 6 to 24 months of resistance training before, or as an extended off-season for powerlifters. In this program, we will be focused on building overall muscle in your entire body, with a secondary emphasis on strength gain. 

Suggested days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday

You can repeat this program as many times as desired, or move to one of the specialised bodybuilding or powerlifting programs afterwards.

Intermediate Bodybuilding  (3 days) 

This is a five day per week program for people who have done more than 6 months but less than 2 years of specialised powerlifting training. The program is 12 weeks and culminates either in a powerlifting meet or a testing day. It can be expanded to 16 weeks by repeating the intensification block. The assumption in this program is that you squat low-bar in competition; if that isn't true, do high-bar squats for your competition squat sessions and front squats anywhere high bar is programmed.

Suggested days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday

At the end of this program you can either do the programmed testing day, or do a powerlifting competition. This program can be repeated as many times as desired, or if you have a longer off-season, the bodybuilding programs will serve as good extended hypertrophy blocks. 

balanced 

Intermediate Powerlifting (5 days)

This block sees a reduction in volume and continuing increasing intensity. Day 4  of week 3 includes a small 3RM test, and the final day of week 4 should either be a mock meet or your competition. I have included guidelines for attempt selection, but use your best judgement. Your final week only has 3 sessions plus your testing session (or your meet.) 

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