Set new PRs with our 12 Week Powerlifting Program
12 weeks, a bit of maths, some hard work, and three new PRs… Too good to be true? Working a percentage based program is a tried and tested way to increase strength.
If you can commit to 4 workouts a week for 12 weeks, give this program a go, we bet you’ll set three new PRs!
This is a tough program, and you’ll feel it. We recommend taking a week off after week 12, and don’t start a 12 week block straight way, do some maintenance workouts and give your body time to recover.
Don’t forget to record your workouts and track your progress… this program fits perfectly in the Little Gym Book workout journals ;-)
A5 Workout Journal A6 Workout Journal (Pocket Size)
The program is based on a % of your one rep max, if you don't know your 1RM you can estimate or test it using the methods in our blog:
Estimate your 1RM Test your 1RM
Download the program and add your current One Rep Max's, the program calculates the sets you need to do:
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Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
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Day 1 - Squat & Back |
Squat |
2x10 @ 60% AND 2x8 @ 65% AND 2x6 @ 70% |
2x8 @ 65% AND 2x6 @ 70% AND 2x4 @ 75% |
2x6 @ 70% AND 2x5 @ 75% AND 2x4 @ 80% |
5x3 @ 85% |
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Barbell Row |
5x10 @ 60% |
6x6 @ 70% |
5x10 @ 62.5% |
5x10 @ 65% |
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Pause Squat |
4x4 @ 50% |
4x3 @ 60% |
4x2 @ 70% |
4x4 @ 52.5% |
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Lats |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Shoulders |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Day 2 - Deadlift & Bench |
Deficit Deadlift |
5x4 @ 60% |
4x3 @ 70% |
2x2 @ 80% |
5x4 @ 62.5% |
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Bench Press |
2x10 @ 62.5% AND 2x8 @ 67.5% AND 2x6 @ 72.5% |
2x6 @ 72.5% AND 2x5 @ 77.5% AND 2x4 @ 82.5% |
2x8 @70% AND 2x6 @ 75% AND 2x4 @ 80% |
2x4 @ 80% AND 2x3 @ 85% AND 2x2 @ 90% |
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Deadlift |
5x4 @ 65% |
4x3 @ 75% |
3x2 @ 85% |
5x4 @ 67.5% |
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Romanian Deadlift |
2x12 @ 35% |
2x10 @ 40% |
2x10@ 45% |
2x12 @ 37.5% |
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Triceps |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Biceps |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Day 3 - Squat & Back |
Squat |
2x10 @ 60% AND 2x8 @ 65% AND 2x6 @ 70% |
2x8 @ 65% AND 2x6 @ 70% AND 2x4 @ 75% |
2x6 @ 70% AND 2x5 @ 75% AND 2x4 @ 80% |
5x3 @ 85% |
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Barbell Row |
5x10 @ 60% |
6x6 @ 70% |
5x10 @ 62.5% |
5x10 @ 65% |
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Pause Squat |
4x4 @ 50% |
4x3 @ 60% |
4x2 @ 70% |
4x4 @ 52.5% |
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Lats |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Shoulders |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Day 4 - Deadlift & Bench |
Deficit Deadlift |
5x4 @ 60% |
4x3 @ 70% |
N/A |
5x4 @ 62.5% |
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Bench Press |
2x10 @ 62.5% AND 2x8 @ 67.5% AND 2x6 @ 72.5% |
2x6 @ 72.5% AND 2x5 @ 77.5% AND 2x4 @ 82.5% |
2x8 @70% AND 2x6 @ 75% AND 2x4 @ 80% |
2x4 @ 80% AND 2x3 @ 85% AND 2x2 @ 90% |
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Deadlift |
5x4 @ 65% |
4x3 @ 70% |
N/A |
5x4 @ 67.5% |
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Romanian Deadlift |
2x12 @ 35% |
2x10 @ 40% |
4x8 @ 45% |
2x12 @ 37.5% |
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Triceps |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Biceps |
3x12 @ 50% |
3x10 @ 55% |
3x8 @ 60% |
3x12 @ 52.5% |
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Week 5 |
Week 6 |
Week 7 |
Week 8 |
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Day 1 - Squat & Back |
Squat |
5x4 @ 85% |
5x5 @ 85% |
3x4 @ 80% |
5x6 @ 85% |
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Barbell Row |
6x6 @ 72.5% |
5x10 @ 67.5% |
6x6 @ 70% |
5x10 @ 62.5% |
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Pause Squat |
4x3 @ 62.5% |
4x2 @ 72.5% |
N/A |
N/A |
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Lats |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Shoulders |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Day 2 - Deadlift & Bench |
Deficit Deadlift |
4x3 @ 72.5% |
2x2 @ 80% |
N/A |
5x4 @ 62.5% |
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Bench Press |
8 Singles @ 92.5% |
6x6 @ 60% |
2x10 @ 65% AND 2x8 @ 70% AND 2x6 @ 75% |
2x6 @ 75% AND 2x5 @ 80% AND 2x4 @ 85% |
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Deadlift |
4x3 @ 77.5% |
3x2 @ 85% |
N/A |
5x4 @ 70% |
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Romanian Deadlift |
2x10 @ 42.5% |
2x10 @ 45% |
N/A |
2x12 @ 40% |
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Triceps |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Biceps |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Day 3 - Squat & Back |
Squat |
5x4 @ 85% |
5x5 @ 85% |
3x4 @ 80% |
5x6 @ 85% |
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Barbell Row |
6x6 @ 72.5% |
5x10 @ 67.5% |
6x6 @ 70% |
5x10 @ 62.5% |
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Pause Squat |
4x3 @ 62.5% |
4x2 @ 72.5% |
N/A |
N/A |
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Lats |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Shoulders |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Day 4 - Deadlift & Bench |
Deficit Deadlift |
4x3 @ 72.5% |
N/A |
N/A |
5x4 @ 62.5% |
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Bench Press |
8 Singles @ 92.5% |
6x6 @ 60% |
2x10 @ 65% AND 2x8 @ 70% AND 2x6 @ 75% |
2x6 @ 75% AND 2x5 @ 80% AND 2x4 @ 85% |
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Deadlift |
4x3 @ 77.5% |
N/A |
N/A |
4x3 @ 65% |
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Romanian Deadlift |
2x10 @ 42.5% |
4x8 @ 47.5% |
N/A |
2x10 @ 37.5% |
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Triceps |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Biceps |
3x10 @ 57.5% |
3x8 @ 62.5% |
3x12 @ 55% |
3x10 @ 60% |
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Week 9 |
Week 10 |
Week 11 |
Week 12 |
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Day 1 - Squat & Back |
Squat |
4x5 @ 90% |
3x4 @ 95% |
2x3 @ 100% |
1x2 @ 105% |
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Barbell Row |
6x6 @ 72.5% |
6x6 @ 75% |
5x10 @ 65% |
5x10 @ 67.5% |
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Pause Squat |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
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Lats |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Shoulders |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Day 2 - Deadlift & Bench |
Deficit Deadlift |
4x3 @ 72.5% |
2x2 @ 85% |
5x4 @ 65% |
4x3 @ 75% |
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Bench Press |
2x8 @ 72.5% AND 2x6 @ 77.5% AND 2x4 @ 82.5% |
2x4 @ 82.5% AND 2x3 @ 87.5% AND 2x2 @ 92.5% |
8 Singles @ 92.5% |
6x6 @ 60% |
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Deadlift |
4x3 @ 80% |
3x2 @ 85% |
5x4 @ 72.5% |
4x3 @ 82.5% |
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Romanian Deadlift |
2x10 @ 45% |
2x10 @ 45% |
2x12 @ 42.5% |
2x10 @ 45% |
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Triceps |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Biceps |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Day 3 - Squat & Back |
Squat |
6x2 @ 80% |
6x2 @ 80% |
5x6 @ 85% |
6x6 @ 50% |
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Barbell Row |
6x6 @ 72.5% |
6x6 @ 75% |
5x10 @ 65% |
5x10 @ 67.5% |
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Pause Squat |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
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Lats |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Shoulders |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Day 4 - Deadlift & Bench |
Deficit Deadlift |
4x3 @ 72.5% |
N/A |
5x4 @ 65% |
4x3 @ 75% |
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Bench Press |
2x8 @ 72.5% AND 2x6 @ 77.5% AND 2x4 @ 82.5% |
2x4 @ 82.5% AND 2x3 @ 87.5% AND 2x2 @ 92.5% |
8 Singles @ 92.5% |
6x6 @ 60% |
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Deadlift |
4x3 @ 75% |
N/A |
5x4 @ 70% |
4x3 @ 77.5% |
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Romanian Deadlift |
2x10 @ 42.5% |
4x8 @ 47.5% |
2x12 @ 40% |
2x10 @ 45% |
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Triceps |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |
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Biceps |
3x8 @ 65% |
3x12 @ 57.5% |
3x10 @ 62.5% |
3x8 @ 67.5% |