12-Week

Powerlifting
Performance
Cycle

General Training Phase 1 (3 Weeks)

Week 1
Monday
A.Zercher SquatWork up to 3RM
B.Deficit DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Floor PressWork up to 3RM
D.Chest-Supported Barbell Row4 x 8-10

Tuesday
A.Zercher Squat4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
B.Deficit Deadlift4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
C.Floor Press4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Pronated Grip4 x 8-10 (use band help if needed, or added weight if
possible)

Thursday
A.Zercher Squat4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
B.Deficit Deadlift4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
C.Floor Press4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
D.Seated Cable Row4 x 8-10

Friday
A.Zercher Squat4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
B.Deficit Deadlift4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
C.Floor Press4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Supinated Grip4 x 8-10

Saturday (Competition Style)

A.SquatWork up to 3RM
B.DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Bench PressWork up to 3RM

Week 2
All exercises are the same. "D" remains the same. Here are the differences for the
A, B and C exercises:

MondayWork up to a 2RM
Tuesday4 x 2 @ 80% of 2RM
Thursday4 x 2 @ 90% of 2RM
Friday4 x 2 @ 70% of 2RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 2RM

Week 3
Again, all exercises are the same and "D" remains the same. A, B, and C differences:

MondayWork up to a 1RM
Tuesday4 x 1 @ 80% of 1RM
Thursday4 x 1 @ 90% of 1RM
Friday4 x 1 @ 70% of 1RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 1RM

General Training Phase 2 (3 Weeks)

Week 4
Monday
A.Front SquatWork up to 3RM
B.Pin-Pull Below KneesWork up to 3RM
C.Incline Bench PressWork up to 3RM
D.Chest-Supported Barbell Row4 x 8-10

Tuesday
A.Front Squat4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
B.Pin-Pull Below Knees4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
C.Incline Bench Press4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Pronated Grip4 x 8-10 (use band help if needed, or added weight if
possible)

Thursday
A.Front Squat4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
B.Pin-Pull Below Knees4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
C.Incline Bench Press4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
D.Seated Cable Row4 x 8-10

Friday
A.Front Squat4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
B.Pin-Pull Below Knees4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
C.Incline Bench Press4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Supinated Grip4 x 8-10 (use band help if needed, or added weight if
possible)

Saturday (Competition Style)

A.SquatWork up to 3RM
B.DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Bench PressWork up to 3RM

Week 5
All exercises are the same. "D" remains the same. Here are the differences for the
A, B and C exercises:

MondayWork up to 2RM
Tuesday4 x 2 @ 80% of 2RM
Thursday4 x 2 @ 90% of 2RM
Friday4 x 2 @ 70% of 2RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 2RM

Week 6
All exercises are the same and "D" remains the same. A, B, and C differences:

MondayWork up to 1RM
Tuesday4 x 1 @ 80% of 1RM
Thursday4 x 1 @ 90% of 1RM
Friday4 x 1 @ 70% of 1RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 1RM

Specific Training Phase 1 (3 Weeks)

Week 7
Monday
A.Box Squat (Legal Depth)Work up to 3RM
B.Sumo DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Close-Grip Bench PressWork up to 3RM
D.Chest-Supported Barbell Row4 x 8-10

Tuesday
A.Box Squat (Legal Depth)4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
B.Sumo Deadlift4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
C.Close-Grip Bench Press4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Pronated Grip4 x 8-10 (use band help if needed, or added weight if
possible)

Thursday
A.Box Squat (Legal Depth)4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
B.Sumo Deadlift4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
C.Close-Grip Bench Press4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
D.Seated Cable Row4 x 8-10

Friday
A.Box Squat (Legal Depth)4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
B.Sumo Deadlift4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
C.Close-Grip Bench Press4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Supinated Grip4 x 8-10

Saturday (Competition Style)

A.SquatWork up to 3RM
B.DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Bench PressWork up to 3RM

Week 8
All exercises are the same. "D" remains the same. The differences for the A, B and
C:

MondayWork up to 2RM
Tuesday4 x 2 @ 80% of 2RM
Thursday4 x 2 @ 90% of 2RM
Friday4 x 2 @ 70% of 2RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 2RM

Week 9
All exercises are the same and "D" remains the same. A, B, and C differences:

MondayWork up to 1RM
Tuesday4 x 1 @ 80% of 1RM
Thursday4 x 1 @ 90% of 1RM
Friday4 x 1 @ 70% of 1RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 1RM

Specific Training Phase 2 (3 Weeks)

Week 10
Monday
A.SquatWork up to 3RM
B.DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Bench PressWork up to 3RM
D.Chest-Supported Barbell Row4 x 8-10

Tuesday
A.Squat4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
B.Deadlift4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
C.Bench Press4 x 3 @ 80% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Pronated Grip4 x 8-10 (use band help if needed, or added weight if
possible)

Thursday
A.Squat4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
B.Deadlift4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
C.Bench Press4 x 3 @ 90% of 3RM
D.Seated Cable Row4 x 8-10

Friday
A.Squat4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
B.Deadlift4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
C.Bench Press4 x 3 @ 70% of 3RM
D.Pull-Ups, Supinated Grip4 x 8-10

Saturday (Competition Style)

A.SquatWork up to 3RM
B.DeadliftWork up to 3RM
C.Bench PressWork up to 3RM

Week 11
All exercises are the same. "D" remains the same. A, B and C differences:

MondayWork up to 2RM
Tuesday4 x 2 @ 80% of 2RM
Thursday4 x 2 @ 90% of 2RM
Friday4 x 2 @ 70% of 2RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 2RM

Week 12
Again, all exercises are the same and "D" remains the same. A, B and C differences:

MondayWork up to 1RM
Tuesday4 x 1 @ 80% of 1RM
Thursday4 x 1 @ 90% of 1RM
Friday4 x 1 @ 70% of 1RM
Saturday (Competition Style)Work up to 1RM

You would then deload for a week and test your maxes in a competition.

How to Fix Your Specific Weaknesses

This cycle is general. These exercises fit most people, but ideally you should pick
variations of the lifts that work on your individual weaknesses. Here are alternate
exercises you could use based on where your sticking points are:

Squat
If the sticking point is below parallel:
Phase 1:Wide Stance Squat
Phase 2:Paused Squat
Phase 3:Low Box Squat
Phase 4:Squat (competitive style)

If the sticking point is above parallel:

Phase 1:Zercher Squat
Phase 2:Front Squat
Phase 3:Box Squat (legal depth)
Phase 4:Squat (competitive style)

Deadlift
If the sticking point is breaking from the floor:
Phase 1:Deficit Deadlift
Phase 2:Floating Deadlift (deficit deadlift without bringing the barbell back on the
floor)
Phase 3:Sumo Deadlift
Phase 4:Deadlift (competitive style)

If the sticking point is around the knees:

Phase 1:Zercher Deadlift
Phase 2:Romanian Deadlift

Phase 3:Pin-Pull Below Knees (focus on pulling with the posterior chain; not on
leveraging by bringing the knees under the bar)
Phase 4:Deadlift (competitive style)

If the sticking point is above the knees:

Phase 1:Barbell Hip Thrust
Phase 2:Pin-Pull above knees
Phase 3:Sumo Deadlift
Phase 4:Deadlift (competitive style)

Bench Press
If the sticking point is off the chest:
Phase 1:Floor Press
Phase 2:Cambered-Bar Bench Press or Full-Range Dumbbell Press
Phase 3:Spotto Press
Phase 4:Bench Press (competition style)

If the sticking point is around mid-range:

Phase 1:Incline Bench Press
Phase 2:3- Board Press
Phase 3:2- Board Press
Phase 4:Bench Press (competition style)

If the sticking point is at lockout:

Phase 1:Close-Grip Floor Press
Phase 2:Close-Grip Incline Bench Press
Phase 3:Close-Grip Bench Press
Phase 4:Bench Press (competition style)

Adding Bodybuilding Work

A Bulgarian-style program is minimalist by nature. Because of the emphasis on the
big lifts, you might find that some muscles are neglected.
If so, you can add isolation work to hypertrophy the neglected muscles. Do this by
adding 15-20 minutes worth of isolation work at the end of the regular
workouts. Add that extra work on Tuesdays and Fridays, which are the lower
intensity days.
On Fridays only adding work for muscles that do not play a significant role
in the main lifts because you'll be maxing out the next day. On Tuesdays
you should work the muscle(s) you feel are holding you back in your main
movements.

For example:

Tuesday: Bodybuilding work for triceps, delts, and pectorals

Friday: Bodybuilding work for lats and biceps
Use isolation exercises for sets of 8-12 reps for that extra work. Pump-enhancing
techniques like partials, slow reps, rest/pause, double contraction and the like can
also be used.