The Pure Power Program

 Before we get started here, sorry for the delay in posts.  I have had some "personal issues" that have kept me away from writing and was on vacation all of last week.  However, I hope the following article - which I have been working on for the last few days - will more than make up for it.  Also, please look for regular posts the remainder of the month (and the year).  With that out of the way...

An East-Meets-West Powerlifting Program for Out-of-this-World Strength Gains

Here I am pulling over 500 pounds over twenty years ago. My Uncle Kirk - who can still deadlift 400 pounds at 74 years young - is in the red singlet in the background shouting me on.

     The following program is one that I have been experimenting with for a few weeks.  So far, the results have been quite good—good enough that I decided it was time to write an article about it.  Typically I don’t write about a powerlifting program until I’ve had longer to “test drive” it, not just on myself but on other lifters.  However, since this program uses a lot of the concepts and methodologies from other training programs that I know to be effective, I feel good in going ahead and writing about it.

     I call it an “East meets West” program because it combines elements of different strength/powerlifting programs from both America and Eastern Europe.  It combines full-body workouts rotating between heavy, light, and medium sessions (ala Bill Starr) along with “dynamic effort” and “max effort” training (ala Westside; although the way that it’s “done” here is a tad bit different and has as much of a Starr and “Bulgarian” influence as a Westside one) in addition to “volume/neural” training utilizing little other than the 3 powerlifts (ala Russian and other East European methods).  Although I have written/created other programs of a similar nature—which use one or more of the above methods—this one is a little unique, as I hope you’ll see as you continue to read.

     This program utilizes three different “training days.”  I will cover these first.  After that, I will go over some variations you might want to use and some other options for your training.  Finally, I will outline what several weeks of training might look like.

The Methods

The Heavy Day (aka “Max Effort” Day or “Ramp” Day)

     The first training day is the “heavy” or “max effort” day.  On this day, you will, quite obviously, train heavier than the other days.  This day, you will use ramps to work up to a max set of 5 reps, a max triple, a max double, and occasionally a max single.  Here are some potential ramps to use on this training day:

The 5-Rep Ramp

     This is the most basic— but don't think that basic means easy.  Start with nothing but the Olympic bar and slowly add weight with each set, always doing 5 reps.  Stop once you "miss" 5 reps.  

     Take your time in getting up to the 5-rep max.  You may end up doing 10 to 15 sets—the more the better. Do not simply do 2 or 3 sets before reaching your 5-rep max.  They’re called "ramps" for a reason.

5-3-2 Ramp

     Start with just the Olympic bar and do ramps of 5 reps until you reach a really hard, but not necessarily all-out, set.  At that point, start doing ramps of 3s until you hit a really hard triple.  Then, switch over to sets of 2 reps until you hit your max double.

3-2-1 Ramp

Perform sets of 3 reps, ramping up until you reach a weight where 3 reps is damn near impossible.  At this point, add weight and do sets of 2 until 2 reps seems impossible.  Then begin doing singles until you miss a rep.  This style of ramps is best for deadlift variations and other pulling movements.

5-4-3-2-1 Ramp

This is the most intense of the ramps.  Work up in sets of 5 until you can only get 4 reps; continue with 4 until you can only get 3 reps, and so on until you miss for 1 rep.

     On each heavy day, you will always squat and bench press.  You may or may not deadlift at this session.  Most lifters, unless they are decidedly built for the lift, will do better by not training the deadlift at each session, as long as they are squatting at every workout.  And even if you are built for the deadlift, then you may want to still forego frequent deadlifting.  Personally, I’m built for the deadlift—I have long limbs, a short torso, and large back musculature—but I still got the best results by only deadlifting once every couple weeks.  More on this later in the article.

     Train the lifts in the order you do them in competition.  Squat first, then bench press, and then (when you do it) deadlift.

     Once you’re finished with the core lifts, you can add in a couple of auxiliary movements if you choose.  A couple sets of movements for the lats, the front delts, and the triceps will aid your bench press.  You can also do one or two sets of heavy ab exercises to aid both your squat and your deadlift and some lower back and/or hamstring work for the same lifts.

     Your heavy day might look something like this:

• Squats: 5-3-2 ramp

• Bench presses: 5-rep ramp

• Deadlifts: 3-2-1 ramp

• Chins: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Weighted dips: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

• Good mornings: 2 sets of 12-15 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

The Light Day

     The light day is exactly what it sounds like: a light training day.  If you’re familiar with Bill Starr’s use of the light day in his “heavy, light, medium system”—and if you’re not, then check out my series on his methods of training—this day should be used in almost exactly the same manner.  Here, you want to use a similar training template as the heavy day that preceded it, but you will only work up to a weight that is 50-70% of the weight used on the heavy day.

     If you deadlifted on the heavy day, do NOT deadlift on this day.

     You can add some assistance exercises similar to the heavy day, as well, but make sure that you don’t overdo it.  In fact, when you first start this program, it might be good to refrain from assistance movements on the light day altogether.  As you progress, you may find that you need them, especially if one of your lifts begins to lag behind the others.

     If your hypothetical heavy day looked exactly like the one above, then your light day might look something such as this:

• Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps, working up to a weight that is 70% of your top 5-rep set on the heavy day.

• Bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps, working up to a weight that is 50% of your top 5-rep sets on the heavy day.

• Chins: 1 set of 6 reps

• Good mornings: 1 set of 12 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

The Medium Day (aka The “Dynamic Effort” or “Speed” Day)

     If you’re at all familiar with the training methods of Westside Barbell, then you know, pretty much, what this day will look like.  If you’re not familiar, it works like this:  You will squat, bench press, and, occasionally, deadlift.  You will, depending upon the lift, perform 6 to 12 sets of 1-3 reps with 50-60% of your one-rep max on each movement.  Utilizing proper form, you will execute each rep as fast as possible.  (I won’t get into the exact details here, but if you want to read more on the benefits, and often the necessity, of this style of training, read THIS past article of mine.)

     For the squat, perform 10-12 sets of 2 reps with approximately 60% of your one-rep maximum.  For the bench press, perform 10 sets of 3 reps, using approximately 60% of your one-rep maximum.  And for the deadlift, do 6-8 sets of 1 rep with approximately 50% of your max.

     As with the other two training days, you can add assistance work as needed.  The primary thing with the auxiliary work is to not do too much.  You want a workload on your assistance exercises that is in between the higher workload of the heavy day and the lower workload of your light day—more on workload shortly.  Your speed day workout might look something like this:

• Squats: 12 sets of 2 reps with 60% of one-rep max

• Bench presses: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of max

• Deadlifts: 6 sets of 1 rep with 50% of max

• Chins: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Skull crushers: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

• Seated good mornings: 2 sets of 12-15 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Training Split

     For this program, you will train on a 1-on, 1-off, 1-on, 2-off training split. The first training day will be heavy, followed by a light day.  After 2 days off, you will do a medium day, and then follow it with another light day.  The split would look like this for a couple weeks of training:

Monday: heavy

Tuesday: off

Wednesday: light

Thursday: off

Friday: off

Saturday: medium

Sunday: off

Monday: light

Tuesday: off

Wednesday: off

     On Thursday, you would start the program over again, attempting to “beat” the weights used on the previous heavy day.

Workload

     The heavy, light, and medium days shouldn’t just be heavy, light, or medium based on the weights used at each session on your core lifts, but, rather, should be based on the total workload of each training day.  This means, at least for the first week or so, you need to do a little math.  Your workload is the total weight used at a session.  Add the weight used on each movement (including your assistance exercises) multiplied by the number of sets multiplied by the number of reps.  This will give you each session’s workload.

Variation

     When it comes to variation in powerlifting, depending upon the individual lifter it runs the gamut from “only the 3 powerlifts” to “rotating exercises and sets and reps at each session.”  Most powerlifters will fall somewhere in between.  First off, most powerlifters do need at least some variation.  And generally, though this isn’t always the case, the more advanced the powerlifter, the more variation that is required.  Also, the more you are “built” for a particular lift, then the less variation is needed and vice versa.  Of course, no lifter is built for all three powerlifts.  The biomechanics needed to be great at the bench press, for instance, are often the same biomechanics that will hold one back from being great at the deadlift.

     On a personal note, I am genetically gifted toward being a good squatter and deadlifter.  Which means I am most decidedly not built for the bench press.  My squat and deadlift will go up and up from doing little other than those two lifts.  For my bench press to increase, however, I need almost constant variation, not just in sets and reps but also in new and ever-varied assistance movements.

     Now, the question is, of course, what is best for you?  If you have been powerlifting, or at least strength training in general, for any lengthy period of time, then you probably know the answer, and you should adapt accordingly.  If you don’t know the answer, then my advice is this: Begin by simply doing the three powerlifts.  At every 3rd or 4th heavy session, change your set/rep scheme.  So, if you start off by training your bench presses with ramps of 5s, then, after 3 heavy workouts in a row using 5s, switch over to ramps of 5s, then 3s, then 2s.  Do that for another three heavy workouts in a row, and then switch over to ramps of 3s, 2s, and singles.  As you get stronger, you can start rotating to a new set/rep scheme every 2nd or 3rd session.  If you’re highly advanced, then you should change set/rep schemes at every single heavy session.

     Another option is to keep your sets/reps the same, but change over to a new exercise in the same manner.  So, if you’re starting out, then for a few workouts in a row, you would do the flat bench press (for whatever ramp scheme you’ve selected), then switch over to, say, board presses for a few workouts, followed by bottom-position bench presses for a few weeks.  This latter method is similar to the method used by Westside.

     Here are some “same but different” movements to use for your three core lifts:

Bench press: 1-board presses, 2-board presses, 3-board presses, pause bench presses, bottom-position bench presses (in the power rack), midrange rack presses, rack lockouts, extra-wide grip bench presses

Squat: bottom-position squats, box squats (using various heights), Olympic-style squats, pause squats

Deadlift: conventional deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, deficit deadlifts (sumo or conventional), rack pulls

     You can use those same exercises for your light day training, as well.  In fact, as you get more advanced, you will want to rotate to different exercises on your light days and not just your heavy days.  For the light days, you can also do movements that require the use of lighter weights due to their difficulty in executing.  Good light day movements for the bench press, for instance, might include dumbbell bench presses, incline bench presses, and even some different overhead lifts if you feel as if your chest needs a break—which it will, by the way.

     For the dynamic effort training, I would stick with the three powerlifts.  You could occasionally do something different, such as box squats or bottom-position bench presses, but, for the most part, you want to work on developing speed on the lifts that you will be using in competition.

Thoughts on the Deadlift

     Now, let’s discuss the deadlift.  Even though I am, as mentioned, “built” for the deadlift, I always got the best results from deadlifting fairly infrequently.  When I first pulled over 600 pounds, in the 181 lb category, I was only deadlifting, at most, once every two weeks.  And even then, I alternated between sumo deads and conventional style, so I was really just deadlifting with my competitive deadlift once per month.  I did have some success utilizing a Sheiko powerlifting plan, which has one deadlifting twice per week in addition to squatting on another two days weekly, but I don’t think I got any more out of that than I did with the less frequent deadlift training.  However—and this is the important point I want to make here—I would not have been able to deadlift that infrequently if I wasn’t squatting at least twice per week.  When deadlifting only twice a month, I was squatting three, and sometimes four, times per week.  I was also doing different versions of power cleans and power snatches during the course of a training week, which probably also contributed to my ability to deadlift that infrequently.

     On this program, I recommend deadlifting once in every three workouts.  You can certainly experiment with more or less training, especially if you’re an experienced deadlift competitor who knows a different option works well based on other programs you’ve utilized, but I think once every 3 sessions will work best.  This means that you will actually deadlift heavy rarely, though you will pull once per week, sometimes heavy, sometimes quite light, and sometimes using speed pulls.

Putting it All Together

     Okay, now let’s look at an example of a complete program over a few weeks of training.  I’ve chosen a sort of “intermediate” program to use as our example, neither for outright beginners or for advanced strength athletes.  After outlining the program, I’ll give you a few tips, pointers, and alternatives to finish this thing off.

Week One

Monday - Heavy Day

• Squats: 5-3-2 ramp

• Bench presses: 5-rep ramp

• Deadlifts: 3-2-1 ramp

• Chins: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Weighted dips: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

• Good mornings: 2 sets of 12-15 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Wednesday - Light Day

• Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps, working up to a weight that is 70% of your top 5-rep set on the heavy day.

• Bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps, working up to a weight that is 50% of your top 5-rep sets on the heavy day.

• Chins: 1 set of 6 reps

• Good mornings: 1 set of 12 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

Saturday - Medium Day

• Squats: 12 sets of 2 reps with 60% of one-rep max

• Bench presses: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of max

• Chins: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Skull crushers: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

• Seated good mornings: 2 sets of 12-15 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Week Two

Monday - Light Day

• Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps

• Bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps

• Deadlifts: 3 sets of 3 reps, working up to a weight that is 50% of your top 3-rep set from the previous week’s heavy day.

• Chins: 1 set of 6 reps

• Good mornings: 1 set of 12 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

Thursday - Heavy Day

On this day, do the same workout as the previous heavy day from Week One, attempting to beat your prior top weights.

• Squats: 5-3-2 ramp

• Bench presses: 5-rep ramp

• Chins: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Weighted dips: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

• Good mornings: 2 sets of 12-15 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Saturday - Light Day

• Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps

• Bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps

• Chins: 1 set of 6 reps

• Good mornings: 1 set of 12 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

Week Three

Tuesday - Medium Day

• Squats: 12 sets of 2 reps with 60% of max

• Bench presses: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of max

• Deadlifts: 6 sets of 1 rep with 50% of max

• One-arm dumbbell rows: 2 sets of 6-8 reps, each arm

• California presses: 2 sets of 8-12 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Thursday - Light Day

• Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps

• Bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps

• Close-grip chins: 1 set of 6 reps

• Seated good mornings: 1 set of 12 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

Sunday - Heavy Day

• Bottom-position squats: 5-4-3-2-1 ramp

• Two-board bench presses: 5-4-3-2-1 ramp

• T-bar rows: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Skull crushers: 2 sets of 8-10 reps

• Good morning squats: 2 sets of 10-12 reps

• Weighted incline sit-ups: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Week Four

Tuesday - Light Day

• Bottom-position squats: 4 sets of 5 reps

• Two-board bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps

• Deficit deadlifts: 3 sets of 3 reps

• T-bar rows: 1 set of 6 reps

• Good morning squats: 1 set of 8 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

Friday - Medium Day

• Squats: 12 sets of 2 reps with 60% of max

• Bench presses: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of max

• Wide-grip chins: 2 sets of 6-8 reps

• Pullover and presses: 2 sets of 8-10 reps

• Hyperextensions: 2 sets of 10-12 reps

• Ab wheel: 1 set of 6-8 reps

Sunday - Light Day

• Squats: 4 sets of 5 reps

• Bench presses: 3 sets of 5 reps

• Wide-grip chins: 1 set of 6 reps

• Pullover and presses: 1 set of 8 reps

• Sit-ups: 1 set of 8 reps

On Week Five, you will do your next heavy day on Wednesday, changing exercises again or returning to your three core powerlifts.

Tips, Pointers, and Additional Thoughts

• As you advance in the program—or if you’re already an advanced powerlifter when starting it—you can also add some back-off sets on your heavy days.  Two or 3 sets of 8 reps on the squats and bench presses and 2 sets of 6-8 reps on the deadlift movements should be enough.  Don’t overdo it.

• Also, as you advance, you can do more sets on your assistance movements.  This is also particularly good if you’re looking for more hypertrophy.  Five to 6 sets of 10-12 reps on different lat and triceps exercises should be plenty.  Don’t do this on your light days, however, but only on your heavy and medium days.

• Conversely, some powerlifters will do just fine—and, in fact, might do better—by not doing any assistance work.  If I was still competing, then I would probably do very little assistance work for my squats and deadlifts, other than some occasional hyperextensions or abdominal movements, but would do voluminous work for my lats and triceps to aid my bench press.

• If you are a bench press “specialist” who only competes in bench press competitions, then you can do the program “as is” for your bench press and simply do some light squatting and pulling on each training day.  Since you wouldn’t be squatting or deadlifting heavy, you can do more direct work on the bench press with several back-off sets and even more assistance work for your triceps, front delts, and lats.  The bench press simply doesn’t take its toll on your nervous system the way squats and (especially) heavy pulls do.

• If you compete in “push/pull” meets where you only bench press and deadlift, I think you have a couple of options.  One, just stick with the program “as is” since the squat will help your deadlift.  Or, if you simply don’t want to squat, then throw out the squats altogether and deadlift at every other workout.  I have not attempted this myself, but I have a feeling that it would be an effective implementation of the program.

• Once you have been training on the program for a few weeks, feel free to add in some loaded carries such as sled drags, farmer walks, sandbag carries, tire flips, or anything similar.  Don’t overdo it, however.  Two, or at the most 3, sets at the end of your heavy and medium days should be plenty.

 

     I could probably write multiple articles on this one workout program.  Since it’s primarily a program template that has a lot of variety naturally “built” into it, you could use it for months on end, which means there are plenty of options for all three of your powerlifts.  However, since this article is already closing in on 4K words, I’ll stop right here for now.  If there are any questions, as I’m sure there will be for any powerlifter who wants to give it an honest shot, then please leave them in the comments section below or, better yet, send me an email and I’ll do my best to help.  Until next time, good luck and good lifting!