Barbell Medicine

Powerlifting Programs

Strength I Program
Low Fatigue Strength Training Template and Programming Book

Need help deciding on a program? Use our Program Quiz:

Our Programs provide exercises to perform to best reach your goals. They offer specific or choices of exercises, programming for number of days of the week to exercise, sets and repetitions, and other details so that you’re armed with all that you need when you exercise. They also take into account the amount of experience you have and your preferences, such as how many days per week you have available to train.

The Endurance category is focused on conditioning and developing your overall fitness. Hypertrophy has a primary focus on building muscle size. Rehab is for those suffering from specific body part injuries that they would like to address with a tailored exercise program to return to full function. And, finally, Strength is focused on developing strength as the main goal above all others and perfectly suited for those casually or competitively engaged in weightlifting.

Because of the electronic nature of our product and to protect our intellectual property, we do not offer any refunds or returns on Program purchases.

As we mentioned before, powerlifting is a strength sport made up of three disciplines or exercises, the squat, bench press, and deadlift. For each lift, competitors have three chances to lift the heaviest weight for one repetition that meets the competition standards for a legal lift. The heaviest successful rep from each discipline contributes to the lifter’s total and within a particular class, the heaviest total wins. In most powerlifting meets there are three judges, two on the side and one in the center, that make sure each lift is done to the competition standard.

The Squat: In the squat, the lifter may begin descending only after obtaining the “squat” command from the center judge. After descending to below parallel, e.g. when the crease of the hip is below the top of the knee, the lifter stands up straight. The lift is finished when the knees reach full extension and the person gets the signal to “rack.”

The Bench Press: During the bench press, most powerlifting federations require the lifter to wait for the center judge to give the “start” signal before starting. Then, the lifter must lower the weight to the chest where they will receive a “press” command from the center judge after the bar becomes motionless at the bottom of the rep.  After the “press” command, the lifter will then press the weight up until both of his arms are fully extended at the elbows and then receive the “rack” command to signify the end of the attempt.

The Deadlift: The last lift of a powerlifting meet is the deadlift. There is no start command for the deadlift, rather, the center judge will place their arm in the air to signify the lifter may start lifting the weight. After standing up straight with fully extended knees and the shoulders behind the barbell if viewed from the side, the lifter will receive the “down” signal and lower the bar in a controlled way. Dropping the bar is one way that a deadlift may be “red-lighted” or disqualified.

The referees will reject the lift if the lifter does not do the three lifts specified in the technical rule book. There are three referees that judge each lift. The lift’s execution only needs the approval of two out of the three to be deemed “good.” [1]

Strength is defined as the amount of force produced measured in a specific context. For example, a powerlifter completing a heavy 1RM squat is displaying force production in one context (e.g. a maximal, single-effort squat) whereas a gymnast or shot-put thrower is displaying force production in a different context. A marathoner is displaying force production in a much different context (e.g. submaximal, repetitive-effort locomotion). In short, there are many different types of strength that are linked together by the common feature of muscular force production.

There are many different types of strength based on an activity’s velocity requirements, energy systems used, and other specifics of the activity. Most physical tasks incorporate multiple types of strength, though in some sports, a single type of strength predominates, such as:

It’s important to understand that improvements in force production are complex, requiring adaptations across multiple domains including the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, skeletal muscle, tendon structure and mechanical properties, and skeletal (bone) adaptations, among others. Due to the wide range of inputs associated with changes in strength performance, there are a number of modifiable and non-modifiable factors that correlate well with strength. Non-modifiable factors include genetics, anthropometry, muscle fiber type, musculoskeletal architecture, etc. Modifiable factors include muscle size, muscle metabolic function, physical skills, and training.

In this article, we are focusing the majority of our programming discussion on how-to maximize these modifiable factors for improvements in strength.

The role of specificity in exercise selection is best explained by the Specificity of Adaptation to Imposed Demand (SAID) principle, which suggests that the main adaptations developed from exercise are specific to the training performed by the individual. There are a number of exercise characteristics that affect specificity including the exercise’s range of motion, intensity, joint angles, movement velocity, contraction type, energy systems, and so on. [13, 14]  

These characteristics make fitness adaptations like strength, power, and cardiorespiratory fitness somewhat specific to how they are developed. The degree to which a particular movement or exercise mode will improve performance in another movement or mode is called transference. The more similar the movements or modes are, the more transference is expected. In this way, strength is specific to the exercise(s) performed and their characteristics. Therefore, a substantial portion of the exercises included in a program should reflect the particular performance goals of the individual, when applicable.

“Exercise selection” refers to the movements and their specifics such as range of motion, tempo, and style, and it should be determined based on an individual’s goals, exercise preferences, and the exercises’ trainability. Exercise selection should maximize both adherence to the program and fitness adaptations while minimizing the risk of injury. Adherence is likely improved by self-selected exercise type.

The ideal amount of exercise variation within a single training phase or over many phases is currently unknown and likely varies amongst individuals based on their preferences, training history, training responsiveness, and so on. Exercise variation should be relatively high for untrained individuals, as it improves motor learning and reduces risk of injury. This approach exposes the individual to many different task demands, e.g. ROM, joint angles, movement tempos, and so on.

During periods of high variation, each movement on each training day should be different, if possible. Repetition and loading schemes may also be highly varied during these periods. Exercise variation can be reduced for short periods of time (2-4 weeks) around a competition, test, or event. During periods of low variation, prioritized movements may be repeated throughout the training week, if desired. Repetition and loading scheme variation may also be reduced during these periods.

Exercise intensity refers to the weight used for an exercise and can be communicated as a percentage of 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM), RPE, RIR, or velocity. Exercise intensity determines the specific type of improvements that are likely to occur, e.g. what proportion of neuromuscular, structural, and conditioning-specific adaptations result from a program.

Proximity to failure is a concept related to intensity that describes how close an individual comes to their maximum volitional performance. The closer the proximity to failure, the higher the intensity of the task.

The program’s intensity and proximity to failure prescriptions should reflect the specific goals and needs of the individual. For a trained lifter, where the task they’ll be tested on is known, the bulk of the training should focus on eliciting the relevant adaptations and skills, with some training resources being dedicated to bringing up lagging areas of physical development.

Maximal strength is best developed by “high” intensity training performed at 60% of the 1RM and above. 1RM performance is additionally improved by practicing the test, e.g. regular, planned exposure to heavy singles or similar efforts that are >85% of 1RM.

For maximal strength development, the majority of the repetition work (3 reps and above) should be performed within the range of ~65 to 85% of 1RM and the majority of the 1- or 2-rep training should be performed at or above ~85% of 1RM to develop the skills and specific adaptations necessary for that 1RM performance. In both cases, the template attempts to maintain a relatively high proximity to failure, e.g. 2-4 RIR or RPE 6-8 , which coincides with a small decrease in barbell velocity during the effort.

Exposure to higher intensity sets taken closer to failure, e.g. RIR 0-1 or RPE 9-10, are appropriate for isolation work intended to increase muscular hypertrophy and, in the short-term, for peaking phases leading up to a competition or 1RM testing.

Exercise volume refers to the total number of repetitions performed for a particular muscle group or movement in a given time period such as a training session or a week. Volume load is calculated by multiplying the volume completed at a particular intensity—[sets x repetitions x load]. This is a more useful way to compare different programming approaches rather than considering volume alone.

Exercise volume exhibits a graded dose response relationship to strength, where greater training volumes tend to promote greater strength gains provided the intensity, proximity to failure, and overall training stress are appropriate for the individual, their goals, and training resources (such as training time and recovery). Exercise volumes that are too high may outstrip the individual’s current training tolerance and yield lower strength improvements than more moderate training volumes.

It isn’t currently known how much volume is needed to maximize strength development and studies investigating the “minimum dose” needed to drive some strength improvement have generated equivocal results. We recommend starting with volumes and volume loads that are similar to the individual’s previous training, provided they were able to tolerate and improve while following that program.

If, after starting a new program, an individual is constantly sore, fatigued, frequently rating sessions as RPE>8, and failing to make strength gains, that would seem to indicate too much training stress. One way to reduce this is to reduce training volume.

If, after starting a new program, an individual consistently experiences no soreness (particularly with the inclusion of new exercises), is frequently rating session RPE<5, and is failing to make strength gains, the training stress may be too little. One way to increase training stress is to increase training volume.

Finally, volume may be gradually increased over time to generate greater fitness adaptations, though some additional fatigue is expected in the short-term. This should be done slowly after determining the training formulation, e.g. intensity, exercise selection, proximity to failure, frequency, and rest periods that are appropriate for an individual’s goals.


Ready to start your powerlifting journey? Use our Program Quiz to find your program:


Let’s look at the specifics of what you will get out of a powerlifting program:

Powerlifting is likely to produce some level of hypertrophy—most strength training programs should produce LBM (lean body mass) increases given the right environment (nutrition, sleep) and training responsiveness.

Powerlifting isn’t particularly risky from an injury standpoint. The injury incidence—the rate of injuries in a particular group of athletes or sport—are typically reported based on exposure to the sport or competition. Rates of injury per 1,000 participation hours in training or competition are preferred based on current convention. [15]

Despite the insinuation that resistance training may be risky, lifting weights is actually one of the safest types of exercise available, with an average injury rate of about 2-4 injuries per 1,000 participation hours for all resistance training modalities. [16, 17, 18]

With that in mind, different types of resistance training have slightly different injury rates, seen below:

Do note that all injuries are reported per 1,000 participation hours. This data suggests that the injury rates for bodybuilding, powerlifting, weightlifting, and CrossFit are comparable to other non-contact sports and recreational activities. For example, track and field has an injury rate of about 3.6 injuries per 1,000 participation hours, whereas walking and cycling have injury risks of 0.19–1.2 and 0.5–2 injuries per 1,000 hours, depending on study methodology. [19, 20] 

With respect to injury severity, the current data suggests that the majority of accidents are not catastrophic. With respect to powerlifting, for example, the present data suggests that the average injury was symptomatic for 12 days. [21] Additionally, all of the other studies that actually report data on severity and time loss from resistance training injuries indicate a symptomatic period of less than two weeks. [22]

In addition to being beneficial for overall health, lifting weights can also help with weight management by increasing muscle mass and strength, decreasing fat mass, and preventing weight regain. Specifically, resistance training reduces waist circumference by decreasing fat stored in the abdomen. [38]  There’s also evidence that it makes many people more sensitive to feelings of fullness during meals, which may aid in weight loss or maintenance. [39] 

It’s often said that resistance training and/or high intensity interval training (HIIT) reduce fat mass because of their higher excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The “extra” energy in EPOC comes from the energy needed for post-workout recovery, e.g. muscle remodeling and repair. [40] Increases in muscle protein synthesis rates during the recovery phase after exercise produce a rise in energy expenditure. [41]

As exercise volume, intensity, and the amount of muscle mass used during resistance training increase, so does the energy expenditure during EPOC. That said, many expansive metabolic processes are more efficient in trained individuals and EPOC is generally higher in untrained compared to trained individuals. [42] It’s also unclear whether EPOC genuinely raises the daily total of calories utilized, such as the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). In any case, current research indicates that EPOC’s overall energy contribution to TDEE is relatively minor. [43]

Finally, many suggest that the increases in an individual’s resting metabolic rate is due to muscle gains, but this is probably a stretch, too. Consider the following: a kilogram of fat uses 4.5 Calories per day, while a kilogram of muscle uses about 13. [44] Someone would need to put on a lot of muscle mass to make a noticeable impact on the overall daily energy expenditure, which would also be partially offset by fat mass loss. Gaining 10 kg of muscle typically takes years and has the potential to boost total daily energy expenditure by about 100 calories on a daily basis, which isn’t going to make a big difference in the weight loss trajectory.

Overall, lifting weights are likely to improve weight management through a number of different ways.  If weight loss is your primary goal, however, dietary changes will be more important in order to achieve a negative energy balance required to lose weight.


Ready to start your powerlifting journey? Use our Program Quiz to find your program:


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