PlanByWeek

Powerbuilding Program

12 weeks·4 days / wk·upper lower

Weeks
12
Sessions
48
Peak week
80 sets
week 11
Deloads
2
wk 4, 8
Final week
Test
BaseDeloadBuildPeakTest

Main barbell lifts are prescribed as % of 1RM; enter your maxes to see pounds or kilos.

Week-by-week training plan
WkFocusVolume
01Block 1, week 1: 4-rep sets61 hard sets61 sets

  1. Mon

    Oct 5

    Upper (strength)

    61 min
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Bench press3 × 483.5% 1RM (≈RPE 8)
    Barbell row3 × 4RPE 8
    Overhead press2 × 8–10RPE 8
    Pull-up2 × 8–10RPE 8
    Lateral raise2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Barbell curl2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Skull crusher2 × 10–15RPE 9

  2. Tue

    Oct 6

    Lower (strength)

    58 min
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Back squat4 × 483.5% 1RM (≈RPE 8)
    Romanian deadlift3 × 8–10RPE 8
    Bulgarian split squat2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Lying leg curl2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Standing calf raise2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Hanging knee raise2 × 10–15RPE 9

  3. Thu

    Oct 8

    Upper (volume)

    61 min
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Overhead press3 × 483.5% 1RM (≈RPE 8)
    Pull-up3 × 4RPE 8
    Incline dumbbell press2 × 8–10RPE 8
    Chest-supported row2 × 8–10RPE 8
    Face pull2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Incline dumbbell curl2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Cable pushdown2 × 10–15RPE 9

  4. Fri

    Oct 9

    Lower (volume)

    55 min
    ExerciseSets×RepsLoad
    Deadlift4 × 483.5% 1RM (≈RPE 8)
    Front squat2 × 8–10RPE 8
    Barbell hip thrust2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Leg extension2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Seated leg curl2 × 10–15RPE 9
    Ab wheel rollout2 × 10–15RPE 9

Weeks 2–12 locked

Unlock the full plan.

  • Every session, every week
  • Paces and loads from your numbers
  • PDF, calendar and Garmin export
  • Re-plans when you miss a key session
Billing period

Annual works out at $6.58 a month

Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel any time

02Block 1, week 2: 3-rep sets62 hard sets62 sets
03Block 1, week 3: 2-rep sets63 hard sets63 sets
04Deload: 60% loads, fewer sets38 hard sets38 sets
05Block 2, week 1: 4-rep sets65 hard sets65 sets
06Block 2, week 2: 3-rep sets68 hard sets68 sets
07Block 2, week 3: 2-rep sets71 hard sets71 sets
08Deload: 60% loads, fewer sets42 hard sets42 sets
09Block 3, week 1: 4-rep sets74 hard sets74 sets
10Block 3, week 2: 3-rep sets77 hard sets77 sets
11Block 3, week 3: 2-rep sets80 hard sets80 sets
12Test week: heavy singles48 hard sets48 sets

The numbers

About this plan

This powerbuilding program is a 4-day upper lower split for powerbuilding, 12 weeks long, built from 4 rotating sessions. hard sets go 61 → 68 sets (week 6) → 80 (week 11), 749 in all.

Upper (strength) opens week 1 with Bench press 3 × 4, then Barbell row 3 × 4, of 61 sets that week. Main lifts run 4/3/2-rep waves across 12 weeks and 24 full gym exercises. Percentages top out at 97% of 1RM in week 11; your maxes turn all 749 sets into lb.

full gym deloads: week 4 (38 sets) and week 8 (42 sets). Week 12 is a heavy-single test at 48 sets.

Week 1 of the powerbuilding program is 4 sessions and 61 hard sets; the biggest, Upper (strength), has 16. Loading weeks average 62, 68 and 77 sets block by block.

Weeks 1–4 run 61, 62, 63 and 38 sets. The closing month goes 74 → 77 → 80 → 48 sets. Key sessions per week range from 0 to 4, 40 across the plan.

Questions

FAQ

How many sets a week is the powerbuilding program?

From 61 to 80 hard full gym sets a week; 749 over 12 weeks.

How is the powerbuilding program laid out?

61 sets in week 1 across 4 upper lower sessions, 749 over 12 weeks.

How heavy should I lift on the powerbuilding program?

Bench press 3 × 4 in week 1, climbing to 97% of 1RM over 12 weeks of upper lower.

Does the powerbuilding program include deloads?

For this 4-day full gym plan they fall in week 4 (38 sets) and week 8 (42 sets).

Keep exploring

Related plans

All gym plans