Template

How-To

Thank you for purchasing the RP Powerlifting Strength Template!

In order to give you the best possible experience, we’ve included detailed instructions on how to run the
template in this document. In the FAQ document which you’ve also received, we address numerous
possible questions that you might have about the particulars of the process. Our best advice to you is to
read this whole document first, and then move on to the FAQ. Only upon reading both of these
documents do we recommend you start using the template for your training.

Purpose of this Template

Before we get into the instructions, let’s answer the most basic question of all; what’s this template
designed to do?

This template is designed to form the basis of your training to put on strength for powerlifting. In
modern periodization, powerlifting progress is best made through a sequence of several months of
training to put on size (what our hypertrophy templates can help with), a month or several to make that
new size generate more strength (what this template can help you with), and a month or so to peak for
the 1RMs of powerlifting competition itself. Because this is a powerlifting-specific strength program, it
will help greatly with increasing your strength for powerlifting, but it won’t do any of the following as
well:

- Putting on strength for bodybuilding.

- Putting on strength for strongman.
- Putting on size for powerlifting.
- Peaking for a powerlifting meet.
- Crossfit, team sports, etc…

Because it won’t necessarily do any of those things well, we recommend you stay away from using it for
those things and stick to using it for its designed purpose; putting on strength for powerlifting. If you’d
like to use these templates for one of the aforementioned purposes, please do so under the watchful
eye of a coach.

Now that the purpose of the program is clear, let’s take a look at how to use the template to build and
execute a successful powerlifting strength program.

Step by Step How-To Instructions

Step 1: Opening the template and making sure all sheets are included.

When you receive your template, it will come in the form of an excel file and several other word files.
The actual program is in the excel file and covers 3 sheets. If you use another program to view
spreadsheets (google docs, any apple products, etc…) we unfortunately cannot guarantee that the
formulas and drop-down menus will function properly, so we highly recommend using Microsoft Excel.
When you open your excel file, you should see 3 sheets:

- A.) Instructions for use

- B.) Initial data entry sheet
- C.) Mesocycle

If any of those sheets are missing (highly unlikely), please contact us and we’ll send you a fixed
document.

Step 2: Entering your preferred exercises.

Sheet 1 is just a super quick review of the instructions here, but if you’re starting with this document
(highly recommended), please go to sheet b (Initial data entry sheet) FIRST.

This sheet is where you plug in your needed values so that you can customize the program to your
needs.

In the “1.)” column, you’ll get a list of multiple squatting, pushing, pulling, and assistance exercises with
drop down menus for every choice. A couple of quick tips:

- If you’re going to run only one strength phase before you peak, we recommend choosing the
competition lifts as at least some of your exercises for the week. If you’re running 2 strength
phases back to back, you can either pick the competition moves or stick to alternative moves for
your first strength phase and stick to competition moves as your primaries during the second. If
you’re running 3 strength phases back to back, the first phase should be composed of non-
competition moves to promote variation, and the second and third phases should be
programmed as mentioned for the 2-phase approach.
- Pick the exercises that focus on the movements you need to make stronger in your own training.
If you need more force out of the hole in the squat, pick the moves that have you going deep
and working on strength from the bottom, like high bar squats, pause squats, etc… Typically,
beginners need all-around strength, intermediates need to train their talents, and advanced
lifters need to focus on their weaknesses. For a very detailed discussion of the reasoning behind
this approach, please check out our powerlifting training ebook.
- For better stimulus and fatigue management, we recommend picking two different movements
for each of the “1 and 2” options for exercises, but you can choose to repeat the movement if
you feel confident in your ability to benefit and recover from this approach. The sheet says
“MUST pick a different movement” but that instruction is for those who don’t read the how-to-
guide in detail like you did and to keep them out of a common pitfall!
- If you don’t see any exercises you like, you can select the option “Other ___ move of choice.”
Once you have selected that, go to the third sheet (sheet “c.) mesocycle”) and manually type
your desired exercise into the exercise column on the left hand side of the sheet.
- Only select movements you’re competent in. This is not a novice program and you must know
the basic lifts well. Consider consulting a local powerlifting coach to help you with technique if
you’re struggling.

Step 3: Entering your estimated 5RM and 8RM values.

Once you’ve picked your exercises in column “1.),” you’re ready to pick their estimated 5RM or 8RM
values in the adjacent column. Pay close attention when you’re typing them in, because some exercises
require 5RM values and others require 8RM values. Does this mean you have to actually go to the gym
for the whole week before this program and find your 5-8RM values by testing them? Absolutely not. If
you have actual recent 5-8RM values from your older training, great, use those. If you don’t, you don’t
have to worry at all. This program is designed to work well in a wide range of weights that are estimates
of your 5RM and 8RM.

Your only job when picking them is to not be a complete knucklehead during the process. For example,
don’t pick for an 8RM something you’re likely going to struggle getting for 5 reps on a good day. These
don’t have to be “gun to your head” 8RMs, just realistic ones. On the other hand, don’t get super
conservative and put down for your 5RM weights you can rep out for 8 on any given day. Just give your
best guess to a realistic 5M, keep your fear and ego out of the decision as much as you can, and go from
there.

After the first week, if your first couple of sets on an exercise are 3 or fewer reps, you need to bump the
weight down in that initial 5RM column. If they are over 8 reps, you need to bump that weight up. For
8RMs, first-week weights should be between 5 and 10 reps, otherwise you need to adjust the weights.
All else should work just fine. If your last couple of sets in any exercise (when you are tired from the first
sets) dip below 3 reps for your 5RM moves or 5 reps for your 8RM moves, no worries, so long as the first
couple of sets were over 3 and 5 reps, respectively.

Step 4: Following the workouts.

Once you’ve completed the 5RM and 8RM column and filled all those values in, you can switch over to
the rightmost sheet “c.) mesocycle” and your whole workout will be generated for you, including
weights, sets, and rep recommendations.

First thing is first when you’re training; the warmup. You’ve lifted a bunch before, so we’re not going to
tell you how to warm up. Warm up how you usually do until you’re ready to begin the working sets, and
feel free to warm up for the different exercises to your liking within each workout.

When you’re doing each working set, you’ll notice that the “rep goal” column is rather strange.
Sometimes it just says 3’s or something like that (in which case all sets in that exercise should be done
for 3 reps each), but usually it says something like “3/fail, 2/fail or 1/fail.” What does the /fail (read:
“from fail”) system mean?

It’s BRUTALLY SIMPLE. If the rep goal says “3/fail,” then you are to stop the set when you think you’ve
got about 3 reps left in the tank. When it says “2/fail,” stop when you only have two reps or so left and
when it says “1/fail,” stop the set when you only have one rep left before you give out. That’s it, it’s as
simple as that. What this means is that you’ll be pushing it pretty easy on the first weeks, and ramping
up the relative intensity as the weeks progress to week 4, which will of course be pure hell. This system
is designed to execute the function of progressive overload to get you maximum results, and it will work
well ONLY IF YOU’RE HONEST WITH YOURSELF. If you push all the work sets to near failure in the first
weeks, you’re going to overreach and crap the bed long before the mesocycle is over (getting subpar
results). If you take it too easy, then the workouts will not be sufficiently challenging to get you your
best results.
A very quick note; if you have to break your technique to get more reps, YOU ALREADY FAILED. When
we write “3/fail,” we ALWAYS mean “3 reps away from failure WITH GOOD TECHNIQUE.” Never let your
technique slide for more reps. Sorry for yelling. J

Lastly, if you’re confused about the from-fail system and are just not sure if you’re guessing right, don’t
be frustrated. Always seek to learn your body better, but in the meantime, just guess your best. Great
results will come if you’re even remotely close. Remember, you’re NEVER training to failure with any
weeks of this program.

Sometimes the weights programed will be MUCH lighter than their normal progressions would suggest,
especially for every other deadlift workout and for some of the programs, the last half of the 3rd week of
training. This is completely intentional and done to manage fatigue. It is not an error in the spreadsheet.

Step 5: Rating the workouts.

After each workout, write the reps you actually got down in the “rep results” column. You’re almost
done with your workout-tracking for the day and just need to do one more thing; rate your effort.

SOME of the exercises have drop down menus (in blue, just to the right of the “rep results” column for
each workout) for every single training day, save for deload. Only the biggest and most central exercises
are rated, so don’t worry about the cells in that column not in blue. Just rate the exercise that have blue
cells in their rows for that day by selecting either -1, 0 , or 1 from the drop-down menu in every blue
cell. Please not that NOT ALL of the ratings effect the program in a predictable way. If SOME of your
ratings seem to alter things but others don’t, that’s OK and it does not mean you were sent a defective
program.

The purpose of the ratings is very important. How you rate your exercises plugs into a feedback system
that programs the future number of sets for that movement pattern. The algorithm can get quite
complicated, but the usual process is to alter the number of sets you’ll be doing in the next half-week of
training. Thus, if your training was super tough early in the week, your training later in the week will be
made easier so that you can recover better. If your training was smooth, no changes will be made, and if
you training was too easy, the next half week will get harder. This function extends through most of the
mesocycle, so please stay diligent with the ratings to get the most out of the plan.

The exact rating descriptions are featured at the bottom of that “c.) mesocyle” sheet, but we’ll repeat
them here to make a quick point about their use:

(1: The reps moved pretty fast FOR THAT WEIGHT, and felt pretty light FOR THAT WEIGHT.)

(0: The reps moved ok FOR THAT WEIGHT, and felt decent FOR THAT WEIGHT.)

(-1 The reps moved pretty slowly FOR THAT WEIGHT, and felt pretty heavy FOR THAT WEIGHT.)

“For that weight” means that we’re not rating on absolute speed values, just relative ones. Sure, 225 is
not going to move as fast as 135, but based on how fast YOU usually move it and how heavy it USUALLY
feels, choose your best rating.

These ratings ONLY WORK if you’re HONEST about your experience. No tough guy stuff and no wussy
stuff either. If you blew through all the reps, fantastic, rate it a 1 and you’ll have more work in your
future. But if you struggled with speed and the weights felt pretty heavy compared to normal and still
rated it a 1, you’re setting up a tidal wave of volume that will crush down on your already-beat-down-
self in mere days. That can lean to performance loss, missed lifts, unintentional overreaching, bad
results, and possibly even injury. So do your best with the ratings and the workout will adjust itself for
you, no ego or fear of overtraining required.

Step 6: Deloading.

Assuming you’ve survived week 4 of the accumulation phase, the 5th week of the plan is a deload. The
purpose of this week is to preserve your fitness gains while dropping your fatigue off and allowing you
to have another productive training cycle ahead. You’ll notice that the week’s rep goal is usually to do
“2/3 reps of week 1,” so that’s exactly what you should do! If the reps of week 1 are odd numbers, just
err on the side of lower. So for example, if you did 7,5,4 reps on week 1, doing 4,3,2 reps on the deload
week is the recommended approach.

Not only are the reps lower, but the weights will be lower too, especially in the second half of the deload
week. This is to promote recovery and maintain fitness, and is entirely planned (your template is not
broken cause the weights are so puny). There is no rating scale for those workouts, in part because they
will be super easy. If you choose to skip the deload week or make it harder, that is unlikely to be a good
decision for your medium and long term training. There is much more detail on why the deload is so
important in the powerlifting book, especially in the chapter on fatigue management.

Step 7: Repeating the program or moving on?

After the deload week, you can absolutely re-program the template with different exercise (highly
recommended to not just do the same ones) and continue for another 5 weeks of training. Up to 3
consecutive strength mesocycles like this can be done if your goal is to gain some serious strength
before moving on to peak for a meet or your own personal satisfaction.

You can certainly only do one phase and then begin your peaking phase training, but more than 3
consecutive strength phases are not recommended due to the blunting of adaptive pathways that this
can promote. More details on this process in the book. After 3 consecutive strength mesocycles, our
recommendation is to begin peaking phase training (and we’re working on building peaking phase
templates too and may very well have them available by the time you read this).

For a quick rundown on the basics of periodization for powerlifting training, please read the article here:

http://jtsstrength.com/articles/2013/12/03/nonsense-periodization-powerlifting/

For a quick run-through about using the templates, please check out this custom video. It was made
with the hypertrophy templates in mind, but very much applies to these templates as well.