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6 Week Russian Powerlifting Peaking Program

Use this 6 week Russian strength-peaking powerlifting program to help you crush new one rep maxes on the big lifts.
Tiger Fitness
Tiger Fitness Workouts

6 Week Russian Powerlifting Peaking Program

Use this 6 week Russian strength-peaking powerlifting program to help you crush new one rep maxes on the big lifts.

Russian Powerlifting

About this workout

This peaking program was pulled from an interview that John Abdo had with Russian professor Yuri Verhoshansky conducted in 1989.

The first two weeks are relatively moderate. You might feel as if you're not pushing as hard as you should. Hang tough. Things get challenging very quickly.

At the end of each cycle, you will attempt, and should likely hit, a new one rep max. After each six week cycle you should spend a period of time using a pre-peaking program; one that focuses on a lower degree on intensity (which is weight relative to your one rep max), a reasonable amount of volume, and some hypertrophy work.

This is a peaking program and is not typically run over and over again. Run your pre-peaking program 8-16 weeks before ramping up using this Russian cycle.

Here are a few notes:
  • Don't overestimate your one rep max for each movement. If you are sure, use a reasonable estimation that may be slightly on the light side.
  • A note about anabolics. This program was designed before Russian athletes were using steroids, so don't brush it off as something only a drug-using athlete could use.
  • Each major lift is trained twice per week. For powerlifting, this involves the bench press, squat, and deadlift. The first weekly workout is more moderate, while the second is far more intense.
  • If you are competing, your week 6 one rep max attempts will occur on competition day.
  • To turn this into a longer off-season program of 8-10 weeks, you can start peaking one of the lifts on week one, the next lift on week two, and the third lift on week three. Non-6 week peaking workouts will be less intense.
  • Yuri Verhoshansky recommends resting 4-6 minutes in between sets of major movements.
  • Total workout time should be limited to 90 minutes per day. Adjust your assistance work as needed. (I present an example workout at the end)
  • Strength requires a peak. You can't train 100% all the time. The stronger your base, the stronger the peak.
Week 1
Powerlifting Program
Week Workout #1 Workout #2
 Week One  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10
 Set 2 - 55% x 6-8  Set 2 - 55% x 6-8
 Set 3 - 65% x 6  Set 3 - 65% x 5
 Set 4 - 65-70% x 6  Set 4 - 75% x 5
 Set 5 - 65-70% x 6  Set 5 - 80% x 5
 Set 6 - 65-70% x 6  Set 6 - 80% x 5
 Set 7 - 80% x 5
 Set 8 - 75% x 5
 Set 9 - 65% x 6-8
 Set 10 - 50-55% x 8-12

Week 2
Powerlifting Program
Week Workout #1 Workout #2
 Week Two  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10
 Set 2 - 55% x 6-8  Set 2 - 55% x 6-8
 Set 3 - 65% x 6  Set 3 - 65% x 5
 Set 4 - 70% x 5  Set 4 - 75% x 4
 Set 5 - 70-75% x 5  Set 5 - 80% x 4
 Set 6 - 70-75% x 5  Set 6 - 85% x 4
 Set 7 - 85% x 4
 Set 8 - 85% x 4
 Set 9 - 80% x 5
 Set 10 - 70% x 6-8

Week 3
Powerlifting Program
Week Workout #1 Workout #2
 Week Three  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10
 Set 2 - 55% x 6-8  Set 2 - 55% x 6-8
 Set 3 - 65% x 5  Set 3 - 65% x 5
 Set 4 - 70% x 4  Set 4 - 75% x 4
 Set 5 - 75% x 3  Set 5 - 85% x 3
 Set 6 - 75-80% x 3  Set 6 - 90% x 3
 Set 7 - 75-85% x 3  Set 7 - 90% x 3
 Set 8 - 80% x 5
 Set 9 - 55-60% x 6-10

Week 4
Powerlifting Program
Week Workout #1 Workout #2
 Week Four  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10
 Set 2 - 55% x 6-8  Set 2 - 55% x 6-8
 Set 3 - 65% x 5  Set 3 - 65% x 5
 Set 4 - 75% x 4  Set 4 - 75% x 4
 Set 5 - 80-85% x 3  Set 5 - 85% x 2
 Set 6 - 80-85% x 3  Set 6 - 90% x 2
 Set 7 - 95% x 2
 Set 8 - 75% x 4-6

Week 5
Powerlifting Program
Week Workout #1 Workout #2
 Week Five  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10
 Set 2 - 55% x 6-8  Set 2 - 55% x 6-8
 Set 3 - 65% x 5  Set 3 - 65% x 5
 Set 4 - 75% x 5  Set 4 - 75% x 3
 Set 5 - 75% x 5  Set 5 - 80% x 3
 Set 6 - 85% x 2

Week 6
Powerlifting Program
Week Workout #1 Workout #2
 Week Six  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10  Set 1 - 45% x 8-10
 Set 2 - 55% x 6-8  Set 2 - 55% x 6-8
 Set 3 - 65% x 5  Set 3 - 65% x 5
 Set 4 - 75% x 3  Set 4 - 75% x 3
 Set 5 - 80% x 2  Set 5 - 85% x 2
 Set 6 - 80% x 2  Set 6 - 90% x 1
 Set 7 - 95% x 1
 Set 8 - 100% x 1
 Set 9 - 102% x 1 (New PR)
 Set 10 - 105% x 1 (New PR)




A post shared by Steve Shaw (@bendthebarman) on



Shaw's 6 Week Powerlifting Peak

This will be an intense split. Because you are targeting three major lifts twice a week, there is no "easy way" to program this split. Here is how I would run it.
  • Day 1 - Squat and Deadlift Workout #1
  • Day 2 - Bench Workout #1
  • Day 3 - Off
  • Day 4 - Squat Workout #2
  • Day 5 - Bench Workout #2
  • Day 6 - Deadlift Workout #2
  • Day 7 - Off
This allows you 96 hours of rest, or 4 complete days, after your heavy bench press day. After your moderate deadlift day, you'll wait 5 complete days before hitting your heavy day.

The biggest challenge will be performing heavy deadlifts two days after heavy squats. Since you don't want to nail both on the same training day, I see few other options that make sense.
Squat and Deadlift Workout #1
Shaw 6 Week Peak
Week Sets Reps
 Squats (Weekly Workout #1)
 Deadlifts (Weekly Workout #1)
 Seated Cable Rows  4  10-15
 Leg Press  3  10-15
 Seated Dumbbell Curls  3  10-12

Bench Workout #1
Shaw 6 Week Peak
Week Sets Reps
 Bench Press (Weekly Workout #1)
 Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press  3  10
 Push Ups  2  Max
 Cable Triceps Extensions  3  10-15
 Face Pulls  3  10-15

Squat Workout #2
Shaw 6 Week Peak
Week Sets Reps
 Squats (Weekly Workout #2)
 Leg Extensions  4  10-12
 Planks  2  Max Time

Bench Workout #2
Shaw 6 Week Peak
Week Sets Reps
 Bench Press (Weekly Workout #2)
 Dumbbell Bench Press  2  10-12
 Bulldozer Laterals  3  10-12
 Close Grip Bench Press  3  10

Deadlift Workout #2
Shaw 6 Week Peak
Week Sets Reps
 Deadlifts (Weekly Workout #2)
 Leg Curls  3  10-12
 Ab Wheel Rollouts  2  10-15
 Lat Pull Downs or Pull Ups  3  10-15
 EZ Bar Cable Curls  3  10-12

Keep building

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Questions and results

14 comments

Running this program? Tell us what week you are on and how the progression is going. A coach answers every question here.

Comments are reviewed before they go live.

  1. Dominque August 07, 2019

    I dont understand are we doing 6-10 sets like the table at the top or are we doing 2-6 sets like the bottom table?

  2. Alejandro Coss MaltosApril 18, 2019

    Effective program. I’ve ran 4 times and resulted in increases of 15-20lb on squat/dead and 10-15lbs in bench

  3. LeVanFebruary 19, 2019

    I used this program last winter and it definitely worked for me. Made changes to the accessories, but left all the main lifts the same. My deadlift in particular went up 10% during my max attempt. So happy with the results that I’m going back on it again beginning of March. Took two months off (per Shaw’s recommendation) from heavy lifting after the program. Spending this time on maintaining (70% of 1RM) and on accessories I neglected during the program (RDLs, Barbell Rows).

  4. AmelFebruary 14, 2019

    Can anyone tell me how much i should rest in between the sets?

  5. Stan OstrovskiiJanuary 11, 2019

    I have another variation that I think makes sense: do the moderate deadlift after heavy squat and moderate squat after heavy deadlift. This could reduce the number of training days. What do you all think?

  6. DylanJanuary 11, 2019

    Just opened this page on desktop instead of mobile and got my answer

  7. DylanJanuary 11, 2019

    Question about how this program is written. The last few sets for each week only have one set/rep scheme. Does that mean it’s the same for “workout 1” vs “workout 2”, or are those sets only done on workout 2? For instance, week 1: is workout 1 only 6 sets and workout 2 is 10 sets? Or are both workout 10 sets?

  8. Derek JohannisJanuary 11, 2019

    Good stuff man. how did you do. Id love to hear your results David

  9. Derek JohannisJanuary 11, 2019

    Looks like an extreme program. However if someone is competing at a high level it most definitely will benefit them as they will probably need more sets and reps in their workout to make gains.

  10. Enoc MarreroJanuary 11, 2019

    Can this program be run more than 6 weeks?

  11. Travoris WashingtonJanuary 11, 2019

    This is the most extreme program i have ran. Its awesome though.. Its set up to push u to the limit an if u do it correctly without cheating u will have great benefits. I knew it was crazy so i ran week 1 twice to warm up but im in my 2nd week an boy its better than high school football spring training. This split is amazing an the way the workouts are made u will have to push every set on workouts #2..if u dont like soreness, pain, or results don’t run this program because i walk around sore most days from it but im loving it. Try this u will love it. For best results get a up to date 1 rep PR

    Thank u guys for this awesome program . I will keep yall up dated..

  12. David GrubJanuary 11, 2019

    Using this going into a meet, April 16. Wikk Let you know

  13. richard newfieldJanuary 11, 2019

    Nice program

  14. Brennen PachecoJanuary 11, 2019

    It’s a pretty good idea to utilize multiple training modalities, that way your body doesn’t get used to what your doing and stops adapting

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