A 7-week repeatable cycle for competitive or non-competitive powerlifters. Six loading weeks build squat, bench, and deadlift through alternating intensity and volume days. Week 7 is a sharp deload that drops you onto a meet or back into the next cycle.
Programmed by Andy Baker. Co-author, Practical Programming for Strength Training and The Barbell Prescription.
Twelve weeks of programming you can pin to the rack. Here is what is in the PDF, in the order you will read it.
Power-building means the main lifts go up while the assistance work fills the shirt. Three things make that possible.
Intensity days work up to a heavy single, double, or triple at 90% or above. Volume days hit 75–85% for sets of 4 to 6. Pairing the two patterns through a 7-week wave is what lets the program load hard without grinding the lifter into the floor.
Week 7 is a sharp deload. Drop a competition onto the end of it and arrive sharp. No meet on the calendar? Take the rest week, take 1–2 easy weeks, then run the cycle again with new training maxes.
Run it as a RAW powerlifting cycle (squat, bench, deadlift) or swap to a strength-lifting cycle (squat, deadlift, overhead press). The template tells you exactly how to keep the bench or overhead press moving on the alternate-week intensity slot when both lifts matter.
The 8s week, taken straight from the program. Week two drops to 3×5 on the main lifts, week three to 3×2. Loads, rotation rules, and the full reset protocol live in the PDF.
Bench Intensity
Testing
Squat Intensity
Testing
Bench Press
Volume
Squat
Volume
Verbatim from Week 1 of the powerlifting cycle · weeks 2–7, strength-lifting variant, and 3-day rollover in the PDF
Coach · 2005 — Now 
Volume-cycled Texas Method for more sustained progress. The intermediate template from Practical Programming, refined for real lifters.
Two programs in one: a ten-week 3 or 4-day split, plus a five-week peaking block for meet prep.
A complete 5-day plan for mass, strength, and physique. Built on the 8-5-2 cycle to keep the squat, bench, deadlift, and press progressing year-round.
The Baker Barbell Club is the recurring side of the same coaching practice. New programming every week, written by Andy, delivered Sunday. 400+ members. $27 a month. Cancel any time.
You will get an email with a download link to the PDF after checkout. Save it to your phone, your laptop, or print it. There is no login, no app, and no expiring access.
No. The 7-week cycle works whether or not you have a competition on the calendar. With a meet, drop it onto the end of Week 7. Without one, take the deload week, take 1–2 easy weeks, and start the cycle over.
Yes. The PDF includes a 3-day rollover for lifters who need an extra recovery day or have scheduling issues. The 4-day cadence is the default.
Both. The same template runs as a RAW powerlifting cycle (squat, bench, deadlift) or as a strength-lifting cycle (squat, deadlift, overhead press). The PDF spells out the swaps and how to keep the off-focus pressing lift progressing.
No. It is written for intermediate-to-advanced lifters with a base of barbell training already in place. The program is calibrated off real 1RMs tested in Week 1, so you need to be at a point where testing a true max is appropriate.
The Texas Method runs an intensity day every week. The KSC Method for RAW Powerlifting cycles intensity and volume across 7 weeks so true 90%+ work shows up less often. Most lifters find this cycle easier to recover from while still driving the same lifts up.
Because programs are delivered as digital PDFs, sales are final. If you have a question about whether this is the right program for you, email Andy before you buy.