r/powerbuilding

I miss when getting stronger was basically just eat more and add weight to the bar lol.

I’m still making progress, just not like I used to. Training is pretty consistent, sleep is decent, protein is covered and I already take creatine. Starting to wonder if there’s anything else worth adding for strength or recovery.

Not trying to build some insane 10 supplement stack. What’s one thing you guys actually keep buying because you notice a difference when you take it?

Focusing on getting front squat and deadlift strength up this block, does this look like overdoing it for the CNS?

Day 1: 

• Front squat variation - work up to top set of 1-3@RPE 8.5-9 + backoff sets of 4-6x2-3@RPE 6
• RDL’s 2x6-10 double progression with a few RIR 
• Upper body accessories

 

Day 2: 

• Deadlift (also rotate variations. Deficit, beltless, paused off floor, and snatch grip) work up to a top set of 1-5@RPE 8.5-9 + 2-3x5@RPE 5-6 backoff sets. 
• Tempo paused front squats (20 total reps focusing on quality squat pattern )
•  Upper body pressing

 

Day 3: 

• Front squat variation - work up to top set of 1-3@RPE 8.5-9 + backoff sets of 4-6x2-3@RPE 6
• RDL’s 2x6-10 double progression with a few RIR 
• Upper accessories

 

I go to the gym at a three day basis (one day full-body, one day lower-body and one day upper-body) and use the leg-press twice a week in that basis.

I worked in with a friend often and we did our workout plans together and they started with the leg press. They suggested me to add more weights and now I press 170kg (planning to add more since I rep it 10 times each set), which really tires me out afterwards.

Yesterday however, when I did full-body, I started with other practices like biceps curls since the machine was being used by multiple people working in with each other and I reached the same results as when I start with it.

TL:DR

The leg press tires me out and I can't do my other practices without dropping my sets near the end.

How should I organize a 4‑day program for building muscle mass?

I’ve been training for about 2.5 years and want to focus on both strength and hypertrophy.

I can train 4 days a week. My main goal is to become stronger in basic compound exercises while simultaneously building muscle mass and developing a V‑shaped physique.

I’m considering a 4‑day program based on PPL or a PPL + DUP approach, but I’m not sure which would be better.

How would you organize a 4‑day muscle‑building program?

How should I allocate the days, choose the exercises, set the weekly volume, the number of repetitions, and the sequence of exercises?

Please forgive any awkward phrasing, as I am using a translation tool.

I purchased and am currently following Austin Perkins' "PERK'S PEAK POWERLIFTING PROGRAM PT.2," but I have run into a few things I don't quite understand.

(Since it is a paid program, I will avoid discussing specific details.)

His program specifies weights using formats like "80% of 1RM or RPE 6." I am not very familiar with RPE, so I have been following the percentage-based weight guidelines.

For example, with a bench press set of "80% of 1RM x [reps]," I might manage the first set; however, because the movement requires a one-second pause (competition-style bench press), the prescribed 180-second rest period isn't enough for me to recover. By the third set, my rep count drops drastically, and I am unable to complete the workout as prescribed.

The same thing happens with accessory exercises that call for a one-minute rest; my rep count falls significantly by the third set.

In this situation, should I lower the weight progressively based on RPE, set the weight lower from the start, or extend the rest periods? Or is this simply a case of me lacking the necessary strength?

Hello everyone,

Hope you are doing well

27M, looking for feedback on my current training split.

Number of reps and sets

I usually do 3 sets per exercise at around 1 RIR. I try to add 1 rep each week at each set, then increase the weight at the beginning of each month.

Day 1 + Day 4 - Push + Quads

• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
• Chest Press Machine
• Lateral Raises
• Shoulder Press
• Triceps Pushdown
• Leg Extension
• Leg Press

Day 2 + Day 5 - Pull + Hamstrings

• Low Seated Row (close or wide grip)
• Lat Pulldown
• Reverse Butterfly machine
• Back Extension
• Biceps Rotation Curls
• Leg Curl
• Calf Raises
• Adductor Machine

Day 3 - Legs + Mix

• Leg Press
• Leg Curl
• Leg Extension
• Calf Raises
• Lateral Raises
• Shoulder Press
• Biceps Rotation Curls
• Triceps Pushdown

 

I prefer this setup over a traditional PPL UL . I sometimes train after work, and if I’m exhausted for a Pull session, for example, I don’t want that to affect whether I get my second Push session of the week.

I only have one dedicated full leg day, but I also train quads on Push days and hamstrings on Pull days.

Just to clarify, I’m not looking to completely replacing this routine with a different split or a ready-made program. I like this structure, I’m progressing on these exercises, and I’m comfortable with their technique. I’m mainly looking for small adjustments — moving, adding, removing or possibly replacing an exercise if it would make the program more balanced.

 

Does this look balanced in terms of weekly volume, frequency and recovery? What small adjustments would you make without completely changing the structure of the routine?

Thank you all in advance for your feedback

Like it just makes sense to me. Your biceps or some other small and accessory upper body muscles get tired on your push day and you need some of them on pull day so i thought leaving 2 recovery days between the two would be better than the traditional pplr repeat. And i already know pplr is as efficient(or more efficient) than pplpplr cause it gives your body nearly the same stimulus with better recovery.

What you guys think?

I am currently at 335. Don't specifically trained for it. I have had a 385 Bench in the past, but I was younger and much heavier. I have gotten a 540 Squat and 660 Dead, and just feel like I'm missing out on not having a 4 plate bench (maybe stupid, but whatever).

I am currently looking at Smolov Jr to help get me there, but just open to hearing any other processes or methods that worked for you in the past.

Thanks.

Hey there I m 24M just started gym 6 months ago now familiar about compound lifts and some other basic machines current body weight is 83kg height 5'10 struggling with loose belly fat love handles but now I want to lift like a power lifter and muscles like body builder (not very giant but a decent physique like I am able to go shirtless on beaches and run around 5- 10 km) .

So if someone knows a practical program of building strength as well as muscles please do reply .

Hey, how could I add more biceps exercises to tsa program the less stupid way please?

I really like the program, I enjoy the powerlifting stuff but the main focus obviously is 2 legs and 1 push exercises (Yes it is more complicated than that I just want to give an idea of what I miss there).

That said I really miss the joy of curling biceps. I previously did Jeff Nippard's powerbuilding program. I liked it overall but found it frustrating about not pushing enough on SBD movements which made me switch to a full power program.

Now I've touched both I'd like to make my own program. Would it make sense to add diverse curl exercises to each day? Or just some days? Would you make them an end of the workout thing, or follow the tsa pattern with some heavy days, some high rep days?

Hi everyone,

I mostly train in a bodybuilding manner, the usual stuff: 5+reps with a mix of compounds and isolations on machine/free weights. I currently follow a split that typically goes like this: Legs-Push-Pull-Rest-Legs-Upper-Rest.

Bench has always been in my routine but now I want to prioritize it for perhaps a couple months so I can increase the load. I was doing it for 2 sets on push day only with 1 set at 5-8 reps and 1 set at 8-10.

I realize now this isn't enough weekly volume to make meaningful progress in terms of load so taking into account the rest of my workouts I decided I can go for 3 sets on the push day and 3 more sets on the upper day, I do warm-up sets up to my working sets. However, where I'm struggling is how to structure the working sets? A couple caveats: my gym doesn't have safeties and the smallest plates are 2.5kg. My initial thought was 1 set at 3-5 followed by two back-off sets around 6-8 on push day and then 3x6-8 on the upper day for just technique work,increase the weight once I get 5 clean reps on the heavier set. What do you think? I'm a rookie when it comes to strength gains ,quite frankly, so any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

First time on this subreddit and only trying to have some questions answered since it's been bogging my mind for half a year already. Basically around November last year, i went for a PR on the deadlift, and easily lifted 180kg and 200kg, then after the following weeks, i noticed that my strength has declined, since i deadlifted 200kg without a proper powerlifting program, i just thought it was because my CNS was fried so i just thought i should recover, not until like later the next year, i never got close to deadlifting even 170kg for reps so i started wondering what happened, but my squat and bench are slowly progressing, so naturally i just thought i needed to opt for a program and a deload but even after that it was the same, now im starting to doubt myself if i can even hit numbers again. If anyone can please know and tell why it's like this

Very much appreciated.

Pretty self explanatory as title says... i sprained my wrist arm wrestling and now need to take time off- roughly how long should I take off from lifting?

trying to pick up a few ancillary/recovery items and was looking at kits4less, but the checkout process seems a bit annoying.

for anyone who has bought from them recently, what payment options are actually working right now? is it strictly crypto or do they have another way to pay that actually goes through?

searched around a bit but could not find a clear recent answer. thanks :)

I am 38 inch not sure to go for medium or large. I never owned a powerlifting belt before so i am not sure.

Size	Fits Stomach (cm)	Fits Stomach (Inches)
XS	62 - 82	24 - 32
S	72 - 92	28 - 36
M	82 - 102	32 - 40
L	92 - 112	36 - 44
XL	102 - 122	40 - 48
2XL	112 - 132	44 - 52
3XL	122 - 142	48 - 56

Hey all, i was practicing squatting ATG, and I realized that my groin is always holding me back. I realized that my adductors are weak…

Background:
Today I was training for ATG form on back barbell squats. One set I did 135x10, and the next after a 2m rest I did 135 x 4, because I felt suddenly very uncomfortable around my groin.

So I decided to use the adductor machine, and dear god I can only do 20lbs & my legs shake on each rep.

I run semi-often (usually 5 to 8k 2x week) and hit the squat 2 times a week. Usually strength training 1 day and later in the week hypertrophy or form work.

I’ve been trying to follow the PHAT routine. Still figuring it out.

Question:
I now want to add a side focus on strengthening my adductors. Any advice? I’m wondering how often would be ideal to train it, and any exercises recommended?

anyone who has tried smolov jr for their bench, how do you know if the soreness you’re feeling is normal or dangerous? seems to be progressively getting worse set by set and scared of pec tear so i ended my 2nd week 8x4 early. i dont think im well acclimated to this volume

I am 19 years old and have been going to the gym for 1.8 years, though I was inconsistent last summer because I went on vacation for 3 months. I worked out as much as possible and gained a great amount of muscle, moving from 54 kg to 72 kg at a height of 1.73 m. Over the past 3 months, I cut down to 69 kg.

The problem is that I cannot get my abs to look visible when relaxed. Even when I was skinny, my abs and veins were not visible, whereas I noticed that most skinny people used to have visible abs and veins at a low weight. Is my set point too high? I feel like I have a great chest, arms, and back, but my lower abs and hips are still a bit soft. If I had to estimate, I would say I am around 14 to 15% body fat.

I have been in a calorie deficit for months now, but I have only lost 3 kg of fat. My diet mostly depends on what my mother cooks because I am starting university and do not have enough money to buy my own food. However, my mother is aware of my goals, so she cooks healthy food for me most of the time.

I only started training my abs when I realized I needed them to look more aesthetic. I have been training them every other day for the past 3 months, and I feel like the hypertrophy work is starting to pay off.

How do i run hepburn method while benching thrice a week i know there is a power phase and a pump phase but i just want to bench 3x a week

Why am I gaining weight so rapidly?

For context, I was in a cut for about 6 months, losing 1-2lbs a week, eating about 1750kcal a day on average (quite a decent deficit), and have now started a lean bulk, at about 2300kcals with slightly reduced exercise (shouldn't affect too much). I've gained 3kg (7lbs) in about a week, which seems insane.

I have let loose a little bit with deserts and whatnot because I just ended my cut, but am still UNDER 2300kcals tracked every day. How could this be?

Obviously it's not all bodyfat, but where the hell is this weight going, I'm just not educated enough to understand, and am seeking knowledge! Thanks in advance.