Powerbuilding program guide and free spreadsheet
Intermediate · 4 days a week · Until progress stalls · A heavy lift each day, then bodybuilding work for size
A four-day week built on a heavy squat, bench, deadlift and press, each followed by size work, for lifters who want to get stronger and look it.
Free. The spreadsheet needs no account.
How Powerbuilding program works
A powerbuilding program mixes powerlifting and bodybuilding. Lift Vault describes it as a combination of the two methods, aiming to raise maximal strength while also building size. The shared shape across guides is a heavy compound lift first, then lighter, higher-rep work for the muscles that lift trains.
Our version gives each day one main lift. Monday is squat for 5 sets of 3, then leg press, leg curls and calf raises. Tuesday is bench press for 5 sets of 3, then dumbbell rows, incline dumbbell press, lateral raises and pushdowns. Thursday is deadlift for 4 sets of 3, then front squats and split squats. Friday is overhead press for 4 sets of 5, then close-grip bench, face pulls and curls. The in-app templates also include hanging leg raises on Thursday and pull-ups on Friday; the sample week leaves those out because it needs a load to calculate.
The heavy work sits in the 3 to 5 rep range, in line with the 3 to 5 reps Lift Vault gives for heavy squats. After that, the guides agree that intensity goes down and volume goes up. BarBend puts intermediate accessories at 8 to 12 reps, and our size work runs 8 to 15.
Lift Vault says most powerbuilding programs run 3 to 5 sessions a week, and BarBend suggests 4 days for intermediates. We chose four so each big lift gets its own day with room to recover.
Heavy sets should leave a rep or two in reserve. BarBend puts strength work at an effort of 8 to 9 out of 10 and hypertrophy work at 7 to 8. Save the hard grinding for your last size set, not the heavy lift.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Every set uses the same weight, the one you can lift for the written reps.
Squat day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Squat | 5 x 3 |
| Leg press | 3 x 10 |
| Leg curl | 3 x 12 |
| Calf raise | 3 x 12 |
Bench day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Bench press | 5 x 3 |
| Dumbbell row | 4 x 10 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 x 10 |
| Lateral raise | 3 x 15 |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 x 12 |
Deadlift day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Deadlift | 4 x 3 |
| Front squat | 3 x 8 |
| Split squat | 3 x 10 |
Press day
| Lift | Sets and reps |
|---|---|
| Overhead press | 4 x 5 |
| Close-grip bench press | 3 x 8 |
| Face pull | 3 x 15 |
| Barbell curl | 3 x 10 |
Progression and stall rules
Main lifts: add weight when every rep lands
Our rule: when you finish all sets of the heavy lift with a rep or two to spare, add the smallest jump next session. The sheet adds a fixed amount per session. Real lifters will stall sooner on the heavy lift than the sheet suggests, so treat it as a ceiling, not a promise.
Size lifts: reps first, then weight
Pick a weight in the middle of the range and move up once you hit the top of the range on every set. This double progression is one of the methods BarBend lists for accessories. The rep ranges are ours.
Stall rule
Our default: if the heavy lift fails to progress for 3 sessions in a row, cut the weight by about 10% and build back up. Lift Vault and BarBend give no single stall rule, so this is ours.
Deload
BarBend suggests a deload at about 55 to 65 percent of your strength-day loads. Our default is a lighter week whenever your bar speed and joints tell you to, or about every 6 to 8 weeks. That timing is ours.
Check in every 12 to 16 weeks
No source sets an end date. We suggest reviewing your plan every 12 to 16 weeks, keeping it while the weights climb and changing a lift or two when most of them have stopped moving. That window is our own default.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
| Lift | Sets per week |
|---|---|
| Squat | 5 |
| Leg press | 3 |
| Leg curl | 3 |
| Calf raise | 3 |
| Bench press | 5 |
| Dumbbell row | 4 |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 |
| Lateral raise | 3 |
| Triceps pushdown | 3 |
| Deadlift | 4 |
| Front squat | 3 |
| Split squat | 3 |
| Overhead press | 4 |
| Close-grip bench press | 3 |
| Face pull | 3 |
| Barbell curl | 3 |
Who it suits
A good fit
- Intermediate lifters who have used up easy beginner progress and want both a stronger total and more muscle.
- Anyone who can train four days a week and enjoys a clear heavy lift to start each session.
- Lifters who find pure strength programs too thin on arms, shoulders and legs, or pure bodybuilding splits too light on the big lifts.
Look elsewhere if
- True beginners who can still add weight every workout on a simpler full-body plan. Start there first.
- Competitive powerlifters peaking for a meet. The size work takes recovery that a peaking block needs for the main lifts.
- Anyone who cannot train four days a week or sleep and eat enough to recover from this volume.
Common mistakes
Treating accessories as optional filler
The size work is half of the program. If you only do the heavy lift and leave, you are running a low-volume strength plan with a lot of idle time.
Grinding every set to failure
Heavy sets that end in failure leave you flat for the size work and the next session. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the main lift and save the close-to-failure sets for the end of accessories.
Letting accessory weights drift
Without a log, curls and raises stay the same for months. Write the weight and reps down and beat last session, as Lift Vault stresses tracking performance.
Adding weight too fast on the heavy lift
Jumping 5 lb every session works for a few weeks, not a year. If reps slow or form slips, repeat the weight. The sheet's fixed jump is a ceiling.
Skipping the deadlift day warm-up
Deadlift day follows two days of squat and bench volume. Ramp up with lighter sets and keep your first heavy set honest.
Cutting calories hard while chasing PRs
Lift Vault notes powerbuilders often restrict fat and carbs to manage net calories. Overdoing it can undercut the strength and recovery the program relies on.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Weight you use for your working sets. The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Squat day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 185 |
| 2 | 3 | 185 |
| 3 | 3 | 185 |
| 4 | 3 | 185 |
| 5 | 3 | 185 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 270 |
| 2 | 10 | 270 |
| 3 | 10 | 270 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 70 |
| 2 | 12 | 70 |
| 3 | 12 | 70 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 95 |
| 2 | 12 | 95 |
| 3 | 12 | 95 |
Bench day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 135 |
| 2 | 3 | 135 |
| 3 | 3 | 135 |
| 4 | 3 | 135 |
| 5 | 3 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 45 |
| 2 | 10 | 45 |
| 3 | 10 | 45 |
| 4 | 10 | 45 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 40 |
| 2 | 10 | 40 |
| 3 | 10 | 40 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 15 |
| 2 | 15 | 15 |
| 3 | 15 | 15 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 50 |
| 2 | 12 | 50 |
| 3 | 12 | 50 |
Deadlift day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 225 |
| 2 | 3 | 225 |
| 3 | 3 | 225 |
| 4 | 3 | 225 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 135 |
| 2 | 8 | 135 |
| 3 | 8 | 135 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 45 |
| 2 | 10 | 45 |
| 3 | 10 | 45 |
Press day
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 85 |
| 2 | 5 | 85 |
| 3 | 5 | 85 |
| 4 | 5 | 85 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | 115 |
| 2 | 8 | 115 |
| 3 | 8 | 115 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 40 |
| 2 | 15 | 40 |
| 3 | 15 | 40 |
| Set | Reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 65 |
| 2 | 10 | 65 |
| 3 | 10 | 65 |
The spreadsheet
The file has three sheets: your numbers, the full week with every weight as a formula, and a progress table that carries the weights forward. It opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice. The weights in the link below use the numbers you typed above.
Open it in Google Sheets
- Download the .xlsx file above.
- Go to Google Drive and choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
- Double-click the uploaded file and choose Open with Google Sheets.
- Choose File, then Save as Google Sheets so you can edit it.
Want the weights to follow you into the gym? Create a free account and the program loads into Train for you.
How it compares
Powerbuilding program vs PHAT
PHAT also mixes strength and size but across five days, with two power days and three volume days. This plan trains one heavy lift and its size work in every session instead. Read the PHAT guide.
Powerbuilding program vs PHUL
PHUL gives two power days and two hypertrophy days in a four-day week. Here, every day has a heavy lift first and size work after, so each big lift has its own day. Read the PHUL guide.
Load Powerbuilding program into Train and log each session against the plan.
Start it in Symmetric StrengthCommon questions
What is a powerbuilding program?
Powerbuilding mixes powerlifting and bodybuilding. You train a heavy compound lift in low reps, then follow it with higher-rep accessories to build muscle. Lift Vault describes it as chasing strength and size in the same block.
How many days a week should I do a powerbuilding workout?
Lift Vault says most programs run 3 to 5 days a week. BarBend suggests 3 for beginners, 4 for intermediates and 4 to 5 for advanced lifters. This guide uses 4.
What rep ranges does powerbuilding use?
Heavy main lifts usually sit in 3 to 5 reps. Accessories commonly run 6 to 12, with isolation work higher. BarBend lists accessories at 8 to 15 reps for beginners, 8 to 12 for intermediates and 6 to 12 for advanced lifters.
How do I progress on a powerbuilding program?
On the main lift, add the smallest jump when you finish every set with reps in reserve. On accessories, use double progression: pick a weight in the middle of the range and add weight once you hit the top of the range on every set. BarBend also describes adding one rep per workout for four weeks, then a small jump.
Can a beginner do powerbuilding?
New lifters tend to gain strength and size together on simpler plans, which Lift Vault notes for every new trainee. Start with a basic full-body program and move to powerbuilding when your weekly progress slows.
How is this different from PHUL or PHAT?
PHUL and PHAT split the week into power days and size days. This program puts both in every session: one heavy lift, then size work behind it. That gives each big lift its own day, at the cost of longer workouts.
Is there a free powerbuilding spreadsheet?
Yes. Enter your working weights for each lift above and the sheet builds a four-day week and a .xlsx download you can track in.
Know where you stand
Before you start, check how your lifts compare on the strength standards, estimate a max with the one-rep max calculator, or score your total with the DOTS calculator.
Sources and credit
This is Symmetric Strength's own powerbuilding program. The general method follows how Lift Vault and BarBend describe powerbuilding, and the exercises, sets and progression rules are our own choices. Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Lift Vault or BarBend.
- What is powerbuilding (Lift Vault)
- Powerbuilding programs list (Lift Vault)
- Powerbuilding workout routine (BarBend)
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Lift Vault or BarBend. Program names are used only to identify the programs.