LizTess Advanced Powerlifting Program
Build muscle, gain strength, and peak for new PRs with this structured 12-week powerlifting program. Progress with purpose—lift heavy, lift smart.
Overview
A structured 12-week powerlifting program designed to build muscle, increase strength, and peak for new PRs. This program is broken into three distinct phases—hypertrophy, strength, and peaking—ensuring you develop a solid foundation before testing your maxes. Each week consists of four training days, prioritizing squat, bench press, and deadlift, with strategically programmed volume and intensity to maximize gains.
Who Is This Program For?
Intermediate to advanced lifters looking to improve their powerlifting total.
Lifters who want a balanced mix of volume and intensity to drive progression.
Anyone who benefits from structured programming with clear progression while allowing some flexibility with RPE adjustments.
Program Structure
Weeks 1-4 (Hypertrophy Phase): Higher rep ranges to build muscle and reinforce movement patterns.
Weeks 5-8 (Strength Phase): Increased intensity to transition from hypertrophy to heavier loads.
Weeks 9-12 (Peaking Phase): Lower reps, higher intensity to prepare for a PR attempt in week 12.
Week 13 (Deload): Reduced intensity and volume to allow recovery before restarting the cycle.
Training Split (4 Days per Week)
Day 1: Heavy Squat + Bench
Day 2: Heavy Deadlift + Bench
Day 3: Volume Squat + Bench
Day 4: Volume Deadlift + Bench
Key Features
✔ Percentages based on 1RM with RPE guidelines for autoregulation.
✔ Progressive overload built in—each phase builds toward peaking.
✔ Accessory work included to reinforce movement patterns and address weak points.
✔ Clear guidelines on rest times and tracking progress for optimal results.
This program is ideal for lifters who want a straightforward, effective approach to powerlifting with structured progression, while still allowing for individual adjustments based on RPE. Commit to the process, track your progress, and be ready to hit new PRs.
Who it's for
Reviews
Lower weight.. higher reps.. great for "off time" with a competitive powerlifting schedule
48-year-old male. Bench press: 115→120 Squat: 197.5→200 Deadlift: 215→227.5 I was struggling to make progress and starting to think it wasn't going to happen, but I managed to set new records with this program. I think it's a fantastic program.
Great program, surprisingly squat strength increase by 10 lbs. still got to finish week 12 of program but so far great results. highly recommend this program, but if youre not use to frequent bench pressing, joints will kind of hurt for a bit. But still good program overall.
Very good strength program and excellent choice if you want to specialize in the bench press. Pay close attention to the RPE suggestions, or this program will wear you down. I would suggest running in a calorie surplus. I went up 10 to 15 pounds on the big three and got noticeably more muscular while losing a couple of pounds as I was eating in a slight deficit. Still have a couple of weeks to increase numbers. Would highly recommend.
Muscle engagement
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squat (Barbell) | 4 | 6 reps | @6–7 |
| 2 | Bench Press (Barbell) | 4 | 8 reps | @6–7 |
| 3 | Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 8 reps | — |
| 4 | Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 10 reps | — |
| 5 | Dead Bug | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deadlift (Barbell) | 4 | 5 reps | @6–7 |
| 2 | Bench Press (Close Grip) | 4 | 8 reps | @6 |
| 3 | Seated Row (Cable) | 4 | 10 reps | — |
| 4 | Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell) | 3 | 10 reps | — |
| Superset | ||||
| 5A | Bicep Curl (Dumbbell) | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| 5B | Tricep Extension (Cable) | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| 6 | Back Extension (Weighted) | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squat (Barbell) | 5 | 4 reps | @5–6 |
| 2 | Bench Press (Barbell) | 5 | 5 reps | @6 |
| 3 | Leg Press | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| 4 | Overhead Press (Dumbbell) | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| 5 | Plank | 3 | 1 min | — |
| # | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deadlift (Barbell) | 4 | 6 reps | @5–6 |
| 2 | Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 8 reps | @5–6 |
| 3 | Pull-Up (Weighted) | 4 | 8 reps | — |
| Superset | ||||
| 4A | Rear Delt Fly (Dumbbell) | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| 4B | Lateral Raise (Dumbbell) | 3 | 12 reps | — |
| 5 | Hamstring Curl | 3 | 12 reps | — |
Weeks 2–13 are in the app
Download Boostcamp to follow the full program with auto-progression and built-in coaching notes.
The coach
I know firsthand how intimidating it can be to start working out and trying to make lifestyle changes. When I was in high school and through most of my 20s, I was clueless when it came to exercise and didn't know where to start. The free weight area of the gym was intimidating to me. I didn't have any knowledge or any guidance on the work I needed to do to get results. This led to a cycle of excitedly buying a gym membership, going once or twice to walk on the treadmill, then eventually canceling the membership. I spent years wasting time and money. I've sculpted my career around helping other people avoid that fate. I'm here to guide you through every step of your fitness journey. Whether you're brand new to exercise or are an experienced athlete looking to take your training to the next level, I am here to provide the support and guidance that you need.
Common questions
LizTess Advanced Powerlifting Program is a paid program available inside the Boostcamp app. You can browse the full week 1 schedule here for free, then purchase inside the app to unlock all 13 weeks with auto-progression and coaching notes included.
This program is built around a full gym. Make sure you have consistent access before starting, since the progression model assumes you can perform the same movements week over week. If you're missing something, the Boostcamp app includes substitution suggestions inside each workout.
Each session typically takes around 75 minutes to complete. That estimate covers your working sets but doesn't account for warm-up or rest between sets, so budget a little extra time when you're first learning the movements. As you get familiar with the program, sessions tend to move faster.
LizTess Advanced Powerlifting Program is structured around 4 training days per week, with rest days built in to allow for recovery. Consistent rest is as important as the training itself. Skipping rest days can stall your progress. The app lets you reschedule sessions if your week doesn't go to plan.
The program runs for 13 weeks. The structure is designed so that each week builds on the last, with weights, volume, or intensity progressively increasing as you go. Many athletes choose to repeat the program after finishing, either at a higher starting weight or with a different variation.
LizTess Advanced Powerlifting Program is available inside the Boostcamp app, free on iOS and Android. Once you download the app, you can search for the program by name or find it on the coach's profile. The app tracks all your sets and weights automatically, so you always know exactly what to do next session.
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