IntermediateFree

12 week intermediate PL Prep

Intermediate powerlifting program balancing strength and size.

Ethan M.· Feb 2026

iOS & Android

Overview

Length

12 weeks

Days / week

4 days

Level

Intermediate

Goal

Strength, Muscle

Equipment

Full Gym

Session length

90 min

Building a strong base with a Matt Vena inspired progression scheme. Solid base of strength work while also including plenty of accessory/hypertrophy work. The main accessories are made for lifters aiming for more muscular and technique changes. Swaps for your personal weak points can be great as well, Such as snatch grip deadlifts as opposed to RDLs, Tempo squats in place of the high bar squats, or even other bench accesories like close grip or Spotto on either the Larson press or long pause bench day. This program is meant to be leading you into a powerlifting meet/test day, with a proper powerlifting peak while maintaining muscle hypertrophy especially in the back and shoulders. I've included a variety of RPE and Percentage based structure to allow for some auto regulation such as with the tempo bench on day 2. Overall, don't grossly overestimate your 1rms going into this program, ideally use something you've hit in a meet. If you hit previous 1rms for RPE 8 singles use those for the new calculations. (BE SURE IT WAS TRULY AN RPE 8 IF YOU DO THIS). This most likely happens with newer lifters as well as people going up one or more weight classes. Overall, enjoy this well thought out program combining strength and hypertrophy, Leading into a meet!

Who it's for

Intermediate athletes ready for a structured program

Athletes focused on gaining both size and strength

Athletes who can train 4 days per week

Athletes with access to a full gym (barbells, dumbbells, cables, and machines)

Muscle engagement

Front

Back

Quadriceps

12.1%

Glutes

12.1%

Hamstrings

12.1%

Triceps

11.7%

Front Delts

10.2%

Chest

7.8%

Abs

6.9%

Biceps

5.4%

Upper Back

4.9%

Lats

4.4%

Middle Delts

3.6%

Adductors

3.2%

Lower Back

2.9%

Forearms

1.8%

Rear Delts

1.1%

Week 1 Workouts

#	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Load
1	Larsen Press (Barbell)	1	6 reps	66%*
		1	6 reps	66%*
		1	6 reps	66%*
2	Bench Press (Dumbbell)	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
3	Squat (Barbell)	1	4 reps	73%
		1	4 reps	73%
		1	4 reps	73%
4	High Bar Squat (Barbell)	1	2 reps	70%*
		1	2 reps	70%*
		1	2 reps	70%*
5	Hammer Curl (Dumbbell)	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
6	Lateral Raise (Dumbbell)	1	10–15 reps	@10
		1	10–15 reps	@8
		1	10–15 reps	@8
7	Cable Crunch	1	15–20 reps	@10
		1	15–20 reps	@10

* 1RM of Bench Press (Barbell)* 1RM of Squat (Barbell)

#	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Load
1	Tempo Bench Press	1	1 rep	@6
		1	2 reps	@6
		1	2 reps	@6
2	Deadlift (Barbell)	1	4 reps	70%
		1	4 reps	70%
		1	4 reps	70%
3	Romanian Deadlift (Barbell)	1	6 reps	@6
		1	6 reps	@6
4	T-Bar Row	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
5	Lat Pulldown	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
6	Tricep Rope Push Down (Cable)	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
		1	8 reps	@8
7	High-Low Cable Rotation	1	12 reps	@7
		1	12 reps	@7

#	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Load
1	Bench Press (Barbell)	1	1 rep	@6
2	Bench Press (Barbell)	1	2 reps	78%
		1	2 reps	78%
		1	2 reps	78%
3	Long Pause Bench Press	1	2 reps	74%*
		1	2 reps	74%*
4	Squat (Barbell)	1	1 rep	@6
5	Squat (Barbell)	1	2 reps	78%
		1	2 reps	78%
		1	2 reps	78%
6	Squat (Paused)	1	2 reps	74%*
		1	2 reps	74%*
7	Lu Raise	1	15–20 reps	@10
		1	15–20 reps	@8
8	Overhead Tricep Extension (Cable)	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
9	Preacher Curl (Machine)	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8

* 1RM of Bench Press (Barbell)* 1RM of Squat (Barbell)

#	Exercise	Sets	Reps	Load
1	Deadlift (Barbell)	1	1 rep	@6
2	Deadlift (Barbell)	1	2 reps	78%
		1	2 reps	78%
		1	2 reps	78%
3	Deadlift (Paused)	1	2 reps	74%*
		1	2 reps	74%*
4	Wide Grip Lat Pulldown	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8
5	Kroc Row	1	10–15 reps	@10
		1	10–15 reps	@10
6	Seated Overhead Press (Barbell)	1	6 reps	@7
		1	6 reps	@7
7	Bicep Curl (Cable)	1	6 reps	@10
		1	6 reps	@8
8	Zottman Curl	1	8 reps	@10
		1	8 reps	@8

* 1RM of Deadlift (Barbell)

Weeks 2–12 are in the app

Download Boostcamp to follow the full program with auto-progression and built-in coaching notes.

Common questions

Yes, 12 week intermediate PL Prep is completely free to follow on Boostcamp. Download the app on iOS or Android, find the program, and start your first workout immediately. All 12 weeks are fully unlocked.

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.

Each session typically takes around 90 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.

12 week intermediate PL Prep is structured around 4 training days per week, with rest days built in to allow for recovery. The Boostcamp app lets you reschedule sessions if your week doesn't go to plan.

The program runs for 12 weeks. The structure is designed so that each week builds on the last, with weights, volume, or intensity progressively increasing as you go.

12 week intermediate PL Prep is available inside the Boostcamp app, free on iOS and Android. Once you download the app, you can search for the program by name. The app tracks all your sets and weights automatically, so you always know exactly what to do next session.

Get started

1,000+ free programsStrength, hypertrophy, powerlifting and more, from elite coaches. All free.

Auto-progressionWeights and targets update automatically based on how you perform.

Coaching notesBuilt-in cues from the creator inside every workout session.

Progress trackingLog every set and see your strength gains over weeks and months.

Advanced analyticsTrack volume, intensity, and 1RM trends to see exactly how your training is evolving.

Free on iOS & Android