Pure Power Mag 16-week Squat Routine
Based on a 104 kg (229 lbs) lifter with a 140 kg (309 lbs) training max and a 140 kg (309 lbs) competition max we get the following cycle. Kilograms are rounded to the nearest 2.5 kg.
Notation: sets x reps @ weight (% of max).
bw = bodyweight, CFmax = competition squat max, TFmax = training squat max
CYCLE 1 (Weeks 1-7)
The goal of this cycle is to push up your raw lifting abilities. If you need to use a belt try to limit that to weights of 80% or more. No other supportive powerlifting equipment should be worn in this phase.
Week 1
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 8x2 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax), 1 @ 105kg (75% TFmax) |
| Paused Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 4x4 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Lunge warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 5x3 @ 72.5kg (70% bw) |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 5x2 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 4x6 |
Week 2
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 7x2 @ 105kg (75% TFmax), 1 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax) |
| Paused Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 2x3 @ 95kg (67% TFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Lunge warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 5x4 @ 72.5kg (70% bw) |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 5x2 @ 105kg (75% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 4x6 |
Week 3
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 5x2 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax), 1 @ 120kg (85% TFmax) |
| Paused Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 2x3 @ 95kg (68% TFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Lunge warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 5x4 @ 77.5kg (75% bw) |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 5x2 @ 105kg (75% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 5x6 |
Week 4
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 5x2 @ 120kg (85% TFmax), 1 @ 125kg (90% TFmax) |
| Paused Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 2x3 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Lunge warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 3x4 @ 82.5kg (80% bw) |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 2 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax), 3x2 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 5x6 |
Week 5
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 3x2 @ 125kg (90% TFmax), 1 @ 132.5kg (95% TFmax) |
| Paused Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 3x2 @ 100kg (72% TFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Lunge warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 3x5 @ 82.5kg (80% bw) |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 2 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax), 4x2 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 4x8 |
Week 6
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 2x2 or 2x1 @ 132.5kg (95% TFmax) |
| Wednesday | Lunge warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 3x4 @ 87.5kg (85% bw) |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 2 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax), 5x2 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 4x8 |
Week 7
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% TFmax) work sets: 5x3 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax) |
| Wednesday | |
| Front Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% TFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% TFmax) work sets: 2 @ 97.5kg (70% TFmax), 5x2 @ 112.5kg (80% TFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 4x8 |
CYCLE 2 (Weeks 8-13)
The use of knee wraps and belt is recommended. You can use a squat suit with straps down on week 12 if you wish. During this cycle you may find that the weights feel easier, but continue to perform the squat reps as explosively as possible.
Week 8
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 6x4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) |
| Paused Olympic Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3x2 @ 105kg (75% CFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 4x6 @ 77.5kg (75% bw) |
| Quarter Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 3x3 @ 120kg (85% CFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 5x6 |
Week 9
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3x3 @ 97.5kg (70% CFmax), 3x2 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax) |
| Wednesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 4x4 @ 82.5kg (80% bw) |
| Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 3x3 @ 97.5kg (70% CFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 5x6 |
Week 10
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 7x2 @ 105kg (75% CFmax), 3x3 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax) |
| Paused Olympic Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3x3 @ 97.5kg (70% CFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 4x5 @ 82.5kg (80% bw) |
| Quarter Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 3x2 @ 125kg (90% CFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 6x6 |
Week 11
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3 @ 97.5kg (70% CFmax), 5x3 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax) |
| Wednesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 5x3 @ 87.5kg (85% bw) |
| Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 4x4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 6x6 |
Week 12
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 2x3 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax), 3x2 @ 120kg (85% CFmax) |
| Paused Olympic Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3x3 @ 105kg (75% CFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 5x3 @ 82.5kg (80% bw) |
| Quarter Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 2x3 @ 132.5kg (95% CFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 3x6 |
Week 13
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3-4x2 @ 120kg (85% CFmax), 2x2 @ 125kg (90% CFmax) |
| Paused Olympic Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3x3 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax) | |
| Wednesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 3x3 @ 82.5kg (80% bw) |
| Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 4x2 @ 97.5kg (70% CFmax) | |
| Leg Curl warm-up: 1x10 work sets: 3x6 |
CYCLE 3 (Weeks 14-16)
These final four weeks peak your intensities in the squat with a taper to rest the body before the meet. All your supportive powerlifting gear should be used in this phase on the work sets, with the exception of week 16 when only a belt and wraps may be required.
Week 14
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 2x2 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax), 1 @ 125kg (90% CFmax), 2 @ 132.5kg (95% CFmax) |
| Quarter Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 2 @ 140kg (100% CFmax), 4 @ 142.5kg (102% CFmax) | |
| Tuesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 5x3 @ 77.5kg (75% bw) |
Week 15
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 5x2 @ 112.5kg (80% CFmax) |
| Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 5 @ 85kg (60% CFmax) work sets: 3x4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) | |
| Tuesday | Step-up warm-up: 7 @ 52.5kg (50% bw) work sets: 3x3 @ 72.5kg (70% bw) |
Week 16
| Sunday | Competition Squat warm-up: 6 @ 70kg (50% CFmax), 4 @ 90kg (65% CFmax) work sets: 3x2 @ 105kg (75% CFmax) |