How can one program a solid 12-week cycle not knowing what might happen? Tons of things happen all the time: unexpected business trip; your child gets sick; relatives come for the weekend; you need to finish important project at work, etc., etc.
Shit like this happens all the time. Let's be honest, if you are not a competitive sponsored lifter chances are good all these things might take priority over your training and you'll probably have to shift workouts.
It means some weeks you go in the prescribed Mon - Wed - Fri but next week it could look like Mon - Fri - Sat or something completely else.
How do you pre-plan the sessions? How do you cram in all the lifts? How do you get all the important training done? What do you do today if you don't know if the next session falls on two days from now or four days from now?
Full body sessions. Hitting the most important things. With enough volume work. That ensures you get the most important shit done and the lifts get worked.
Below I list 8 sample full body training sessions for the average joe powerlifter. Pick one of them just before you go to the gym. Pick a session based on your weaknesses. Feeling sluggish today and depressed after a fight with your moron boss at work? Pick one which you will enjoy and really kick it. Get the work done and get out. This way of picking workouts might not be the best for a competitive powerlifter peaking for a meet but for the average joe lifter it keeps things fresh and interesting. Just don't always do only what you enjoy, work on your weaknesses.
Session #1:
deadlift: 6 sets of 5 with 60-65%
floor press: 6 sets of 8 with moderate weight
leg curls: 4 sets of 12
abs: 4 sets of 20
Session #2:
squat: 6 sets of 3 with 80%
incline bench: 4 sets of 6 with moderate weight
front squat: 4 sets of 5 heavy
lat pulldowns: 6 sets of 8
Session #3:
squat: 6 sets of 5 with 60-65%, then one set of 20
standing press: 4 sets of 8 with moderate weight
Romanian DL: 6 sets of 5 heavy
calf raises: 3 sets of 20 light
Session #4:
bench press: 4 sets of 8
seated DB press: 6 sets of 12
front squat: 4 sets of 5 heavy
low cable rows: 6 sets of 8
Session #5:
deadlift: 5 sets of 2 with 85%
flat DB press: 6 sets of 8
leg press: 4 sets of 20 heavy
hammer curls: 6 sets of 8
Session #6:
squat: 6 sets of 3 with 80%
bench press: 6 sets of 5 with 60%
squat: 4 sets of 4 with 70%
DB rows: 3x20 heavy
Session #7:
bench press: 6 sets of 3 with 80% then down set of 20 reps
standing press: 4 sets of 12 moderate weight
squat: 4 sets of 8 moderate to heavy
hammer curls: 4 sets of 12
Session #8:
deadlift: 6 singles at 90-95%
incline DB press: 4 set of 8 heavy
squat: 3 sets of 10 moderate weight
abs: 4 sets of 20
Pick your poison and kick hard.
