If you have been lifting for 2 decades like me, you know there is no "the best routine". The best program is the one you eventually are able to design yourself. Yes.
"But hey, Pozdeev does this and that, and Ed Coan does this and that ..." I know. But you are not them. Your program should reflect your goals, your leverages, your weaknesses, your recovery abilities, etc., etc. It is ok to learn from the champions but learn the form, technique, modifications and twists. But always check it if it works for YOU. Learn from their mistakes. It is the cheapest way of learning.
So, how do you design your magic routine. It is actually pretty easy.
Step 1: Powerlifts
Well, this should be a no brainer. You are a powerlifter so you have to do the powerlifts: squat, bench, pull.
Step 2: Frequency
Decide on frequency of the powerlifts. Really, the old American Monday squat, Wednesday bench and Friday deadlift is not enough. Learn from the Eastern Bloc. With all respect to my American friends in iron, the knowledge about optimal loading, frequency, and total number of lifts per week is still quite insufficient there. Luckily, it is coming slowly thanks to seminars with Boris Sheiko, Dmitryi Klokov, etc. I personally do each powerlift twice a week. But that is me. Got weak squat? You might end up squatting three times a week, benching twice a week and pulling once a week. Or you can squat 4 times per week and put bench and pull on the back burner for a while. In Poland, one of the best lifters of all time, Jan Wegiera did squat twice a week, bench 5 times a week, deadlift twice a week. Here is what he did. He is still a monster, smashed multiple European records in men and masters:
Day 1:
squat
bench
negative bench
DB flyes
Day 2:
close-grip bench
shoulder press
biceps
Day 3:
bench
decline bench
DB flyes
deadlift
GM
Day 4:
squat
walkouts
1/3 squat
bench
bench lockouts
Day 5:
close-grip bench
deadlift
block pulls
Bam, there you have it. Lots of work. I really think doing each powerlift twice a week is the bare minimum. If you are nuts but can endure going thru hell and expecting HUGE improvements, do Sheiko "sandwiches":
Monday:
squat
bench
squat
assistance
Wednesday:
pull
bench
pull
assistance
Friday:
bench
squat
bench
assistance
Do your homework and search Sheiko programs. Brings results like nothing else.
Step 3: Volume
I did not write sets&reps on purpose because volume and workload is more important than set&reps per se. Working up to one heavy set is not enough. You do not have enough practice and the workload is not enough. Let us compare:
Typical approach in most gyms (max squat 200kg - 440lbs):
Set 1: bar x 20
Set 2: 60kg x 8
Set 3: 100kg x 5
Set 4: 120kg x 5
Set 5: 140kg x 3
Set 6: 160kg x 3
Set 7: 180kg x 2
Set 8: 190kg x 1
You just did only 5 sets abouve 60% (the rest does not count) and if we multiply the reps x weight from set No. 4 and above, the total amount lifted is 2050kg (4510lbs). This session taxed your CNS big time, your form was shit on the last two sets and you are unlikely to repeat it tomorrow or in two days.
But you could do instead:
Set 1: bar x 20
Set 2: 60kg x 8
Set 3: 100kg x 5
Set 4: 130kg x 5
Set 5: 130kg x 5
Set 6: 130kg x 5
Set 7: 130kg x 5
Set 8: 130kg x 5
Set 9: 130kg x 5
You just did 6 crisp sets with perfect form and only 65% of your max. Sure you had to leave the ego at the door but let's look at the numers. We calculate sets 4-9. You just lifted 3900kg (8580lbs). You did almost twice as much work plus you can probably repeat it in two days because you worked only with 65% with your max so your CNS is fresh. Sure, you might be tired but not burnt out. That is a difference.
Step 4: Assistance
Big assistance. Round up your template with big assistance. Assistance that matters. Front squats, military presses, Romanian deadlifts, heavy bent over rows. Base it on your weaknesses, not what you like to do. Weak off the floor when pulling? Weak quads, bro, kick some ass on front squats and high-bar squats. No, not leg extensions. Upper back rounding during squats? How about 4 sets of 5 of some heavy bent over rows twice per week? Nope, no face pulls. Weak off your chest when pressing? How about 6 sets of 8 of military presses with medium weight twice a week?
I read somewhere Dan Green's quote:
"All I do is the powerlifts and then some front squats, shoulder presses and rows." I really like that.
(What will leg extensions do for him after those front squats?)
This big assitance lifts is where you can experiment if you need/want to, not the powerlifts. Low reps front squats, high-rep high-bar squats, deficit pulls, block pulls, Romanian pulls, SLDL, bent over rows, dumbbell rows, high-pulls, close-grip bench, incline, low decline, chains, bands, boards, you name it. Please be honest with yourself and choose what is heavy, tough and needed. Get out of you comfort zone. Biceps concentration curls with 15kg dumbbell do NOTHING for your powerlifting. 4 sets of 5 of heavy ass front squats do. It should be a "brother" exercise to the powerlifts. Front squat helps the back squat, leg extensions do not. Military press helps the bench, cable cross-overs don't. Romanian deadlifts help the regular deadlift building anything from your traps to your knees in the posterior chain. Standing leg curls won't help you much pulling the 300kg (660lbs) deadlift.
Step 5 (optional):
Fluff assistance. biceps, triceps pushdowns, delt raises, cable flys, etc. If you must do them, do them for 2-3 light sets to pump blood. Do the minimum of them. They are the remaining 5% of your training. Focus on the powerlifts and big assistance, that is 95% of your work. Better yet, do this fluff shit on off days.
Good luck with YOUR magic routine!
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