intermediatePowerbuilding

Powerbuilding for V-taper

Powerbuilding with the back and shoulders that set a V-shaped outline put first.

Eight weeks moves the target muscles by a few millimeters, less than a tape measure can tell. The outline is built over cycles. No sets of five or fewer and no max test here either.

Duration
10 weeks
Frequency
6 days/wk
Sessions
60

Upper A · Lower + Arms · Upper B · Movement Quality + Arms · Upper C · Lower + Arms

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Upper AWeek 1, day 1
  • Pull-Up4 × 10~8RIR 23~5m
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1 of 7 slots in this session.

What you leave with

  1. 01

    Priority without a trade

    Lats and upper back lead every upper session, and the target muscles get a modest volume tilt, while every other muscle keeps a dose that grows it.

  2. 02

    Pulls through the full range

    Pulling work is chosen to load the target muscles from the position where they are longest.

  3. 03

    Strength you can watch climb

    When your reps reach the middle of the range, the load goes up about 2% next time, or by one rep where your equipment can't make that step.

How the 10 weeks run

  1. Way in

    Adaptation

    1 week

    Finds your working weights before the loading starts.

  2. The work

    Weeks 1–8

    8 weeks

    Every load comes from your own logged sets.

  3. Way out

    Deload

    1 week

    Takes the fatigue off, so the next cycle starts fresh rather than tired.

It's for you if

  • You want a wider back and shoulders on top of overall strength and size
  • You can train six days a week, 60 to 90 minutes a session
  • You have run a structured program before

Start elsewhere if

  • You're peaking for a meet or want to test your maxLifting near your max takes practice and adapting to heavy loads, and both come from the heavy singles and triples this program leaves out.See 1RM Peaking
  • You can train four days a week, not sixThe same engine, with no single muscle group put first.See Powerbuilding 4D/W

Inside the program

400prescribed exercisesacross 60 sessions

  • Sets, reps and rest on every one, and a reps-in-reserve target wherever it applies.
  • Every load comes from your own logged sets.
  • Your log carries into whatever you run next.
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