Calgary Barbell's official free 8-week meet prep: a 4-week percentage volume phase + a 4-week RPE top-set intensity phase + a day-by-day meet-week taper, with tempo and rest prescribed for every set. Shown as 9 weeks: the 8 training weeks plus the meet-week taper.
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An 8-week powerlifting meet prep program designed by Bryce Krawczyk of Calgary Barbell, the short-cycle sibling of the 16-week version in the same series. The first 4 weeks are a percentage-based volume block (competition lifts: top sets 80→86%, back-off sets 68→75%, variations run by RPE). The last 4 weeks switch to an RPE top-set system (1 top set per day plus back-off sets calculated from that day's top set), and Week 9 is a meet-week taper laid out to the exact number of days out. Bench 4 times per week, squat 3 times per week, deadlift 2–3 times per week. Built for intermediate and advanced powerlifters with a tight prep window who need to peak or test a new max within 8 weeks.
Created by Bryce Krawczyk, founder and head coach of Calgary Barbell, which was established in 2015. Bryce is an IPF Classic World silver medalist, 3-time CPU national champion, and former IPF Open world record holder (315kg squat, 357.5kg deadlift). This program shares its roots with the 16-week version and reflects his RTS-influenced coaching philosophy: combining RPE with percentages to balance structured progression with daily autoregulation.
Core idea: within a limited 8 weeks, use a structured percentage-based volume block to build work capacity quickly, then switch to an RPE-driven top-set intensity block to approach your max step by step, and finally use a full meet-week taper to shed fatigue and bring you to a peak on meet day. Compared with the 16-week version, this program skips the long early accumulation phase and starts closer to the intensity range, making it better suited to lifters who already have a solid base and just want one compact peak. This is one of the most popular free powerlifting programs in the world.
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The competition lifts—competition squat, competition paused bench, competition deadlift—are the foundation of the program and appear on almost every training day. Bench is paused throughout (competition standard), with a 1-second pause at the bottom (tempo written as 1-1-1).
2-second paused squat / pin squat builds strength out of the bottom. In the volume block (Weeks 1–4) you use 2-second paused squats, staying in the hole deliberately to remove the stretch reflex and force you to drive from the dead spot. In the intensity block (Weeks 5–8) this switches to the pin squat, lowering the bar onto the safety pins for a brief pause before driving up, which further removes the bounce out of the bottom. Both target the most common sticking point in the competition squat.
2-second paused bench / feet-up bench / close-grip (incline) bench / touch-and-go bench rotate the bench stimulus through different angles: paused bench builds the pause and the start off the chest, feet-up bench removes leg drive and isolates upper-body pressing, close-grip work targets triceps lockout strength, and touch-and-go is used to accumulate work at higher reps.
2-second paused deadlift (flagged in Week 1 of the volume block as "stop just off the floor") builds strength and position-holding in the starting phase, and runs on Day 4 throughout.
Stiff-leg deadlift is done in the volume block at RPE 8 for moderate-high reps (7–9), building posterior chain endurance without excessive fatigue; in the intensity block it gives way to the top-set-driven competition lifts.
Overhead press appears on Day 1 of the intensity block as an accessory for general pressing strength; high-bar squat appears on Day 2 of the intensity block as a lower-fatigue squat variation to add volume.
Pulling and accessories: wide-grip seated row (cued to mimic the bench path), a vertical pull of your choice, and single-arm dumbbell row balance the pressing volume and keep the shoulders and back healthy; side plank (volume block) trains core anti-lateral-flexion stability as a timed set.
Volume block (Weeks 1–4): the competition lifts use "multiple top sets + 2–3 back-off sets". Top set intensity climbs week by week (80% → 82% → 86% → 85%) at 2–3 reps, while back-off sets use lower percentages (68% → 70% → 72% → 75%) to make up volume. Variations are prescribed at RPE 8–9 for anywhere from 3–12 reps.
Intensity block (Weeks 5–8): each day the competition lifts start with 1 RPE top set (top set reps drop week by week: 3 → 2 → 1 → 1), followed by a group of back-off sets with weights calculated from that day's top set e1RM (65% → 68% → 72% → 76%). Variations use a "top set + N fatigue sets or repeat sets" structure: fatigue sets drop about 5% from the top set at the same reps; repeat sets repeat the same weight as the top set.
Meet week (Week 9): follows the 5/4/3/2 days-out schedule day by day. Start with a rehearsal single at the opener to get a feel for it, then do a few light technique sets of 2–3 reps at 75–85%, with decreasing intensity and never to failure; after the last light sets 2 days out, rest completely, and hit the three lifts on the platform on meet day.
The two phases are clear: the volume block (Weeks 1–4) is 80→86% percentage top sets with lighter back-off sets, and the intensity block (Weeks 5–8) switches to 1 RPE top set per day (reps 3→2→1→1) with back-off sets calculated from that day's performance. Top set intensity for the three lifts by week (once top sets switch to RPE, back-off sets are calculated from that day's top set e1RM):
| Week | Phase | Competition squat (D1) | Competition paused bench (D1) | Competition deadlift (D2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volume | 3×3 @80% | 4×3 @80% | 3×3 @80% |
| 2 | Volume | 4×3 @82% | 5×3 @82% | 4×3 @82% |
| 3 | Volume | 5×2 @86% | 5×2 @86% | 5×2 @86% |
| 4 | Volume | 4×3 @85% | 5×3 @85% | 4×3 @85% |
| 5 | Intensity | Top set 1×3 @8 + 6×5 @65% | Top set 1×3 @8 + 7×5 @65% | Top set 1×3 @8 + 6×5 @65% |
| 6 | Intensity | Top set 1×2 @8 + 6×5 @68% | Top set 1×2 @8 + 7×5 @68% | Top set 1×2 @8 + 6×5 @68% |
| 7 | Intensity | Top set 1×1 @8 + 4×4 @72% | Top set 1×1 @9 + 5×4 @72% | Top set 1×1 @8 + 4×4 @72% |
| 8 | Intensity | Top set 1×1 @8 + 3×3 @76% | Top set 1×1 @9 + 4×3 @76% | Top set 1×1 @8 + 3×3 @76% |
This program has no fixed weight increases between sessions or from week to week; progression is built into the 8-week structure:
If you run this program again, use the new 1RM you tested in meet week as your starting point.
Run the full 8 weeks, and especially do not skip meet week. The taper in the final week is essential for cashing in the strength built over the first 8 weeks and reaching your peak on meet day.
Signs you are ready for the next phase: you have set new maxes on squat, bench, and deadlift in meet week (or by treating meet week as a test). Then schedule a light deload week and either rerun this program with your updated maxes or switch to a new training block.
Step-up option: if you have time, "Calgary Barbell 16-Week" has an extra accumulation phase that builds a wider base and usually brings better long-term results. The 8-week version is essentially its short-cycle version.
Barbell, squat rack with safety pins (for pin squats), flat bench, plates, dumbbells (for single-arm rows), and a cable machine or lat pulldown station (for the vertical pull of your choice).
Home gym substitutions:
All of the above follow the rest prescriptions entered set by set in the library; adjust slightly to how you feel on the day.
Enter your current squat, bench, and deadlift 1RMs, and the volume block percentages will calculate your weights from them.
Common mistake: using an inflated 1RM. In Week 1 the main lifts are 80% for 3 reps, and that weight should feel solid but controlled. If you have to grind in Week 1, your 1RM is set too high; lower it by 5–10%.
Once you reach the intensity block, main lift top sets are set by RPE, so assess honestly: RPE 8 means you could still do about 2 more reps with good form, and RPE 9 means about 1 left. Get the top set right and the back-off sets will be right, because back-off weights are calculated from the e1RM implied by that day's top set, so overshooting the top set hurts every set after it. When in doubt, pick lighter.
If you don't know your 1RM, do a set of 3–5 reps close to failure, then estimate with the RPE calculator on the "Profile" page.
No. The program opens with main lifts at 80% and is designed for intermediate and advanced powerlifters with 1–3+ years of systematic training who can use RPE honestly. Beginners should build a base first with GZCLP or a similar linear progression program before considering a peaking program.
Fixed at 4 days per week. Every day has a bench variation (4 times per week), squat comes up about 3 times per week, and deadlift 2–3 times per week, spread across different days with different emphases on intensity and volume.
The 16-week version includes a full early accumulation phase (lower intensity, higher reps), which the 8-week version skips, going straight into higher intensity. If your prep time is tight and your base is already good, choose the 8-week version; if you have time and want to build a wider base first, "Calgary Barbell 16-Week" usually brings better long-term results.
This is how variation lifts are structured in the intensity block. First do 1 top set at the target RPE, then: fatigue sets drop about 5% from the top set weight and repeat the same reps for a few more sets; repeat sets use exactly the same weight as the top set for a few more sets. The former leans toward volume and the latter toward intensity exposure; the note on each exercise in the library says which one to use and how many sets.
Back-off percentages are not anchored to the 1RM you first entered, but to the e1RM implied by that day's RPE top set. In other words, on a good day with a heavier top set the back-off sets will naturally be heavier; on a bad day they come down overall. This is where the program's autoregulation comes from, and it is why the top set has to be judged accurately.
Every set carries a three-part tempo, meaning the seconds of "eccentric–bottom pause–concentric". For example, the competition paused bench is written 1-1-1 (1 second down, 1 second pause at the bottom, 1 second up); the 2-second paused bench is written 1-3-1 in the volume block and 1-2-1 in the intensity block; competition squat/deadlift are mostly 1-0-1 (no extra pause). Following the tempo in the note ensures the paused lifts get the training effect they should.
The side plank is a timed set, not a rep-based one. The library uses "1 rep" as a placeholder; in practice follow the set note, which is 30 seconds per side (first two weeks of the volume block) or 45 seconds per side (last two weeks).
Meet week follows the 5/4/3/2 days-out schedule day by day. A single marked "Opener" is a rehearsal with the weight you plan to take for your first attempt, to get a feel for it; the light technique sets after it use 75–85% for 2–3 reps, with intensity decreasing day by day and never to failure. After the last light sets 2 days out, rest completely and save your energy for meet day.
Generally no. Meet week is itself the deload. If you feel fatigue clearly accumulating in the intensity block (Weeks 6–8), you can insert a light week with volume halved and intensity mostly kept, then continue with the rest of the progression; but don't skip meet week because of it.
Expect 60–90 minutes. Days 1 and 2 usually take longer because the heavy competition lifts need 3 minutes of rest between sets; Days 3 and 4 are mainly variations and accessories, with a faster pace.
Schedule a light deload week to recover, then rerun this program with the new 1RMs from meet week, or switch to a hypertrophy/base-oriented training block. If you have just competed, it is best to ease through a stretch of low-intensity training before entering the next peaking cycle.
Program by Bryce Krawczyk. TopSet is not affiliated with or endorsed by the program’s creator. Program names and trademarks belong to their owners. See the guide for original sources.
