Slavic Swole (Version 2) is the more structured of the Bulgarian-style programs in Stronger by Science's "Bulgarian Bundle," combining Bulgarian-style very high frequency with explicit percentage prescriptions. The whole plan runs on a 4-week cycle, with 8 sessions in each cycle: 4 loaded days (a squat day, a bench day, a deadlift day, and an overhead press + speed bench day) alternating with 4 technique days that consist only of fast singles. The squat, bench, and deadlift are each touched 6 times in an 8-session cycle. This "on the bar almost every day, but mostly low-fatigue work" arrangement is exactly what sets it apart from an ordinary muscle-building program.
Origin and philosophy
This plan comes from Stronger by Science's "Bulgarian Bundle" (SBS Bulgarian Bundle), released for free by Greg Nuckols. "Slavic Swole" is the more playful nickname within the bundle. Of its 2 versions, Version 2 is more structured than Version 1: it breaks the weekly loaded work into clear descending waves, a deadlift top set + speed sets, and paired, progressing accessory supersets, rather than leaving the lifter to self-regulate entirely by feel.
Its philosophy is a toned-down version of Bulgarian-style frequency. A true Bulgarian program demands that you go for a max every day, which ordinary lifters cannot sustain; here it becomes "structured top sets + back-off sets on loaded days, and only never-fail fast singles on technique days." A technique day is not a testing day: start from the weight of your most recent "crisp" single, add a little, and stop the moment bar speed slows. This keeps movement frequency extremely high while holding fatigue within a recoverable range.
Who it's for
- Experience level: intermediate to advanced. You need solid technique and a known 1RM in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. The back-off set waves, deadlift top set, push press, and speed bench are all prescribed as percentages, so you cannot run it without accurate maxes.
- Time commitment: high. A cycle has 8 sessions, and even though the 4 technique days are short, it still means being in the gym to touch the bar almost every day. It is not for anyone with limited time or equipment.
- Main goal: to drive strength in all three lifts along with upper-body size under Bulgarian-style frequency. The accessory work on loaded days all progresses week to week, so hypertrophy is covered too.
- Not for: beginners who are still progressing linearly (adding weight every session); and anyone who cannot show up at such a high frequency or cannot discipline themselves to treat technique days as "practice for feel" rather than "testing a max every day."
Pros and cons
Pros
- Each of the three lifts is trained 6 times per 8-session cycle, so movement patterns and neural drive are polished at high frequency and technique improves quickly
- Technique days are pure fast singles, never to failure, stopping when bar speed slows, trading very low fatigue for very high frequency
- The main lifts use a descending wave of "top set + two back-off sets, last set to maximum effort," which gives both intensity and an AMRAP set to gauge each week's form
- The deadlift is split into one heavy top set + short-rest speed sets, training maximal strength and rate of force development separately
- All accessories are paired supersets that progress on a weekly chain of "heavier than last week / not lighter than last week," giving high training density and plenty of hypertrophy stimulus
Cons
- At 8 sessions per cycle, it takes far more time, space, and equipment than an ordinary 4-day plan
- High-frequency technique days demand discipline: once you turn every technique day into a max test, it degrades into true Bulgarian and fatigue spirals out of control
- Back-off sets, top sets, push press, and speed bench are tied to the 1RMs of the squat / bench / deadlift / overhead press, so you must establish those maxes before starting
- Loaded-day accessories have no fixed weights and rely on self-adjusting to "heavier than last week," so you need to keep careful records
- It ends with a deload after 4 weeks rather than progressing linearly forever; after each cycle you must update your 1RMs before restarting
Plan structure
One training cycle is 4 weeks; each week (a "week" in the data) holds 8 sessions, with 4 loaded days alternating with 4 technique days. Technique days are very short, only fast singles of the three lifts, and can be scheduled apart from or interleaved with loaded days; the loaded days are the body of the training.
- Loaded day 1 (squat day): squat descending wave (top set + back-off sets) + double-pause deadlift 3×5 + two hamstring/back supersets (leg curl variation + high-rep extension, row + dumbbell pull-over).
- Technique day 2: 3 fast singles each of squat, bench press, and deadlift.
- Loaded day 3 (bench day): bench descending wave + push press 3×5 (with pull-ups/pulldowns) + two supersets of rear delts/face pull and crunch/leg raise.
- Technique day 4: 3 fast singles each of the three lifts.
- Loaded day 5 (deadlift day): deadlift top set + speed sets + 3-second pause squat 3×5 + two supersets of quads (hack squat/leg press/front squat) with step-up/lunge and curl with triceps extension, with one extra high-rep finishing set added at the end of the curls.
- Technique day 6: 3 fast singles each of the three lifts.
- Loaded day 7 (overhead press + speed bench day): overhead press descending wave + close-grip speed bench cluster sets + AMRAP pull-up sets + two supersets of dumbbell incline bench press/chest fly and row/dumbbell pull-over.
- Technique day 8: 3 fast singles each of the three lifts.
Exercise selection and rationale
The four loaded days each anchor one competitive-style pattern: squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. The squat and bench use a descending wave with the same structure, and the overhead press follows the same wave, so the descending wave delivers both intensity (the top set) and volume (the back-off sets). The deadlift does not use a wave but is split into "one heavy top set + five short-rest speed sets": the top set trains near-maximal absolute strength, while the speed sets use light weight and rest of under 1 minute between sets to train rate of force development and pulling speed.
The double-pause deadlift (pausing 1-2 seconds each off the floor and below the knee) and the 3-second pause squat (3 seconds at the bottom, tempo 0-3-0) are deliberately slowed technique accessories on loaded days, used to reinforce the starting position and bottom control; both start from about 50% and self-adjust based on the previous week. Accessories are always done as paired supersets, covering hamstrings, back, rear delts, core, quads, biceps, and triceps, giving the high-frequency main lifts structural support and size.
Technique days introduce no new exercises, only fast singles of the squat, bench press, and deadlift. They run through the technique built on loaded days again under low fatigue and are the glue of the whole high-frequency system.
Sets and reps scheme
Main lift descending wave (squat day, bench day, overhead press day): the main lift on each loaded day uses three descending sets. The top set is heaviest, followed by two back-off sets each dropping 5%, and the final set is an AMRAP set. Over the four weeks, intensity moves up and reps come down:
- Week 1: 70% ×10 / 65% ×10 / 60% AMRAP (target 12+ reps)
- Week 2: 75% ×8 / 70% ×8 / 65% AMRAP (target 10+ reps)
- Week 3: 80% ×5 / 75% ×5 / 70% AMRAP (target 8+ reps)
- Week 4 (deload): 85% single AMRAP set
Deadlift (deadlift day): one heavy top set, followed immediately by 5 speed sets of 3, with rest between speed sets of <1 minute (60 seconds in the data).
- Week 1: top set 80% ×6, speed sets 5×3 @60%
- Week 2: top set 85% ×4, speed sets 5×3 @65%
- Week 3: top set 90% ×2, speed sets 5×3 @70%
- Week 4 (deload): light top set 50% ×8, speed sets 5×3 @40%
Technique accessories: double-pause deadlift 3×5 and 3-second pause squat 3×5, both starting at about 50% and then self-adjusting; push press 3×5 (based on overhead press 1RM, 80% in Week 1).
Close-grip speed bench cluster sets (overhead press day): three tiers, nine sets, based on bench press 1RM: 60% three sets ×3, 70% three sets ×2, 80% three sets ×1 (the last single is AMRAP, target 3+); rest 15-30 seconds between sets within a tier (30 seconds in the data), and rest normally for 1-3 minutes between tiers.
Accessory supersets: main accessory 3×10, high-rep partner 3×15, alternating in pairs; the pull-up AMRAP sets increase in number over the weeks on the overhead press day (2, 3, 4, 1 sets in Weeks 1-4).
Progressive overload
- Main lifts: progress through the 4-week wave, with intensity moving up and reps going down each week, and the final AMRAP set gauging that week's form; Week 4 uses a single AMRAP set at 85% as a deload and mini-test.
- Accessory supersets: follow a weekly chain of "3×10 → 3×8 (heavier) → 3×10 (not lighter than last week) → down to 2 sets in Week 4"; the high-rep partner goes 3×15 → 3×20 → 3×15 → deload.
- High-rep finishing curls (the curls at the end of deadlift day): 3×8 + 1×15 → 3×10 + 1×20 → 3×12 + 1×25 → deload in Week 4.
- Pull-up AMRAP sets (overhead press day): sets go 2 → 3 → 4 week by week, then drop to 1 set in Week 4.
- Between cycles: after the 4 weeks, update your 1RMs from the Week 4 85% AMRAP performance on the squat, bench press, and overhead press; for the deadlift, Week 4 is a pure 50%×8 deload with no test, so estimate its 1RM update from overall training feedback, then restart the next cycle with the new numbers. Technique days throughout only add feel, never chase maxes, and do not count toward failure decisions.
Duration and what comes next
The plan runs on a 4-week cycle, and Week 4 is the deload / mini-test, so you can rerun it back to back after updating your 1RMs. This differs from Smolov's one-time 13-week peak; Slavic Swole is more of a repeatable high-frequency maintenance-and-growth engine.
The series also has the leaner Slavic Swole (Version 1), the sister version with more room for self-regulation. If you want explicit prescriptions, stay with Version 2; if you want less daily pressure to show up, consider switching to a normal-frequency strength or hypertrophy program.
Equipment needed
- Barbell and plates, squat rack / bench
- Dumbbells (incline bench press, pull-over, rear delt raise, curls, etc.)
- Pull-up bar or lat pulldown machine
- Common machines such as leg curl and hack squat / leg press (many accessories are "your choice," so substitute for what your gym has)
Rest between sets
- Main lift descending waves, accessory supersets: rest fully at a normal strength/hypertrophy pace (the data does not enforce seconds for these sets, and the two exercises in a superset alternate).
- Deadlift speed sets: <1 minute between sets (60 seconds in the data); the short rest is a deliberate part of the speed sets.
- Close-grip speed bench cluster sets: 15-30 seconds between sets within the same intensity tier (30 seconds in the data), returning to 1-3 minutes between tiers.
- Technique-day singles: go by "crisp bar speed," taking the next single once you feel recovered, without chasing long rests or maxes.
How to choose starting weights
Before you begin, set four 1RMs in the app: squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press. The descending waves and deadlift top set are calculated as percentages of the corresponding main lift, push press is tied to the overhead press 1RM, and close-grip speed bench is tied to the bench press 1RM.
- Start conservatively: the double-pause deadlift and 3-second pause squat both start from about 50% in Week 1 and then add in small steps based on the previous week; leave 1-2 reps in reserve on the final AMRAP set of the main lift on loaded days for the first three weeks, and don't go to failure right away.
- Setting technique-day weight: start from the weight of your most recent "crisp" single, add a little each time, and stop as soon as bar speed slows. It measures the stability of your feel, not your max for the day.
- Common mistake: turning technique days into test days. Once a high-frequency system has you going for maxes every day, you will accumulate fatigue you cannot recover from within a few cycles.
FAQ
What is the difference between Slavic Swole Version 2 and Version 1?
Version 2 is more structured: the main lifts get explicit descending waves (top set + back-off sets, last set AMRAP), a deadlift top set + speed sets, and accessory supersets that progress on a weekly chain, so you simply follow the prescription. Version 1 is the sister version with a leaner structure and more room for self-regulation. Choose Version 2 for clear prescriptions and Version 1 for more freedom.
Do I really train 8 times per cycle? How do I schedule the technique days?
Yes. Each training week in the data holds 8 sessions: 4 loaded days (squat / bench press / deadlift / overhead press + speed bench) alternating with 4 technique days. Technique days are very short, only 3 fast singles each of the three lifts, and can be scheduled apart from or interleaved with the loaded days; the loaded days are the body of the training. If you cannot commit to such a high frequency, this plan is not for you.
How heavy should the technique-day singles be?
Start from the weight of your most recent "crisp" single, add a little each time, and stop the moment bar speed slows. Never train to failure. It is not a test day; it measures how stable your technique is under low fatigue. Turning technique days into max tests is where this high-frequency system most often goes wrong.
How exactly do I run the main lift descending wave?
On each loaded day the main lift uses three descending sets: the top set is heaviest, the next two back-off sets each drop 5%, and the last set is AMRAP. Week 1 is 70/65/60% (last set target 12+), Week 2 is 75/70/65% (target 10+), Week 3 is 80/75/70% (target 8+), and Week 4 is a deload with a single AMRAP set at 85%. The squat, bench press, and overhead press loaded days all use this same wave.
Why is the deadlift split into a top set and speed sets?
Deadlift day trains absolute strength and rate of force development separately: first one heavy top set (80%×6 → 85%×4 → 90%×2 in Weeks 1-3), followed immediately by 5 speed sets of 3 (60% → 65% → 70%) with under 1 minute of rest between sets, using light weight and high speed to build pulling explosiveness. Week 4 is a deload, with the top set dropping to 50%×8 and the speed sets at 40%.
How do I do the double-pause deadlift and the 3-second pause squat?
For the double-pause deadlift, pause 1-2 seconds just off the floor and again below the knee, for 3×5; for the 3-second pause squat, pause a full 3 seconds at the bottom (tempo 0-3-0), for 3×5. Both start from about 50% and self-adjust based on the previous week's performance. The aim is to reinforce the starting position and bottom control, not to pile on weight.
Which 1RM are push press and speed bench based on?
Push press is tied to your overhead press 1RM, 3×5, starting at 80% in Week 1 and then adding based on the previous week. Close-grip speed bench cluster sets are tied to your bench press 1RM, in three tiers of 60/70/80%, three sets per tier (of 3 / 2 / 1 reps respectively, the last single taken AMRAP to 3+), with only 15-30 seconds of rest between sets within a tier.
How do I add weight to accessories? What are the high-rep finishing curls on deadlift day?
Accessory supersets follow a weekly chain: main accessory 3×10 → 3×8 (heavier) → 3×10 (not lighter than last week) → down to 2 sets in Week 4, with the high-rep partner going 3×15 → 3×20 → 3×15 → deload. The curls on deadlift day add one extra high-rep finishing set at the end, going 1×15 → 1×20 → 1×25 week by week, an arrangement this plan includes specifically to build a biceps pump.
What should I do after finishing the 4 weeks?
Week 4 is a deload and mini-test for the squat, bench press, and overhead press: one AMRAP set at 85%; for the deadlift, Week 4 is a pure deload top set of 50%×8 with no test. Update the corresponding 1RMs from the squat, bench press, and overhead press results, estimate the deadlift update from overall training feedback, and restart the next cycle with the new numbers. It is designed to be run repeatedly, not to end after a one-time peak.
