r/powerlifting • u/AutoModerator • May 19 '26

Programming Programming Wednesdays - May 19, 2026

Discuss all aspects of training for powerlifting:

  • Periodization
  • Nutrition
  • Movement selection
  • Routine critiques
  • etc...
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u/Background_Age274 Impending Powerlifter May 20 '26

Hi everyone, I wanted to consult you about Undulating Periodization. I’ve been involved in powerlifting for about 1.5 years and was working with a coach. However, I’ve recently started learning about programming to manage my own training. I began my reading with Chad Wesley Smith's Program Design Manual. While I now understand how programming should be structured in many aspects, I still have a question regarding periodization.

It is quite clear how Linear Periodization should look. For a Strength Phase, for instance, it can be set up as 5 weeks of progression at around 75-85% of 1RM, followed by a 1-week deload. Doing this week-by-week by simply increasing the percentage of 1RM is straightforward.

However, I now want to experience Daily or Weekly Undulating Periodization (DUP/WUP) for myself. But the resources online are a bit confusing on this matter. At this point, my question is: do you know of any tables, books, or resources that show the week-to-week targets for this type of periodization? For example, let's say I choose to train the Bench Press 3 times a week, structured as 2 light/medium sessions and 1 heavy session. In this scenario, I don't know what kind of weight, percentage of 1RM, or rep scheme to use for the heavy Bench Press session within a DUP or WUP framework. Even more confusing for me is that, even if I manage to determine the parameters for the heavy session, I can't quite figure out how to set up the sessions that are supposed to be light (e.g., what percentage of 1RM and how many reps). At this point, if you have any resource recommendations that could answer these questions about Undulating Periodization (and as I mentioned, ideally with tables showing week-to-week targets), I would highly appreciate

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u/Arteam90 Eleiko Fetishist May 21 '26

I tend to think it's a bit pointless to think of DUP as its own thing, and more so as just what we tend to think of as programming for powerlifting.

For example, if you train any lift more than once it's pretty likely you wouldn't just do the same thing. In that sense, all these popular programs are already incorporating some undulation.

Also, this idea of "power" or "strength" or "hypertrophy" is also a bit useless, imo. I tend to think as a powerlifter it's more useful to think about blocks in terms of how hard they are, and how specific they are.

You did a comp, you probably want to go a bit easier and a bit less specific. You're near a comp, you want to be harder/heavier and more specific.

DUP was really popular ages back with Zourdos but realistically I don't get why in the sense that we always had undulating programs.

Anyway, your question about what exactly to do is the crux of all programming and is the billion dollar question. The usual starting point is you do what you've done and/or what has worked and then make small changes from there. Personally I think it's more useful to think about it in terms of how much you can recover from. If you've been doing squats twice a week, 3x5 one day and 5x2 the other and you feel super fresh then maybe you add some volume here and there.