5 Weeks Bulgarian Training for PL

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

This plan is inspired on 23 days bulgarian training of coach mike burgener. I only changed snatch clean and jerk (and their powerposition version) in powerlifting exercises, just thinking of what different aspects may present a powerlift. For exemple i letteraly switch the olimpic back squat (done with a low frequency in original plan) into deadlif, powerlift who need lower volume and overstress very much the entire system.
Too much to say, take a look at the program!

very important:

% of every deadlifts are based on max deadlift on boxes (lower)
% board press based on bench shirt max
% lock outs are based on best bench press paused (ipf rules)
everything else is based on your best indicated lift in a perfect form (ipf rules) paused bench press, full deep squat, no aid ecc.

DAY 1
Monday
bench press 50x5, 60x4, 70x3, 80x2, 88x1x4s, 77x2x3s, 73x3x2s (28)*;
squat 88x1x4s, 73x3x2s (22);
close grip 90x1x2s, 85x2x2s (20);
chest muscle 5x10
biceps 5x10
hyperextension 3x12 tot. 70

  • these are the starting set, no more they will be writed, just the totale numbers of lift
    day 3
    Wednsday
    front squat max of the day (12)
    bench press max of the day (12)
    deadlift max of the day (12) very easy
    standing press 4x6 tot 36

day 4
Friday
bench press 85x1, 77x2x3s (19)
squat 85x1, 70x2x3s (19)
bench press 90x1, 85x2 (19)
triceps 5x8
hyperextension 3x12 tot 55

day 5
Saturday
deadlift 85x2, 95x1, 85x2x2s (17)
close grip 85x2, 95x1x4s, 77x2 (18)
parallel bar dips 5x8
chin up (back work) 5x8
box squat 85x2, 95x1x4s, 70x2 (18) tot 53

total of the week 214

day 6
monday
squat 80%x2x5s, 70x3 (25)
front squat 82%x1x5s, 72x2 (19)
bench press 90%x1x3s, 80x2 (20)
incline close grip 4x6
hyperextension 3x12 tot 64

day 8
Wednsday
bench press chains 80x1x5s, 77x2, 70x2x2s (23)
squat chains 82x1x5s, 75x2 (19)
deadlift 85x2x2s, 75x2 (18)
triceps 5x8
biceps 5x8 tot 60

day 9
Friday
squat 80x2, 90x2, 100x1, 90x1, 85x2 (20)

bench press 80x2, 90x2, 100x1, 90x1 (18)
deadlift 80x2, 90x2, 100x1, 90x1 (18)remember the 100% is always taken from deadlift on boxes
push ups and chin ups with weight 5x8 tot 56

day 10
Saturday
board press 85x1x2s (14)
incline bench press 6x4
paralle bar dips 5x6
front squat 90x1, 85x1 (14)
deadlift off boxes 95x1, 85x1 (7) tot 35
total of the week 215

day 11
Monday
close grip bench press 95x1x3s, 85x2 (19)

squat 95x1x3s, 85x1, 80x2 (20)

standing press 100x1, 90x2x2s (8)
biceps 5x8
hyperextension 3x12 tot 47

day 13
Wednsday
bench press 92x1x2s (14)
chest muscles 5x8

squat 90x1, 85x1 (14)

deadlift 85x2x2s, 75x2x2s (20)
parallel bar dips tot 48

day 14
Fryday
close grip bench press 80x1x2s (14)

squat 80x1x2s (14)
rowing (back muscles) 5x6
triceps 5x8
hyperextension 3x12 tot 28

day 15
Saturday heavy day!!!
board press 80x2, 90x1, 80x2 (17)
incline bench press 5x3
standing press 4x5

squat 80x2, 90x1, 80x2 (17)
deadlift off boxes 100x1x5s, 85x2 (15)
leg press 5x6 tot 49

totale settimana 172

day 16
Monday
bench press 90x1x2s, 80x2x2s (20)
squat 90x1, 80x1 (16)
parallel bar dips 5x6
chins (back muscles) 5x8
good morning 5x5
tot 36

day 18
Wednsday
bench press chains 80x1, 75x2 (15)

squat chains 80x1, 75x2 (15)

close grip bench press 92x1, 87x1 (16)
biceps 5x8 tot 46

day 19
Friday
bench press 90x1x2s, 80x2 (17)

deadlift 90x1x4s, 80x2 (20)

lock out 97x1, 87x1 (16)
push up with weight 5x8
hyperextension 3x12 tot 53

day 20
Sabato
incline bench press 80x1, 75x2x2 (14) this time take % from max bench press
front squat 85x1, 75x1 (15)
standing press 95x1x2s, 85x2 (10)
standing dumbell press 2x12 tot 39
totale of the week 174
totale of the mouth 775

day 21
Monday
bench press 100x1x4s, 80x2 (21)
squat 100x1, 80x2 (16)
chins (back muscles) 3x6

deadlift off boxes 100x1x4s, 80x2 (21)
parallel bar dips (no weight) 5x8 tot 58

day 22
Wednsday
board press 90x1, 80x2x2s (19)

box squat 87x1x2s, 75x1 (16)

bench press 92x1x2s, 89x2 (17)
bench press 60x8 (8)
triceps 5x8 tot 52

day 23
Friday
deadlift find your true max of the day (remember you snc is a bit overworked after these 5 weeks)
bench press 95x1, 85x2 (16)
standing barbell press 6x6
biceps 6x6 tot 31

totale settimana 141

take a week off and then start with lower intensity program, comcentrate on power and technique.
You can also find you true max after 10 day, They should be very increase.
Dont mindi, even a 80 years old powerlifter could recover from that:-)
Thanks mr. Burgener for inspiration

2

Amigo,Oly lifts are less stressful for muscle and CNS than powerlifts.So they can be performed with more frequency.
Also Oly lifts are much more technical so they demand more frequency and repetition at lower intensities.
Watch your fatigue levels carefully if you go ahead with that program.
Good luck!

3

I just want to warn you that there is a reason OL programs differ from PL programs and Balbo nailed it on the head.

4

I think the overall volume is doable. However, I question the organization. Heavy squats and heavy deads (max or near-max) usually require a little time to bounce back from. However, I have found that squatting and pulling heavy the same day is not too bad. I would go with fewer core-lift training sessions but with more volume in each session so that you get more rest between hard lifts.

5

amigos (?) there is a reason why every world powerlifting champion (in all category) is trained with Olympic Style Method, and frequency is always higher than that.
No world champion trained 4 times a week for an our and half. Not at the ipf level.
Powerlifting is huge technical sport, you have to be incredibly fast and perfect in mouvment. That’s way higher rate lifters train bench press even 10 times a week.
Secret?
Never go to failure, nevere go fully ME.

6

[quote]ado gruzza wrote:
amigos (?) there is a reason why every world powerlifting champion (in all category) is trained with Olympic Style Method, and frequency is always higher than that.
No world champion trained 4 times a week for an our and half. Not at the ipf level.
Powerlifting is huge technical sport, you have to be incredibly fast and perfect in mouvment. That’s way higher rate lifters train bench press even 10 times a week.
Secret?
Never go to failure, nevere go fully ME. [/quote]

Ahhh yes here we go… absolutes. Are you telling me your know how EVERY SINGLE IPF world champion has trained? Becauese if you don’t then by default, you’re wrong.

For the record I think high frequency w/medium intensity is a great way to go. Just don’t try and make people think it’s the ONLY was because you’ll get torn apart if you try to say that.

7

[quote]BALBO wrote:
Amigo,Oly lifts are less stressful for muscle and CNS than powerlifts.So they can be performed with more frequency.
Also Oly lifts are much more technical so they demand more frequency and repetition at lower intensities.
Watch your fatigue levels carefully if you go ahead with that program.
Good luck!
[/quote]

WHAT ??? Powerlifting is more stressful than Olympic Lifting???, oh wow, it is interesting how many experts are around here…

Good Luck, most of you need it

8

[quote]GermanPower wrote:
BALBO wrote:
Amigo,Oly lifts are less stressful for muscle and CNS than powerlifts.So they can be performed with more frequency.
Also Oly lifts are much more technical so they demand more frequency and repetition at lower intensities.
Watch your fatigue levels carefully if you go ahead with that program.
Good luck!

WHAT ??? Powerlifting is more stressful than Olympic Lifting???, oh wow, it is interesting how many experts are around here…

Good Luck, most of you need it [/quote]

Grinding out 100+% maximal lifts over a 4-6 second time period 2x per week is less stressful than attempting a lift and missing it?

I’d love to hear what you mean outside of just a statement with no argument to back it up.

9

[quote]GermanPower wrote:
BALBO wrote:
Amigo,Oly lifts are less stressful for muscle and CNS than powerlifts.So they can be performed with more frequency.
Also Oly lifts are much more technical so they demand more frequency and repetition at lower intensities.
Watch your fatigue levels carefully if you go ahead with that program.
Good luck!

WHAT ??? Powerlifting is more stressful than Olympic Lifting???, oh wow, it is interesting how many experts are around here…

Good Luck, most of you need it [/quote]

I 130kg snatch for a max is LESS stressfull then a 130kg max bench press that is grinded out for 5 or more seconds.

Hell, when most lifters for OL are on the platform, they can hit attempt after attempt with only a minute of rest or so between. That is, for most guys who don’t have trouble standing up from a snatch or a clean.

to prove my point, could you see a powerlifter taking a moderatly heavy squat attempt and then 10 seconds later taking a max attempt? And after running to the platform from the warmup room.

10

Exactly. If you watch the Ironmind 98 Bulgarian tape you can see Vanev attempt a 210kg C&J 5 times (i.e. more than the WR).

11

That video is abosoultey priceless. I laugh everytime I see it.

[quote]ninearms wrote:
Exactly. If you watch the Ironmind 98 Bulgarian tape you can see Vanev attempt a 210kg C&J 5 times (i.e. more than the WR).[/quote]

That is just silly strong…

I think the main difference is that with powerlifting you will generally miss because you’re too weak, whereas alot of weightlifting failures are technique related and a small change can make a big difference.

12

[quote]ado gruzza wrote:
amigos (?) there is a reason why every world powerlifting champion (in all category) is trained with Olympic Style Method, and frequency is always higher than that.
No world champion trained 4 times a week for an our and half. [/quote]

While there are some great lifters that bench 10 times a week, there are not that many. Typically, what I have known of is benching heavy one day a week. When I say heavy, I mean just that- heavy. Not necessarily a one rep max- but rather something like working up to a heavy triple off of a given board height. Then- maybe taking a second, lighter bench session later in the week. This session may be speed work or it may be more like bodybuilding style rep work.

I train with five 700 lb benchers, and many 600 lb benchers (I hope to be one of these soon myself), and this is what I have seen.

13

Ado, do you know how Brad Gillingham trains? He’s an IPF world champion.

Do you know how Tony Cardella trains? IPF world champion.

So at least understand there is more than one valid approach.

I don’t think your plan is bad…it’s just meaningless on paper. See how it goes and report back.

14

I dont want to put any flames or else. Just i put on an idea.

x Hanley.
i would say that i know quite all training style of the main worldchampion. For many of them i even see actual plans.
Till 110 are for sure trained by former olympic lifter coach, and they train with very high frequency. Dont know Cardella, but in +125 Bondarenko has the same trainig style.
Never said there are only one way (it is boring to repeat this everytime), but for sure too many times we look at powerlifting as a 5 hours a week semibodybuilding sport, but it is very far from that. Just this.

Cardella is a great lifter but probably not the best in the world (some of the best in category where out for different reason). But i dont know how he trains, hope he use more than 1xmuscles group a week!!
Gillingam is a 140kg lifer, things changes a bit over that weight.

15

[quote]ado gruzza wrote:
I dont want to put any flames or else. Just i put on an idea.

x Hanley.
i would say that i know quite all training style of the main worldchampion. For many of them i even see actual plans.
Till 110 are for sure trained by former olympic lifter coach, and they train with very high frequency. Dont know Cardella, but in +125 Bondarenko has the same trainig style.
Never said there are only one way (it is boring to repeat this everytime), but for sure too many times we look at powerlifting as a 5 hours a week semibodybuilding sport, but it is very far from that. Just this.

Cardella is a great lifter but probably not the best in the world (some of the best in category where out for different reason). But i dont know how he trains, hope he use more than 1xmuscles group a week!!
Gillingam is a 140kg lifer, things changes a bit over that weight.
[/quote]

The majority of the russian lifters train with a sheiko style system right? Your proposed plan seems very sheiko-esque!