Bulgarian Training Simplified

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

Hey Coach,

I’m on my 5th week of this program and diggin’ it. An injury, work travel, and vacation put me out of serious lifting for some time but this helped me get my numbers right back to where they were in the first 3 weeks and then some! I’m using the squat, overhead press, and deadlift for my 3 competition lifts.

I started the first 3 week cycle training those three to get my strength back up to where it was before venturing into alternatives. On 1RM week I matched my previous squat, beat my old OHP by 5lbs, and shattered my old DL by 15lbs!

I’ve been front squatting, BTN pressing, and sumo deadlifting this cycle. Had to miss 3RM testing for being out of state but so far so good!

I need to work on optimizing my assistance work on the lighter days still, I think “the best damn” approach might be useful here - we’ll see.

Anyway, thanks for all the great stuff you write for us!

2

It is a very effective program when strength is the main goal. Glad you like it!

3

Love it! The only thing that I miss doing from other programs is explosive pulls.

Do you think high-pulls or cleans from blocks/hang have any place on the 70/80% days for a cycle? I’m usually trying to build up delts/tris and the posterior chain on 80% day and pecs/biceps on 70% day.

4

You can replace the deadlift with cleans, high pull or snatches on the 70% days. You can actually go higher than 70% on these lifts because they are explosive in nature.

5

There’s an idea, never thought to replace the deadlift with those pulls but that makes sense. A significant difference between 70% of even a weak variation of my deadlift and any of those pulls exists though.