Coaching
Kenny Allen
Head Team Coach
"I'm currently a 3rd year Doctor of Physical Therapy student and I graduated with a degree in Kinesiology from UW-Madison in 2020. I have coached powerlifters from the beginner to national level a few years now. I also help people deal with injuries (not treatment) and understand current research."
Free/Low Cost Templates
1st choice
This is probably my default recommendation for a template. It has a blend of percentage-based and RPE-based training. It does a good job of helping you learn RPE and how to use it which is important for modern powerlifting training and auto-regulation. It has a variety of rep ranges and exercise variation which helps reduce the risk of injury, keep training interesting, and work on weaknesses in your lifts.
2nd choice
This is similar to Calgary Barbell in the sense that is has a blend of percentage-based and RPE-based training to help you learn RPE. Which is good. It has a little less variation than the Calgary Barbell program which is less good.
Nsuns is a percentage-based linear progression program which makes it easy to run but less optimal for lifters that have some experience with powerlifting. It includes a variety of rep ranges but limited exercise variation. It is not intended to be run for a very long time (~12 weeks); there are no planned deloads or periods of low stress. If you have a history of injuries I would be cautious with this program. When lifts start to plateau I would jump ship.
4th choice
Sheiko is another percentage-based program but it has more template options than nsuns which makes it slightly more individualized. It is high in specificity, intensity, volume, and has moderate frequency. The prescribed weights for accessory movements are often "off" which can be a challenge. It is intended for equipped lifters but has been run by raw lifters successfully. It's honestly not at the top of my list of recommendations, but it is easily accessible which is a plus.