OFF SEASON TRAINING PROGRAM
OFF SEASON POWERLIFTING TRAINING - 3 DAYS PER WEEK:
Below is an example of one of the off season training programs I followed. One thing to keep in mind is everyones body’s do respond differently at times. For me and my crew… this was our bread and butter!
For those of us that like to think “we need more!” I would allow 20 mins of “free time” at the end of each workout. That allowed me to do any extra stuff I needed to get out of my system while only giving myself a short time frame at the end. It worked great for us because only 20mins at the end of a workout (that if done properly you should be plenty taxed and tired enough) you can only do so much.
As you can see theres many “variation:” spots. That is because off season is the time to heal and build your foundation. So we are going to do whatever variation works best for ourselves. Now its not just made up willy nilly, we pick strategically. But part of the strategy is what keeps us injury free!
Maximize Strength and Muscle Growth: The Powerlifter’s Guide to Off-Season Training
The Importance of Accessory Workouts in the Off-Season for Powerlifting
Powerlifting is all about strength, but strength is built on a foundation of muscle mass and joint health. While hitting heavy singles and max-effort lifts are crucial during meet prep, doing so year-round can be a fast track to injury and stagnation. That’s why the off-season is the perfect time to shift gears and train more like a bodybuilder, prioritizing muscle growth and recovery.
Why You Need an Off-Season
Many powerlifters make the mistake of trying to train at maximum intensity year-round, but this approach often leads to burnout, injury, or stalled progress. The off-season is your opportunity to take a step back from max-effort lifts and focus on building new muscle, reinforcing weak points, and improving movement patterns.
This period of training is essential for:
Building Muscle Mass: More muscle means a greater potential for strength when you return to heavy lifting.
Preventing Injuries: Overuse injuries are common when heavy weights are used too frequently. Higher-rep, lower-intensity work helps strengthen connective tissues and correct imbalances.
Improving Weaknesses: Accessory work allows you to target muscles that may be limiting your performance in the squat, bench, and deadlift.
How to Train in the Off-Season
During the off-season, your training should resemble that of a bodybuilder more than a powerlifter. This means focusing on hypertrophy—higher reps, moderate weights, and a variety of exercises to stimulate muscle growth.
Key Training Principles:
Lower Intensity on Main Lifts: Instead of constantly pushing for heavy singles or triples, work in the 60-75% range of your one-rep max for 6-12 reps per set. For some you may find 3-5 rep range may be more ideal for the compound movement.
Increase Training Volume: More sets and reps with moderate weight allow for greater muscle breakdown and growth.
Prioritize Accessory Work: Use exercises that target smaller muscle groups and reinforce your main lifts. Some great options include:
For Squat: Bulgarian split squats, leg press, hamstring curls, and calf raises.
For Bench: Dumbbell presses, dips, triceps extensions, and rear delt flys.
For Deadlift: Romanian deadlifts, glute-ham raises, rows, and core work.
These are just a few ideas of movements. There are plenty of great options, just a matter of finding what benefits you the most. For example, I utilize belt squat and walking lunges A LOT. Because I respond wonderful to those.
Improve Mobility and Recovery: Stretching, mobility drills, and prehab exercises should be included to keep your body healthy for when heavy lifting resumes.
Transitioning Back to Heavy Lifting
The goal of off-season training isn’t to abandon strength work but to build a bigger, more resilient base for when competition prep rolls around. After spending several weeks focusing on hypertrophy and accessory work, you can gradually reintroduce heavier loads and lower reps while maintaining the new muscle mass you’ve built. This approach ensures that when it’s time to peak for a meet, you’re stronger, healthier, and better prepared than ever.
Conclusion
Powerlifting isn’t just about lifting the heaviest weight possible—it’s about longevity, strategy, and continuous improvement. The off-season is a critical time to build muscle, address weaknesses, and reduce injury risk. By shifting your training focus towards hypertrophy and accessory work, you’ll set yourself up for bigger lifts and a longer, healthier lifting career. Don’t neglect your off-season—it’s where champions are built.
Road to an 800+ LB Squat: My 12-Week Powerlifting Meet Prep Breakdown
It all begins with an idea.
I wanted to share a break down of one of my meet preps. I often see competitors over complicating the last hand full of weeks leading to a meet. Remember, muscle and strength are built in the off season. The goal of a meet prep is to simply tune into your already build strength and peak your central nervous system to be the most prime it can be come meet day. The goal isn’t to lift the most in training it is to lift the most on the platform.
In the method we use, we combine methods of Brian Carrol’s 10/20/life with conjugate. Not only did we manage to combine two of the most successful training methods out there, but we did it in just THREE WORKOUTS PER WEEK! For those of you who don’t have time to be in the gym 5-7 days a week. Check this program out and try to implement it into your routine!
What I appreciate the most about this program and the way we program, is not only that we see constant progress in strength on meet day. We stay HEALTHY. Anytime you’re taking 800, 900+ pound squats there is of course risk involved. Our goal is to get as strong as possible with minimizing the risk of injury.
Check it out!
On further blogs I will be happy to dive in and explain this in further detail! If you have specific questions, always reach out. You can find me on instagram @jonevans96 or shoot me an email at jon@zugmgmt.com