The Powerlifting Matrix

I recently caught wind of a powerlifting program known as the Powerlifting Matrix. It is a very
simple program that uses the principles of progressive overload. It took me a great deal of
research to find this matrix on the internet and it is for that reason that I am posting it here.
This program seems to be very simple and sound and I believe that if it were more publicized
that many lifters would benefit from it. This program is good for lifters who cannot progress
without lifting at or above 90% of their 1RM on a regular basis (such as myself). Too many
training protocols use 80-85% as the "heavy" lifts during most of the cycle and only
occasionally subject the lifter to loads 90% or higher. The powerlifting matrix itself is a graph
which shows how many sets/reps and at what weight you should perform a training session
based off of a 1RM of that lift. I recommend beginning with 90% of your 1RM, then perform
the assigned sets and reps followed by some assistance work (2-3 lifts for 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps).
If you are able to complete the all of the assigned reps for your major lift that day then you
progress to the next highest 1RM protocol the following week. If you fail to complete your
weights 2 weeks in a row then you reset your weights 10% lower and start to work your way back
up. Try to think of it as taking 10 steps forward and 5 steps back. Using this simple system it is
easy to continually progress as long as you are not one to shy away from training intensity. Try
to limit your assistance work to exercises that will transfer strength to your big three. For
example, if your hamstrings are weak it would be better to perform Good Mornings or
Glute/Ham Raises instead of Leg Curls. I train with this program 4 days a week with one major
lift each day, Day 1: Bench Press, Day 2: Squat, Day 3: Press, Day 4: Deadlift.

1RM 8 rep 5 rep 3 rep 1 rep 1 rep 1 rep 5 rep

set
set
set
set
set
set
set
100

70

80

85

90

90

90

80

110

75

90

95

100

100

100

90

120

85

95

100

110

110

110

95

130

90

105

110

115

115

115

105

140

100

110

120

125

125

125

110

150

105

120

130

135

135

135

120

160

110

130

135

145

145

145

130

170

120

135

145

155

155

155

135

180

125

145

155

160

160

160

145

190

135

150

160

170

170

170

150

200

140

160

170

180

180

180

160

210

145

170

180

190

190

190

170

220

155

175

185

200

200

200

175

230

160

185

195

205

205

205

185

240

170

190

205

215

215

215

190

250

175

200

210

225

225

225

200

260

180

210

220

235

235

235

210

270

190

215

230

245

245

245

215

280

195

225

240

250

250

250

225

290

205

230

245

260

260

260

230

300

210

240

255

270

270

270

240

310

215

250

265

280

280

280

250

320

225

255

270

290

290

290

255

330

230

265

280

300

300

300

265

340

240

270

290

305

305

305

270

350

245

280

300

315

315

315

280

360

250

290

305

325

325

325

290

370

260

295

315

335

335

335

295

380

265

305

325

340

340

340

305

390

275

310

330

350

350

350

310

400

280

320

340

360

360

360

320

410

285

325

350

370

370

370

325

420

295

335

355

380

380

380

335

430

300

345

365

390

390

390

345

440

310

350

375

395

395

395

350

450

315

360

380

405

405

405

360

460

320

370

390

415

415

415

370

470

330

375

400

425

425

425

375

480

335

385

410

430

430

430

385

490

345

390

415

440

440

440

390

500

350

400

425

450

450

450

400

510

355

410

435

460

460

460

410

520

365

415

445

470

470

470

415

530

370

425

450

475

475

475

425

540

380

430

460

485

485

485

430

550

385

440

470

495

495

495

440

560

390

450

475

505

505

505

450

570

400

455

485

515

515

515

455

580

405

465

495

520

520

520

465

590

415

470

500

530

530

530

470

600

420

480

510

540

540

540

480

610

425

490

520

550

550

550

490

620

435

495

525

560

560

560

495

630

440

505

535

565

565

565

505

640

450

510

545

575

575

575

510

650

455

520

550

585

585

585

520

660

460

530

560

595

595

595

530

670

470

535

570

605

605

605

535

680

475

545

580

610

610

610

545

690

485

550

585

620

620

620

550

700

490

560

595

630

630

630

560

710

495

570

605

640

640

640

570

720

505

575

610

650

650

650

575

730

510

585

620

655

655

655

585

740

520

590

630

665

665

665

590

750

525

600

640

675

675

675

600

760

530

610

645

685

685

685

610

770

540

615

655

695

695

695

615

780

545

625

665

700

700

700

625

790

555

630

670

710

710

710

630

800

560

640

680

720

720

720

640