Bryce LewisFor novice female lifters wanting structured practice and steady strength without fatigue spikes.
The template was created to give new female lifters a controlled on-ramp into powerlifting without the common traps of random volume or premature heavy singles. It uses modest week-to-week loading with enough barbell frequency to groove skill while keeping recovery manageable. The design reflects observed needs of female novices: more bench exposure, moderate lower-body volume, and a predictable ramp into a test week.
Program Roadmap
The plan runs 9 weeks over 4 days per week. Variation 3 is tuned for female lifters by biasing bench exposure slightly higher and keeping squat frequency at two days to refine technique without heavy fatigue. Deadlift volume is moderated and uses controlled tempos/pauses to build patterning. Main lifts anchor each day, followed by accessories targeted at upper-back, hips, core and triceps to support the big three. Progression blends fixed percentage guidance with optional RPE so lifters can autoregulate when readiness is low.
Chest
Back
Legs
AbsChestLegs
ArmsBack
ShouldersLegsArmsChestLegsKeep rep quality tight; do not “earn” weight by letting form drift. Use the lower end of RPE ranges until you have stable bar paths. Treat warm-ups as technique reps, not just heat. If you feel under-recovered, drop to the lower percentage rather than forcing volume. Do not skip accessories — they are chosen to fix typical weak links in female novices. Track your singles feel/logs to judge whether to repeat or advance the block.
- If your 1RM is 100kg
- "80%" on a set means you should lift 80kg.
Bryce Lewis is a drug-free elite powerlifter who competed in the 83-105kg weight classes, establishing his coaching philosophy based on practical experience at national and international levels. He is the founder and head coach of The Strength Athlete (TSA), an organization that provides remote coaching to lifters worldwide. He is known for his approach that prioritizes technical precision, long-term development, and mental preparation over short-term record breaking. Additionally, drawing from his background in philosophy, he is characterized by incorporating clear decision-making and structured processes into his training design.
