Smolov Jr Program Builder
Smolov Jr Calculator
Enter your current max and how much you plan to add each week, and get all twelve Smolov Jr sessions: every set, rep and weight across three weeks, the total load per session, and the plates for the heaviest set.
Your Three Week Smolov Jr Cycle
Twelve sessions, four a week, every weight rounded to loadable plates.
| Session | Sets and reps | Weight | Starting intensity | Total lifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1, day 1 | 6 × 6 | 160 lb | 70% | 5,760 lb |
| Week 1, day 2 | 7 × 5 | 170 lb | 75% | 5,950 lb |
| Week 1, day 3 | 8 × 4 | 180 lb | 80% | 5,760 lb |
| Week 1, day 4 | 10 × 3 | 190 lb | 85% | 5,700 lb |
| Week 2, day 1 | 6 × 6 | 170 lb | 70% | 6,120 lb |
| Week 2, day 2 | 7 × 5 | 180 lb | 75% | 6,300 lb |
| Week 2, day 3 | 8 × 4 | 190 lb | 80% | 6,080 lb |
| Week 2, day 4 | 10 × 3 | 200 lb | 85% | 6,000 lb |
| Week 3, day 1 | 6 × 6 | 180 lb | 70% | 6,480 lb |
| Week 3, day 2 | 7 × 5 | 190 lb | 75% | 6,650 lb |
| Week 3, day 3 | 8 × 4 | 200 lb | 80% | 6,400 lb |
| Week 3, day 4 | 10 × 3 | 210 lb | 85% | 6,300 lb |
Rest two to three minutes between sets on the lighter days and up to four on the last day. Sessions are usually spread across four days with at least one rest day before the heaviest one.
How the Smolov Jr Calculator Works
Four fixed sessions, repeated three times, with one weight jump per week.
Smolov Jr is the short version of a Russian squat cycle, adapted for the bench press and often run for the squat too. The shape never changes. Week one is six sets of six at 70 percent, seven sets of five at 75 percent, eight sets of four at 80 percent and ten sets of three at 85 percent. Weeks two and three repeat those four sessions with a fixed amount added to every weight.
The calculator takes your current one-rep max, works out each session from those percentages, rounds to the nearest 5 lb or 2.5 kg, then adds your weekly jump on top. Ten pounds a week is a common starting choice, and 5 kg is its rough metric twin. Smaller jumps finish the cycle more often than larger ones.
The last column is total weight moved in that session, which is the fastest way to see what you are signing up for. The opening session alone is 5,760 lb of bench pressing at a 225 lb max. Multiply that across twelve sessions and you understand why the program is described as brutal rather than clever.
The set, rep and percentage pattern is the published Smolov Jr template. The block is attributed to the Russian coach Sergey Smolov and reached English speaking lifters through Pavel Tsatsouline's 2001 article in Powerlifting USA, a magazine that has since closed, so there is no original source left to link to. For a full modern breakdown, BarBend's Smolov Jr program guide, written by a certified strength coach, covers the volume, the recovery cost and who should leave it alone. Weights come straight from the max you enter, so the accuracy of the block depends entirely on that number being honest. If you are not sure, estimate it from a recent set with the one rep max calculator and round down. This is not coaching or medical advice.
A Worked Example
What a 225 lb bench looks like across three weeks.
With a 225 lb max and a 10 lb weekly jump, week one starts at 160 lb for six sets of six and finishes the week at 190 lb for ten sets of three. Week two repeats both sessions 10 lb heavier, week three another 10 lb on top, so the final session is ten triples at 210 lb. That last set of three sits close to the max you started with, which is exactly the intent.
Most lifters then take three to five easy days and test a new single, or simply go back to normal training and let the new strength show up there. Testing straight off the last session usually reads low because you are still buried under the block.
Read This Before You Start
The honest version, not the hype.
Smolov Jr is a peaking block, not a way to train. Four heavy sessions a week on one lift is a large amount of stress for one joint and one movement pattern, and it works by pushing you close to what you can recover from. It suits an experienced lifter with a stable technique, three weeks of decent sleep ahead of them and enough food to back it up. It is a poor choice for a beginner, whose max is still moving on its own, and a poor choice while you are dieting hard.
While the block runs, cut other heavy pressing right back. Keep some light rowing and upper back work, drop the extra pressing volume, and be willing to abandon the cycle if bar speed falls off a cliff or a joint starts complaining. A cycle you stop in week three because your shoulder hurts costs you more than the pounds it would have added.
Be conservative with the weekly jump as well. The increment is the whole program. Ten pounds a week on a bench that has been stuck for a year is already ambitious, and if you miss reps in week two the rest of the block falls apart. Nobody has ever regretted finishing a cycle that felt slightly easy.
More Tools for the Block
What to check before, during and after a Smolov Jr run.
Frequently Asked Questions
What lifters ask before committing three weeks to it.
What is the Smolov Jr program?
Smolov Jr is a three week, four sessions a week block built from four fixed workouts: six sets of six at 70 percent, seven sets of five at 75 percent, eight sets of four at 80 percent and ten sets of three at 85 percent. Every weight goes up by a set amount each week.
How much weight should I add each week?
Ten pounds, or 5 kg, is the usual choice for the bench press and it is already aggressive. If your max has not moved in a long time, use 5 lb or 2.5 kg instead. Finishing all twelve sessions matters more than the size of the jump.
Is Smolov Jr safe for beginners?
It is a poor fit for beginners. The block assumes stable technique, a max you can trust and the recovery to handle four heavy sessions a week on one lift. A newer lifter gains faster on a simpler program with far less risk.
Should I do anything else while running Smolov Jr?
Keep upper back and pulling work in, keep it light, and cut other heavy pressing almost entirely. The block already supplies more pressing volume than most programs use in a month.
When do I test my new max?
Take three to five easy days after the last session, then test. Testing immediately after the block usually reads low because the fatigue has not cleared yet.