Smolov Jr Calculator: 3-Week Squat or Bench Plan (lb/kg)
Smolov Jr calculator for squat or bench: all twelve sessions from your max, your week 2 and 3 jumps, weekly tonnage, and what to do once the three weeks end.
Back at the same max after the block? The diagnosis finds why.
A recent, honest max. No max? Estimate it in the 1RM calculator.
Pick the bigger jump only if the week before felt manageable; the smaller one if it was a grind.
| Day | Sets × reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6 × 6 | 220 |
| Wednesday | 7 × 5 | 235 |
| Friday | 8 × 4 | 250 |
| Saturday | 10 × 3 | 270 |
| Day | Sets × reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6 × 6 | 230 |
| Wednesday | 7 × 5 | 245 |
| Friday | 8 × 4 | 260 |
| Saturday | 10 × 3 | 280 |
| Day | Sets × reps | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6 × 6 | 240 |
| Wednesday | 7 × 5 | 255 |
| Friday | 8 × 4 | 270 |
| Saturday | 10 × 3 | 290 |
Rest at least four days after week 3 before testing. If you fail a set, keep the same weights next week instead of adding.
Will this number move? Save it and check back in 4 weeks: the check tells you whether it is still climbing or has stalled. No email needed.
Sources: Smolov Jr program (smolovjr.com); Legion Athletics, Smolov Jr.
Back at the same max after the block? Find out why- Published
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Smolov Jr is three weeks of the same four sessions on one lift: 6×6 at 70% of your max, 7×5 at 75%, 8×4 at 80% and 10×3 at 85%, with a small jump added in weeks 2 and 3. Enter your max above and pick the jumps; the calculator writes out all twelve sessions in lb or kg, with the weight moved each week.
How does the Smolov Jr calculator set your weights?
From your one-rep max: each day is a fixed percentage, rounded to 5 lb or 2.5 kg, and weeks 2 and 3 add your chosen jump on top. The sets, reps and percentages are the program's own (Smolov Jr program). Each week is 133 reps in 31 sets on one lift, four days out of seven.
Use a recent, honest max. A guessed or old max makes week 3 a grind from the first set. No max? Estimate it from a hard set in the 1RM calculator and enter that.
How much should you add each week?
5 or 10 lb (2.5 or 5 kg) after week 1, and again after week 2, chosen by how the week felt: the bigger jump only if it was manageable (Legion Athletics). On the squat, most lifters can take 10 lb once. On the bench, 5 lb both times is the realistic choice.
If you fail sets in a week, do not add anything; repeat that week's weights instead.
Can you run Smolov Jr for bench?
Yes: switch the lift to Bench press and keep the jumps small. The program works by piling up practice on one lift: strength gains rose with weekly sessions across 22 studies, from an effect size of 0.74 at one session to 1.08 at four or more (Grgic et al., 2018). Bench four days a week is hard on shoulders and elbows, so stop at the first sign of joint pain.
Who should not run Smolov Jr?
Anyone whose technique breaks down under fatigue, who has pain in the lift, or who cannot sleep and eat enough for three hard weeks. Higher weekly volume brought larger strength gains in a meta-analysis (Ralston et al., 2017), but only if you can recover from it. The Smolov squat program guide covers the full checklist.
What should you do after Smolov Jr?
Rest for several days, test your new max, then move to a calmer program built from that number. Testing on tired legs underestimates what you gained. The program's own notes end the base cycle with rest before a max test (Smolov program overview). For the bench, the eight-week bench press program is a good next block.
If your max comes back the same after three weeks of this much work, the limit was not practice. Sleep, food or recovery was capping you: find out which.
FAQ
How much does Smolov Jr add to your squat?
No controlled study has measured it. Results vary widely, and lifters who sleep and eat well through the three weeks keep the most.
Is there a calculator for the full Smolov?
This one covers Smolov Jr. The full program runs 13 weeks in five phases and is far harder to recover from.
Can I do accessories during Smolov Jr?
Keep them light: some upper back, core and arm work. Extra leg work during a squat cycle only eats into recovery.
Should I use my true max or a training max?
Use a true recent max for the classic version. If it is a guess, enter 90–95% of it instead.
Written and maintained by LiftDecode. Training and nutrition education for healthy adults, not medical advice — if you have a health condition or an injury, talk to a professional who can examine you.