strenosStuck on your squat or bench? Run Smolov Jr.
Enter your squat or bench max and get all twelve sessions: sets, reps and plates per side, with each week's jump already added. Same math as the Strenos app.
- free, same math as the Strenos app
- all 12 sessions with the weekly jumps
- plates per side and weekly volume
Your three weeks
Four different days a week, every weight rounded down to what you can load, and how much each week adds.
Is Smolov Jr for you?
Smolov Jr is a three-week block for one lift. You train it four times a week, a little heavier every week. Lifters run it when the squat or bench has been stuck at the same weight for weeks. Below is who it suits and how to get through all 12 sessions without getting hurt.
A good fit if
- One lift has been stuck for weeks while everything else keeps moving.
- You've been lifting for at least a year and know your max on that lift.
- You can train four days a week for three weeks and cut back everything else.
- You want a short, focused push on your squat or bench.
Pick something else if
- You're new to lifting. A program that adds weight every session will move you along faster, and more safely.
- Your knees, hips or shoulders are already complaining. Four heavy days a week will find the weak spot.
- You want to run it on a belt lift. In Strenos, Smolov Jr is barbell only.
What to expect
- It's meant to be hard. Thirty-one working sets of one lift every week. Days 2 and 4 are the ones people remember.
- Your legs feel heavy by week 2. That means the block is working. Sleep and food matter more than usual.
- The weights go up every week. Weeks 2 and 3 repeat week 1 with a fixed jump added to every weight.
- The payoff comes later. You test your new max after 5 to 7 days of rest, once the block is done.
What a week looks like
Each of the four days has its own sets, reps and percentage of your block max:
- Day 1 6 sets of 6 at 70%
- Day 2 7 sets of 5 at 75%
- Day 3 8 sets of 4 at 80%
- Day 4 10 sets of 3 at 85%
How to get through it
- Leave the 10% lighter start on. It's on by default in Strenos. Run the block off 90% of your max and you'll finish it. Run it off a guessed max and often you won't.
- Cut back everything else. For three weeks, keep your other lifts light and short. Smolov Jr takes all the recovery you've got.
- Spread the sessions out. Train four days and keep the hardest ones apart, for example Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
- Stop a set that falls apart. Rack the bar and move on. A missed rep costs you less than a tweaked back.
- Rest before you test. Rest 5 to 7 days after week 3, then test your new max. You'll get this reminder in Strenos when the block ends.
Where Smolov Jr comes from
Smolov Jr condenses the squat cycle by Sergey Smolov, a Russian Master of Sport, into three weeks. The full Smolov runs 13 weeks and is notorious for how hard it is. The junior version keeps its core idea, four heavy days a week on one lift, and drops the rest. That's why lifters also run it for the bench.
It works by packing a lot of heavy practice into a short stretch, then giving you time to recover and test.
The twelve sessions
Week 1 sets the base: 70, 75, 80 and 85% of your block max, rounded down to a weight your plates can make. Weeks 2 and 3 add a fixed jump to every day of week 1.
| Day | Sets × reps | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 × 6 | 70% | +10 kg / +5 kg | +15 kg / +7.5 kg |
| 2 | 7 × 5 | 75% | +10 kg / +5 kg | +15 kg / +7.5 kg |
| 3 | 8 × 4 | 80% | +10 kg / +5 kg | +15 kg / +7.5 kg |
| 4 | 10 × 3 | 85% | +10 kg / +5 kg | +15 kg / +7.5 kg |
In each cell, the first jump is for the squat and deadlift and the second is for the bench and overhead press. In pounds, that's 20 and 30 lb for lower-body lifts and 10 and 15 lb for upper-body lifts.
How much to add each week
The original Smolov Jr leaves the jump up to you: 5 to 10 kg for week 2, then the same again for week 3. That's where a lot of lifters go wrong. They go for the full 10 kg on a good day and pay for it on day 4 of week 3.
In Strenos the jumps are already set: +10 and +15 kg for lower-body lifts, +5 and +7.5 kg for upper-body lifts, both counted from week 1. Add the 10% lighter start, and the last week stays heavy but doable.
Who shouldn't run it
Smolov Jr is a specialization block. You run it, then go back to your regular program. Skip it if you're in your first year of lifting, if a joint already hurts when you do that lift, or if you can't cut back your other training for three weeks.
Don't run it back to back. Most lifters do at least a few weeks of normal training before the next block.
Common mistakes
Starting from a max you hit once on a great day. That's exactly what the 10% lighter start is for.
Keeping full volume on your other lifts. Three weeks of Smolov Jr on top of your usual training is more likely to end in a stall than a PR.
Testing the day after week 3. The new strength shows up after 5 to 7 days of rest.
Doing plate math during 10 sets of 3. Check the weight on the calculator, load the bar once and just lift.
Smolov Jr, Texas Method or 5/3/1?
Smolov Jr is a short push for one lift. The Texas Method moves all your lifts every week, with a volume day, a light day and a heavy day. 5/3/1 is a long-term plan where the weight goes up once a month. A lot of lifters run 5/3/1 or nSuns most of the year and drop in a Smolov Jr block when one lift stalls.
You can compare all five programs side by side on the programs page.
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Then let the app run the block
Strenos runs Smolov Jr on one barbell lift, four days a week for three weeks. The 10% lighter start is on by default, and every weight is rounded down to your plates. When the block ends, the app reminds you to rest and test your max.
- All 12 sessions with the weights ready
- 10% lighter start, on by default
- A reminder to rest and test at the end
Free on the App Store. Week one of the block is free.
On a computer? Point your iPhone camera at the code to open Strenos in the App Store.
Questions about Smolov Jr
What does the 10% lighter start do?
You run the whole block off 90% of your max instead of 100%. It's on by default in Strenos, and you can turn it off in the calculator.
Can I run Smolov Jr on bench?
Yes. Bench gets the smaller upper-body jumps: +5 kg in week 2 and +7.5 kg in week 3, both counted from week 1.
Why are the weights rounded down?
Because a weight you can't actually load is no use to you. So week 1 starts at a weight your plates can actually make, rounded down, and you add the weekly jumps on top.
How many days a week?
Four, spread across the week, for three weeks.
What happens after week 3?
Rest 5 to 7 days, then test your max. You'll get that reminder in Strenos when the block ends, but the test itself is up to you.
Can I run it with weighted pull-ups or dips?
Not in Strenos, where Smolov Jr is barbell only. For belt lifts, use 5/3/1, nSuns, GZCLP or the Texas Method.
Is it free?
The first week is free in Strenos. The full block, your whole history and every chart come with Plus, which you can get monthly, yearly or as a one-time Lifetime purchase.
Is this the official Smolov program?
No. Strenos isn't affiliated with Sergey Smolov. It runs the widely used Smolov Jr structure, with its own fixed weekly jumps.
5/3/1, nSuns, GZCLP, Texas and Smolov Jr on your wrist.
Every set comes with its weight, reps and plates per side, worked out from your maxes. You check sets off on your Apple Watch, and the program moves your weights by its own rules.
Free on the App Store.