12 Week Squat Program to Increase Your 1RM (with PDF)

I’ve designed an easy-to-follow and effective squat workout routine that can help you scale your squatting ability to the next level and build jacked legs.

Whether you’re a powerlifter or a bodybuilder, try this 12-week squat program to level up your strength.

Program Overview

Duration	12 Weeks
Exercise Focus	Squat (Powerlift)
Sessions/Week	Two
Workout Level	Beginner to Intermediate
Target Gender	Male and Female
Equipment Needed	Knee Straps/Compressor, Gym Belt
Goal	Increase Squatting Ability

12 Week Squat Workout Routine to Progress Your 1RM

In this program, you’ll do squat twice a week. On your first day, you’ll focus on strength (heavyweight sets), and on the other day, you’ll lift (moderate weight) to build firm legs and progress your strength.

Warm-up Exercises: Pick any two to three exercises and do them for 10 minutes.

• 5-min Lower Body Foam Rolling
• 5-minutes on the stationary bike (Low intensity)
• 5-minute Incline Treadmill Walk
• Perform bodyweight deep squat 3 sets of 8-10 reps (five-second pause per rep)

Weight You Can Lift:

• Round 1– 40% of your one-rep max, 2-min rest.
• Round 2 – 60% of your 1RM, 3-min rest.
• Round 3 – 70-80 % of your 1RM, 4-min rest.
• Round 4 – 80-90% of your 1RM, 4-min rest.
• Round 5 – One rep max, 4 minute rest

Sessions/Week:

• Monday and Thursday or Tuesday or Friday

Weight Increment:

• Increase 2-5% weight every subsequent week.

Week 1

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	DB Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 6-8	Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	1 x 4-6	Leg Extension (One set to failure)
4	1 x 2-4	Romanian Deadlift (2 sets x 10 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Barbell Front Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Landmine Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Barbell Split Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute

Week 2

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Sumo Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 6-8	Single-Leg Press (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 4-6	Reverse Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
4	1 x 2-4	Leg Curl (2 sets x 20 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Barbell Pin Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
DB Deficit Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
SM Sumo Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute

Week 3

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Front Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 6-8	Curtsy Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 4-6	Leg Extension (2 sets x 20 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Barbell Hip Thrust (2 sets x 10 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Pistol Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
DB Lateral Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Zercher Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute

Week 4

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Hack Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	3 x 6-8	Step-up (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 4-6	Bulgarian Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Leg Curl (2 sets x 20 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Horizontal Leg Press	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Barbell Hack Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Box Squat	4 x 5-10	2-minute

Week 5

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	DB Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	3 x 6-8	Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	3 x 4-6	Leg Extension (One set to failure)
4	2 x 2-4	Romanian Deadlift (2 sets x 10 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Barbell Front Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
Landmine Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
Barbell Split Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes

Week 6

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Sumo Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 6-8	Single-Leg Press (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 4-6	Reverse Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Leg Curl (2 sets x 20 reps)
5	2 x 1	–

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Barbell Pin Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
DB Deficit Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
SM Sumo Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes

Week 7

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 10-12	Front Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 8-10	Curtsy Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 6-8	Leg Extension (2 sets x 20 reps)
4	2 x 4-6	Barbell Hip Thrust (2 sets x 10 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Pistol Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
DB Lateral Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
Zercher Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes

Week 8

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Hack Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 6-8	Step-up (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 4-6	Bulgarian Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Leg Curl (2 sets x 20 reps)
5	3 x 1

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Horizontal Leg Press	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Barbell Hack Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Box Squat	4 x 5-10	2-minute

Week 9

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 10-12	DB Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 8-10	Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	3 x 6-8	Leg Extension (One set to failure)
4	3 x 4-6	Romanian Deadlift (2 sets x 10 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Barbell Front Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
Landmine Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
Barbell Split Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes

Week 10

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Sumo Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	1 x 6-8	Single-Leg Press (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	1 x 4-6	Reverse Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Leg Curl (2 sets x 20 reps)
5	4 x 1	–

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Barbell Pin Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
DB Deficit Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
SM Sumo Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes

Week 11

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Front Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	2 x 6-8	Curtsy Lunges (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	2 x 4-6	Leg Extension (2 sets x 20 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Barbell Hip Thrust (2 sets x 10 reps)

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Pistol Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
DB Lateral Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes
Zercher Squat	4 x 10-15	2-3 minutes

Week 12

Monday

Round	Sets x Reps	Supportive Lifts
1	2 x 8-10	Hack Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
2	1 x 6-8	Step-up (2 sets x 10 reps)
3	1 x 4-6	Bulgarian Squat (2 sets x 10 reps)
4	2 x 2-4	Leg Curl (2 sets x 20 reps)
5	5 x 1	–

Thursday

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest b/w Sets
Horizontal Leg Press	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Barbell Hack Squat	4 x 10-15	2-minute
Box Squat	4 x 5-10	2-minute

How Much Weight Should You Increase Every Week?

This is how you can progressively increase weight and set your new squat personal record (PR).

Here, I’ve taken an example of a person who lifts 100 kg and wants to progress his squat.

Weeks	Increase Weight (Approx)	1RM
Week 1	0	100
Week 2	1	101
Week 3	1	102
Week 4	1.5	103.5
Week 5	1.5	105
Week 6	2	107
Week 7	2	109
Week 8	2	111
Week 9	2	113
Week 9	2	115
Week 10	2	117
Week 11	2	119
Week 12	1	120

This is how you can increase your squat from 100 to 120 kg or 20% in 12 weeks.

Some people may be able to lift more weight after 12 weeks of the program, and some may find it difficult to increase any weight.

Increasing weight primarily depends on how consistently you follow the program, how much time you allow your muscles to recover, and how you feed your muscles the optimum nutrition.

If you focus on everything properly, you’ll be able to break your old PR and set a new one.

Please note: You should not use this program if you have any injury. Consult a professional before starting this program.

Download The Powerlifting Squat Program PDF

If you’ve followed the Russian and Hatch squat programs, this is also worth trying.

Helpful Resources:

• 20 Types of Bodyweight Squats
• 13 Best Barbell Squat Variations
• 16 Best Dumbbell Squats to Train Your Legs

Maximize Your Bench Press with this program.

• 12-Week Bench Press Program to Progress Your 1RM (w/PDF)