Brandon Lilly's Cube Method: A Practical Guide for Powerlifters
Learn how Brandon Lilly's Cube Method blends explosive, heavy, and high-rep training across squat, bench, and deadlift to drive new personal records.
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Brandon Lilly's Cube Method is a four-day-per-week powerlifting program that rotates the squat, bench press, and deadlift through three distinct training styles—explosive, heavy strength, and high-repetition—with a fourth bodybuilding day to round out the cube. It was designed to break through plateaus, reduce overuse issues, and keep training fresh by combining the main pillars of strength development into a single, periodized plan.
How the Cube Method Is Structured
The program centers on the big three powerlifts across three primary sessions each week, then adds a recovery-focused fourth day that targets weak points and lagging muscle groups. Each main lift rotates through the three training styles so that no single quality is overemphasized.
The Three Training Styles
- Heavy Strength Day: Uses heavier loads at lower reps, with each rep treated like a competition attempt to build maximal strength.
- Repetition Day: Drops the load to roughly 70–80 percent of your one-rep max and increases reps to develop technique and muscle.
- Explosive Day: Uses lighter loads around 60 percent of your one-rep max, emphasizing bar speed and force production without losing position.
Bodybuilding Day
The fourth session is meant to plug gaps in your physique that could limit strength. Choose three or four accessory movements and push high-quality sets close to failure, limiting barbell work so this day complements rather than competes with the main lifts.
Loading and Periodization
Weights are set by a percentage of your one-rep max, and the program is organized into four-week mesocycles. After week three, you restart the rotation with an increased training max—often 90 percent of your predicted one-rep max—bumping it up by small jumps each cycle.
Sample Four-Week Rotation
- Week 1: Heavy squat, explosive bench, high-rep deadlift, bodybuilding day.
- Week 2: Explosive squat, high-rep bench, heavy deadlift, bodybuilding day.
- Week 3: High-rep squat, heavy bench, explosive deadlift, bodybuilding day.
- Week 4: Restart the cycle with a higher training max.
Why the Program Works
The Cube Method draws its effectiveness from three core ideas: periodized training, targeted weak-point work, and built-in variety that prevents staleness.
Periodization Built In
By systematically rotating intensity and volume, the program helps lifters move past early gains and break through plateaus that stall unstructured training.
Direct Weak-Point Work
The combination of explosive, strength, and repetition days—plus a customizable bodybuilding session—gives you tools to fix sticking points rather than ignore them.
Variety That Lasts
Constantly changing the stimulus keeps boredom and overuse at bay, which matters because meaningful strength gains take a long time and many training blocks to accumulate.
Equipment You'll Need
Most powerlifting programs require only the basics, and the Cube is no exception.
Barbells
A quality barbell is non-negotiable, since the squat, bench press, and deadlift are performed with a bar in every main session.
Dumbbells
A broad dumbbell range supports accessory work for pressing, rowing, and unilateral exercises that round out the program.
Rack, Bench, and Platform
A sturdy rack or squat stand for squats, a flat bench for pressing, and ideally a deadlift platform will let you train close to competition conditions.
Commercial Gym Access
Unlike many strength programs, the Cube travels well to a commercial gym, where machines and cables can fill in for accessory work.
Tips for Running the Program
A little preparation goes a long way when starting a structured powerlifting block.
Practice the Big Three First
The main lifts are skill-based, so dial in your technique before jumping in. A short preparatory mesocycle focused on technique and variations can smooth out early plateaus.
Survey Your Equipment
Before week one, check what equipment is available so you can choose accessory exercises that complement your main barbell work.
Block Out Enough Time
Plan for roughly two hours per session to allow proper warm-ups, work sets, and accessory movements without feeling rushed.
Who Should Try the Cube Method
The program is a strong match for lifters who want structure, variety, and a clear path to a bigger powerlifting total.
Concurrent Trainers
If you like developing explosiveness, raw strength, and hypertrophy at the same time, the Cube's rotating structure supports that blend.
Over-Analyzers
Because the program is laid out in a spreadsheet, you can follow it without second-guessing every detail of your training.
Competitive Powerlifters
With the squat, bench, and deadlift at the center of every week, anyone chasing a bigger total will find the program well-suited to that aim.
Who Should Consider a Different Program
The Cube is not the right starting point for every lifter.
Beginners
New lifters benefit from first mastering technique on the main lifts before layering in heavy, explosive, and high-rep loading schemes.
Program Hoppers
Strength takes time, and the powerlifts are highly technical. Sticking with the Cube for multiple mesocycles is essential if you want results.
Pure Bodybuilders
Although the Cube includes bodybuilding-style work, its core focus is strength in the big three, so dedicated hypertrophy programs may serve muscle-building goals better.
The Bottom Line
Brandon Lilly's Cube Method packages explosive, heavy, and high-repetition training into a single periodized plan, with a bodybuilding day to address weak points. For lifters who want variety without sacrificing structure—and who are committed to the long haul—it offers a clear path to new personal records on the squat, bench, and deadlift.
