Smolov & Smolov Jr · iOS and Android

Take on Smolov with confidence.

The legendary Russian squat program, calculated from your max.

Run the 13-week Smolov cycle or a 3-week Smolov Jr for squat, bench press or another lift. Know what to lift, skip the plate math and make every session count toward your next max.

Free to start on iPhone and Android. No ads, and no account needed.

See it in action

Where you are in the cycle, the weight for every set, the plates to load, the whole program, your log and Smolov Jr for bench.

Why use it

What you get

WEIGHTS

Know what to lift

Every set is calculated from your max and rounded to the bar and plates you have, in pounds or kilograms. Enter a new max on test day and the weeks after it update.

PLATES

Skip the plate math

Tap a weight to see the plates for each side of the bar, so you load it right between sets.

LOG

Make every session count

Tap sets as you finish them, record missed reps, save a partial workout and add notes. The rest timer runs between sets, and the log shows your volume through the cycle.

The 13-week Smolov cycle

Smolov is a squat specialization program by Sergey Smolov, a Russian Master of Sport, first published in 1989. Every weight is a percentage of your max, and the app works each one out for you.

Weeks 1–2, Intro. Three squat days in a row working up to a heavy single, then split squats and stretching. In week 2 you squat every other day, building to a hard set of 5.
Weeks 3–6, Base. Four squat days a week: 4×9 at 70%, 5×7 at 75%, 7×5 at 80% and 10×3 at 85%. Week 4 adds 20 lb (10 kg) and week 5 adds 30 lb (15 kg). Week 6 is two rest days, then a new max.
Weeks 7–8, Switching. Two lighter weeks of speed work: jumps, jump squats with a light bar, explosive leg press and negatives. The app gives you each session as a checklist.
Weeks 9–12, Intense. Three heavy days a week from your new max, with most of the work between 80% and 95%.
Week 13, Taper. Two lighter sessions, then rest and test your new max.

For more on each phase and how to recover, read Smolov: the Russian squat program explained.

Smolov Jr

Smolov Jr is a shorter program built on Smolov's base phase: four days a week for three weeks, at 6×6 at 70%, 7×5 at 75%, 8×4 at 80% and 10×3 at 85%. You choose how much weight to add each week. It's often run for bench press, and it fits between longer programs.

Smolov Jr isn't part of Smolov's 1989 article, and its author is unknown.

Who it's for

Smolov is a demanding, high-volume program for experienced lifters, not a beginner plan. You need squat technique that holds up when you're tired, and room in your life for the food and sleep it takes to recover. If you're newer to the barbell, build a base first with 5/3/1 or a 5×5.

Free, with an optional subscription

The app is free to start and has no ads. You get Smolov weeks 1 and 2, Smolov Jr week 1, one cycle at a time and your five most recent workouts. Smolov Pro adds every week of both programs, more than one cycle, your full history and volume chart, backup and sync across devices, and export. If you used the old Smolov app, your workouts are kept, and a Pro upgrade you bought there carries over.

Common questions

What's the difference between Smolov and Smolov Jr?

Smolov is the full 13-week squat program, in five phases with two max tests. Smolov Jr is a 3-week program of four days a week, with a weekly weight increase you choose. Many lifters run Smolov Jr first, or use it for bench press.

Can I run Smolov Jr for bench press?

Yes. Choose bench press, or any other lift, when you start a cycle, then enter your max and the weekly increase. Use a smaller increase for bench than for squat.

Does it tell me which plates to load?

Yes. Every weight is rounded to the bar and plates you have, and tapping a weight shows the plates for each side, in pounds or kilograms.

What happens on test days?

In weeks 6 and 13 you work up to a new max. Enter it, and the weights from that week onward are calculated from the new number.

Does it work offline?

Yes. Your program and log are stored on your phone, and you don't need an account. Sign in only if you want to back up and sync between devices.

Is it free?

It's free to start, with the first two weeks of Smolov and the first week of Smolov Jr. Smolov Pro is a 3-month or yearly subscription that adds every week, more than one cycle, your full history, and backup and sync.

Sources

Program reviewed October 28, 2026 against these sources.

S. Yu. Smolov, Особенности тренировки атлетов в приседаниях (Training the squat)Атлетизм No. 5, 1989, in Russian
Pavel Tsatsouline, Another Russian Super CyclePowerlifting USA, 2001, an English translation
Smolov FAQwkak.net, archived 2013, including Smolov Jr

Start your next Smolov cycle

Free to start on iPhone and Android.