Cube Method Strongman
The Cube Method was developed by Josh Thigpen, a professional strongman competitor and powerlifter, as a systematic answer to the question: "How do you train maximum strength, explosive power, and volume in the same week without overtaxing any single quality?" The answer is rotation.
The Cube Method's core principle is that each primary quality — maximal strength, explosive power, and volume — is trained on a 3-week rotation, and no two primary lifts share the same emphasis in the same week. On any given training day, one lift is in the heavy phase while the others are in explosive or volume phases. This ensures that the CNS demand of maximum effort work never stacks across the weekly schedule.
The adaptation to strongman is notable: the event training follows the same 3-week wave as the barbell lifts, creating a parallel periodization structure. A heavy deadlift week coincides with an explosive event day; a volume squat week coincides with a heavy log day. The result is a systematic rotation through every stimulus type across all training modalities.
Who This Is For
- Intermediate athletes with 1–3 years of strongman training
- Athletes competing at regional or national amateur level
- Athletes who have exhausted linear progression and need structured undulating periodization
- Athletes with consistent access to all competition implements
- Minimum baseline: Deadlift ≥ 2× BW, Overhead Press ≥ 1.0× BW, Squat ≥ 1.75× BW
The Three-Week Cube Wave
| Week Type | Barbell Lifts | Event Training |
|---|---|---|
| Week A — Heavy | Work to 5RM / 3RM / 1RM (progresses each cycle) | Full event at 90–95% competition weight |
| Week B — Explosive | 6–8 × 2 at 60%; maximum bar speed | Event at 60–65%; start speed and acceleration focus |
| Week C — Volume | 5 × 5 at 70–75% | Event at 65–70%; maximum distance or loading volume |
The wave repeats four times across 12 weeks. Each repetition of the heavy week targets a slightly higher load.
Four-Day Weekly Schedule
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Deadlift (Cube wave) + Posterior chain |
| Wednesday | Squat (Cube wave, offset) + Events (stones) |
| Thursday | Log + Farmer + Yoke (event Cube wave) |
| Friday | Overhead Press (Cube wave, offset) + Pull-ups |
Offset Assignment Across the 4-Cycle Program
| Cycle | Deadlift | Squat | Overhead Press |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle 1, Week A | Heavy | Explosive | Volume |
| Cycle 1, Week B | Explosive | Volume | Heavy |
| Cycle 1, Week C | Volume | Heavy | Explosive |
| Cycle 2, Week A | Heavy | Explosive | Volume |
| Pattern repeats for Cycles 3–4 |
The offset ensures maximum effort work never falls on the same day for two primary lifts.
Competition Event Wave (Parallel Track)
| Cycle | Event Week A | Event Week B | Event Week C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Log | 90–95% singles | 60–65% × 5 explosive sets | 5 × 4 at 70% |
| Farmer | Full distance at comp weight | 4 × 20 m at 60%, start-speed focus | 4 × 30 m at 60% |
| Yoke | Full distance at comp weight | 4 × 10 m at 70%, start-speed | 3 × 25 m at 65% |
| Stones | Full series at 90%, tacky | Reduced weight, transition speed | 4–5 loads at 70%, tacky |
Key Rules
- Never stack heavy days. The entire Cube system depends on the three-lift offset. If two primary lifts fall into the heavy phase on the same week, one must be shifted. The offset is not cosmetic — it is the fatigue management mechanism.
- Explosive days are not deload days. 8 × 2 at 60% with maximum bar speed is a CNS-intensive session. The rest interval must be 90–120 seconds minimum; if bar speed decays across sets, end the session.
- Event heavy days use full implements at full distance. The event heavy day is a competition simulation, not a heavy barbell session with implements. Full distance, full weight, full contest standard.
Preceding program:
strongman_intermediate_block. Competition-specific preparation:strongman_competition_prep.