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Candito 6-Week Program Logbook Template: Periodized Strength and Hypertrophy
Candito's 6-week program shifts from hypertrophy to strength to peaking. Each phase tracks differently, and your logbook needs to keep up.
Why this matters
A logbook template for Jonnie Candito's 6-week strength program, covering how to track each phase, manage the max test, and compare cycle-to-cycle progress on paper.
Jonnie Candito's 6-week program is one of the most popular intermediate powerlifting templates online. It breaks training into three distinct phases: a hypertrophy phase with higher reps and moderate weight, a strength phase with heavier loads and lower reps, and a peaking phase that builds to a max test. Each phase has different tracking requirements, which means a one-size-fits-all logbook page does not work.
Program length
6 weeks
Two weeks hypertrophy, three weeks strength, one week peaking and max test.
Training days
4/week
Upper and lower splits across all three phases.
Phase transitions
2
Tracking style changes at week 3 and again at week 6.
The Program
How Candito's 6-Week Program Is Structured
The Candito 6-week program is a linear periodization template designed for intermediate lifters. Weeks 1-2 focus on muscular development with higher rep ranges (8-12 reps) and moderate intensity. Weeks 3-5 shift to heavy strength work with lower reps (3-6) and higher percentages of your max. Week 6 is the peak and max test, where you work up to new 1-rep maxes on squat, bench, and deadlift.
Each phase runs an upper/lower split four days per week. The exercises stay mostly the same across phases, but the rep schemes, intensity, and volume change significantly. This is what makes tracking interesting. The same logbook page that works for week 1 will feel cramped or wasteful by week 4.
Phase 1 Template
Weeks 1-2: Hypertrophy Phase Tracking
The hypertrophy phase uses moderate weight for higher reps. Your main lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press) are programmed in the 8-12 rep range, and accessories run even higher. The focus is on accumulating volume and building muscle to support the heavier work ahead.
Your logbook pages during this phase need more rows per exercise because you are doing more sets with more reps. Track weight and reps for each set, and use double progression: if you hit the top of the rep range on all sets, increase weight next time. Skip RPE here. The loads are light enough that RPE is less informative.
- Main lifts: weight, reps per set (target range 8-12)
- Accessories: weight and reps, 3-4 exercises per session
- Weekly volume total per muscle group (optional but useful)
- Note any exercises where you hit the top of the rep range for a weight increase next session
Phase 2 Template
Weeks 3-5: Strength Phase Tracking
The strength phase drops rep ranges to 3-6 on main lifts and increases intensity to 75-90% of your max. This is where the real work happens. Your logbook needs to shift accordingly. Add an RPE column for main lifts because the loads are heavy enough that effort matters. Drop some of the accessory rows since the program reduces accessory volume.
Track prescribed percentage alongside actual weight. Candito provides specific percentages for each session, and having both numbers on the page lets you verify you loaded the bar correctly. It also shows you how your strength compares to the program's expectations. If 85% feels like RPE 7, you are ahead of schedule. If it feels like RPE 9.5, you may need to adjust your training max.
Phase 3 Template
Week 6: Peaking and Max Test
Week 6 is the payoff. You work up to heavy singles on squat, bench, and deadlift. Your logbook page for max test day looks completely different from any other week. You need space for warm-up jumps, attempt progression (opener, second attempt, third attempt), make/miss tracking, and RPE on each heavy single.
Set up the page like a meet day log. Write your planned attempts before you start. Record each warm-up weight in a single line at the top. Then give each attempt its own row with weight, make/miss, and RPE. After the session, write your new maxes at the bottom of the page and calculate the change from your starting maxes in week 1.
- Warm-up progression in a single line at the top
- Planned attempts vs actual attempts
- Make/miss on each attempt
- New max recorded with comparison to pre-cycle max
- Notes on where the lift felt hardest (sticking point, lockout, off the floor)
Cycle Comparison
Comparing Cycles: The Most Valuable Page in Your Logbook
Candito's program is designed to be run multiple cycles back to back. After each cycle, create a comparison page that shows your starting maxes, ending maxes, total gain per lift, and any notes about what went well or poorly. Over 3-4 cycles, this page reveals whether the program is still producing results for you.
If your squat max jumped 20 lbs in cycle 1 but only 5 lbs in cycle 3, you might be plateauing on the program and need to adjust. If your bench consistently stalls while your squat and deadlift climb, you know bench needs extra attention in the hypertrophy phase. This data only exists if you track it, and it only becomes useful if you compare it across cycles.
Action checklist
Deploy it this week
Set up three page templates
One for hypertrophy weeks (more rows, no RPE), one for strength weeks (RPE column, % column), one for max test day.
Record starting maxes on page one
Write your current squat, bench, and deadlift maxes before the cycle begins.
Create a cycle comparison page
After the max test, log starting maxes, ending maxes, and total gain per lift.
Note what worked and what did not
After each cycle, write 2-3 sentences about what you would change next time. Consult these notes before starting the next cycle.
Remember
3 takeaways to screenshot
- ⚡Candito's 6-week program has three phases with different tracking needs. One page template will not work for all six weeks.
- ⚡The strength phase (weeks 3-5) needs RPE and percentage tracking. The hypertrophy phase needs volume tracking. The max test needs attempt logging.
- ⚡The cycle comparison page is the most valuable page because it tells you whether the program is still working after multiple runs.
FAQs
Readers keep asking…
Can I use one page layout for all six weeks?
You can, but you will waste space during the hypertrophy phase (empty RPE columns) and lack space during the strength phase (no percentage tracking). Three templates takes five minutes to set up and makes every week's data cleaner.
How do I handle the optional exercise selections?
Candito lets you choose some exercises in each phase. Write your chosen exercises in the page header at the start of each phase. If you swap an exercise mid-cycle, note why so you can make a better choice next cycle.
What if I do not hit a new max on test day?
Log the attempt anyway. Note the RPE and where the lift failed. A missed max is data. Check your strength phase RPE trends to understand whether you were underprepared or just had a bad day.
How many cycles should I run before switching programs?
Run at least 2-3 cycles before evaluating. One cycle is not enough data. If your maxes stop increasing after 3 cycles with good effort, consider a different program structure.
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