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In short
Candito 6 Week is a six-week block for lifters who have outgrown a beginner plan.
Training days drop from five to three as the weights get heavier.
SBD Guru's version uses RPE targets and always ends on a deload week.
What is Candito 6 Week?
Jonnie Candito's six-week block moves from volume to strength to a peak. Early weeks use five sessions and more work on the squat, bench press and deadlift.
The number of sessions falls as the weights rise, so the heaviest week is the least crowded. The block has a clear end, which makes it easy to plan around.
How do the six weeks change?
- Weeks 1 and 2. Five sessions a week, with sets of six to ten reps. These weeks carry the most work.
- Weeks 3 and 4. Four sessions a week. The sets drop to between three and six reps at a higher RPE.
- Week 5. Three sessions, the hardest week of the block. Each lift gets one test day where you work up to a heavy double or single.
- Week 6. Three light sessions, so you finish the block recovered.
Who is it right for?
Candito 6 Week suits lifters who know the squat, bench press and deadlift and have run out of novice linear progression. You also need to train five days a week in the early weeks.
Candito 6 Week fits if you want a short block with a defined end that builds to a heavy double or single.
A beginner who finds week 1 far too easy should run linear progression first. Lifters who can only train three or four days a week should look at the Texas Method or 5/3/1 instead.
How does SBD Guru's version differ from the original?
- Candito's original sets weights as fixed percentages. SBD Guru's version uses RPE targets instead.
- Candito's own spreadsheet lets you skip week 6 or use it to test your max. SBD Guru keeps week 6 as a deload, so the block does not end on a max attempt.
What should you watch for?
- Early bench volume. Weeks 1 and 2 hold the most bench sets, and every week 1 bench set is 8 to 10 reps. Expect them to leave you fatigued.
- The heavy week. Week 5 has the heaviest sets of the block on only three sessions. Take longer warm-ups and stop each set at the prescribed effort.
- Your starting maxes. The block needs realistic numbers, so start from recent sets and not an old personal best.
What comes after week 6?
Six weeks is short. Long-term progress means running the block again with new maxes, or moving to a longer plan such as the Texas Method or 5/3/1.
Learn to rate sets honestly before you start, because SBD Guru's version sets the effort by RPE.