Now that we got that out of the way you are probably wondering what the hell is the Russian Powerlifting Program. In fact I could not even tell you if it actually is Russian or not or just that someone put the word Russian in front of it to sound exotic and more esoteric. Frankly what I can tell you is that this program is tough. http://www.e-normous.biz/russian_power_lifting.html
So what makes it tough? According to the author the program is really meant for just bringing up one lift at a time. The author believes that it is too tough to complete for 3 lifts at the same time but he has provided a program for this very thing as well. As I don't have the luxury of bringing up one lift at a time given the time I have until my next competition I am attempting the 3 lift program. This calls for squats and bench done twice a week and deadlifts onece a week. It primarily focuses on 80% of your 1rm for increasing numbers of sets until week 5 or 6 where you begin to cut back the sets and reps and lift up to 110% of your 1rm.
I am currently about to embark on week 5 which does call for example 6 sets of 6 reps on squats which I can attest to been very tough.
What I have found is to complete 6 sets of squats and 6 sets of bench as well as warm up sets and assistance excercises is just taking far too long given I train in the morning and at some point I have to drive to work. As a result what I am doing is spreading the work over more days with the program looking like this:
Sunday - Squat (Heavy)
Monday - Bench (Heavy)
Tuesday - Deadlift (Heavy)
Thursday - Squat (Light)
Friday - Bench (Heavy)
During lunchtimes I complete assistance excerises and conditioning consisting of ketlebells, crossfit or running. This is a heavy load but provided you work up to this it can be done.
I look forward to the results of this program because one thing I can tell you at the moment is that particulalry at the heavy squat and deadlift sections I am completely exhausted at the end of the session and find that 5th and 6th set a real mental challenge to continue to push.
Whatever program you choose, remember it ain't the program that isn't working if your not benefiting, it's that you're not lifting with enough load or intensity. Therefore do whatever it takes to fire up and go and scare someone in your gym by the load and inensity you are lifting with.