Week 3: Add a little weight

Day 1 — Squat Focus

Lower body / Squat

Warm-up

→5 min light cardio (row, bike, or brisk walk)
→Hip circles x10 each side
→Leg swings x10 each direction
→Cat–cow x10
→World's greatest stretch x5/side
→Bodyweight squats 2x10
→Goblet squat 2x8 (light)
→Empty bar squat 2x8 (pause at bottom)
→Ramp-up sets: 50% x5, 70% x3, 85% x1

Tech Tip

Big breath at the top, hold it all the way down and up. Don't exhale mid-rep.

Main Lift

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Effort (RPE)

Back Squat

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7 (~70%)

↳ Pause 1s in the hole on warm-up sets

Accessories

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Effort

Romanian Deadlift

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7

Walking Lunge

Sets

Reps

10/leg

Effort

RPE 7

Plank

Sets

Reps

45s hold

Effort

Hard but controlled

Cool-down

→5 min easy walk
→Couch stretch 60s/side
→Doorway pec stretch 60s/side
→Child's pose 60s
→Box breathing: 4-4-4-4 x10 rounds

Day 2 — Bench Focus

Upper body / Bench Press

Warm-up

→5 min light cardio (row, bike, or brisk walk)
→Hip circles x10 each side
→Leg swings x10 each direction
→Cat–cow x10
→World's greatest stretch x5/side
→Band pull-aparts 2x15
→Scap push-ups 2x10
→Empty bar bench 2x8 (slow tempo)
→Ramp-up sets: 50% x5, 70% x3, 85% x1

Tech Tip

Drive your feet into the floor — leg drive is free pounds on the bar.

Main Lift

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Effort (RPE)

Barbell Bench Press

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7 (~70%)

↳ Pause 1s on chest each rep

Accessories

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Effort

Bent-over Barbell Row

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7

Overhead Press

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7

Push-ups

Sets

Reps

AMRAP

Effort

Stop 2 reps shy of failure

Cool-down

→5 min easy walk
→Couch stretch 60s/side
→Doorway pec stretch 60s/side
→Child's pose 60s
→Box breathing: 4-4-4-4 x10 rounds

Day 3 — Deadlift Focus

Posterior chain / Deadlift

Warm-up

→5 min light cardio (row, bike, or brisk walk)
→Hip circles x10 each side
→Leg swings x10 each direction
→Cat–cow x10
→World's greatest stretch x5/side
→Glute bridges 2x12
→Romanian deadlift with empty bar 2x8
→Deadlift from floor: 50% x5, 70% x3, 85% x1

Tech Tip

Push the floor away with your legs first, then finish with hips. Don't squat the deadlift.

Main Lift

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Effort (RPE)

Conventional Deadlift

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7 (~70%)

↳ Reset every rep — no touch-and-go

Accessories

Exercise

Sets

Reps

Effort

Front Squat

Sets

Reps

Effort

RPE 7

Pull-ups (or Lat Pulldown)

Sets

Reps

6-8

Effort

RPE 8

Hanging Knee Raise

Sets

Reps

Effort

Controlled

Cool-down

→5 min easy walk
→Couch stretch 60s/side
→Doorway pec stretch 60s/side
→Child's pose 60s
→Box breathing: 4-4-4-4 x10 rounds