The Format
Push and pull days are 3 tri-sets, 3 rounds each. Work across the row: compound, isolation, third exercise โ then back to the start. The third movement doesn't compete with the first two, so the muscle recovers properly between rounds.
Rest 45โ60 s between exercises. Last round of each tri-set to failure.
Push + Quads/Glutes
| Tri-set | Compound | Isolation | Legs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Incline barbell bench | Lateral raise | Goblet squat |
| 2 | Weighted dips | Overhead triceps extension | Bulgarian split squat |
| 3 | Dumbbell fly | Rear-delt fly | Hip thrust |
Pull + Hamstrings
| Tri-set | Compound | Isolation | Legs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chin-ups | Hammer curl | Single-leg RDL |
| 2 | Dumbbell row | Rear-delt fly | Dumbbell leg curl |
| 3 | Incline dumbbell curl | Shrugs | Hanging knee raise |
Squat
| # | Exercise | Sets ร Reps | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbell back squat | 4 ร 5โ8 | 2 RIR ยท 3 min rest |
| 2 | Knees-over-toes slant squat | 3 ร 10โ12 | failure |
| 3 | Standing calf raise | 4 ร 8โ12 | failure |
| 4 | Seated calf raise | 3 ร 10โ15 | failure |
| 5 | Pallof press | 3 ร 10โ12/side | โ |
The progression โ 29 weeks
Same scheme as the deadlift: +10 kg a week to 100 kg, then +5 kg a week to 200 kg, deload at half weight every 6th week. Starts a week after the deadlift.
| Wk | Date | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 Oct 2026 | 60 kg | |
| 2 | 21 Oct 2026 | 70 kg | |
| 3 | 28 Oct 2026 | 80 kg | |
| 4 | 4 Nov 2026 | 90 kg | |
| 5 | 11 Nov 2026 | 100 kg | +10 kg phase ends |
| 6 | 18 Nov 2026 | 52.5 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 7 | 25 Nov 2026 | 105 kg | |
| 8 | 2 Dec 2026 | 110 kg | |
| 9 | 9 Dec 2026 | 115 kg | |
| 10 | 16 Dec 2026 | 120 kg | |
| 11 | 23 Dec 2026 | 125 kg | |
| 12 | 30 Dec 2026 | 65 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 13 | 6 Jan 2027 | 130 kg | Old squat PR |
| 14 | 13 Jan 2027 | 135 kg | |
| 15 | 20 Jan 2027 | 140 kg | |
| 16 | 27 Jan 2027 | 145 kg | |
| 17 | 3 Feb 2027 | 150 kg | |
| 18 | 10 Feb 2027 | 77.5 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 19 | 17 Feb 2027 | 155 kg | |
| 20 | 24 Feb 2027 | 160 kg | |
| 21 | 3 Mar 2027 | 165 kg | |
| 22 | 10 Mar 2027 | 170 kg | |
| 23 | 17 Mar 2027 | 175 kg | |
| 24 | 24 Mar 2027 | 90 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 25 | 31 Mar 2027 | 180 kg | |
| 26 | 7 Apr 2027 | 185 kg | |
| 27 | 14 Apr 2027 | 190 kg | Old deadlift PR |
| 28 | 21 Apr 2027 | 195 kg | |
| 29 | 28 Apr 2027 | 200 kg | TARGET |
Your old squat PR is 130 kg, which this plan reaches on 6 January. Everything past that is lifetime-best territory, and 200 kg would be a 70 kg PR inside six months. Expect to stall somewhere in the 150โ170 kg range โ which would still be a huge PR. Treat 200 as the direction, not a promise.
Deadlift
| # | Exercise | Sets ร Reps | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deadlift | Top set + 3 back-offs at โ10% | RPE 7โ8.5 ยท never to failure ยท 3โ5 min rest |
| 2 | Weighted roman chair back extension | 3 ร 12โ15 | 1โ2 RIR |
| 3 | Suitcase carry | 3 ร 30 m/side | heavy, level hips |
| 4 | Hanging knee raise | 3 ร 10โ15 | failure |
Deadlift first, always. Bar elevated 5โ7 cm for block 1. Never within 1โ2 hours of waking.
The progression โ 29 weeks
+10 kg a week to 100 kg, then +5 kg a week to 200 kg. Every 6th week is a deload at half the weight.
| Wk | Date | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 Oct 2026 | 60 kg | |
| 2 | 16 Oct 2026 | 70 kg | |
| 3 | 23 Oct 2026 | 80 kg | |
| 4 | 30 Oct 2026 | 90 kg | |
| 5 | 6 Nov 2026 | 100 kg | +10 kg phase ends |
| 6 | 13 Nov 2026 | 52.5 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 7 | 20 Nov 2026 | 105 kg | |
| 8 | 27 Nov 2026 | 110 kg | |
| 9 | 4 Dec 2026 | 115 kg | |
| 10 | 11 Dec 2026 | 120 kg | |
| 11 | 18 Dec 2026 | 125 kg | |
| 12 | 25 Dec 2026 | 65 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 13 | 1 Jan 2027 | 130 kg | Old squat PR |
| 14 | 8 Jan 2027 | 135 kg | |
| 15 | 15 Jan 2027 | 140 kg | |
| 16 | 22 Jan 2027 | 145 kg | |
| 17 | 29 Jan 2027 | 150 kg | |
| 18 | 5 Feb 2027 | 77.5 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 19 | 12 Feb 2027 | 155 kg | |
| 20 | 19 Feb 2027 | 160 kg | |
| 21 | 26 Feb 2027 | 165 kg | |
| 22 | 5 Mar 2027 | 170 kg | |
| 23 | 12 Mar 2027 | 175 kg | |
| 24 | 19 Mar 2027 | 90 kg | Deload โ half weight |
| 25 | 26 Mar 2027 | 180 kg | |
| 26 | 2 Apr 2027 | 185 kg | |
| 27 | 9 Apr 2027 | 190 kg | Old deadlift PR |
| 28 | 16 Apr 2027 | 195 kg | |
| 29 | 23 Apr 2027 | 200 kg | TARGET |
Repeat the same weight the following week. Miss it twice and drop 10%, then build back up. Without that rule the first miss derails the whole schedule.
Push โ Upper Only
| Tri-set | Compound | Isolation | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Incline barbell bench | Lateral raise | Overhead triceps extension |
| 2 | Weighted dips | Rear-delt fly | Band lateral raise |
| 3 | Dumbbell fly | Triceps pressdown | Single-leg calf raise |
No legs โ protects Friday's deadlift recovery.
Pull โ Upper Only
| Tri-set | Compound | Isolation | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chin-ups | Hammer curl | Rear-delt fly |
| 2 | Dumbbell row | Incline dumbbell curl | Shrugs |
| 3 | T-bar row | Band curl | Weighted crunch |
Weekly Volume
| Muscle | Sets | Muscle | Sets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest | 18 | Rear delts | 12 |
| Back | 15 | Abs | 12 |
| Biceps | 15 | Calves | 10 |
| Quads | 13 | Side delts | 9 |
| Hamstrings | 13 | Triceps | 9 |
Run a 4th round on tri-sets 2 and 3 of the push days. Costs about six minutes. Worth it โ side delts are the width muscle.
Six-Week Back Build
Disc bulge is resolved, but neural capacity comes back faster than connective tissue after six years away from pulling. Run this on Wednesday and Friday for six weeks before starting the wave.
| Exercise | Prescription |
|---|---|
| Weighted roman chair back extension | 3 ร 12โ15 ยท start 20 kg, +5 kg/week |
| Suitcase carry | 3 ร 40 m/side |
| Side plank | 3 ร 30โ45 s/side |
| Bird dog | 3 ร 8/side, 3 s hold |
| Dead bug | 3 ร 8/side |
| Hip thrust | 3 ร 10โ12 |
Weeks 3โ4: add RDL 3 ร 8 @ 40โ50 kg. Weeks 5โ6: add elevated deadlift 4 ร 5 @ RPE 5โ6.
Pain, numbness or tingling below the knee ยท weakness in the foot or leg ยท back pain worse at rest than with activity. Local muscular soreness is fine and expected.