FitnessieWho it's for
Beginners who like a little upper-body volume and pushing the last set, three days a week.
How it works
Two workouts alternate. A is overhead press, chin-ups and squat; B is bench press, barbell rows and deadlift. Each lift is two sets of five, then a final set for as many reps as you can do with good form. The deadlift is a single set of five or more.
Make at least five reps on that last set and the weight goes up next time: 2.5 lb on upper-body lifts and 5 lb on squats and deadlifts. Ten reps or more means the weight was too light, so the jump doubles.
Fall short of five on the last set and that lift drops 10% next time. The reset comes quickly by design: you build back up with momentum instead of grinding against a stall.
Equipment: barbell, rack, bench, pull-up bar. To start you'll need: Overhead Press (Barbell) starting weight, Squat (Barbell) starting weight, Bench Press (Barbell) starting weight, Bent Over Row (Barbell) starting weight, Deadlift (Barbell) starting weight.
The program
Greyskull A
| Exercise | Sets | Load | Next time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhead Press (Barbell) | 3×5, last set AMRAP | Your starting weight | Add 2.5 lb (1.25 kg) after a session where every set hit. Doubled when the last set reaches 10 reps. A miss takes 10% off next time. |
| Chin Up | 3×5, last set AMRAP | Bodyweight | Work from 5 up to 12 reps a set. |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3×5, last set AMRAP | Your starting weight | Add 5 lb (2.5 kg) after a session where every set hit. Doubled when the last set reaches 10 reps. A miss takes 10% off next time. |
Greyskull B
| Exercise | Sets | Load | Next time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3×5, last set AMRAP | Your starting weight | Add 2.5 lb (1.25 kg) after a session where every set hit. Doubled when the last set reaches 10 reps. A miss takes 10% off next time. |
| Bent Over Row (Barbell) | 3×5, last set AMRAP | Your starting weight | Add 2.5 lb (1.25 kg) after a session where every set hit. Doubled when the last set reaches 10 reps. A miss takes 10% off next time. |
| Deadlift (Barbell) | 1×5, last set AMRAP | Your starting weight | Add 5 lb (2.5 kg) after a session where every set hit. Doubled when the last set reaches 10 reps. A miss takes 10% off next time. |
Questions
Why 2.5 lb jumps?
Upper-body lifts stall quickly with bigger jumps. You'll need fractional plates (1.25 lb a side); in kg the step is 1.25 kg.
What counts as a miss?
Fewer than five reps on the last set. The next session that lift is 10% lighter.
How do chin-ups progress?
Add reps until the last set reaches twelve, then add weight with a belt or vest if you like.
Related programs
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3x5 Linear Progression
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5x5 Linear Progression
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GZCLP
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