Why a week, not a day
Squat, bench and deadlift on one afternoon is a long, tiring day. The deadlift comes last, when you’re flat, so it rarely shows your best.
One lift per session across the week costs less and gives each lift a fair go.
| Day | Lift |
|---|---|
| Monday | Squat |
| Wednesday | Bench press |
| Friday | Deadlift |
Before the week
Test fresh. Come off a taper or a lighter week, not week three of a hard block. A tired test gives you a low number, and a low number gives you a soft next block.
Three attempts each
Warm up properly, then take three singles with three to five minutes between them. For a lifter hoping for a 150 kg squat:
| Share | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| First | About 91% | 137.5 kg |
| Second | About 96% | 145 kg |
| Third | Your target, adjusted on the day | 150 kg |
If the second was quick, go a little heavier on the third. If it was slow, take less, or stop.
Four rules
- 01
Same standard as always
Depth on the squat, a pause on the bench, a lockout on the pull. Or the number means nothing next time.
- 02
Set the safeties
Safety bars or a spotter who knows the job.
- 03
Never grind a third
A miss tells you something. A grinder tells you less and costs more.
- 04
Use the number
Build the next block from what you lifted, not what you hoped.
Competing lifters can treat it as a dress rehearsal for the day. Everyone else gets a fair number to train from.
From the Compound founder. Notes on training, not medical advice.