Three speeds
| Stage | You can add weight | A program that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Most sessions | 5×5 or another linear program |
| Intermediate | Most weeks | Weekly progression: heavy, light and medium days |
| Advanced | Over a block | Blocks with phases: base, strength, peak |
A light lifter who has trained for two years can be intermediate. A strong one who started last month is still a beginner. Speed decides it.
Signs you’ve changed speed
- You’ve stalled and reset the same weight two or three times.
- Three hard sessions a week leave you flat by Friday.
- Adding 2.5 kg every time now means missing reps every other time.
Four rules for the switch
- 01
Stop resetting
A reset fixes a bad week. It doesn’t fix a program you’ve outgrown.
- 02
Give the week a shape
One heavy day, one lighter day. The heavy day goes up each week.
- 03
Keep the jumps small
2.5 kg a week on squat is 10 kg a month. That’s good going.
- 04
Plan the lighter weeks
At weekly speed, fatigue builds faster. Put a lighter week in every four to six.
Moving up a speed isn’t a demotion. It means the easy months worked.
From the Compound founder. Notes on training, not medical advice.