Do you train regularly and look forward all day to when you can finally get to the gym for a no-holds-barred training session? Do you already squat and deadlift regularly? Have you hit a plateau and need a little push to get over the hump?

Welcome to SAPT’s Advanced Average Joe program. This program is designed for guys and gals who have a fairly solid training age (foundation) already set. It’s not a struggle for you to get to the gym because you love training. But sometimes you feel a little haphazard in your training approach.

This training program will push you past your plateau and give you a feeling of direction and real progress.

Advanced Average Joe profile:

Age: 17 - 65+

Years training: 1-2 years minimum - if you’ve been training longer, that will still be a great fit

Exercise competencies: squat, deadlift, bench press, push-up, pull-up

Injuries: none

Day 1

You will be working up to a heavy single for each exercise and then doing back-down sets at the percentage noted. This percentage is taken off the heavy single, not your all-time best squat/bench/dead number.

Notice the RPE on the single is a 9/10. Does this mean you should expect to reach failure? Absolutely not! If you reach failure or a 10/10 you have not executed the set properly. Don’t be a meathead or a hero on this. Live to train another day (and reach many more PRs in the coming weeks).

Day 2

Pay attention to the RPE note and work up to a single set on Front Squat at that RPE. This will feel good and you will want to do another set, but don’t. Stopping while you’re ahead is key.

Bench Press to 1-Board works up to another RPE of 8/10. But then you will notice a note that says “load drop 8%.” This simply means you will do another set with an 8% reduction in weight for the same number of reps.

Day 3

Speed work: you’ll be using your Competition stance (or the deadlift stance you prefer if you have not competed) and pulling a 70% working weight for all the sets. This number is coming from the weight you worked up to on Day 1.

Same goes for setting your weight for the squat.

Later on in this session you will see some exercises that have a total listed number of reps. This means you will break them into smaller sets as your strength/fitness allows on that day.

Day 4

Speed Bench Press weight will be set off of your Day 1 work. After finishing all the speed sets, you will once again work up to a heavy single. Keep it at an 8-9/10 RPE and DO NOT expect you will exceed your Monday number.

Enjoy and post questions to our comments!

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