Strength Foundations
Low reps, long rest and the big compound lifts. Two four-week phases take you from technique fives to heavy triples and a test week.
Periodization curve
Intensity & volume by week
Every fourth week drops load — that dip is the deload where adaptation actually happens.
Strength Foundations
Week 01: TECHNIQUE & LOAD BASELINE
This week's difficulty
Set your baseline. One set less on every lift and easy effort targets so you can nail technique and find the weights you'll build from.
How to progress: Record the weight you used on every main lift — everything from here is measured against week 01.
RPE — how hard to push
RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) is a simple 1–10 effort scale. The higher the number, the harder the set should feel — 10 is an all-out max, 5 is an easy warm-up. The phrase after each number is roughly how many reps you could still do when you rack the weight.
- 10Max effort — nothing left
- 9Very hard — 1 rep left
- 8Hard — 2 reps left
- 7Moderate — 3 reps left
- 6Fairly easy — 4 reps left
- 5Easy — warm-up weight
Upper A — Bench Strength
Barbell Bench Press
Main lift. Retract the scapula, touch and drive.
Rest 3–4 min
3 × 6
RPE 6
Barbell Row
Hinge to parallel, pull to the sternum.
Rest 2–3 min
3 × 7
RPE 6
Overhead Press
Brace hard, press the bar overhead.
Rest 2 min
2 × 7
RPE 5
Pull-Ups / Lat Pulldown
Add weight when 8 reps get easy.
Rest 2 min
2 × 7–9
RPE 6
Close-Grip Bench Press
Elbows tucked, hard lockout for the triceps.
Rest 90 sec
2 × 9
RPE 5
EZ-Bar Curl
Control the negative, no swing.
Rest 60 sec
2 × 9–11
RPE 5
Lower A — Squat Strength
Back Squat
Main lift. Brace, sit down between the hips.
Rest 3–4 min
3 × 6
RPE 6
Romanian Deadlift
Soft knees, long spine, stretch the hamstrings.
Rest 2–3 min
2 × 7
RPE 5
Bulgarian Split Squat
Unilateral strength — drive through the front heel.
Rest 90 sec
2 × 9 / leg
RPE 5
Standing Calf Raise
Full stretch, pause at the top.
Rest 60 sec
2 × 11
RPE 5
Plank
Bracing practice for the heavy lifts.
Rest 60 sec
2 × 50s
RPE 5
Upper B — Press Strength
Overhead Press
Main lift. Squeeze the glutes, no layback.
Rest 3–4 min
3 × 6
RPE 6
Chin-Up
Weighted if you can. Full hang to chin over bar.
Rest 2–3 min
3 × 6–7
RPE 6
Incline Dumbbell Press
30° incline, full range of motion.
Rest 2 min
2 × 9
RPE 5
Chest-Supported Row
No body English — pure upper back.
Rest 2 min
2 × 9
RPE 5
Lateral Raise
Shoulder health and press support.
Rest 60 sec
2 × 13
RPE 5
Face Pull
Rear delts and external rotation.
Rest 60 sec
2 × 16
RPE 4
Lower B — Deadlift Strength
Deadlift
Main lift. Set the back, drive the floor away.
Rest 3–4 min
3 × 5
RPE 6
Front Squat
Elbows high, torso tall.
Rest 2–3 min
2 × 7
RPE 5
Hip Thrust
Lockout power for the pull.
Rest 2 min
2 × 9
RPE 5
Leg Curl
Hamstring insurance. Squeeze at the top.
Rest 90 sec
2 × 11
RPE 5
Hanging Knee Raise
No swinging, control the descent.
Rest 60 sec
2 × 11
RPE 5
Every split, side by side
Your intake answers decide which structure your plan runs as. Here is every split KINETIC uses — and when each one wins.
Full Body
1–2 sessions / week
Every session trains the whole body, so no muscle is left untouched for a week — ideal when training days are scarce.
Push / Pull / Legs
3 sessions / week
Pressing, pulling and lower body each get their own day with full recovery between sessions.
Upper / Lower
Your split4 sessions / week
Two upper and two lower days hit every muscle twice a week — the sweet spot for strength on four days.
Push / Pull / Legs + Upper / Lower
5 sessions / week
PPL once through, then an upper and a lower day — high volume with nothing trained on back-to-back days.
Push / Pull / Legs ×2
6 sessions / week
Push / pull / legs runs twice through — maximum weekly volume with a full recovery gap between repeats.
Daily Rotation
7 sessions / week
Mobility work rotates through a different region each session, so movement quality is trained every day.
Commit to Strength Foundations.
8 Weeks · 4 Sessions / Week · Upper / Lower Split
Begin your transformationReset program
Clears your saved place in Strength Foundations and starts from Week 01, Day 01.