Advanced Cut Push — Intensity-Retention
RPE-capped push day for an aggressive cut. Heavy incline barbell and flat DB press keep load high to retain strength; pec deck, laterals and triceps carry the volume that autoregulates down as the deficit deepens. ~55 min, 5 exercises.
Estimated session
- Movements 5
- Loads Coach-filled
- Progresses Every session
Every movement, in order
Each lift with its working sets and target, in the order you run them. The coach sets the loads from your training and moves them up as the work gets easier.
| Order | Exercise | Sets | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip Bench at 30°. Tight upper back, full ROM to a touch at the upper chest. Keep this heavy — it is the strength anchor of the cut. 3 warm-up sets first 3 × 6 · rest 3 min | 3 | 6 | 3 min |
| 02 | Dumbbell Flyes Flat bench, soft elbows, deep stretch at the bottom. Light enough to feel the chest, not the front delt. 3 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Butterfly Pec deck — squeeze and hold one second at peak contraction, slow eccentric. A metabolite-volume movement, keep it strict. 3 × 15, last AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 15–AMRAP | 1 min |
| 04 | Side Lateral Raise Lead with the elbows, slight forward lean, pause at shoulder height. Strict and light — no swinging. 3 × 15 · rest 1 min | 3 | 15 | 1 min |
| 05 | Triceps Pushdown Elbows pinned to the sides, full lockout, controlled return. Rope or bar — keep tension on the triceps throughout. 3 × 12, last AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 12–AMRAP | 1 min |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Retention day on a deficit — protect the heavy compounds, sacrifice volume not load. Incline barbell and flat DB press are capped at RPE 8 (never grind to failure while underfed); hold the week-1 top-set load as long as reps stay in range, and shed a back-off set before you drop load. Pec deck, laterals and pushdowns run to RPE 9 — these are the sets the per-week instructions cut as the cut bites. Sub flat DB press for any incline-bench shortage; sub cable crossover for pec deck.
Every workout
The coach reads your log, tunes the loads and volume to where you are today, and tells you when to add weight.
Programs that use this template
This session is scheduled across a week and progressed over the mesocycle in the programs below.
Common questions
The facts most people check before they drop this session into a week.
01When should I use the Advanced Cut Push — Intensity-Retention template?
Retention day on a deficit — protect the heavy compounds, sacrifice volume not load. Add it to your week in Squatly and the coach schedules it, sets the loads from your training, and tells you when to move up.
02How many working sets is Advanced Cut Push — Intensity-Retention, and how long does it take?
Advanced Cut Push — Intensity-Retention runs 5 movements and about 15 working sets, roughly 63 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
03What makes the Intensity-Retention version different?
Advanced Cut Push — Intensity-Retention is the intensity-retention cut of this family — same method, but the movement order, set scheme, and emphasis are tuned for it. The session table shows exactly what changes; the coach sets the loads and drives the progression either way.
Built on the Squatly method
Every set count, rep target, and rest period here comes from how the coach weighs volume, intensity, and fatigue. See where the numbers come from.
Read the methodVolume, intensity, and fatigue — read per lift, every session.
Last updated: June 2026
Keep moving forward.
Add this template to your week. The coach reads your training, sets the loads, and tells you when to push.
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Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight