First Rep Forward — Chest Press & Hips
Chest press-led machine session in three paired stations: chest press with hip thrust, pulldown with leg extension, triceps with biceps, closing on eight minutes of seated cycling.
Estimated session
- Movements 7
- 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 | Leverage Chest Press Session anchor — log the plates and the reps every time. Work in the 12-15 range: 12 is the floor to beat, 15 on every set earns a pin. Handles at mid-chest, elbows about 45 degrees from the torso on the way down. 1 warm-up set first 2 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 2 | 12 | 1:30 |
| 02 | Machine Hip Thrust Lap pad low across the hips. Finish each rep with the hips fully extended and the glutes squeezed, then lower under control. 2 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 2 | 12 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Hands wider than the shoulders. Pull the bar to the collarbone by driving the elbows down, not by leaning back. 2 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 2 | 12 | 1:30 |
| 04 | Leg Extensions Pad on the lower shin just above the ankle, back against the seat. Straighten fully, hold a beat, lower slowly. 2 × 15 · rest 1:30 | 2 | 15 | 1:30 |
| 05 | Machine Triceps Extension Upper arms flat on the pads. Extend to straight, then let the weight come back without touching the stack down between reps. 2 × 15 · rest 1:30 | 2 | 15 | 1:30 |
| 06 | Machine Bicep Curl Seat height set so the shoulders sit level with the top of the arm pad. Curl to the top, pause, return without dumping the stack. 2 × 15 · rest 1:30 | 2 | 15 | 1:30 |
| 07 | Bicycling Stationary Eight minutes steady on the seat. Pick a resistance you could hold for twenty minutes if you had to — this is not an interval. 1 × 8:00 · rest 0s | 1 | 8:00 | 0s |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Set both machines in a pair up first; rest runs last rep on one to first rep on its partner. Rep ranges: 12-15 on the chest press, hip thrust and pulldown; 15-20 on the extension, triceps and biceps. Listed target is the floor; the top earns a pin. Seat cues — chest press: handles at mid-chest, shoulder blades back, stop short of lockout. Hip thrust: lap pad low, feet flat. If the hip thrust is taken, use the leg press with your feet high on the platform.
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 First Rep Forward — Chest Press & Hips template?
Set both machines in a pair up first; rest runs last rep on one to first rep on its partner. 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 First Rep Forward — Chest Press & Hips, and how long does it take?
First Rep Forward — Chest Press & Hips runs 7 movements and about 13 working sets, roughly 61 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
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