Heavy First — Unload and Re-Test Lower
The third unload dose, then the lower re-test. Two triples at RPE 6 on squat and Romanian deadlift, then one set of each at the exact week-one load for the week-one reps.
Estimated session
- Movements 2
- 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 Squat Sets 3 and 4 are the unload dose at RPE 6. Set 5 is the re-test — exactly the week-one load for five reps, taken after five minutes of rest. Log the RPE it comes back at. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 3–5 · rest 3 min–5 min | 3 | 3–5 | 3 min–5 min |
| 02 | Romanian Deadlift Two triples at RPE 6, then one re-test set at the exact week-one load for six reps. End the set the moment the back rounds — a rounded rep does not count toward the test. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 3–6 · rest 3 min–5 min | 3 | 3–6 | 3 min–5 min |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Run the two triples first — they are the unload dose, not a warmup, and the re-test is not valid without them. Then load the bar to exactly what you logged in week one and take one set for the week-one rep target after five minutes' rest. The result is the RPE it comes back at: at or under 8 means the loads held. Do not chase a heavier single. Equipment swap. No barbell for the Romanian deadlift: test dumbbells against the week-one dumbbell load.
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 Heavy First — Unload and Re-Test Lower template?
Run the two triples first — they are the unload dose, not a warmup, and the re-test is not valid without them. 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 Heavy First — Unload and Re-Test Lower, and how long does it take?
Heavy First — Unload and Re-Test Lower runs 2 movements and about 6 working sets, roughly 47 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