Late Start Strength A (Light) — Squat & Bench
The mandated light day off day A: squat and bench only, 3×5 at 90% of the week's working load, RPE 6, no hinge. ~30 min, 2 lifts.
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 Same depth and execution as the heavy day at 90% of the load. Move well, rest fully, leave the session feeling better than you started. Three working sets. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 5 · rest 3 min | 3 | 5 | 3 min |
| 02 | Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip 90% of the heavy day's bench load, three working sets, full range and a controlled touch. Safety pins at chest height as always. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 5 · rest 2:30 | 3 | 5 | 2:30 |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Take it light even when you feel strong — that is the entire point, and the weeks where you ignore it are the weeks the progression ends. Load every set at 90% of this week's working weight and cap all sets at RPE 6; if a set reaches RPE 7, the light load was set too high, so drop it and finish. Warmups are short because the working load is submaximal. Do NOT add the hinge back in, and do not treat this session's load as the number the next increment builds on.
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 Late Start Strength A (Light) — Squat & Bench template?
Take it light even when you feel strong — that is the entire point, and the weeks where you ignore it are the weeks the progression ends. 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 Late Start Strength A (Light) — Squat & Bench, and how long does it take?
Late Start Strength A (Light) — Squat & Bench runs 2 movements and about 6 working sets, roughly 38 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 Squat & Bench version different?
Late Start Strength A (Light) — Squat & Bench is the squat & bench 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