Machine Circuit — Upper A
Machine-only upper, horizontal-press lead. Machine bench, Smith incline, lat pulldown, cable row, lateral raise, pushdown, rope curl. Fixed-path, no balance demand. ~55 min, 7 exercises.
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 | Machine Bench Press Lead press. Seat set so handles align mid-chest. Drive through, control return. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 10–8 · rest 2 min | 3 | 10–8 | 2 min |
| 02 | Smith Machine Incline Bench Press Upper-chest bias. Bar to chin level, slight arc, no bounce off the chest. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–8 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 10–8 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Initiate from lats, bar to upper chest, mid-back squeeze. No lean-back swing. 3 × 12–10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12–10 | 1:30 |
| 04 | Seated Cable Rows Upright torso, pull to lower sternum, mid-back squeeze. Strict, no body english. 3 × 12–10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12–10 | 1:30 |
| 05 | Cable Seated Lateral Raise Cable side-delt isolation, soft elbows, lead with the elbow. Final set AMRAP. 3 × 15, last AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 15–AMRAP | 1 min |
| 06 | Triceps Pushdown Elbows pinned to sides, full lockout, controlled return. Final set AMRAP. 3 × 12, last AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 12–AMRAP | 1 min |
| 07 | Cable Hammer Curls - Rope Attachment Neutral grip, no elbow drift, squeeze at top. Final set AMRAP. 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
Machine/Smith upper, hypertrophy 8-12 zone. Set seat and pad heights first so the handle path matches the cue (mid-chest on the machine press, chin-height on the incline). Lead with the two presses while fresh at RPE 7-8; final set of laterals, pushdown, and rope curl runs AMRAP to RPE 9.5. Add one weight-stack pin (or +2.5 kg plate-loaded) only once every working set clears its reps below the target RPE, else repeat. Sub pec deck for the machine press at matched reps/RPE. Full ROM, controlled eccentric, no stack slamming.
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 Machine Circuit — Upper A template?
Machine/Smith upper, hypertrophy 8-12 zone. 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 Machine Circuit — Upper A, and how long does it take?
Machine Circuit — Upper A runs 7 movements and about 21 working sets, roughly 78 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 Upper A version different?
Machine Circuit — Upper A is the upper a 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