Off-Season Engine — Squat + Carry
The week's second squat exposure and the one that gives way first. Back squat, a row, loaded step-ups, calf work and a carry paired with a bird dog — the session that shrinks when sport volume grows.
Estimated session
- Movements 6
- 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 Second squat exposure of the week. Same depth and bracing as session A, one RPE point lighter at the same reps. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 10 · rest 2:30 | 3 | 10 | 2:30 |
| 02 | Bent Over Barbell Row Lighter than session B and strictly performed. Pause a beat at the ribs on every rep rather than adding load. 3 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Step-up with Knee Raise Box or bench at about knee height. Slow the lowering to three seconds here — this is the eccentric single-leg dose. Reps are per side. 3 × 12 · rest 1:15 | 3 | 12 | 1:15 |
| 04 | Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise Knees straight, three-second lowering, full stretch at the bottom. Higher reps than session A on purpose. 2 × 18 · rest 45s | 2 | 18 | 45s |
| 05 | Suitcase Carry Heavier and shorter than session A. Shoulders level, ribs down, no lean. Duration is per side. 2 × 30s · rest 30s | 2 | 30s | 30s |
| 06 | Bird Dog Two-second hold at full reach, hips level. Reps are per side and the point is control, not range. 2 × 10 · rest 30s | 2 | 10 | 30s |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Squat first but treat it as a quality exposure, not a test — this session runs half an RPE point below session A. Row second, single-leg and calf work third, trunk last. Superset the carry with the bird dog. Swaps with load cues: if sport volume is up or the knees are noisy, run the squat as a leg press at matched reps and RPE, or a goblet squat to a shortened depth. The carry is the anti-rotation default; a cable Pallof press only with a stack. Sets, reps and RPE printed here are the phase-one baseline — the current week's coaching instructions override them, and this session never adopts the heavy scheme the other two run in the force and speed blocks.
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 Off-Season Engine — Squat + Carry template?
Squat first but treat it as a quality exposure, not a test — this session runs half an RPE point below session A. 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 Off-Season Engine — Squat + Carry, and how long does it take?
Off-Season Engine — Squat + Carry runs 6 movements and about 15 working sets, roughly 56 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 + Carry version different?
Off-Season Engine — Squat + Carry is the squat + carry 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
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