Postpartum Build (Wk 7-8)
Build phase — progress to MEV volume on patterns. DB bench press, goblet squat, DB RDL, one-arm row, dead bug. RPE 7-8. ~40 min, 5 exercises. Final weeks of postpartum on-ramp.
Estimated session
- Movements 5
- 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 | Dumbbell Bench Press Lower under control, drive up with breath. Keep elbows ~45°. Reintroduce upper-body pressing pattern. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 8 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 8 | 1:30 |
| 02 | Goblet Squat Heavier DB now — RPE 7.5-8 working. Continue exhale on the drive up. 3 × 10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 10 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift Heavier DBs. Hinge pattern at RPE 7-8. Brace 360° throughout. 3 × 10 · rest 1:15 | 3 | 10 | 1:15 |
| 04 | One-Arm Dumbbell Row Re-introduce horizontal pull pattern. Brace one hand on bench. Pull elbow back and up. 3 × 10 · rest 1:15 | 3 | 10 | 1:15 |
| 05 | Dead Bug Anti-rotation core; DB hold at chest is progression. Watch for any belly doming. 2 × 10 · rest 45s | 2 | 10 | 45s |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Symptoms govern load, not the RPE target — any belly doming, pelvic heaviness, or leaking caps the weight regardless of how easy the effort feels. Exhale on every concentric (drive up, press, row) to coordinate the pelvic floor under load; this is non-negotiable and overrides chasing reps. Add DB weight only when all reps complete symptom-free with a clean 360 brace. If dumbbells are limited, hold one DB goblet-style for the squat and use a backpack for the hinge. Refer any symptom to pelvic-floor PT rather than pushing through.
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 Postpartum Build (Wk 7-8) template?
Symptoms govern load, not the RPE target — any belly doming, pelvic heaviness, or leaking caps the weight regardless of how easy the effort feels. 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 Postpartum Build (Wk 7-8), and how long does it take?
Postpartum Build (Wk 7-8) runs 5 movements and about 14 working sets, roughly 49 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 Wk 7-8 version different?
Postpartum Build (Wk 7-8) is the wk 7-8 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