Postpartum Strong — Lower Build
Lower hypertrophy day for the cleared, graduated postpartum lifter. Leg press, barbell hip thrust, DB split squat, leg curl, leg extension, calves, Pallof anti-rotation core — 8-15 reps at ~2 RIR. ~60 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 | Leg Press Feet mid-platform for a quad bias. Ribs down, exhale on the drive; do not let the lower back round off the pad at the bottom. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 12–10 · rest 2:30 | 3 | 12–10 | 2:30 |
| 02 | Barbell Hip Thrust Chin tucked, ribs down, drive through the heels to full hip extension, exhale up. Pad the bar. No lumbar hyperextension at the top. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 12–10 · rest 2 min | 3 | 12–10 | 2 min |
| 03 | Split Squat with Dumbbells Back foot elevated. Upright-to-slight-forward torso, front knee tracks over the foot, drive up through the front heel. 3 × 12–10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12–10 | 1:30 |
| 04 | Lying Leg Curls Full ROM — squeeze the hamstring at the top, control the eccentric. Keep the hips down on the pad, no jerking. 3 × 12–10 · rest 1:15 | 3 | 12–10 | 1:15 |
| 05 | Leg Extensions Pause 1 s at full extension, squeeze the quad, control the eccentric. No swinging the weight up. 3 × 15–AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 15–AMRAP | 1 min |
| 06 | Seated Calf Raise Full ROM — deep stretch to a hard contraction, pause 1 s. No bounce. 3 × 15–AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 15–AMRAP | 1 min |
| 07 | Pallof Press Anti-rotation — resist the cable's pull, ribs down, exhale as you press out. Slow and controlled; no twisting at the trunk. 2 × 12 · rest 45s | 2 | 12 | 45s |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Cleared postpartum lifter building size — load hard, protect the trunk; exhale on effort, NO Valsalva. Leg press spine-off (ribs stacked, no lumbar round-off): +2.5-5 kg when all working sets hit top of range at <=RPE 8, else repeat. Hip thrust drives glutes: full hip extension, +2.5 kg when 12 clean reps at <=RPE 8. Split squat and leg curl last set RPE 9; extension and calves ramp RPE not load. Core is anti-rotation only (Pallof) — no crunch/leg-raise while doming risk remains. Belly coning, pelvic heaviness, or leaking caps load — regress, refer to PT.
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 Strong — Lower Build template?
Cleared postpartum lifter building size — load hard, protect the trunk; exhale on effort, NO Valsalva. 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 Strong — Lower Build, and how long does it take?
Postpartum Strong — Lower Build runs 7 movements and about 20 working sets, roughly 79 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 Lower Build version different?
Postpartum Strong — Lower Build is the lower build 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.
iOS · Works offline
Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight