Postpartum Strong — Upper Build
Upper hypertrophy day for the cleared, graduated postpartum lifter who wants to grow. DB bench, lat pulldown, shoulder press, cable row, lateral raises, curls, pushdowns — 8-12 reps at ~2 RIR. ~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 | Dumbbell Bench Press Retract the scapulae, lower under control, drive up on the exhale. Elbows ~45°, no bounce off the ribs. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 10–8 · rest 2 min | 3 | 10–8 | 2 min |
| 02 | Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown Tall chest, pull to the upper chest, drive elbows down and back. Control the eccentric to a full overhead stretch. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 12–10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12–10 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Dumbbell Shoulder Press Seated, ribs down, exhale and press overhead — no Valsalva, no excessive arch. Lower to ear height under control. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–8 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 10–8 | 1:30 |
| 04 | Seated Cable Rows Tall chest, pull to the lower ribs, squeeze the mid-back. No body english on the return. 3 × 12–10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12–10 | 1:30 |
| 05 | Side Lateral Raise Lead with the elbows, slight forward lean. Stop at shoulder height, pause 1 s, control down. 3 × 15–AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 15–AMRAP | 1 min |
| 06 | Dumbbell Bicep Curl Full supination at the top, no swing. Control the eccentric. 2 × 12–10 · rest 1 min | 2 | 12–10 | 1 min |
| 07 | Triceps Pushdown Elbows pinned, full lockout, control back to a deep stretch. 3 × 15–AMRAP · rest 1 min | 3 | 15–AMRAP | 1 min |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Cleared postpartum lifter, real hypertrophy build. Cue exhale on every concentric; no Valsalva on the overhead press — drop load before bracing into a strain. Compounds full-rest at 8-12 @ RPE 8 (~2 RIR); add next DB increment / +2.5 kg machine when all sets hit top of range at <=RPE 8, else repeat. Isolations ramp RPE not load to 9-9.5, AMRAP last sets. Sub machine chest press for DB bench at matched reps. Belly doming, pelvic pressure, or leaking caps load regardless of perceived ease — regress and 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 — Upper Build template?
Cleared postpartum lifter, real hypertrophy build. 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 — Upper Build, and how long does it take?
Postpartum Strong — Upper Build runs 7 movements and about 20 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 Build version different?
Postpartum Strong — Upper Build is the upper 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.
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Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight