PPL Pull A — Heavy
Strength-bias pull day. Pull-ups (or weighted), heavy barbell row, seated cable row, EZ-bar curl, face pulls. ~14 back / 6 bicep sets weekly when paired with Pull B. ~60 min, 5 exercises.
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 | Pullups Initiate from the lats, drive elbows down and back. Chest to bar at the top. Lower to full hang. Add a weight belt when bodyweight reps exceed 8 at RPE 8. 1 warm-up set first 4 × 6 · rest 2:30 | 4 | 6 | 2:30 |
| 02 | Bent Over Barbell Row Hinge at the hips, neutral spine, pull the bar to the lower ribs. Mid-back squeeze hard at the top. 2 warm-up sets first 3 × 8 · rest 3 min | 3 | 8 | 3 min |
| 03 | Seated Cable Rows Sit upright, slight forward lean. Pull to the lower sternum, mid- back squeeze. Control the eccentric to a full lat stretch. 3 × 10 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 10 | 1:30 |
| 04 | EZ-Bar Curl Elbows pinned at the sides. Curl explosively up; control the eccentric over 2 s. 3 × 10 · rest 1:15 | 3 | 10 | 1:15 |
| 05 | Face Pull Pull the rope toward the face, elbows high. External rotation at the end-range — that's where the rotator-cuff health work comes from. High rep range, low load. 3 × 15 · rest 1 min | 3 | 15 | 1 min |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Strength-bias pull day, so the two heavy movements come first while fresh: drive every rep from the lats, not the arms, with elbows leading through the pull-up and the row. Belt pull-ups once bodyweight reps clear 8 at RPE 8. Keep the barbell row strict — a round-backed row trades back health for load, so leave a rep in reserve. Cable row, curl, and face pulls are volume back-off; run face pulls light with end-range external rotation for shoulder health. Sub a chest-supported row if the back is fried.
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 PPL Pull A — Heavy template?
Strength-bias pull day, so the two heavy movements come first while fresh: drive every rep from the lats, not the arms, with elbows leading through the pull-up and the row. 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 PPL Pull A — Heavy, and how long does it take?
PPL Pull A — Heavy runs 5 movements and about 16 working sets, roughly 69 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 Heavy version different?
PPL Pull A — Heavy is the heavy 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