Sharp Edge — Press-Led Upper
Press-led upper session in three paired blocks. Incline press with a row, shoulder press with a rear-delt fly, incline curl with an overhead triceps extension. Six movements, one working set each, about forty minutes.
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 | Incline Dumbbell Press Bench at 30 degrees. Lower until the dumbbells sit level with the chest and the upper pec is under stretch, then press. This is the session's reference lift — log the load. 2 warm-up sets first 1 × 7 · rest 1 min | 1 | 7 | 1 min |
| 02 | Seated Cable Rows Neutral grip, chest tall, let the shoulder blades travel forward at the front of each rep before pulling the elbows back past the ribs. 1 warm-up set first 1 × 9 · rest 1:30 | 1 | 9 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Dumbbell Shoulder Press Seated with back support, ribs down. Press to lockout without leaning back; stop the set on the first rep that needs a leg drive. 1 × 9 · rest 1 min | 1 | 9 | 1 min |
| 04 | Cable Rear Delt Fly Pulleys above head height, arms crossed at the start. Lead with the elbows and stop where the shoulder blades pinch — this is a rear delt set, not a back set. 1 × 14 · rest 1:30 | 1 | 14 | 1:30 |
| 05 | Incline Dumbbell Curl Bench at 45 degrees, arms hanging behind the torso. The lengthened start is the point — do not let the elbows drift forward. 1 × 11 · rest 1 min | 1 | 11 | 1 min |
| 06 | Seated Bent-Over Two-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension Seated at the bench end, torso near parallel to the floor, upper arms pinned to the ribs. Only the forearms move. Session's last movement — this is the one slot permitted to run past 1 rep in reserve. 1 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 1 | 12 | 1:30 |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Alternate inside each numbered pair — set of the first, 60s, set of the second, 90s, next pair. Compounds stop at 1-2 reps in reserve; never take the incline press or the row to failure. Only the last movement of the session may be pushed past that, and only from week 4. Cable swaps for a home gym, matched at the same RPE: seated cable row -> one-arm dumbbell row, 10-12 per side; cable rear-delt fly -> seated bent-over rear-delt raise off the bench end.
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 Sharp Edge — Press-Led Upper template?
Alternate inside each numbered pair — set of the first, 60s, set of the second, 90s, next pair. 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 Sharp Edge — Press-Led Upper, and how long does it take?
Sharp Edge — Press-Led Upper runs 6 movements and about 6 working sets, roughly 33 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 Press-Led Upper version different?
Sharp Edge — Press-Led Upper is the press-led upper 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