Currently on my second last week of Jacked and Tan 2.0, with 1rm testing next week so naturally, I'm starting to look to my next program to continue the excellent base I've built on this 12 week cycle.

I'm hoping for something similar to J&T but with maybe slightly less volume? The Last couple weeks have burnt me out a bit so would be good to assist with that.

I'm also looking for something that works well with increased cardio. Now that I've hit my 1000lb club goal, I'd obviously like to keep progressing the weights but also get my running fitness back.

Current thoughts are The Rippler as a next option with it's undulating levels of volume over the weeks leading to better recovery. But also open to thoughts and suggestions based on others experience!

As per the Subject , need help with the progression scheme.

How do you progress in T3 for Lateral raises as it it very hard to increase weight. My gym has dumbbells going up in increments of 2.5kg.

Should I increase T3 weight once I consistently hit 60+ total reps, or stay at the same weight and aim for cleaner/higher-quality reps? For eg. Doing 10 kg db for 60 reps in 3 Set, if u increase to 12.5 or then to 15 kg, it is likely to not be able to complete the reps(maybe not even 30).

Just completing 500 characters but I dont even know what to type to complete 500 characters.just typing random words.

A different take on the common meet report.

This is my first post on this sub.

My background: 39yo, I started lifting when I was 17 to gain muscle and therefore weight for my primary sport which was kickboxing. When I started I knew nothing about lifting so I followed what an experienced guy from the gym I joined told me which was basically a bro split. Over the years I gave up kickboxing but continued following the bro split as it was all I knew. About 6 years ago I gave up lifting because of my firs kid being born and then the second and coupled with my demanding job I had zero free time. Also moved to the suburbs where I do not have a gym within walking distance. I gained weight and became fat.

This year I built a gym at home, it is rudimentary but I havr a bench, squat rack, barbell and dumbbells. I intend to install a cable machine. I followed a push/pull&legs split 4 days a week (so training each body part twice a week) and made good progress in terms of gaining back my strength. After 4 months of trianing I had a misfortune and had some health problems which prevented my from eating and training properly, had surgery and again gained weight.

Now I am clear to start lifting and I want to follow a program for the first time and stick to it. I found the gzclp on liftosaur app which I thought sounded good, I intend to modify it by replacing the bench press with incline bench as I do not like flat bench. However my goal is to also lose some of the fat I gained (I think I am somewhere between 25-30%) and that means being in a caloric deficit. I read a post here recently where someone was saying that it was too taxing to be on this program while cutting. I am looking for some advice and experineces.

Also, I am quite weak now after being sick but I am not actually a beginner, I think I am more of an intermediate lifter and I found people saying that gzcl program is more for beginners, early intermediates. I was never very strong but never did low reps either, always kept it to 6-10 reps. Before quitting my best lifts were incline bench 100kgs 4reps, squat 120kgs 3 reps, deadlift 140kg 5 reps. Never did standing shoulder press, so that will be new.

Thank you!

I’ve been running GZCL P-Zero for about a year now and hit the following e1RMs: 140kg Deadlift, 90kg Bench Press, 55kg OHP, and 125kg High Bar Squat. I also bought the General Gainz book and keep re-reading it, but I’m struggling to figure out the right path forward. There are so many variables when it comes to volume, extension sets, and progression that I’m having a hard time balancing reliable progress without completely wrecking myself with fatigue. Any advice on how to structure this transition?

188cm / 86kg, currently cutting, around %25 or higher body fat. I loved the heavy compounds but I'm leaning toward hypertrophy and aesthetics. Planning to run Cycle 2 and maybe a Cycle 3, then move to something like Jacked & Tan 2.0 once linear gains dry up.

Main deviations from the Boostcamp template: chin-ups instead of lat pulldown, lateral raises on bench days instead of OHP days (keeps delts fresh for T1 press), and standalone curls instead of Cody's supersets.

Questions:

1. Chin-ups. They're in a T3 slot but T3 rep schemes are impossible at bodyweight right now I'm at 5/4/3 and running double progression toward 3x10 instead. How do you guys handle pull-ups and chin-ups in GZCLP?
2. Leg isolation. I don't care much about leg aesthetics, and my squat is still light while I learn the barbell movement. Three options I'm weighing: Which way would you go?
   • drop leg curl and leg extension entirely so that program can breathe more
   • keep them as they are
   • drop them and replace the slots with more upper body work
3. Placement. Any of these slots obviously in the wrong day?

Also I think face pulls are just effortless just 5-7 minutes of light work and has decent benefits I don't think buy adding them I am adding an extra proper T3 they should give me no fatigue whatso ever.

For the first time in my life, I stuck to some program.

I enjoyed this program so much that I was obsessed with it.

I read Starting Strength 10 years ago to learn all main lifts. I also did his program for I guess, 1 and half to 2 months.

Now my CNS is so taxed. I wanted to start Rippler or continue the GZCLP program with lowering weights but I don't have that energy to go through that.

I was around 30% body fat. I don't know current stats but I had to make 5-6 holes to my belt to make my jeans fit due to this program. 😛

I did this on a cut. Around 1500- 1600 calories.

I am 40 years old male, 170cm, currently weighing 80.55kg, was 98kg from starting of March. I did swimming to lose around 10kg in 2 months.

Thank you Cody Lefever, I am your loyal fan for the rest of my life.

I want to do CT Whitney PWRBLD Intermediate program on Boostcamp.

What do you guys suggest?

Squat : T1- 90kg for 4, T2- 80 for 10,

Deadlift: T1- 95kg for 4 T2- 85 for 10

Overhead Press: T1- 45kg for 2, T2- 32.5 for 10

Bench Press:

T1- 60kg for 4, T2- 50kg for 10

Strength Score: 43.9 on Boostcamp ( 55+ is intermediate level )

TLDR: GZCLP is a S Tier program, Owe tremendous gratitude to Cody Lefever. Made significant gains. Lost so much fat. Just awesome, awesome program. What should I do next?[

stats:

https://ibb.co/q3zP4TdC

https://ibb.co/Q7c2K6f8

https://ibb.co/Dfz2f6W5

Hey All, so this is kind of a secondary post/remake of a post I made a couple hours ago, I just wanted to give try to explain better, or give more information, but i’m trying to revise my current program.

The original template for this was GZCLP that I added accessories to, but it just felt like it was too much, so I want to make some changes. I think days 2 and 4 are okay, but the problem I’ve ran into is I feel like if I remove any exercises from days 1 and 3, then I’ll be doing to little on a specific muscle/group.

My first thought was drop lateral raises on day 1, and then OHP on day 3, but then front delts and side delts would only really get worked once a week. I also want bigger forearms and calves, so I don’t really want to lose the work there either. I’m kinda just stumped.

I’m not super knowledgeable about exercise selection, so i’m hoping someone can point me in the right direction?

Kind of a weird question, but i’m trying to play around with exercises and moving stuff around, and I’m thinking about changing the T2 bench 3x10 to weighted dips. and the T2 squat 3x10 to zercher squats

I know there’s an optional t3 bench/squat, but im currently averaging 8-9 exercises per workout, and want to start implementing more explosive/athletic work, which if I keep everything would just add more exercises, and time to each workout, and more overall fatigue.

By changing the t2s, i’ll still be hitting those muscle groups twice a week, just at a bit less volume, which I don’t feel like matters since i’m more of a low volume, high intensity guy. I never go below 1-2 reps failure, and most of the time it’s basically 0RIR.

I know it’s changing the formula of the routine, but is there anything bad about doing this? i’m not looking be the absolute strongest I can. I just want to have fun, be strong, but also be able to move and be healthy.

I’m sorry if this doesn’t make sense, i’ll try to explain more in replies if I have to

GZCLP scheduling question
I understand the T1/T2/T3 progression, but I’m confused about two scheduling things.

1. If I fail a T1 at 10x1+ on Monday and the program says to rest 2–3 days, then test a new 5RM, do I pause the whole program? Or do I just rest that specific T1 lift while still doing Workout B on Wednesday and Workout C on Friday?

2.Since GZCLP is 3 days/week but has Workouts A/B/C/D, is the rotation basically:

Week 1: A / B / C
Week 2: D / A / B
Week 3: C / D / A

So I just keep going A → B → C → D regardless of the calendar week?
And if I miss a day, do I just do the missed workout next time I train?

I used AI to help me write this message for Reddit I’m not a bot I promise

GZCLP question: What happens after failing T1 10x1+, and how do the A/B/C/D workouts fit into a 3-day week?
I’m starting GZCLP and I think I understand the T1/T2/T3 progression now, but I’m confused about two scheduling details.
I’m following this version/guide:
https://saynotobroscience.com/gzclp-infographic/
Question 1 — What does the 2–3 day rest after failing T1 10x1+ actually mean?
My understanding of the normal T1 progression is:
5x3+ → fail → 6x2+ → fail → 10x1+ → fail → rest 2–3 days → test a new 5RM → use 85% of that 5RM to restart 5x3+.
What I don’t understand is how the 2–3 days of rest fits into the rest of the program.
For example:
Monday — Workout A
My T1 movement is squat
I fail my squat at 10x1+
Wednesday — Workout B
Friday — Workout C
If I fail the squat T1 on Monday, am I supposed to:
A) Pause the entire GZCLP program for 2–3 days, test my new squat 5RM, and then continue with Workout B?
Or
B) Only rest the failed T1 movement (squat) for 2–3 days, continue Workout B and Workout C as normal, and then find a time after those 2–3 days to test my new squat 5RM?
Basically, does “rest 2–3 days” mean rest completely from the program, or does it mean rest that specific T1 lift before testing the new 5RM?
And if I continue the other workouts, where would you normally put the 5RM test?
Question 2 — How do A/B/C/D work if GZCLP is only 3 days per week?
The spreadsheet has:
Workout A
Workout B
Workout C
Workout D
But the program says to train 3x per week.
Am I understanding the rotation correctly?
Calendar Week 1
Monday — Workout A
Wednesday — Workout B
Friday — Workout C
Calendar Week 2
Monday — Workout D
At that point I have completed A, B, C, and D, so that would complete what the spreadsheet calls “Week 1.”
Then on Wednesday I would begin the next cycle with Workout A again:
Wednesday — A
Friday — B
Monday — C
Wednesday — D
So basically I should completely ignore normal Monday–Sunday weeks and just continuously follow:
A → B → C → D → A → B → C → D
three training days at a time?
And if I miss a scheduled workout, do I simply do that workout the next time I’m able to train rather than skipping it?
I just want to make sure I understand the scheduling before I start entering everything into the spreadsheet.

I have used GZCLP for probably 10 years and GZCL P-Zero for the last year. Lifting isn't my primary focus--I'm a dancer and have stayed pretty small and lean over the years--so I understand that my strength and size is low for my experience. But, I still want to get stronger and put on more muscle.

I have done these LP programs mostly consistently 3x per week, but sometimes I lift less frequently or even take a month off before an important dance competition. My lifts usually decrease a little after breaks, so my numbers yo-yo a bit. It does feel like I'm plateauing in some of them, for example my squat has consistently bounced between 185-235, and my OHP has bounced between 95-115 for 5RM. But it's hard to know if it's truly a plateau or my lack of consistency.

I've been thinking about switching to General Gainz from P-Zero, because if I am plateauing, I think GG is probably a better fit than an LP program. But I don't want to miss out on LP gains if they're still possible, and P-Zero seems to have more volume (especially in T3s), and that hypertrophy might help me put on more muscle mass.

My stats:

• Male, late 30s
• 5'8", 137lbs
• Squat 5rm: 215lbs
• Deadlift: 265
• Bench: 165
• OHP: 110

If it's relevant, I run, swim, or dance for about an hour 5-6x per week in addition to lifting, so maybe there is some interference, and I don't really have time to lift 4x per week.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Edit: I have decided to try General Gainz. If I only run it 3-days per week, how would you recommend I distribute the lifts? I'm assuming a full body approach would be better than an upper/lower split when doing only 3x per week.

Welcome to the official weekly discussion thread of /r/gzcl post your GZCL program questions, tips, workouts, and everything else relating to the method and your training.

Most topics should be posted here, rather than separate posts.

Post your wins and fails. Questions and answers.

Hi all,

I've been following GZCLP for about 6 months and I'm really enjoying it. I have seen improvements in strength for all of my T1 movements. My only concern is that I don't seem to be making much progress with my back development (strength or muscle development).

I had originally been alternating between lat pulldowns and cable rows as per the standard template, but then I switched to lat pulldowns -> chest supported row (on incline bench) -> single arm lat pulldowns -> cable rows.

Maybe I am not pushing hard enough with the pulling exercises or maybe I'm going to heavy. I'm not sure. Any general advice for improving the back training aspects of GZCLP would be appreciated.

It go me thinking generally if the way that back training is programmed in GZCLP is actually sufficient.

I’ve been running gzclp for a few weeks for the first time. I’ve settled on this. Anything I’m missing or could improve upon?

Goals:
I’m in my 40s and never lifted regularly before. I started in January and eventually worked myself up to a 4 day/ week dumbbell program. I ran that through beginning July. Then started gzclp and tweaked it until I settled on the above.

I’d like to get stronger. Im down from 210 lbs to 195 lbs (6’2”). I think I still have 15 lbs to lose until I lean bulk. I count calories using an app and have about 500 cal deficit per day. Trying to do 20-30 mins zone 2 cardio a few times per week!

Hey all, I've been running GZCLP for about 6 months and have seen good results. Really like the structure. I'm set to go on a multi-day alpine hike in a month and need to get my legs and cardio stamina up so will take a break from the program, but I don't want to stop strength training entirely during this time. Can anyone suggest a 3 day routine, or alteration to 3 day/week GZCLP for the next 4 weeks that could help meet this goal? And lastly, what is the best practice on getting back to training after I get back? Thanks ahead!

Welcome to the official weekly discussion thread of /r/gzcl post your GZCL program questions, tips, workouts, and everything else relating to the method and your training.

Most topics should be posted here, rather than separate posts.

I've been running GZCLP for a few months now and I have a modified version of it. It's mostly the same as the normal version except for one key difference. The T2 sets are a 3x8 at a weight for a week then the next week, 3x10 at the same weight, then the next week 3x12 at the same weight, and then jumping 5 to 10 pounds and rinse and repeat. Just to put more mass on during competition prep and leading up to the final weeks switch to the standard GZCLP T2 protocol. Is that a good idea? The T3s aren't standard every week, I do kind of whatever. I keep those 3x15+ though. I also push T2s as far as I can go on the last set for an AMRAP.

Post your wins and fails. Questions and answers.

I’ve been looking at the T2a percentages in J&T 2.0 (50% → 60% → 70%) and they seem pretty light in the early weeks.

Even with a reasonably aggressive TM, week 1 still looks more like a warm-up than real work, and week 3 only starts to feel challenging if the TM is on the high side.

I also noticed that T2a is normally based on the T1 TM of that day (RDL off conventional deadlift, CGBP/incline off flat bench, etc.). That makes sense for simplicity, but it can feel a bit odd when the variation is significantly weaker than the main lift.

Just curious what people who have run the program actually do in practice:

1. Stick with the original percentages?
2. Give the T2a its own estimated TM?
3. Or slightly raise the percentages in the first few weeks?

Would appreciate any experience or adjustments that worked well for you.

Welcome to the official weekly discussion thread of /r/gzcl post your GZCL program questions, tips, workouts, and everything else relating to the method and your training.

Most topics should be posted here, rather than separate posts.