Week 2 - Strength Progression

Upper (Strength Focus)

Carry the Week 1 upper session forward by keeping technique cues tight while taking final working sets to failure.

Session at a Glance

7 upper-body movements with final-set failure targets to nudge strength gains.
Press, pull, and arm slots mirror the PDF layout so you can log warm-ups, work sets, and RPEs quickly.
Swap in the listed substitutions whenever a machine is busy or you need a different setup.

Warm-up Reminder

Use 2-3 progressive warm-up sets before compounds and 1-2 quick rehearsals for cable work.
Push the last set only until form breaks; record the load you reach at RPE 10.
Rest 3-5 minutes for heavy presses/rows and 1-2 minutes on isolation slots as shown below.

Exercise 1

45-degree Incline Barbell Press

Watch demo

Warm-up: 2-3 sets
Working sets: 3 sets
Reps: 6-8
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 3-5 min

Pause for a full second at the bottom of each rep while keeping the pecs under tension.

Substitutions

Exercise 2

Cable Crossover Ladder

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Warm-up: 1-2 sets
Working sets: 2 sets
Reps: 8-10
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 1-2 min

Perform one set from each cable height (low, mid, high). If you only have one or two sets, choose the positions you prefer most.

Substitutions

Exercise 3

Wide-Grip Pull-Up

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Warm-up: 1-2 sets
Working sets: 3 sets
Reps: 8-10
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 2-3 min

Use roughly 1.5x shoulder-width overhand grip with a controlled 2-3 second lowering to feel the lats spread on the descent.

Substitutions

Exercise 4

High-Cable Lateral Raise

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Warm-up: 1-2 sets
Working sets: 2 sets
Reps: 8-10
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 1-2 min

Drive the motion by squeezing your lateral delts rather than swinging the weight.

Substitutions

Exercise 5

Pendlay Deficit Row

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Warm-up: 1-2 sets
Working sets: 2 sets
Reps: 6-8
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 2-3 min

Stand on a bumper plate so the bar starts lower, then pull to your stomach or chest every rep for a full stretch.

Substitutions

Exercise 6

Overhead Cable Triceps Extension (Bar)

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Warm-up: 1 set
Working sets: 2 sets
Reps: 8-10
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 1-2 min

Optionally pause for 0.5-1 second in the stretched position to lock in tension on the long head.

Substitutions

Exercise 7

Bayesian Cable Curl

Watch demo

Warm-up: 1 set
Working sets: 2 sets
Reps: 8-10
Set 1 RPE: ~8-9
Last set RPE: 10
Rest: 1-2 min

If one bicep is weaker, start with that arm, take it to the listed RPE, then match the reps with the stronger arm. Otherwise, curl both arms together.