GZCL Three-Week Big on the Basics Template
Three weeks of four-day lifting offer straight or rising heavy sets, ending with rep-outs to guide next max increases.
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Details
The program’s usual settings
Program
Training maxes
Week by week
Every workout, as Catalyst would give it to you.
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The schedule
4 workouts a week, on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat.
| Week | Mon | Wed | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 |
| 2 | day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 |
| 3 | day 1 | day 2 | day 3 | day 4 |
How it works
The program’s own rules, as Catalyst runs them.
Use conservative daily two-rep maxima for Tier 1 and separate maxima for every accessory. Straight work keeps one weight for the day; ascending work uses three groups in order. In this three-week block, end the final Tier 1 rep-out with one or two reps left and controlled technique. Rest 3–5 minutes for Tier 1, 2–3 for Tier 2 and 60–90 seconds for Tier 3. Where Tier 3 has no fixed work-up, choose three or four increasing weights. The last is your first top set; repeat that weight for four more sets in weeks one and two, or three more sets in week three. Aim for 12–15 reps initially and 10–12 in week three, allowing later sets to vary while keeping reps in reserve. Give each side the full single-leg press count and choose the side order. If fatigue rises, choose to leave two or three reps in reserve on main rep-outs and remove one Tier 3 set for the rest of the week. Eat and rest more, then reassess. Set your maxima before another cycle; there is no universal automatic increase or reset after a miss.
What you need
Everything its exercises call for. Missing something? The app suggests swaps that train the same thing.
- Adjustable bench
- Back extension bench
- Barbell
- Cable stack
- Dumbbells
- EZ curl bar
- Flat bench
- Leg press machine
- Pull-up bar
- Squat rack
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