Strength Foundations
Master the big lifts. Build the base, then go heavy.
- Length
- 8 weeks
- Frequency
- 3 days/week
- Session
- ~45 min
- Level
- Beginner
The program
Build a solid strength base with the compound movements — squat, bench, row, deadlift, press — three full-body days a week for eight weeks.
Block 1, FOUNDATION, grooves the big lifts in the 6–10 range on strict tempos with a double progression: top of the rep range on every set, add weight. Block 2, BUILD, tightens the same lifts to heavy fives — 5x5 territory — while the accessories rotate one cousin sideways for a fresh stimulus.
Perfect for beginners mastering form, and honest work for anyone returning to the barbell after time away.
Week 1, as written
The actual first-week prescriptions from the app — exercises, sets, tempos and rests, exactly as the program runs them.
Session 1Full Body A▾
| Back Squat | 4 × 6–8 · 20X0 tempo · 3 min rest |
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 × 6–8 · 20X0 tempo · 3 min rest |
| Bent Over Row | 4 × 6–8 · 20X0 tempo · 3 min rest |
| A1Lateral Raise | 3 × 12–15 · 2010 tempo · 1 min rest |
| A2Face Pull | 3 × 15–20 · 2010 tempo · 90s rest |
Session 2Full Body B▾
| Romanian Deadlift | 4 × 8–10 · 3010 tempo · 150s rest |
| Standing Overhead Press | 4 × 6–8 · 20X0 tempo · 3 min rest |
| Pull-Up | 3 × 6–10 · 20X0 tempo · 2 min rest |
| A1Dumbbell Curl | 3 × 10–12 · 2010 tempo · 45s rest |
| A2Cable Triceps Pushdown | 3 × 10–12 · 2010 tempo · 90s rest |
Session 3Full Body C▾
| Leg Press | 3 × 10–12 · 2010 tempo · 2 min rest |
| DB Incline Bench Press | 3 × 8–10 · 20X0 tempo · 2 min rest |
| Lat Pulldown | 3 × 10–12 · 2010 tempo · 90s rest |
| A1Cable Flyes | 3 × 12–15 · 2010 tempo · 45s rest |
| A2Lying Leg Curl | 3 × 12–15 · 2010 tempo · 90s rest |
Week 1 as programmed in the app. Later weeks progress loads, volume and variations block by block.
How it progresses
- —Block 1: double progression in the 6–10 range on strict tempos.
- —Block 2: the same lifts move to heavy sets of five — classic 5x5 loading.
- —Accessories rotate to a close variation between blocks so the stimulus stays fresh.
Who it's for
- —You want the classic path: learn the lifts, then load them.
- —You are coming back from a layoff and want a structured runway to heavy work.
- —You like the idea of 5x5 but want four weeks of preparation first.
Methods inside
Equipment
Barbell · Dumbbells · Cable Machine · Machines · Bench · Squat Rack · Pull-up Bar
Questions
Is this a 5x5 program?
The second half is. Weeks 1–4 build technique and work capacity in the 6–10 rep range; weeks 5–8 tighten the main lifts to heavy fives. You arrive at 5x5 prepared for it rather than thrown into it.
How is this different from Academy: Foundations?
Academy: Foundations runs pure linear progression on two alternating days for a first-ever block. Strength Foundations runs three distinct days and periodises into a heavy 5x5 block — a slightly bigger ask, a slightly bigger payoff.
What do the tempos mean?
Each lift carries a tempo prescription — how long to lower, pause and lift. Strict tempos in Block 1 build control that pays off when the fives get heavy in Block 2.