7 Week 4x RTS Hypertrophy Template
Program Overview:
This unique RTS approach to increasing your hypertrophy will have you bigger and stronger in no time at
all. Sticking to big heavy compound powerlifts for the main movers you will not lose ground on your
total either. The competition lifts are approached with ramp-up loading protocols approaching 9 RPE
with reps ranging from 6 in the early weeks to 4 in the later weeks.
The remainder of the work focuses on exercises targeting muscle groups with ramp-up loading protocols
approaching 9 RPE with reps ranging from 12 in early weeks to 8 in later weeks. These exercises have a
good amount of variation to them to ensure good stimulus for muscle growth.
This 4x a week template does start off with a week 1 3x week introduction.
Suggestions for getting the most out of your template:
1.) It’s important to accurately log your training as you progress. Here are several videos of how to
use the RTS training log:
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvo7YEEiVKE
b. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_3I2e32EW4
c. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvdSu5_ubJc
d. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifD9IumIeuU&t=110s
2.) Do your best to stick to the prescribed RPE protocols. While the system will help by providing
target weights, we are not always capable of hitting those target numbers. To ensure proper
working volumes and stress, do your best to stay within +/- 0.5 RPE of the protocol listed for
each exercise and set. The intent of auto regulated training is to put the correct weight on the
bar and perform the correct numbers of reps!
3.) Be sure to maintain a good degree of technical proficiency and allow your abilities to maintain
position impact the rating of the lift. In other words, you should be rating the hardest part about
the lift. Here’s a video on what we define as the 80% Technique Heuristic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZpHqM3_SKA&t=253s
4.) We recommend that you follow some general week to week progression guidelines to help
avoid large spikes that are often accompanied by down weeks. Taking it in a bit more of step by
step approach allows for more sustainable progress. We recommend taking it as a % based on
the previous weeks performance as discussed in the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZpHqM3_SKA&t=253s
5.) Developing a good warm-up routine will also be beneficial. We believe that a warm-up routine
will be in a state of change with the lifter as their needs will also change based on where they
are at in their training. We would encourage that you do body weight exercises that target good
healthy range of motion of the joints that prime the body for the barbell movements and
loading.
6.) General Physical Preparedness (GPP): We encourage you and all our lifters to be performing
some GPP work. However, over the years we have gotten away from structuring it as much for a
few reasons. Those reasons aside we’d like to give you some guidance. GPP can look like a lot of
different things. A few key points are to keep things general in nature with regards to exercises
and it shouldn’t have things that closely resemble any of the powerlifts. It can be beneficial to
make GPP fun. Physical activities away from the barbell like hiking, biking, other sports and
things of that nature make for great GPP. There are many ways to go about your GPP work that
can look drastically different from one week to the next. Try not to overthink this part. Below
are some more detailed guidelines on how you can go about developing some GPP workouts.
a. Frequency: Aim for 1-2 GPP sessions a week.
b. Structure: Pick 3 exercises that are not powerlifting specific and complete a circuit for
20-30m.
c. Ideas include:
i. Farmers Carries- aim for max effort and distance
ii. Face Pulls
iii. Dips
iv. Push Ups
v. Push Press
vi. Clean
vii. Overhead Carry
viii. KB Swings- max effort and time
ix. Skull Crushers
x. Curls
xi. Pullovers
xii. Turkish get-ups
xiii. Lateral Med ball toss (max effort/speed)
xiv. Split stance DB Press
xv. Palloff Presses
The Training:
Week 1
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Close Grip Floor Press
Pendlay Row
Intensity
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
no down sets
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Bench Press
Comp Deadlift
Dips
Intensity
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
no down sets
Day
3
Exercise
Touch & Go Bench Press
Bulgarian Split Squat
Row of Choice
Intensity
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
no down sets
Week 2
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Comp Bench Press
Dips
Intensity
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Deadlift
Incline Bench
Bulgarian Split Squat
Intensity
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
3
Exercise
Belt Squat
Pendlay Row
Vertical Pull of Choice
Intensity
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
4
Exercise
Touch & Go Bench Press
Close Grip Floor Press
Standing Military
Intensity
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
no down sets
Week 3
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Comp Bench Press
Dips
Intensity
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Deadlift
Incline Bench
Bulgarian Split Squat
Intensity
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
3
Exercise
Belt Squat
Pendlay Row
Vertical Pull of Choice
Intensity
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
4
Exercise
Touch & Go Bench Press
Close Grip Floor Press
Standing Military
Intensity
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
x12 @7, x12 @8, x12 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
no down sets
Week 4
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Comp Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Intensity
x5 @7, x5 @8, x5 @9
x5 @7, x5 @8, x5 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Deadlift
Close Grip Incline Bench
Safety bar Reverse Lunges
Intensity
x5 @7, x5 @8, x5 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
3
Exercise
Leg Press
Lever Row
Vertical Pull of Choice
Intensity
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
4
Exercise
Close Grip Bench Press
3 Board Close Grip Bench
Neutral Grip Bar Standing Military
Intensity
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
no down sets
Week 5
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Comp Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Intensity
x5 @7, x5 @8, x5 @9
x5 @7, x5 @8, x5 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Deadlift
Close Grip Incline Bench
Safety bar Reverse Lunges
Intensity
x5 @7, x5 @8, x5 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
3
Exercise
Leg Press
Lever Row
Vertical Pull of Choice
Intensity
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
4
Exercise
Close Grip Bench Press
3 Board Close Grip Bench
Neutral Grip Bar Standing Military
Intensity
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
x10 @7, x10 @8, x10 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
no down sets
Week 6
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Comp Bench Press
Dumbell Flies
Intensity
x4 @7, x4 @8, x4 @9
x4 @7, x4 @8, x4 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Deadlift
Bench Press with Feet Up
Lunges
Intensity
x4 @7, x4 @8, x4 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
3
Exercise
Hack Squat
Chest Supported Row
Vertical Pull of Choice
Intensity
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
4
Exercise
Reverse Grip Bench Press
Close Grip Bench with Mini Band
Push Press
Intensity
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
no down sets
Week 7
Day
1
Exercise
Comp Squat
Comp Bench Press
Dumbell Flies
Intensity
x4 @7, x4 @8, x4 @9
x4 @7, x4 @8, x4 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
2
Exercise
Comp Deadlift
Bench Press with Feet Up
Lunges
Intensity
x4 @7, x4 @8, x4 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x6 @7, x6 @8, x6 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
3
Exercise
Hack Squat
Chest Supported Row
Vertical Pull of Choice
Intensity
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
plus 1 down set (load drop)
Day
4
Exercise
Reverse Grip Bench Press
Close Grip Bench with Mini Band
Push Press
Intensity
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
x8 @7, x8 @8, x8 @9
Volume
no down sets
plus 1 down set (load drop)
no down sets