RIP AND TEAR
Welcome to the Program Guide for Rip And Tear. This document contains all the information
you need to know to successfully run this program.
Choosing A 1RM:
This program operates off of percentages of a true 1RM, not a Training Max. When choosing a
1RM for this program, pick a 1RM you can confidently hit at the beginning of the program.
Do not choose an all time 1RM PR, do not calculate a 1RM based on a high rep PR set. Pick a
number you could go to the gym right now and do for 1 rep. If you have to choose between a
conservative guess or not, err conservative. The most important sets in this program are
AMRAPs, so a slightly lower 1RM will just result in a few more reps.
Weekly Structure:
This program features 4 days where your main lifts are programmed. The remaining three days,
and what you do after the main lifts, is left up to the user.
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Day 1 - Squat, Bench, Deadlift
Day 2 - Rest or Hypertrophy
Day 3 - Squat, Bench, Lower Body Hypertrophy
Day 4 - Rest or Hypertrophy
Day 5 - Squat, Bench, Upper Body Hypertrophy
Day 6 - Squat, Lower Body Hypertrophy
Day 7- Rest or Hypertrophy
I recommend using at least one of the three days for Upper Body Hypertrophy work.
If you feel this is too much and wish to limit this program to four days you can either add upper
body hypertrophy work to Day 1, or turn one of the two Lower Body Hypertrophy days into a full
body hypertrophy day.
If you wish to run this program for 6 days a week I suggest limiting the sixth day to small, fast
recovering muscles only (calves, shoulders, arms, etc), and avoiding any kind of heavy
compound work, sticking to direct isolation movements.
You can also deviate from the suggested hypertrophy days on the above schedule if you have a
specific reason to do so. All work outside the main Squat, Bench and Deadlift sets is at the
user's discretion.
Who Should Run This Program:
This program will work best for those who do not specifically focus on low rep Squat, Bench and
Deadlift (SBD) full time. It is not an ideal program for a powerlifter. It is designed for those who
primarily train for other disciplines, or those who periodize with different areas in mind each
time, to spend some time with SBD and push for PRs before moving onto other things.
This program does not have a strict strength requirement, but users should have at least
technical consistency with SBD, and be reasonably advanced. Layne Norton suggests at least a
350 Wilks score for your SBD total before starting PH3, which is a major inspiration for this
program, so that is probably a good benchmark.
This program is recommended for use when eating at a caloric surplus or maintenance, but can
be worked into a period of deficit if the 1RMs are kept very conservative and the work on top of
the main lifts is reigned in.
Substituting Movements:
This program will work with any kind of Squat, Bench and Deadlift. If you want to use something
besides Barbell Back Squat, Barbell Bench Press and Barbell Deadlift go for it. All you need is
something in the general family. Squats with a specialty bar are fine, box squats are fine, front
squats are fine, ect. Bench press can be close grip, use a different bar, or even be an overhead
press if you really want. Deadlift could use a trap bar, be off blocks, whatever. Just dont sub in a
lighter weight, more isolation focused movement. Squats should not be replaced with something
like Brazilian Split Squats for example.
How To Choose Accessory/Hypertrophy Work:
As this program is designed for experienced lifters, it assumes a certain level of self awareness
about how you like to handle this area/what works for you. That said, here are some general
suggestions:
Choose additional work that complements your technique on the main lifts. You should identify
what areas are the limiting factor in your main lifts and avoid those on the accessory work. They
are already gassed out, put your energy into the areas that have not been worked to
exhaustion. For example, if you are a posterior chain dominant low bar squatter you probably do
not need to work something like RDLs after your squats, but leg extensions or leg press for your
quads might be a good option. Consider what areas your main lifts are not effectively working
and target those, and do not add more fatigue to those areas most heavily worked by the main
lifts.
Start on the low end of volume. It is very easy to try and add a half dozen exercises after your
main lifts, but this kind of load might catch up with you halfway through the program. The
intensity and difficulty of the main lifts ramps throughout the 12 weeks. Just because your 6
accessory lifts are fine the first week does not mean that they will be fine the 10th. I would start
with 3 movements after the main lifts, and only add more work slowly if you feel you need to. If
you choose to work hypertrophy on days besides the 4 programmed days you could bump this
up to 5 movements on those days.
Try to stick with isolations instead of compounds. If you want to work in heavier compound
accessories limit them to one a day.
Dropping Squat and Dead Volume:
Some users, particularly those with very heavy squats and or deads, might find the loads
prescribed to be overly fatiguing. If you feel that you fall into this category, you can consider
removing the deads on Day 1 and or the squats on Day 6. If you are unsure if you fall into this
category, you probably do not.
Judging AMRAP Intensity:
This program features many AMRAP sets. These AMRAP sets are ultimately at the users
discretion. If you feel the need to hit the minimum on some of them, or otherwise keep the reps
below a true AMRAP, you are free to do so. Again, as an advanced program there is a level of
agency assumed in this regard. You know your body, you know when its time to push on the gas
and when it’s time to tap the breaks a bit. You should push yourself, but some days it is just not
going to be there, and that’s okay.
Injury Risk Mitigation:
Due to the high intensity nature of this program, there is a non-negligible risk of injury. If you feel
like an area is injured, or nearing injury, it is strongly recommended that you reign in any lifts
that aggravate the area. It is acceptable to swap in a SBD variation if it works around the issue,
or to just drop some movements if the problem is unavoidable. You have explicit permission to
take steps to ensure your health, you are not ‘failing’ the program if you do so.
How To Work Rip And Tear Into Long Term Programming:
Rip And Tear can be run as a one off program, or worked into a longer training calendar. I
believe that Rip And Tear is best used as a once a year program if you want to repeat it. This
allows for sufficient time to build up general strength and muscle so that repeat runs can deliver
improvement. Honing your technique won’t do much if you aren't working with more force
production potential than you had last time. At a minimum I would not run Rip And Tear back to
back, place a block of at least 12 weeks in between runs. Optimally, this block would not include
heavy SBD.
Program Costs:
This program is offered for free and will always be free. The app gives the option for tipping on
sessions. Any tips I receive will go directly to a charity of my choice, which is currently my local
Humane Society.
Additional Questions and Concerns:
If there is anything not covered here that you wish to ask about you can feel free to contact me
through Reddit (/u/The_Fatalist) or Instagram (@deadliestlift). Also, if you have feedback on the
program I would very much appreciate it.