How GZCLP works
GZCLP — the GZCL Linear Progression by Cody Lefever — is one of the best beginner programs going. It takes the tiered structure of the GZCL method and turns it into a simple, fast-progressing linear program: every session you add a little weight, and you only back off when you actually fail, dropping through pre-set rep schemes (the "stages") instead of stalling.
The three tiers
- T1 — your main heavy lift. 5×3+ (last set AMRAP). Fail it and drop to 6×2, then 10×1, then reset.
- T2 — a secondary lift for volume. 3×10. Fail and drop to 3×8, then 3×6, then reset heavier.
- T3 — accessory work. 3×15+ (last set AMRAP). Add weight once that set hits 25 reps.
The weekly rotation
- Day A1 — T1 Squat, T2 Bench
- Day B1 — T1 OHP, T2 Deadlift
- Day A2 — T1 Bench, T2 Squat
- Day B2 — T1 Deadlift, T2 OHP
Run the four days in order across your training week, three or four sessions a week. Each lift appears as both a heavy T1 and a higher-volume T2, so everything gets trained from two angles.
Progression
Add weight every session you complete: 2.5 kg / 5 lb on upper-body lifts, 5 kg / 10 lb on lower-body. When you miss your reps, you move down a stage rather than stopping. This is what keeps GZCLP moving for months after a plain 5×5 stalls — the stages give you somewhere to go.
Picking starting weights
Start lighter than your ego wants — around your 5-rep weight for T1, and something you can clearly hit for 3×10 on T2. The calculator shows the loading for each; the program's whole advantage is the long runway, so don't burn it by starting too heavy.