Greyskull LP

Greyskull runs three days per week on an A/B alternating schedule. Day A: bench press and squat. Day B: overhead press and deadlift. Upper body alternates between bench and overhead press every session, which means both lifts are trained roughly every fifth day. Squat is in every session; deadlift is in every other session.

The set scheme is 2 sets of 5, then a final AMRAP (as many reps as possible) set at the same weight. The AMRAP drives the progression. If you hit more than 5 reps on the top set, you add 5 lb (upper) or 10 lb (lower) next session. If you hit exactly 5 on the top set, you add the standard 5/10. If you fail — less than 5 reps on the AMRAP — you either reset or take a smaller jump next time.

The template adds direct arm work to every session from the start. Chin-ups and barbell curls after bench days, barbell curls after overhead press days. This is the defining feature of Greyskull LP: Sheaffer believed the psychological benefit of visible arm growth keeps beginners consistent long enough to reap the squat and deadlift gains. Whether that rationale holds or not, the program produces both outcomes.

Greyskull has built-in deload and reset protocols for when the AMRAP falters. The "plug-in" variants — Frequency Method, Phraks Greyskull Variant — adjust volume for lifters whose recovery is the bottleneck. The base program is appropriate for anyone starting out; plug-ins exist to extend novice gains past the first natural stall.

• Squat→
• Bench Press→
• Deadlift→
• Overhead Press→

1. Day 01

   Day A1 — Bench + Squat

   Bench Press 2×5 + 1×5+ (AMRAP) · Squat 2×5 + 1×5+ (AMRAP) · Chin-up 2×max · Barbell Curl 2×10

2. Day 02

   Day B — OHP + Deadlift

   Overhead Press 2×5 + 1×5+ (AMRAP) · Deadlift 1×5+ (AMRAP only) · Barbell Curl 2×10

3. Day 03

   Day A2 — Bench + Squat

   Bench Press 2×5 + 1×5+ (AMRAP) · Squat 2×5 + 1×5+ (AMRAP) · Chin-up 2×max · Barbell Curl 2×10

• The AMRAP final set is the engine of the program. Leaving reps in the tank on that set caps your progression artificially. You need to push close to failure — not every single set, but the top AMRAP — or the weight stops going up and the program becomes a generic 3×5 template.
• Deadlift frequency is lower than squat by design. Some beginners try to add a second deadlift session because they can feel it working; doing so usually stalls squat progression first, deadlift second. Trust the template — deadlift once every other session is enough when squat is three times per week.
• Greyskull assumes bodyweight chin-ups are possible. Lifters who cannot do a chin-up should substitute ring rows, inverted rows, or weighted lat pulldowns until unassisted chin-ups come online — typically within the first 8-12 weeks of consistent training.