From Endurance to Aesthetic Strength
We’ve just finished a demanding endurance phase — high volume, long efforts, pure grind. You built an engine that can go the distance. Now, we turn that engine into power and shape.
AES-23 is the hypertrophy cycle — slower tempos, heavier loads, and training built to create strength that shows. You’ll still move with intent, but this time the goal isn’t to last longer — it’s to lift better.
The Flow of the Week
🟥 Sunday – Upper Body (Push / Pull)
We open the week with control and precision. Bench variations alternate between Close-Grip @20X0 (power-focused) and Wide-Grip @20X1 (controlled, chest-dominant).
Pull-ups, landmine presses, and Z-presses balance strength through the shoulders.
👉 Don’t rush. Feel the bar path, control the descent, and own every press.
🟩 Monday – Lower Body (Squat / Hinge)
This day builds your foundation.
Tempo squats — Cyclist, Pause, Front — slow down the movement to build tension and depth.
Posterior work — RDLs, Hip Thrusts, Deadlifts — locks in power through the back chain.
👉 Control first, load second. The goal is to feel the work, not just move the bar.
⬜ Tuesday & Saturday – Hyrox Days
These stay dedicated to conditioning, pacing, and capacity.
They bridge endurance and strength so your engine keeps up with your new power.
🟦 Wednesday – Upper Body (Vertical Push)
Shoulders and upper chest take center stage.
Strict Press for stability, Arnold Press for rotation, Dips and Pullovers for depth and shape.
👉 You’ll notice the difference in how you hold yourself — taller, stronger, more balanced.
🟨 Thursday – Hybrid
This is your performance day.
Cardio bouts (2:15) roll straight into max-rep compound lifts:
- Odd weeks → Horizontal focus: Bench, Row, Deadlift, Back Squat.
- Even weeks → Vertical focus: Push Press, Pull-Up, Hip Thrust, Front Squat.
You will keep the same BB weight toward the cycle. Track your total distance + total reps — those numbers tell your real story of progress.
👉 Treat this day like testing — push hard, then compare week to week.
🟪 Friday – Lower Body (Structural Strength)
We close the week by reinforcing the base — Front Rack Box Squats @31X1, Cyclist Front Squats @20X1, Deficit RDLs @21X1, Deadlifts @20X1.
It’s slower, heavier, and laser-focused on precision.
👉 No ego lifts here. This is where you build control, posture, and long-term strength.
How to Approach AES-23
- Track your weights — your main lifts (Tier 1) show the real progress.
- Respect your tempo:
- 20X0 → Power
- 20X1 → Control
- 31X1 → Precision
- 32X1 → Patience
- Hybrid days: Record both total distance and total reps.
- Accessory work: Quality over speed — this is where the real physique changes happen.
Progressive Overload — But Take It Smart
The goal across these six weeks is steady, controlled progression — not maxing out. Week 1 and 2 is about finding your groove: clean reps, stable tempo, no grinders. Once your form feels locked in, start adding small, consistent jumps in load each week (2–5 kg, or 2–3 %). By Week 5 and 6, the volume drops slightly so intensity can rise safely.
👉 The best athletes here aren’t the ones lifting the heaviest in Week 1 — they’re the ones still progressing in Week 5 and 6.
The Mindset
You proved you can last. Now it’s time to prove you can lift with intent. This cycle rewards patience, focus, and consistency. If you stay disciplined with tempo, control, and tracking, you’ll see — and feel — the difference.Don’t chase exhaustion. Chase execution. Move with control, lift with intent, and let the work show.
Welcome to AES-23 — where endurance evolves into aesthetics.
