AES-20 is a 6-week training cycle at SQD5 Training built around progression, structure, and results. The goal of this cycle is hypertrophy \u2014 gaining muscle across all major muscle groups. You\u2019ll train five days per week, with HYROX conditioning sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays.<\/p>\n
Each training day is organized into four stations, each lasting 10 minutes, with one minute of rest in between. This format keeps the structure consistent while allowing you to focus on steady progress.<\/p>\n
All primary lifts follow a prescribed tempo. The most important part to follow is the lowering phase \u2014 the first number in the tempo \u2014 which tells you how many seconds to lower the weight. Slowing down this part increases time under tension, which is key for building muscle.<\/p>\n
This day targets large upper body muscle groups using compound lifts like the bench press, incline bench, pull-ups, dips, and bent-over rows. Bench press alternates bi-weekly with incline bench. Pushing and pulling movements are paired together to make the most of each station.<\/p>\n
This day focuses on squatting. In the first two weeks, front squats and back squats are done separately. Starting in Week 3, they are combined into one station \u2014 front squats immediately followed by back squats without rest. Romanian deadlifts and good mornings alternate weekly to target hamstrings and glutes through a deep stretch.<\/p>\n
This is a slightly lower-intensity day, with a focus on hypertrophy through more isolated movements. You\u2019ll work through barbell hip thrusts, Cossack squats, and curtsy squats across the cycle. The day also includes targeted shoulder and arm work, giving your body a break from heavy compound lifts while still driving results.<\/p>\n
This day is designed for high-volume, full-body work. You\u2019ll partner up and complete 1,000 total reps across four stations, all using half-bodyweight loads. Each station has a fixed rep count to complete as a team.<\/p>\n
Bench Press \u2013 200 reps<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Pendlay Row \u2013 320 reps<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Squats \u2013 160 reps<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Deadlifts \u2013 160 reps<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A fifth station is dedicated for Strict Press \u2013 progress each week from 6 reps to a 1-rep max<\/p>\n
This is not just a workout. It\u2019s a test of teamwork, effort, and consistency over the cycle. If you succeed to reach 1000 reps then next week you increase the BB weight by 10%.<\/p>\n
This day will exceptionally have 5 stations each last\u00a0 for 8 minutes with 2 minutes break<\/p>\n
This day blends squatting, pulling, and single-leg work. You\u2019ll move through barbell lunges, alternate each week between unilateral and bilateral rows, and rotate Zercher squats with goblet squats. Reps are kept high to encourage proper positioning and lighter loads, while still delivering a full-body challenge.<\/p>\n
Sunday \u2013 Day 1: Upper Body<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Monday \u2013 Day 2: Lower Body<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Tuesday \u2013 HYROX Conditioning<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Wednesday \u2013 Day 3: Shoulders, Arms, Glutes<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Thursday \u2013 Day 4: 1000 Rep Challenge<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Friday \u2013 Day 5: Full Body<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Saturday \u2013 HYROX Conditioning<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Throughout the six weeks, the focus is clear: build strength, grow muscle, and improve technique. You\u2019ll be asked to follow a controlled tempo on all main lifts \u2014 especially during the lowering phase. This approach increases time under tension and helps you get the most out of every rep.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AES-20: The Strength & Conditioning Cycle at SQD5 AES-20 is a 6-week training cycle at SQD5 Training built around progression, structure, and results. The goal of this cycle is hypertrophy \u2014 gaining muscle across all major muscle groups. You\u2019ll train five days per week, with HYROX conditioning sessions on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Each training day […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3199"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3199"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3199\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3200,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3199\/revisions\/3200"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/squad5training.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}