GZCLP program explained
Reviewed by Aaron Parry, strength and conditioning coach for RAF Rugby and Peterborough Rugby
Updated 26 October 2026
GZCLP is Cody Lefever's (GZCL) linear progression for beginners and early intermediates. Each session has a heavy main lift (T1, 5 sets of 3 with the last set for max reps), a lighter secondary lift (T2, 3 sets of 10) and an accessory (T3, 3 sets of 15+). You add weight every session, and when you fail a stage you drop to fewer reps per set at the same weight (T1: 5x3+, then 6x2+, then 10x1+) instead of resetting.
How GZCLP works
Cody Lefever published GZCLP on his blog in February 2016 as a linear progression version of his tiered GZCL method (Lefever, 2016). It uses the four main barbell lifts (squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press) and three tiers of work each session:
- T1 (tier 1): one main lift, heavy, about 85% or more of your max. Low reps, lots of sets.
- T2 (tier 2): a second main lift, lighter, about 65 to 85%. More reps.
- T3 (tier 3): an accessory such as a lat pulldown or dumbbell row, light, for high reps.
Its clever part is what happens when you fail. Most beginner programmes reset the weight. GZCLP keeps the weight and changes the sets and reps, so you squeeze more progress out of each lift before you have to drop back.
A note on notation: Lefever writes reps x sets, so his "3x5+" is 3 reps for 5 sets. Most apps and spreadsheets write sets x reps ("5x3+"). This guide uses sets x reps.
The 3-day rotation
GZCLP runs three days a week through four workouts, so each lift is the T1 lift every few sessions:
| Workout | T1 | T2 | T3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Squat | Bench press | Lat pulldown |
| B1 | Overhead press | Deadlift | Dumbbell row |
| A2 | Bench press | Squat | Lat pulldown |
| B2 | Deadlift | Overhead press | Dumbbell row |
Week 1 is A1, B1, A2; week 2 is B2, A1, B1; week 3 is A2, B2, A1; week 4 is B1, A2, B2; then repeat. Many lifters add a second T3 (curls, face pulls or leg work) to each day.
T1 progression: 5x3+ to 6x2+ to 10x1+
| Stage | Sets x reps | Total reps needed | When you fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 x 3+ (last set for max reps) | 15 | Keep the weight, move to stage 2 |
| 2 | 6 x 2+ | 12 | Keep the weight, move to stage 3 |
| 3 | 10 x 1+ | 10 | Rest 2 to 3 days, test a 5-rep max, restart stage 1 at 85% of it |
Add weight every session you complete the stage. Lefever suggests jumps of about 2.5 to 4.5 kg (5 to 10 lb) a workout for T1; in a UK gym that usually means 2.5 kg on the bench and overhead press and 5 kg on the squat and deadlift while they are moving fast. On the "+" set, stop 1 to 2 reps short of failure and do no more than 10 reps.
T2 progression: 3x10 to 3x8 to 3x6
| Stage | Sets x reps | Total reps needed | When you fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 x 10 | 30 | Keep the weight, move to stage 2 |
| 2 | 3 x 8 | 24 | Keep the weight, move to stage 3 |
| 3 | 3 x 6 | 18 | Restart at 3 x 10, a little heavier than your last 3 x 10 (no more than 9 kg / 20 lb) |
Lefever suggests running the T2 cycle two or three more times before moving to a different programme.
T3 progression: 3x15+
Do 3 sets of 15 with the last set for as many reps as you can. When that last set reaches 25 reps, add a small amount of weight. Because pulldowns and dumbbell rows jump in fixed steps, this is effectively the double progression method.
Worked example in kg
A lifter with a 100 kg 5-rep max on the squat starts the T1 squat at about 85 kg (85% of the 5-rep max, the same rule GZCLP uses for restarts, which keeps the first weeks easy enough to build momentum):
| Squat T1 session | Weight | Stage | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 85 kg | 5 x 3+ | Done, 8 reps on the last set |
| 2 | 90 kg | 5 x 3+ | Done |
| 3 | 95 kg | 5 x 3+ | Done |
| 4 | 100 kg | 5 x 3+ | Done, 4 reps on the last set |
| 5 | 105 kg | 5 x 3+ | Missed: 3, 3, 3, 2, 2 |
| 6 | 105 kg | 6 x 2+ | Done |
| 7 | 110 kg | 6 x 2+ | Done |
The squat comes up as T1 roughly every fourth workout, so those seven sessions take a couple of months. Use the plate calculator and warm-up calculator to load each session.
Rest periods
Lefever's general GZCL guidelines are 3 to 5 minutes on T1, 2 to 3 minutes on T2 and 60 to 90 seconds on T3. That fits the wider evidence: the ACSM recommends 3 to 5 minutes between heavy sets (ACSM, 2009).
Who GZCLP suits
- Good fit: lifters a few months in who have outgrown a basic 3 x 5, or beginners who want more volume and more variety than a two-lift session.
- Less good: people chasing mostly muscle size (the volume per muscle is modest unless you add T3s; see the hypertrophy programme), and anyone who can only train twice a week.
- After GZCLP: once T1 and T2 cycles stop moving, a weekly-progression programme such as 5/3/1 is a common next step.
Common GZCLP mistakes
- Grinding the "+" sets. Max-rep sets to true failure every session build fatigue that kills the next stage. Stop 1 to 2 reps short.
- Starting too heavy. Starting at your 5-rep max skips the easy weeks that build momentum.
- Jumps that are too big. 5 kg on the overhead press is often too much. Small plates make the programme last longer.
- Treating T3 as optional. The upper back work keeps the shoulders happy under all that pressing.
Running GZCLP-style training in Lift Proven
Lift Proven does not include GZCLP as a ready-made plan, and its coach does not use GZCLP's exact stage changes. You can build the A1/B1/A2/B2 layout yourself with Build your own plan (choose the days, exercises, sets and rep ranges), and the coach sets every weight from what you lift: the weight goes up when you hit your reps, and comes down about 5% if you fall short twice running. It also works out your warm-ups and the plates for each side.
Build your own GZCLP-style plan
Lay out your days in Lift Proven and the coach sets every weight from what you lift, works out your warm-ups and plates, and adjusts after each session.
Questions
- What is GZCLP?
- A linear progression programme by Cody Lefever (GZCL) using three tiers: a heavy main lift (5x3+), a lighter second lift (3x10) and an accessory (3x15+), three days a week, with set-and-rep stages instead of resets when you stall.
- Is GZCLP good for beginners?
- Yes. It suits beginners and early intermediates, especially those who want more volume than a basic 3x5 programme. Start light, at about 85% of your 5-rep max, so the first weeks are easy.
- What happens when you fail on GZCLP?
- Keep the weight and change the scheme. T1 goes from 5x3+ to 6x2+ to 10x1+, then you test a 5-rep max and restart at 85% of it. T2 goes from 3x10 to 3x8 to 3x6, then restarts at 3x10 slightly heavier.
- How many days a week is GZCLP?
- Three days a week, rotating four workouts (A1, B1, A2, B2), so each main lift is the heavy T1 lift about once every four workouts.
- How long can you run GZCLP?
- Usually several months. Lefever suggests running the T2 stages for two or three more cycles after the first, then moving to a programme with weekly or monthly progression.
- Is GZCLP better than 5/3/1?
- They suit different stages. GZCLP adds weight every session and fits beginners and early intermediates. 5/3/1 adds weight once a month and fits lifters who can no longer progress session to session.
References
- Lefever C (GZCL). GZCL applications and adaptations (the original GZCLP write-up), 5 February 2016. swoleateveryheight.blogspot.com
- American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand: progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670