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Advanced Workout Series 1

by Jocko Fuel ·
  April 08, 2026  

This is Advanced. The rules are different here. Weighted pull-ups and dips with 20% of your body weight. Olympic lifts — snatch, clean and jerk, deadlift — building to max singles with real weight on the bar. Squats that progress from overhead to front to back, each building to your maximum. The book includes a direct warning at this level, and it's worth taking seriously: form and technique are absolutely critical. If you cannot perform these lifts with strict technique and form, do not do them. You will get injured. Attending a live, hands-on coaching program by a professional for the Olympic lifts is highly recommended before starting these workouts.

If you haven't completed the Intermediate program, go back. This is not a shortcut: Intermediate Workout Series 1. New to the program? Start with Start Here: The Jocko Workout Program.

What's Different at Advanced

Weighted bodyweight work. Pull-ups and dips are now loaded with approximately 20% of your body weight via a weight belt or vest. You'll do weighted sets first, then strip the weight and continue with unweighted sets. This builds raw strength on top of the endurance you developed at Intermediate.

Olympic lifts at working weight. The snatch, clean and jerk, and deadlift are no longer practice movements with a PVC pipe. You're building to your max — adding weight each set until you miss, then transitioning to the next lift. This requires coaching and experience. The book is clear: if you don't have the technique, don't attempt the weight.

Progressive overload schemes. Both Lift day and Squat day use a build-to-max format — start light, add weight each set, find your max, then move to the next lift. This is strength training in the traditional sense.

Your fuel stack should match the demand. Advanced training with heavy weights, high volume, and maximal effort requires premium recovery support. This is where Jocko Pro Series Pre-Workout, Jocko Pro Series Protein Isolate, and Jocko Magnesium come in — see fuel recommendations below.

Quick Reference

Pull

Push

Lift

Squat

Primary

5 sets weighted dead-hang + 5 sets weighted kipping + 5 sets dead-hang + 5 sets kipping

5 sets weighted ring-dips + 5 sets weighted bar-dips + 5 sets ring-dips + 5 sets dips

Snatch → clean and jerk → deadlift (build to max)

Overhead squat → front squat → back squat (build to max)

Secondary

6 sets hang cleans

—

—

—

Gut

100 V-ups + 100 Russian twists

5 sets hanging leg-raises

100 GHD sit-ups

5 sets hanging leg-raises

MetCon

25 pull-ups / 400m run x 4

Power snatch / clap push-ups / burpees: 20, 15, 10, 5

6 x 100m shuttle runs

2-mile run

 

Pull Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: 5 sets weighted dead-hang pull-ups → 5 sets weighted kipping pull-ups → 5 sets dead-hang pull-ups → 5 sets kipping pull-ups

  • Secondary Work: 6 sets of hang cleans

  • Gut: 100 V-ups followed by 100 Russian twists

  • MetCon: 25 pull-ups then run 400 meters, repeat for 4 rounds

Directions

Utilize a weight belt or weight vest of approximately 20% of your body weight. Complete 5 sets of dead-hang weighted pull-ups, resting 1–2 minutes between each set. Then complete 5 sets of weighted kipping pull-ups, resting 1–2 minutes between each set. Next, remove the weight belt and complete 5 sets of dead-hang pull-ups. Finally do 5 max sets of non-weighted kipping pull-ups.

Do 6 sets of hang cleans, with a weight that allows you to do 3–6 repetitions per set while maintaining good form.

Gut: Do 100 V-ups followed by 100 Russian twists.

MetCon: Do 25 pull-ups, then run 400 meters. Repeat for a total of 4 rounds.

The 4-Phase Pull-Up Structure

This is the defining format of Advanced Pull day. You do four blocks of 5 sets each — 20 total sets of pull-ups — progressing from hardest to most sustainable:

  1. Weighted dead-hang (hardest) — strict pull-ups with added load

  2. Weighted kipping — added load but with momentum assistance

  3. Unweighted dead-hang — strip the weight, but strict form

  4. Unweighted kipping (most sustainable) — bodyweight with momentum

By the time you reach phase 4, your back and grip are deeply fatigued from the weighted work. The unweighted sets feel like recovery compared to what came before — but you're still accumulating serious volume. Then the MetCon hits: 25 pull-ups followed by a 400-meter run, four times. That's 100 more pull-ups after the main work.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Can do weighted pull-ups

Full 4-phase structure with ~20% BW added load

20% BW is too heavy

Start with 10% and build up — the phases still apply

MetCon pull-ups after 20 sets

Break into smaller sets, keep moving through the 25, then run

Fuel This Workout

Twenty sets of pull-ups (half weighted), 6 sets of hang cleans, 200 gut reps, and a 4-round MetCon of 25 pull-ups plus 400-meter runs. This is the most demanding Pull day in the entire program.

Push Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: Weighted ring-dips, weighted bar-dips (4-phase structure)

  • Gut: 5 sets of hanging leg-raises

  • MetCon: Power snatch / clap push-ups / burpees — 20, 15, 10, 5

Directions

Utilize a weight belt or weight vest of approximately 20% of your body weight. Complete 5 sets of weighted ring-dips, resting 1–2 minutes between each set. Then complete 5 sets of weighted bar-dips, resting 1–2 minutes between each set. Next, remove the weight belt and complete 5 sets of ring-dips. Finally, do 5 max sets of unweighted dips.

Gut: Do 5 sets of hanging leg-raises.

MetCon: Perform rounds of power snatches, clap push-ups, and burpees with 20, 15, 10, and 5 repetitions as fast as possible. For the power snatches use approximately 30–40% of your body weight.

What Are Ring-Dips?

Ring-dips are new at Advanced. Instead of parallel bars, you're pressing on gymnastic rings — which are unstable. The rings force your stabilizer muscles to work constantly to keep the rings from flaring out while you dip. This builds pressing strength, shoulder stability, and body control that fixed bars can't replicate. Adding weight to ring-dips is a significant demand. If you've never done ring-dips before, practice unweighted ring-dips with control before adding load.

The 4-Phase Dip Structure

Same concept as Pull day — four blocks of 5 sets, progressing from hardest to most sustainable:

  1. Weighted ring-dips (hardest) — unstable surface with added load

  2. Weighted bar-dips — stable surface with added load

  3. Unweighted ring-dips — strip the weight, instability remains

  4. Unweighted bar-dips (most sustainable) — bodyweight on a stable surface

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Can do weighted ring-dips

Full 4-phase structure with ~20% BW added load

New to ring-dips

Practice unweighted ring-dips first, substitute bar-dips for ring-dip sets until stable

20% BW too heavy

Start with 10% and build up

MetCon power snatches

Use 30–40% BW, maintain explosive form through the descending ladder

Fuel This Workout

Twenty sets of dips (half weighted, half on rings), hanging core work, and a descending MetCon ladder with power snatches, clap push-ups, and burpees. Your chest, shoulders, triceps, and stabilizers are getting the hardest test in the program.

Lift Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: Snatch → clean and jerk → deadlift (build to max)

  • Gut: 100 GHD sit-ups

  • MetCon: 6 x 100-meter shuttle runs

Directions

Form and technique are absolutely critical. Sacrificing proper form will not make you stronger — it will only make you injured. Attending a live, hands-on coaching program by a professional for these lifts is highly recommended prior to these workouts. If you cannot perform these lifts with strict technique and form, DO NOT DO THEM. YOU WILL GET INJURED.

Begin snatching 3–5 repetitions per weight. Increase weight toward maximum 5–20 pounds each lift, looking to reach your maximum in approximately 8 sets. Once you have missed a weight 2 times, switch to the clean and jerk. Continue to add weight in 5–20 pound increments until you reach your maximum, which you are trying to do in approximately 6 sets. Once you have missed 2 clean and jerks, switch to the deadlift. Continue to add weight in increments of 10–50 pounds until you have reached your maximum. Once you have reached your maximum, do 2 singles at that weight.

Gut: Do 100 GHD sit-ups.

MetCon: Complete 6 sets of 100-meter shuttle runs with 1 minute of rest between work.

How the Build-to-Max Works

This is a different kind of workout than anything in Beginner or Intermediate. You're not doing sets of a fixed weight — you're building up to the heaviest weight you can lift with good form. Here's the flow:

Snatch — Start light. Do 3–5 reps. Add 5–20 lbs. Do 3–5 reps. Keep adding weight across approximately 8 sets until you miss. Once you miss a weight twice, you're done with snatches.

Clean and jerk — Pick up where the snatch left off. Same progression: add weight in 5–20 lb increments across approximately 6 sets until you miss twice.

Deadlift — Bigger jumps now, 10–50 lbs per set. Build to your max. Once you've reached it, do 2 singles at that weight to finish.

This format trains the Olympic lifts as strength movements, not conditioning. Rest fully between sets. Focus on technique at every weight.

What Are GHD Sit-Ups?

GHD (Glute-Ham Developer) sit-ups are new at Advanced. You sit on a GHD machine with your feet hooked under the pads and your hips on the seat. Lower your torso back until your body is roughly parallel to the floor (or slightly past), then sit up explosively. The extended range of motion and the hip flexor demand make these significantly harder than regular sit-ups. If you don't have access to a GHD machine, substitute heavy sit-ups or decline sit-ups and work toward getting access to the equipment.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Experienced with Olympic lifts

Full build-to-max: snatch → clean and jerk → deadlift

Technique still developing

Stay lighter, focus on clean reps, don't chase max weight until form is solid

No coaching experience

Get coaching before attempting max-effort Olympic lifts — this is not optional

No GHD machine

Substitute decline sit-ups or weighted sit-ups

Fuel This Workout

Building to max singles on three lifts, 100 GHD sit-ups, and shuttle sprints. The neural demand of heavy lifting is different from high-rep bodyweight work — you need to be sharp, fueled, and recovered.

Squat Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: Overhead squat → front squat → back squat (build to max)

  • Gut: 5 sets of max hanging leg-raises

  • MetCon: 2-mile run

Directions

Maintain strict form when doing these exercises. Failure to do so can and will result in serious injury. Do not let your ego dictate the weight you use.

Rest approximately 2 minutes between each of these sets. Begin overhead squats in 3–5 repetitions per weight. Increase weight toward maximum 5–20 pounds each lift, looking to reach your maximum in approximately 8 sets. Once you have missed a weight, switch to the front squat. Continue to add weight in 5–20 pound increments until you reach your maximum, which you are trying to do in approximately 6 sets. Once you have missed a front squat, switch to the back squat. Continue to add weight in increments of 10–20 pounds until you have reached your maximum. Once you have reached your maximum, do 2 singles at that weight.

Gut: 5 sets of max hanging leg-raises.

MetCon: Run 2 miles at a good pace, but not with an all-out effort. The goal is to loosen the legs after heavy work.

How the Squat Build-to-Max Works

Same progressive overload concept as Lift day, but applied to three squat variations from most technically demanding to most load-capable:

Overhead squat — Start with a PVC pipe or light bar. Add 5–20 lbs per set across approximately 8 sets until you miss. This is the most technically demanding squat variation — it requires shoulder mobility, core stability, and ankle flexibility. Your max here will be significantly lower than your other squat maxes.

Front squat — Pick up where overhead squats left off. Add 5–20 lbs per set across approximately 6 sets until you miss. The front rack position keeps your torso upright and loads your quads and core.

Back squat — Biggest loading potential. Add 10–20 lbs per set and build to your max. Once you reach it, do 2 singles at that weight to finish.

The progression from overhead to front to back is deliberate — you start with the movement that has the lowest max but the highest technical demand, and finish with the movement that allows the most weight.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Comfortable with all three squat patterns

Full build-to-max: overhead → front → back squat

Overhead squat max is very low

That's expected — start with PVC or light bar and build the pattern

Form breaks under heavy load

Stop. Reduce weight. Form over numbers, always. Ego is the enemy.

Fuel This Workout

Building to max on three squat variations, 5 sets of hanging leg-raises, and a 2-mile cool-down run. Heavy squatting demands premium fuel and recovery.

What's Next

When the weighted pull-ups and dips feel strong, the Olympic lifts are moving well with good technique, and the build-to-max squat sessions are producing numbers you're proud of — you're ready for Advanced Workout Series 2. Series 2 increases the bodyweight volume dramatically (30 muscle-ups, 100 dead-hang pull-ups, 100 kipping pull-ups on Pull day), introduces heavy deadlift work sets, and adds complex MetCon circuits with loaded barbells. The standard keeps rising.

This workout is from the Advanced Series One appendix of Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual by Jocko Willink. Adapted for jockofuel.com with fuel pairing recommendations.

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