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Advanced Workout Series 3

by Jocko Fuel ·
  April 08, 2026  

Series 3 brings timed variation blocks to the Advanced level. Pull day cycles through six pulling variations — muscle-ups, L-sit pull-ups, L-tuck pull-ups, dead-hang pull-ups, chin-ups, and kipping pull-ups — for 3 minutes each with 1 minute of rest between, then continues kipping pull-ups until you hit 100. Push day does the same across six pushing variations, finishing with push-ups to 100. The clean and jerk becomes the primary Lift day movement, building to heavy working sets. And the Lift day MetCon is a 10-round descending ladder of HSPUs, clean and jerks at 80% body weight, and deadlifts at 180% body weight — from 10 reps down to 1. Squat day stacks 150 reps across three squat variations with progressively heavier loads.

Previous series: Advanced Workout Series 2. New to the program? Start with Start Here: The Jocko Workout Program.

Quick Reference

Pull

Push

Lift

Squat

Primary

3 min each: muscle-ups / L-sit / L-tuck / dead-hang / chin-ups / kipping (then kipping to 100)

3 min each: ring-dips / ring push-ups / dips / clap push-ups / deep push-ups / push-ups (then push-ups to 100)

Clean and jerk: build to 4 sets of 2–4 reps

50 OH squats (~60% BW) + 50 front squats (~80% BW) + 50 back squats (100% BW)

Secondary

6 sets hang cleans

40 snatches (light)

—

—

Tertiary

5 sets reverse curls/curls

—

—

—

Gut

100 V-ups + 100 Russian twists

5-min plank

100 GHD sit-ups

100 sit-ups (~20% BW on chest)

MetCon

20, 15, 10, 5 pull-ups/cleans

3 rounds max burpees in 3 min (1 min rest between)

HSPUs / C&J (~80% BW) / deadlifts (~180% BW): 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

2-mile run

 

Pull Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: 3 minutes on / 1 minute rest: muscle-ups, L-sit pull-ups, L-tuck pull-ups, dead-hang pull-ups, dead-hang chin-ups, kipping pull-ups — then kipping pull-ups to 100

  • Secondary Work: 6 sets of hang cleans

  • Tertiary Work: 5 sets of reverse curls followed by curls

  • Gut: 100 V-ups, 100 Russian twists

  • MetCon: 20, 15, 10, 5 of pull-ups/cleans

Directions

Set your timer for 3 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest. Perform as many muscle-ups as you can in 3 minutes, then rest 1 minute. Repeat the same pattern for L-sit pull-ups, L-tuck pull-ups, dead-hang pull-ups, dead-hang chin-ups, and kipping pull-ups. Once your time is up for kipping pull-ups, continue doing kipping pull-ups until you reach 100.

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

Complete 5 sets of reverse curls followed by curls, with a weight that allows you to complete 8–12 repetitions.

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

MetCon: Perform 4 sets of cleans/pull-ups with these repetitions: 20, 15, 10, 5.

What's Different from Series 2

Series 2 Pull day was a for-time workout: 30 muscle-ups + 100 dead-hang + 100 kipping. Series 3 changes the format to timed blocks — 3 minutes per variation with 1 minute rest. This means you cycle through six different pulling movements, spending 3 full minutes on each. The total time under tension across the six blocks is 18 minutes of pulling work, plus the kipping pull-ups to 100 at the end. This format tests endurance across different grip positions and movement patterns rather than just total volume in one or two movements.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Strong across all variations

Full 3-minute blocks for each variation, kipping to 100 at the end

Muscle-ups are limited

Do what you can in 3 minutes — even a few reps count at this level

Some variations much weaker

That's the point — the timed blocks expose weaknesses and build them

Kipping to 100 after 18 min of pulling

Break as needed, keep accumulating

Fuel This Workout

Eighteen minutes of timed pulling blocks across six variations, kipping to 100, 6 sets of cleans, 5 sets of curls, 200 gut reps, and a descending pull-up/clean MetCon. This is one of the longest Pull sessions in the program.

Push Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: 3 minutes on / 1 minute rest: ring-dips, ring push-ups, dips, clap push-ups, deep push-ups, push-ups — then push-ups to 100

  • Secondary Work: 40 snatches (extremely light weight)

  • Gut: 5-minute plank hold

  • MetCon: 3 rounds of max burpees in 3 minutes (1 minute rest between rounds)

Directions

Set your timer for 3 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest. Perform as many ring-dips as you can in 3 minutes, then rest 1 minute. Repeat the same pattern for ring push-ups, dips, clap push-ups, deep push-ups, and regular push-ups. Once your time is up for push-ups, continue doing push-ups until you reach 100.

Do 40 repetitions of the snatch movement with an extremely light weight.

Gut: Hold the plank position for 5 minutes.

MetCon: Perform 3 rounds of max burpees in 3 minutes with 1 minute of rest between rounds.

What's Different from Series 2

Series 2 was 400 reps for time across four variations. Series 3 structures the same variations (plus ring push-ups and clap push-ups) into 3-minute timed blocks. This keeps intensity high within each block because you're working for 3 minutes straight, resting 1 minute, then switching to the next variation. The push-ups to 100 at the end guarantees minimum volume. The 5-minute plank and the 3x3-minute burpee MetCon round out what is already a grueling upper body session.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Strong across all variations

Full 3-minute blocks for each variation, push-ups to 100 at the end

Ring-dips are limited

Do what you can in 3 minutes, prioritize quality of movement

Clap push-ups fatigued

Switch to explosive push-ups (without clap) to maintain the power output

5-minute plank

Break if needed, accumulate 5 total minutes

Fuel This Workout

Eighteen minutes of timed pushing blocks across six variations, push-ups to 100, 40 snatches, a 5-minute plank, and 9 minutes of max burpees. Upper body and core endurance are pushed to the limit.

Lift Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: Clean and jerk — build to 4 heavy sets of 2–4 reps

  • Gut: 100 GHD sit-ups

  • MetCon: HSPUs / clean and jerks (~80% BW) / deadlifts (~180% BW) — 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

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.

Perform 8–10 sets of the clean and jerk, building up to 4 sets with a weight that allows you to complete 2–4 repetitions.

Gut: Do 100 GHD sit-ups.

MetCon: Set up a bar with approximately 180% of your body weight, and a bar with approximately 80% of your body weight. For time, perform 10 rounds of HSPUs, clean and jerks with approximately 80% body weight, and deadlifts with approximately 180% body weight with these repetitions: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

What's Different from Series 2

Series 2 Lift day focused on deadlift work sets with a MetCon at 150% BW deadlifts and 60% BW clean and jerks for 20, 15, 10, 5. Series 3 shifts the primary work to the clean and jerk — building to heavy working sets — and escalates the MetCon significantly. The deadlift weight jumps from 150% to 180% body weight. The clean and jerk weight jumps from 60% to 80% body weight. And the rep scheme changes from 4 rounds (20, 15, 10, 5) to 10 rounds (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1). That's 55 total reps of each movement — including 55 deadlifts at 180% body weight.

The 10-Round Descending MetCon

This deserves its own attention. Ten rounds, descending from 10 to 1, of three movements: HSPUs, clean and jerks at 80% body weight, and deadlifts at 180% body weight. The total volume is 55 reps of each — 165 total reps with a barbell, much of it at very heavy loads. The descending rep scheme means the early rounds are the hardest in terms of volume, but the later rounds are the hardest in terms of accumulated fatigue. Pace yourself. The deadlifts at 180% body weight under fatigue are where injury risk is highest — maintain strict form or reduce the weight. There is no shame in scaling the load to stay safe.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Experienced with heavy C&J

Build over 8–10 sets to 4 working sets of 2–4 reps

C&J technique still developing

Stay lighter, focus on clean reps, don't rush the build

MetCon deadlifts at 180% BW

This is very heavy under fatigue — reduce to 150% if form breaks

MetCon C&J at 80% BW

Should be manageable if you've been doing the program, but respect the fatigue

Fuel This Workout

Heavy clean and jerk work sets followed by a 10-round descending barbell complex with 180% body weight deadlifts. This is arguably the most demanding Lift day in the entire program.

Squat Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: 50 overhead squats (~60% BW), 50 front squats (~80% BW), 50 back squats (100% BW)

  • Gut: 100 sit-ups with approximately 20% body weight on chest

  • 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.

Perform 50 overhead squats with approximately 60% body weight. Perform 50 front squats with approximately 80% body weight. Perform 50 back squats with body weight.

Gut: With a plate on your chest of approximately 20% body weight, perform 100 sit-ups.

MetCon: Run 2 miles at a decent pace.

What's Different from Series 2

Series 2 Squat day built the back squat to heavy working sets (4 sets of 2–4 reps) and ran a complex MetCon with loaded overhead and back squats plus 400-meter runs. Series 3 shifts to a volume approach — 150 total reps across three squat variations, each at a different load. The progression from overhead (60% BW) to front (80% BW) to back (100% BW) mirrors the build-to-max structure from Series 1 but applies it as high-rep work at moderate-to-heavy loads. Fifty reps at each weight is a significant amount of work, especially when the loads climb with each variation.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Comfortable with all three squat patterns

50 OH squats (60% BW) → 50 front squats (80% BW) → 50 back squats (100% BW), break as needed

Overhead squats at 60% BW are challenging

Reduce weight to maintain form, build up over time

Front squats at 80% BW

Significant load — if form breaks, stop the set, rest, continue

Back squats at 100% BW after 100 prior reps

Your legs are pre-fatigued — respect that and break into sets

Fuel This Workout

One hundred fifty total loaded squats across three variations with progressively heavier weight, 100 weighted sit-ups, and a 2-mile run. Lower body endurance and recovery capacity are both tested.

What's Next

When the 3-minute variation blocks feel controlled, the clean and jerk working sets are solid, the 10-round MetCon doesn't break your form, and the 150-rep squat day is behind you — it's time for Advanced Workout Series 4. Series 4 is the final series in the entire program. It combines everything — muscle-ups with full pull-up variation circuits, ring-dip circuits with push-up variation circuits, heavy clean and jerk builds with descending MetCon complexes, and a back squat protocol that will test every ounce of discipline you've built. This is the end of the road. Make it count.

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

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