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Intermediate Workout Series 4

by Jocko Fuel ·
  April 08, 2026  

This is the final Intermediate series. Everything you've built across the first three series gets tested here with new timing formats. Pull day introduces the EMOTM (Every Minute On The Minute) pull-up pyramid — you add one pull-up every minute until you can't keep up with the clock. Push day runs two on-the-minute pyramids back to back, one for dips and one for push-ups. Lift day uses the Tabata protocol — 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, for 8 rounds — on both deadlifts and handstand push-ups. Squat day puts back squats back in the primary slot with 8 max-rep sets at your full body weight. When you can complete all four days without the clock breaking you, you're ready for Advanced.

Previous series: Intermediate Workout Series 3. New to the program? Start with Start Here: The Jocko Workout Program.

Quick Reference

Pull

Push

Lift

Squat

Primary

EMOTM pull-up pyramid

On-the-minute dip pyramid

Tabata body-weight deadlifts

8 max sets back squats (~100% BW)

Secondary

6 sets cleans

On-the-minute push-up pyramid

Tabata HSPUs

3 max sets front squats (~50% BW)

Tertiary

6 sets reverse curls/curls

40 snatches (PVC/light)

30 single clean and jerks (~25% BW)

—

Gut

2 min sit-ups + 2 min leg-raises

100 V-ups + 100 Russian twists

4 sets hanging straight leg-raises, max reps

3-min plank

MetCon

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

Max burpees in 3 min

6 x 100m shuttle runs

2-mile run

 

Pull Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: Every Minute On The Minute (EMOTM) pull-up pyramid

  • Secondary Work: 6 sets of cleans

  • Tertiary Work: 6 sets of straight-bar reverse curls and curls

  • Gut: 2 minutes of sit-ups, 2 minutes of leg-raises

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

Directions

Set a timer for 1 minute. The first minute do 1 pull-up, the second minute do 2 pull-ups, the third minute do 3 pull-ups. Start with dead-hang pull-ups and transition into kipping pull-ups as needed to achieve the required number. Continue to increase the number of pull-ups by 1 each set, until you do not beat your previous number. Complete that number of pull-ups by breaking the set and finishing. Then come back down the pyramid, breaking up sets as needed and resting 1–2 minutes between sets.

Do 6 sets of cleans, with a weight that allows you to do 3–6 repetitions per set while maintaining good form. Once complete, do a set of reverse-grip curls to exhaustion (with a weight that allows you to complete 6–10 repetitions), then switch to a normal grip and complete another maximum set. Rest approximately 1 minute, then repeat for a total of 6 sets.

Gut: Complete 2 minutes of sit-ups and 2 minutes of leg-raises.

MetCon: Do sets of 20, 15, 10, and 5 repetitions alternating between pull-ups and cleans. For the cleans, use the heaviest weight you can without breaking up your sets.

What's an EMOTM Pyramid?

You did pyramids in Beginner Series 3. You did timed sprints in Beginner Series 4. The EMOTM pyramid combines both. Each minute on the clock, you do one more pull-up than the minute before — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on. The remaining time in each minute is your rest. At low numbers, you get plenty of rest. As the numbers climb, the rest window shrinks until there's barely time to breathe between reps and the next minute starting. When you finally miss — when you can't complete the required number within the minute — you finish those reps with a broken set, then come back down the pyramid. This format is a test of pacing, recovery, and mental toughness. Track how high you get. That number is your benchmark.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Strong dead-hang pull-ups

EMOTM pyramid starting dead-hang, transition to kipping as numbers climb

Moderate pull-up capacity

Start with kipping from the beginning, focus on getting as high as possible

Pyramid peaks early

That's fine — even peaking at 5–7 means significant total volume when you count the way back down

MetCon cleans

Use the heaviest weight you can keep unbroken through the descending ladder

Fuel This Workout

The EMOTM pyramid can run 15–20+ minutes depending on how high you climb, plus 6 sets of cleans, 6 sets of curls, and the descending pull-up/clean MetCon. This is the longest Pull day in the Intermediate program.

Push Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: On-the-minute dip pyramid

  • Secondary Work: On-the-minute push-up pyramid

  • Tertiary Work: 40 snatches (PVC pipe or extremely light weight)

  • Gut: 100 V-ups, 100 Russian twists

  • MetCon: Max burpees in 3 minutes

Directions

Set a timer for 1 minute. The first minute do 1 dip, the second minute do 2 dips, the third minute do 3 dips. Use slow, deep, full-range-of-motion dips. Continue to increase the number of dips by 1 each set, until you do not complete the required number. Complete that number of dips by breaking the set and finishing. Then come back down the pyramid, breaking up sets as needed and resting 1–2 minutes between sets.

Once dips are completed, do the same thing again, but using strict, full-range-of-motion push-ups.

Use a PVC pipe or an extremely light weight to perform the snatch. Do 40 repetitions with perfect form.

Gut: Do 100 V-ups followed by 100 Russian twists. Break the sets if you have to.

MetCon: Do the burpees. Fast.

Two Pyramids in One Session

This is the defining challenge of Series 4 Push day. You don't just do one EMOTM pyramid — you do two. First dips, then push-ups. By the time you start the push-up pyramid, your chest, shoulders, and triceps are already fatigued from the dip pyramid. Your push-up pyramid will likely peak lower than it would fresh, and that's expected. The point is sustained output under accumulated fatigue. Track both peak numbers. Both matter.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Strong dips and push-ups

Full EMOTM dip pyramid → full EMOTM push-up pyramid, slow and controlled

Dip pyramid peaks early

That's fine — every rep counts. Finish the pyramid down, then start push-ups.

Push-ups peak lower than expected

Expected — you're pre-fatigued from the dip pyramid

Can't do dips

Do the push-up pyramid twice, or work on dip negatives and attempt the dip pyramid at reduced depth

Fuel This Workout

Two full EMOTM pyramids (potentially 30+ minutes of timed work), 40 snatches, 200 combined gut reps, and a 3-minute burpee test. This is the most time-under-tension Push day in the program.

Lift Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: Tabata body-weight deadlifts followed by Tabata HSPUs

  • Secondary Work: 30 single clean and jerks (~25% body weight)

  • Gut: 4 max sets of hanging straight leg-raises

  • MetCon: 6 x 100-meter shuttle runs

Directions

For the Tabata protocol, set a timer for 8 sets of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Use this protocol to do the max number of deadlift repetitions with body weight on the bar. Strict form is paramount to avoid injury. Once the deadlifts are complete, do the same protocol for HSPUs.

For the clean and jerks, use an extremely light weight (approximately 25% of body weight) to practice perfect form for 30 single repetitions.

Gut: Hang on the pull-up bar and raise your straightened legs as high as you can. Do max reps and then rest 2 minutes. Perform 4 sets.

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

What's the Tabata Protocol?

Tabata is a specific high-intensity interval format: 20 seconds of all-out work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 8 rounds (4 minutes total). It was originally developed for elite athletes and it's brutally effective at building anaerobic capacity. In this workout, you run the Tabata protocol twice — once for deadlifts, once for handstand push-ups. Each round is only 20 seconds, but the 10-second rest is barely enough to catch your breath before the next round starts. The key with deadlifts is maintaining strict form even as fatigue builds — the book is clear that form is paramount. If you can't maintain proper form in a round, reduce the reps rather than compromising your back.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Comfortable with BW deadlifts

Tabata deadlifts: max reps in 20 sec / 10 sec rest x 8, maintain strict form

Deadlift form breaks under fatigue

Reduce reps per round to stay safe, or reduce weight slightly below body weight

Strong HSPUs

Tabata HSPUs: max reps in 20 sec / 10 sec rest x 8

Low HSPU numbers

Even 1–2 reps per round adds up across 8 rounds — stay consistent

Fuel This Workout

Two Tabata blocks (8 minutes of high-intensity interval work), 30 clean and jerk singles, hanging core work, and shuttle sprints. The Tabata format is metabolically demanding in a way that straight sets are not — your heart rate will stay elevated throughout.

Squat Day

The Workout

  • Primary Work: 8 max sets of back squats (~100% body weight)

  • Secondary Work: 3 max sets of front squats (~50% body weight)

  • Gut: 3-minute plank

  • MetCon: 2-mile run

Directions

Back squat max reps with approximately 100% body weight for 8 sets. Rest approximately 2 minutes between each set. Do not go to muscle failure, only muscle fatigue. Keep form right and correct. Failure to maintain proper form can result in serious injury.

Front squat max reps with approximately 50% body weight for 3 sets. Rest approximately 2 minutes between each set. Maintain proper form and do not go to muscle failure, only muscle fatigue.

Gut: Hold the plank position for 3 minutes.

MetCon: Run 2 miles at a good pace to get metabolic conditioning, but also to loosen the legs after the high-intensity work. Run hard, but not with an all-out effort.

What's Different from Series 3

Series 3 made front squats the primary movement (8 sets) with back squats as secondary (3 sets). Series 4 flips it back — back squats return to the primary slot with 8 max-rep sets at full body weight, and front squats drop to secondary (3 sets at 50% body weight). You've now spent an entire series developing front squat strength and core stability. Series 4 takes that improved foundation and applies it to heavy back squats at higher volume than you've done before. Eight max-rep sets at body weight is the heaviest squat prescription in the Intermediate program.

Scaling Summary

Your Level

What to Do

Comfortable squatting body weight

8 max-rep sets, rest 2 min, stop at fatigue not failure

Body weight is challenging

Reduce to a manageable weight, build toward full body weight over time

Front squats after back squats

Expected to be fatigued — 3 sets at 50% BW should still be manageable

Form breaking under fatigue

Stop the set. Rest. Move to the next set. Form over numbers, always.

Fuel This Workout

Eight sets of max-rep back squats at body weight followed by 3 sets of front squats, a 3-minute plank, and a 2-mile run. This is the heaviest and highest-volume Squat day in the Intermediate program. Recovery matters.

What's Next

You finished the Intermediate program. Four series. Pyramids, for-time workouts, grip rotations, Tabata, loaded squats at body weight. You've earned what comes next.

Advanced Workout Series 1 adds weighted pull-ups, weighted dips, Olympic lift progressions to real working weights, and heavy squats with increasing loads. The book includes a warning at the Advanced level: form and technique are absolutely critical, and attending a live coaching program for the Olympic lifts is highly recommended. Advanced is not where you go to learn — it's where you go to perform. Make sure you're ready.

For a complete guide on fueling the demands of Advanced training, see Fuel Your Training: The Complete Guide.

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

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