GZCLP: Tiers, Rep Schemes, and Weight Jumps

The GZCL (Cody Lefever method) linear progression (GZCLP) is an adaptable strength training system created by powerlifter Cody Lefever. Built on a tiered pyramid, it helps lifters gain maximal strength on main lifts and muscle on accessory work.

Unlike rigid linear programs that force early deloads as soon as you miss a rep, GZCLP uses an autoregulated failure system. When a weight gets too heavy, you do not drop load. You adjust the set scheme to keep working with heavy weights.

The Three-Tier Structure

GZCLP organizes every training session into three distinct tiers based on intensity, volume, and exercise purpose.

       ▲
      / \     Tier 1 (T1): Heavy Compounds
     / T1\    85–100% 1RM · 15 total reps · Strength base
    /─────\
   /  T2   \  Tier 2 (T2): Volume Compounds
  /         \ 65–85% 1RM · 30 total reps · Technical practice
 /───────────\
/     T3      \ Tier 3 (T3): Accessories & Prehab
─────────────── <65% 1RM · 45+ total reps · Muscle hypertrophy

Tier 1 (T1): Primary Compound Lifts

Tier 1 is the core of your strength development. You perform one primary compound barbell movement per workout: the Squat, Bench Press, Deadlift, or Overhead Press (OHP).

Every Tier 1 movement starts at approximately 85% of your five-rep max (5RM). All sets are capped at a specific rep count except the final set, which is an as many reps as possible (AMRAP) set. The plus sign in 5x3+ indicates that you push the final set until one rep short of muscular failure.

Tier 2 (T2): Secondary Compound Lifts

Tier 2 provides technical practice and hypertrophy volume for a complementary compound movement. In Workout A1, your T1 is the heavy Squat, while your T2 is a lighter, higher-rep Bench Press.

Tier 2 exercises start around 65% to 70% of your 5RM. They develop work capacity, build connective tissue tolerance, and refine motor patterns without generating excessive central nervous system fatigue.

Tier 3 (T3): Accessory Hypertrophy & Back Work

Tier 3 exercises focus on muscle growth, muscular balance, and joint health. The non-negotiable foundation of Tier 3 is upper back volume: lat pulldowns, dumbbell rows, chest-supported rows, and face pulls.

Every Tier 3 exercise uses light to moderate resistance and high repetitions (3 sets of 15 reps or more). The final set is always an AMRAP set. Once you can achieve 25 total reps on the final set with clean form, you increase the load.

The Stage Progression & Failure Protocol

Linear progression eventually stalls for every lifter. GZCLP solves plateaus by shifting the set-and-rep scheme across three distinct stages before resetting your base weight.

Tier 1 Failure Protocol

When you cannot complete all prescribed reps in a Tier 1 workout, follow this progression:

1. Stage 1: 5 sets of 3 reps (5x3+). Add 2.5 kg (5 lbs) for upper body lifts or 5 kg (10 lbs) for lower body lifts each session. When you fail to hit 15 total reps, move to Stage 2. Keep the failed weight for your next session.
2. Stage 2: 6 sets of 2 reps (6x2+). Use the exact weight you failed on in Stage 1. Continue adding 2.5 kg or 5 kg each session until you fail to hit 12 total reps.
3. Stage 3: 10 sets of 1 rep (10x1+). Use the exact weight you failed on in Stage 2. Continue linear progression until you fail to hit 10 total reps.
4. Reset & Retest: Rest for 3 to 5 days. Test your current 5RM. Take 85% of that new 5RM and return to Stage 1 at 5 sets of 3 reps.

Tier 2 Failure Protocol

Tier 2 movements follow their own progression rules:

1. Stage 1: 3 sets of 10 reps (3x10). Add weight each week. When you fail to hit 30 total reps, shift to Stage 2.
2. Stage 2: 3 sets of 8 reps (3x8). Use the failed weight from Stage 1 and continue progressing.
3. Stage 3: 3 sets of 6 reps (3x6). Continue progressing until you fail to achieve 18 total reps.
4. Reset: Return to 3 sets of 10 reps using a weight slightly heavier than your original Stage 1 starting weight.

Micro-Loading for Sustainable Progress

Standard gym weight plates increase in increments of 1.25 kg, which means the minimum barbell jump is 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs). While lower body compound lifts can handle 2.5 kg jumps for months, upper body lifts like the Overhead Press and Bench Press frequently stall on large percentage jumps.

Adding 2.5 kg to a 40 kg Overhead Press represents an immediate 6.25% load increase. In Kinoku, you can enable micro-loading progression to calculate jumps of 1.25 kg (2.75 lbs) on upper body lifts. This small adjustment allows lighter lifters and female athletes to maintain linear progression without hitting artificial plateaus.

Weekly Workout Structure

GZCLP is structured across four repeating workouts:

• Workout A1: T1 Squat (5x3+) · T2 Bench Press (3x10) · T3 Lat Pulldown (3x15+).
• Workout B1: T1 Overhead Press (5x3+) · T2 Deadlift (3x10) · T3 Barbell Row (3x15+).
• Workout A2: T1 Bench Press (5x3+) · T2 Squat (3x10) · T3 Lat Pulldown (3x15+).
• Workout B2: T1 Deadlift (5x3+) · T2 Overhead Press (3x10) · T3 Barbell Row (3x15+).

How to Track GZCLP in Kinoku

Tracking GZCLP by hand means keeping notes on which stage each lift is in, and that is easy to lose track of.

Kinoku ships GZCLP as a 4-day template with Tier 1 progression built in:

1. Routines set up for you: when you start the program, Kinoku builds the four workouts with their set and rep targets and puts them on your calendar on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
2. Tier 1 stages handled for you: miss reps on a 5x3+ squat, and your next squat session moves to 6 sets of 2 at the same weight. After the 10x1 stage, Kinoku resets that lift’s training max to 90 percent and starts again at 5x3.
3. Plate math built in: each set can show the plates that go on your bar.

Kinoku does not track the Tier 2 and Tier 3 stages yet, so you move those by hand. GZCLP is free in Kinoku, like every program template.

To start it, open the menu, tap Search Kinoku, type templates, then tap Program templates and pick GZCLP from the list.

Frequently asked questions

How does GZCLP handle weight increases each workout?

The program adds weight whenever you complete all prescribed sets in a workout. The upper body compound lifts (Bench Press and Overhead Press) go up by 2.5 kg (5 lbs), and the lower body compound lifts (Squat and Deadlift) go up by 5 kg (10 lbs). With micro-plates, the upper body lifts can go up by 1.25 kg instead.

What happens when you fail to hit the required reps on Tier 1?

On Tier 1, the weight does not drop straight away. At the next session it stays the same, and the scheme changes from 5 sets of 3 reps to 6 sets of 2 reps. If 6x2 fails too, the scheme moves to 10 sets of 1 rep. Only after a failed 10x1 do you test a new 5-rep max and restart at 85% of that value, at 5 sets of 3.

Can I run GZCLP 3 days per week instead of 4 days?

Yes. GZCLP rotates across four distinct workouts (A1, B1, A2, B2). On a 3-day weekly schedule, you simply alternate through the sequence continuously: Week 1 runs A1, B1, A2; Week 2 runs B2, A1, B1; Week 3 runs A2, B2, A1; and Week 4 runs B1, A2, B2.

Does Kinoku track GZCLP stages automatically?

For Tier 1, yes. Kinoku sets your Tier 1 loads from a training max, moves you from 5 sets of 3 to 6 sets of 2 and then 10 sets of 1 when you miss reps, and resets you after the last stage. It does not track the Tier 2 and Tier 3 stages yet, so you move those by hand.