# Athletic Performance Gym – 5-Day Advanced > An advanced 5-day gym athletic performance program. Heavy strength work, explosive speed days, and targeted accessories build elite power, speed, and athletic resilience. Goal: Athletic Performance · Level: Advanced · Equipment: Barbell, Cables, Machine · 5 days/week · ~55 min/session · 8 weeks Interactive version (free): https://stay-active.app/templates/ap-gym-advanced ## Overview If you are an advanced athlete or sports performer who wants to push the limits of human physical capability, the Advanced Athletic Performance Gym - 4-Day Upper/Lower is the most sophisticated program in our library. This block uses advanced loading principles—accommodating resistance, contrast training, and conjugate periodization—to maximize power output, sport-specific strength, and peak athletic conditioning. The 55-minute, 4-day split is divided into Lower A (Power), Upper A, Lower B (Strength), and Upper B. Lower A features heavy Back Squats, Box Jumps, Deadlift variations, Plyometric Lunges, and Pallof Press. Upper A includes Barbell Bench, Plyometric Push-Ups, Barbell Row, Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown, and Face Pull. Lower B adds Deadlifts, Bulgarian Split Squats, Single-Leg RDLs, Hip Thrusts, and Ab Wheel Rollouts. Upper B includes Barbell OHP, Barbell Row, Incline Bench, Seated Cable Row, Lateral Raise, and Skull Crushers. The backbone of this program is contrast training—alternating between a heavy strength movement and an explosive plyometric movement to maximize the PAP (Post-Activation Potentiation) effect. Research shows that combining heavy loading with explosive work in the same session creates a superior stimulus for developing the rate of force development that separates elite athletes from the rest. Over the eight weeks, you will reach a peak of physical performance. Your vertical jump, sprint speed, and overall power output will reach career highs. Your physique will reflect the extreme demands of this program—you will be simultaneously strong, explosive, and lean. This 8-week block is reserved for the advanced athlete with years of training experience, excellent technique on all major barbell lifts, and a proven ability to recover from high-intensity sessions. ## The Program ### Day 1 – Upper — Upper - **Barbell Bench Press** — 5 sets × 3 reps, rest 180s - **Barbell Overhead Press** — 4 sets × 4 reps, rest 180s - **Barbell Row** — 4 sets × 5 reps, rest 90s - **Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown** — 3 sets × 8 reps, rest 90s - **Cable Lateral Raise (Cross-Body)** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 90s - **Banded Face Pull** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 90s ### Day 2 – Lower — Lower - **Barbell Back Squat** — 5 sets × 3 reps, rest 180s - **Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift** — 3 sets × 8 reps, rest 90s - **Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat** — 3 sets × 8 per side, rest 90s - **Leg Curls** — 3 sets × 10 reps, rest 90s - **Smith Machine Hip Thrust** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 90s - **Standing Pallof Press March** — 3 sets × 12 per side, rest 90s ### Day 3 – Push (Speed) — Push - **Dumbbell Push Press** — 4 sets × 5 reps, rest 180s - **Incline Bench Press** — 3 sets × 8 reps, rest 90s - **Cable Chest Fly** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 90s - **Cable Lateral Raise (Cross-Body)** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 90s - **Skull Crushers** — 3 sets × 10 reps, rest 90s - **Rope pushdown** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 90s ### Day 4 – Pull (Power) — Pull - **Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift** — 4 sets × 3 reps, rest 180s - **Barbell Row** — 4 sets × 4 reps, rest 90s - **Seated Cable Row Wide Grip** — 3 sets × 10 reps, rest 90s - **Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown** — 3 sets × 10 reps, rest 90s - **Hammer Curl** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 90s - **Banded Face Pull** — 3 sets × 20 reps, rest 90s ### Day 5 – Legs (Explosive) — Legs - **Smith Machine Hack Squat** — 4 sets × 8 reps, rest 180s - **Walking Lunges (Slow Tempo)** — 4 sets × 12 per side, rest 90s - **Single Leg Extension** — 3 sets × 15 reps, rest 90s - **Leg Curls** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 90s - **Smith Machine Hip Thrust** — 4 sets × 15 reps, rest 90s - **Ab Wheel Rollout** — 3 sets × 12 reps, rest 90s ## FAQ ### What is conjugate periodization? Conjugate periodization is a training method that develops multiple physical qualities simultaneously, rather than focusing on just one quality at a time. This program develops both maximum strength and explosive power in the same week, mimicking how the Soviet-era weightlifting teams programmed. It is highly effective for advanced athletes who need to be strong, fast, and explosive all at once. ### How do I measure my rate of force development? Rate of force development (RFD) is measured by how quickly you can apply maximum force. The simplest proxy test is a vertical jump—the higher you jump, the higher your RFD. Test your vertical at the start and end of the program to quantify your improvement. ### How do I manage the fatigue of heavy squatting and jumping in the same session? The PAP contrast works best when the plyometric movement follows the heavy lift after a 2-4 minute rest. The plyometric sets should be performed with maximum explosiveness—never with fatigue accumulated from the heavy work. If you are too tired to explode, extend the rest before the jumps. ### Can I use this program during a competitive season? This program is best used in an off-season or pre-season block. During a competitive season, your sport-specific practice already provides a high training load, and adding this volume could lead to overtraining. Use the base and intermediate programs during a season and save the advanced block for the off-season. ### Who is this structure worst for? This structure is worst for anyone who has not spent years mastering the barbell squat and deadlift. The heavy loading combined with explosive plyometrics is a high-risk, high-reward combination that requires flawless technical execution. If your form breaks down under pressure, this program will lead to injury, not improvement. ### What does a deload look like for this program? A deload during this program means reducing your total training volume by 50% and the loading by 20-30% for one week. You still move explosively and maintain the movement patterns, but you allow your nervous system and connective tissue to fully recover. A structured deload every 4 weeks prevents chronic fatigue from building. ## Safety notes Near-maximal loads on power days require thorough CNS warm-up. Do not rush into top sets.