Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Establish form and current 1RM
1–2 weeks
Film a max-effort set to establish your starting point and diagnose technique gaps. Have a training partner or coach watch live. Record bodyweight the same day so the target weight is unambiguous from day one.
Proof required
Submit: (1) video of your current best attempt showing full range of motion; (2) note confirming current bodyweight; (3) one specific technique issue you identified.
What gets checked
- Video shows bar touching chest and full elbow lockout — no partial reps counted
- Bodyweight and loaded bar weight are both stated or visible so target weight is clear
- A real technique issue is named (bar path, elbow flare, uneven lockout) — not 'good overall'
Common mistakes
- Ego-loading: testing a heavier max before technique is consistent, risking injury rather than establishing a true baseline
- Vague feedback: not identifying a specific flaw, making the M2 programming directionless
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Does the video show bar-to-chest contact AND full elbow lockout on the same rep?
- Are bodyweight and loaded bar weight both documented so the goal weight is verifiable?
- Is the named technique issue specific and plausible given what is visible in the video?
Complete 6-week progressive overload block
6–8 weeks
Run a linear progression program with bench press 2–3 times per week, adding 2.5–5 kg per session. Log every set with weight, sets, and reps. The goal is a documented unbroken progression toward bodyweight — not simply 'I trained for six weeks'.
Proof required
Submit: (1) 6-week training log showing weight/sets/reps for bench each session; (2) video of your heaviest set at approximately 90% of target weight.
What gets checked
- Log shows ≥18 bench sessions over 6 weeks with weights increasing across the block
- Video of 90%-target set shows technique consistent with M1 quality bar
- Any stall or missed week has an explanation — unexplained gaps are a quality flag
Common mistakes
- Program-hopping: switching programs mid-block when progress slows, resetting the adaptation window and losing the linear progression benefit
- Skipping the log: training without writing numbers down, making stalls impossible to detect early
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Does the log show at least 18 sessions over 6 weeks with clearly increasing weights?
- Does the 90%-weight video show technique at least as clean as the M1 film?
- If weight stalled, is there a note on what adjustment was made rather than just no entry?
Bench press bodyweight for 1+ rep
1 session after M2 block complete
Execute the goal lift in a fresh state — not after a heavy session. Load the bar to exactly your current bodyweight, confirmed by scale the same day. Film from the side. Full range of motion required: bar touches chest, elbows lock out at the top. No excessive arch that eliminates ROM.
Proof required
Submit: (1) unedited side-angle video of the successful rep — bar must be loaded to bodyweight; (2) same-session scale photo confirming bodyweight.
What gets checked
- Bar touches chest and elbows fully lock out — both endpoints clearly visible in the same rep
- Bar load is readable in the video or explicitly stated, and matches documented bodyweight
- Lift is unassisted: spotter does not touch the bar, no bounced-off-chest technique
Common mistakes
- Underloading: filming a set 5–10 kg below bodyweight and claiming the goal — always confirm bar load on film
- Partial reps: bar-to-chest without lockout, or lockout without chest contact — both fail the goal
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
What a verifier looks for
- Does the video show unambiguous bar-to-chest contact AND full lockout on the same unedited rep?
- Is bar load verifiably equal to bodyweight — visible on plates or explicitly cross-referenced with scale photo?
- Is there clear, continuous footage — no cut between unracking and the rep?