Project Rebuilt — Training Portal

12

PT Sessions / Package

6

Class Stations

12

Max Class Size

Zero Tolerance

No politics. No ego lifting. No medical claims. No unapproved statements about genetics or protocols. If you don't know the answer, say so. If something feels off, flag it and text Mason.

Quick Reference

PT Package

12-session package. Sessions do not roll over. Pricing and package terms are handled through your contract and by Mason directly.

Group Class

6-week enrollment cycles. Max 12 people. 6 stations, 1 minute on / 1 minute off, 3 sets per station.

Cancellations

24-hour notice required to cancel without penalty. Late cancel or no-show: session is forfeited, counts as used. One emergency cancel per rolling 30 days. You enforce it every time. No exceptions negotiated in the moment.

Read In This Order

1. Philosophy and Rules

Training Philosophy, Non-Negotiable Rules, and Pain vs Discomfort. This is how we think and where the hard lines are. Pain vs Discomfort is the one that keeps clients safe. Know it cold.

2. New Client Flow

First Session SOP, Movement Screen, PT vs BR Boundary, Referral Protocol. This is exactly what you do when a new client walks in the door.

3. How We Train

Equipment Inventory, Running a PT Session, How to Build a Day, Programming Logic, Spotting. This is the actual craft. Take your time here.

4. Group Class

Class Format, Class Equipment, Station Design. Read before you run or assist a class.

5. Keep Handy

What Do I Do When and the Activation Library. You'll come back to these once you're on the floor.

Before Your First Solo Session

The Checklist

Shadow Mason until he says you're ready. Run your own DNA kit so you actually know the product you represent. Read the sections above. Know the difference between pain and discomfort without thinking about it. Know the movement screen by heart. When in doubt about anything, text Mason. There is never a wrong time to ask.

Two Systems, Two Tools

This portal is how you train. The Sales Intelligence Panel is how you sell. Offers, kit details, objection handling, and routing all live in the Sales Panel. You are a trainer and a salesperson. Know both tools.

The philosophy underneath everything is simple: force production over volume, technical precision over load, and the trainer leads. Clients do not decide when they're done. You do.

Core Principles

Principle 01

Never give a rep count. The client's job is to come in, shut their brain off, and focus on their body. You tell them when they're done. They do not decide. Counting reps hands control back to the client. Do not do it.

Principle 02

Watch for velocity. Force production drops and bar speed slows before the client knows they're gassed. That slowdown is how you see proximity to failure without counting reps. When the bar slows noticeably, they're 1 to 2 reps from failure. That's where you cut it. After about 15 reps the stimulus is gone regardless, so don't let sets drag past that. You read failure with your eyes. The client never counts.

Principle 03

Rep ranges follow the movement. Compound lifts stay in the 6-10 range. Isolation lifts stay in the 10-15 range. Older clients can run higher because it's easier on their joints. The full breakdown lives in How to Build a Day. The range guides your loading. You still never give the client a number.

Principle 04

Less is more, especially early. On an intro session, one set is enough. One or two sets of slant board squats or hack squats will torch most people's quads. Do not pile on volume because it feels like you should be doing more. Doing more is not the point.

Principle 05

Full-body training works. That's the default structure. It produces consistent results, it manages fatigue across the week, and it keeps sessions varied. Don't overthink the split.

Principle 06

The barbell is a specialty tool, not a foundational one. Standard barbell squats and presses have almost no application outside of competitive powerlifting and sport-specific training. The more technique an exercise demands just to execute safely, the less it benefits the average client. We have specialty bars, cables, dumbbells, and machines. Use them.

Principle 07

Always assess before you assume. Look at the body in front of you. What are their movement patterns telling you? What does their face say? If they say they feel fine but look obliterated, trust what you're seeing. The face and body are more honest than the answer.

Principle 08

Exercises are a skill. You don't get good at a skill by doing it once and not touching it again for a month. Cycle exercises on an 8-12 week rotation. Keep something in long enough for the client to actually get good at it.

Principle 09

Read stability correctly. Not all wobble is a problem. A new movement looks shaky while the body learns it, and that smooths out on its own. Persistent or compensatory instability is different and needs a response. Knowing which is which is a real skill. The full logic lives in Running a PT Session.

Principle 10

Silence is fine. If a client wants to talk, they'll talk. If they want to train, let them train. Do not fill quiet with chatter. Be comfortable in it. The focus is the work.

On Intensity

Ask them this: if there was a gun pointed at their head, how many more reps could they do? That's how they should be training. People almost always have more in the tank than they think. They will thank you for pushing them past what they would have done on their own. That's what they're paying for.

This question is the verbal cross-check on top of what your eyes already told you. You watch velocity to find where they're close to failure. The gun-to-the-head question confirms it. If the honest answer is more than 1 or 2 reps, they had more in them and you let them stop too early. If the bar already slowed hard and they say zero, you read it right. Over time you'll trust your eyes more than the question.

The Standard We Hold

The goal of every session is not soreness and it is not a calorie burn. It is a training stimulus that produces an adaptation. Soreness is a side effect. Adaptation is the product. Keep your eye on the right thing.

Hard Rule

No politics. Ever. It does not matter what side you're on. Inside this gym you are Project Rebuilt. That's the only identity that matters while you're here. First offense is the last conversation we have about it.

Hard Rule

No ego lifting. We are not a gym bro operation. The clients are not here to impress anyone. You are not here to impress anyone. Load is a tool, not a goal. If an exercise looks like it's going to get someone hurt, drop the weight or change the exercise.

Hard Rule

Do not answer questions you don't know the answer to. There is zero shame in saying "I'm not well-read on that, I'll find out." Guessing on genetics, protocols, supplements, or medical topics is not allowed. Route to Mason.

Hard Rule

No unapproved claims about genetics or health outcomes. You are not a clinician. Do not describe what a client's protocol does in clinical terms, do not interpret their DNA results, and do not add to or change what Mason has told them.

Non-Negotiable

You lead the session. Clients do not. You are open to feedback and you read the room, but you are the lead. If a client pushes back on exercise selection, hear it, decide whether to adjust, and then move on. The session does not become a negotiation.

Non-Negotiable

Drop an exercise before it eats the session. If you can't get a client to execute a movement safely after a couple of cues, move on. That is not failure. That is smart. There is always another exercise that gets the same stimulus.

Non-Negotiable

Cancellation policy is enforced every time. No in-the-moment negotiations. Use neutral language: "I have to apply the policy consistently." If a client pushes back escalate to Mason, don't make a judgment call on the spot.

Non-Negotiable

All clients are Rebuilt clients. Not yours. During this engagement and for 12 months after, you do not solicit, accept, or service Rebuilt clients independently. Client lists, schedules, and CRM data belong to Rebuilt.

The Whole Job in One Line

Discomfort is the work. Pain means stop. Your job is to push people into discomfort and never into pain. You have to know the difference instantly, and you have to teach your client to know it too.

This Is Discomfort (Keep Going)

The Good Signals

Muscle burning. The pump. Muscles shaking at the end of a hard set. A cramp in the working muscle. Heavy breathing. The feeling of "I don't think I have many more in me." This is the entire point of training. This is what produces the result. Push through it.

This Is Pain (Stop Now)

The Stop Signals

Sharp pain. Pain in a joint rather than a muscle. Pinching. A sudden stab. Anything that makes the client's face change in a way that isn't just effort. Anything that feels "wrong" to them. Pain in the lower back, knees, shoulders, or neck that isn't muscular burn. When you see or hear any of this, the set is over. No questions.

Teach the Client the Difference

Most beginners cannot tell pain from discomfort. They'll stop at the burn thinking something's wrong, or they'll push through real pain thinking they're being tough. Early on, explain it out loud: "Burning and shaking is good, that's the muscle working. Sharp or joint pain is different, that means stop and tell me immediately." Say it until they get it.

When In Doubt

If you cannot tell whether something is pain or discomfort, stop the set and find out. It costs you nothing to pause and ask. It can cost a lot to push through real pain. Stop first, sort it out second.

The Approach

Be a regular person. Talk like a human, not like a fitness influencer or a customer service rep. The same version of you talks to every client. Don't perform. Don't put on a voice. People can smell fake from across the room, and they stay with trainers who are real with them.

The Only Guardrails

Read the Room

Match the person in front of you. Some clients want to chat. Some want to put their head down and work. Some want jokes, some want quiet. Feel it out and meet them where they are.

Common Sense

Don't curse around kids or anyone it would put off. Don't say anything that scares a client off or makes them uncomfortable. Beyond that, be yourself.

No Politics

The one hard line on conversation. It does not matter what side anyone is on. Inside this gym you are Project Rebuilt and nothing else. Don't engage, don't take the bait, redirect to training.

The Standard

The goal is that every client feels like they're training with a real person who actually gives a damn, not a trainer running a script. Blunt, honest, human. That's the whole thing.

Step 1: Sit and Talk

5 to 10 Minutes

Take a seat with the client and talk. Build rapport before you build a workout. On the first session this is not optional. Some clients will want to get right to work, and over time you'll have enough rapport that you read which clients want to talk and which want to train. But session one, always take the seat first. This is where the relationship starts.

Step 2: Run the Movement Screen

Gait, Hips, Shoulders

Run the full screen (see Movement Screen section). Flag anything per the flag rule. If something flags, you note it and text Mason. You do not try to diagnose or fix it. If nothing flags, move on to the workout.

Step 3: Light Full-Body Workout

One Set Per Exercise

Keep it to one set on the compound movements. Smaller muscles like biceps, triceps, and shoulders can take two sets. That is plenty for a first session. Use the workout structure from How to Build a Day.

Push the Intensity Anyway

One set does not mean easy. Push the intensity close to failure even though the volume is low. For most clients this is the first time in their life they've trained near failure, and that single hard set is what produces the result and the buy-in.

Warn Them About the Quads

Tell the client before they leave: you're going to be sore, mostly your quads, and that's completely normal. It is not a reason to skip the next session. We start most people on slant board squats or hack squats, and getting the knee out over the toe with the quad fully stretched under load makes people very sore the first time. Soreness elsewhere is usually minimal. The quad heads-up prevents first-timers from getting scared off.

Activation Comes Later, Not Day One

Do not run activation work on the first session just because something looked wobbly. Instability on day one is often just the body learning a new movement. Day one pressing might look shaky and day six might look perfect with no intervention needed. Only address it once you've seen the same pattern enough times in practice to warrant it. Don't chase a wobble you saw once.

This Is the Trainer Screen, Not the BR Assessment

This is a quick, simple screen to catch anything obvious before you start training someone. It is not the detailed assessment Mason runs for Biological Reconstruction. You are looking for glaring problems, not measuring true range of motion. Keep it simple.

Check 1: Gait

Walk the Gym Twice

Have them walk up and down the length of the gym twice. Watch how they move.

Watch For

Foot turnout. A limp. Hip hike (one hip rising noticeably with each step). Massive rib flare. Any of these gets noted. Pain with walking gets flagged.

Check 2: Hips

Hip Flexion

Client lying down, knee to chest. You're just eyeballing the general range. Is it roughly normal, or is it alarmingly limited? You are not measuring true range or checking for a shift. That's BR-level. Here, alarming restriction or pain is the only thing that flags.

Thomas Test (Hip Flexors)

Client sits at the edge of the table, then rolls back pulling one knee to their chest. The other leg should drop so the thigh rests flat. If that down leg stays up in the air or kicks out to the side, that's tight hip flexors. Note it. If there's pain, flag it.

Check 3: Shoulders

The Finger Push

Have them hold one arm out at 90 degrees. Tell them not to let you push it back or forward. Push their hand with one finger, front and back. You're testing whether they can hold the position. Glaring weakness or pain is a red flag.

The Flag Rule

What Flags

Pain anywhere in the screen. Glaring weakness. A big left-right difference. Anything that looks clearly wrong that you can't explain. Any of these and you do not program around it. You note it, you text Mason, and you wait.

What Doesn't Flag

Normal tightness or limited range with no pain and no glaring asymmetry. You note it and train accordingly. Not everything is a problem. Most people move suboptimally and are completely fine to train.

The Line

Major movement hindrance or pain goes to Mason. Not in pain, moving suboptimally, nothing glaringly obvious stays with you. That's the whole boundary.

Goes to Mason (Biological Reconstruction)

Pain or Major Dysfunction

Anyone in pain. Anyone with a major movement hindrance. Anyone whose body is doing something clearly wrong that needs real correction. This is Biological Reconstruction territory. It's a different offer and a different process. You flag it and route it to Mason. You don't try to solve it.

Stays With You (PT)

Suboptimal but Pain-Free

Someone who moves a little rough, isn't perfectly aligned, has some tightness, but is not in pain and has nothing glaringly wrong. You train them. This is the vast majority of people. You don't refer them.

The Exercises Overlap on Purpose

Some of the same movements Mason uses in BR (hook lying bridge, 90/90, the activation work) are completely usable in regular PT. Using them is not crossing into BR. The difference is never the exercise. It's whether the client is in pain or has a real dysfunction. A hook lying bridge to wake up a lazy glute is PT. The same exercise for someone in pain is BR. Same tool, different context.

The Whole Protocol

Flag it. Note it. Text Mason. Done. You don't stop the whole session. You don't try to diagnose. You don't try to fix it. You note what you saw, send Mason a text, and keep the session moving around it if it's safe to do so.

The Three Steps

1. Flag It

Recognize that what you're seeing crosses the line: pain, glaring weakness, big asymmetry, or something clearly wrong you can't explain.

2. Note It

Write down what you saw on the client's tracking sheet. What exercise, what you observed, what the client said. Keep it brief but specific.

3. Text Mason

Send a short text. What you saw, who the client is. That's it. Mason takes it from there and decides whether it needs BR, a modification, or nothing.

Pain Is Always Step One

If the flag is pain, the set or exercise stops immediately before you do anything else. You can keep the rest of the session moving with other exercises if it's safe, but the painful movement is done for the day. Pain, pain, pain. Stop at pain.

Barbell & Rack System

Rogue Monster Rack

3x3" 11-gauge steel. Fully modular Monster Series. J-cups, safeties, pull-up bar, cable attachments integrated. The anchor of the PT space.

Standard Barbell

Available. Used selectively. See programming logic before defaulting to straight bar work.

Safety Squat Bar (SSB)

Primary squat bar for most clients. Shifts load forward, reduces spinal compression, more joint-friendly than straight bar for the vast majority of people.

Kabuki Bar

Specialty cambered bar. Significantly changes movement mechanics. Know the purpose before you load it.

Landmine

Excellent for pressing, rotational work, rows, and unilateral lower body. Lower technique barrier than many free-weight alternatives.

Rogue Adjustable Bench

Multiple incline settings. Use the angle as a programming variable. Flat bench is not always the default.

Machines

Elite FTS Monster Hack Squat

One of the most used machines in the space. Excellent quad stimulus with a manageable spinal load. Most clients with no hack squat experience will be worked with 1-2 sets.

Rogue Donkey

Hybrid reverse hyper / GHD machine. Use for: reverse hyperextensions, GHD sit-ups, glute-ham raises, back extensions, hip extensions, rows. Core strength, posterior chain, and lower back rehab tool.

Cable System (Low Row + Multidirectional)

Multiple attachment points. Low row capability built in. Attachments include straight bars, ropes, D-handles, and more. Cables are a primary tool, not a secondary one.

Free Weights

Adjustable Dumbbells

Full range up to 80 lbs adjustable. Fixed 90 and 100 lb dumbbells also available.

Resistance Bands

Short and long, multiple resistance levels. Used for warm-up activation, accommodating resistance, and standalone work.

Specialty & Accessory Items

Slant Board

Used constantly. Slant board squats are a primary lower body exercise. Shifts knee tracking, increases quad demand, and removes ankle mobility as a limiter. Most untrained clients will be torched after 1-2 sets.

Weight Vests

Used to add load to bodyweight movements and walks without adding joint stress from bar placement.

Sandbags

Unstable load. Used for carries, cleans, and core work. The instability is the point.

Plyo Boxes

Step-ups, box step-downs (often preferred over jumps for lower impact), seated starts for jumps.

Yoga Blocks

Elevation and support tool. Used for mobility work, modified exercises, and positioning.

Mats

Floor work, stretching, core exercises.

Versa Grips

Grip support for pulling work. Available for clients whose grip is limiting the actual target muscle. Use when grip is failing before the back or biceps do.

Straps

Same purpose as versa grips. Different attachment style. Both available.

Lifting Belts

Available. Not mandatory. Teach bracing first before relying on external support.

Session Logic

You Control the Clock

You decide when sets start and when they end. You dictate rest. You call the exercise. The client's job is to do the work. Your job is to manage everything around it.

Warm-Up

There is no dedicated warm-up routine. The warm-up is built into the work. The first exercises, worked through with feeler sets, end up warming the whole body through variety of movement. You don't burn 10 minutes on a treadmill or a mobility circuit before training.

Feeler Sets

Usually one feeler set, sometimes two depending on the person, on the early exercises. This is the client getting a feel for the movement and the body warming up at the same time. Compound movements get one or two additional warm-up sets on top of that before the working set.

Potentiation

Stronger Clients Only, Major Compounds Only

Potentiation is a step beyond warm-up sets. Heavier near-max triples prime the nervous system so the working set moves better than it would cold. It is only for strong clients on the big three compounds: hack squat, Kabuki bar press, and Romanian deadlift. You do not potentiate a beginner.

How It Works

Example: a client hack squatting three plates for reps. Start with just the sled, about 10 reps. Work up in 2 to 3 sets of 3 reps, climbing until you're about 50 lbs over their working weight. Then drop 50 lbs back down to the working weight. That primed working set usually lands as a clean 8, sometimes 10, sometimes 6, depending on how the triples felt. The heavy triples are what make the working set move well.

Rough Thresholds (Guideposts, Not Rules)

Hack squat: above two plates for reps is grounds to potentiate. Romanian deadlift: above roughly 185 (plate and a quarter) for reps, but only if form holds on the triples. Kabuki bar press: around 185+ for reps is worth it, below that usually not. These are starting points to get you in the ballpark, not hard laws.

Form Always Wins

If the heavy triples make technique fall apart, potentiation is doing more harm than good. Drop it and warm up normally. This is most common on RDLs, where a near-max triple can wreck form. The numbers get you close. Your eyes make the call. Below these weights, a standard feeler set or two is all they need.

Volume by Client Stage

Intro / First Few Sessions

1 set per exercise is enough. Most people will feel the next day what 1 set of slant board squats or hack squats actually does. Do not chase volume in early sessions. The goal is a clean introduction to the stimulus.

Beginner Clients (0-12 weeks)

2 sets per exercise generally works well. Full body format. Rep ranges follow the movement: 6-10 on compounds, 10-15 on isolations. Watch for velocity drops to call the set.

More Experienced Clients

Read the session, not a template. Adjust volume based on how they're moving and recovering. The principles still apply. You're just managing a higher training age.

Older Clients

Run reps toward the top of each range and beyond when it helps. Higher reps produce less joint stress at an equivalent stimulus, so an older client might sit at the top of the isolation range or a touch above on movements that would otherwise beat up their joints. Adjust load accordingly. Less is still more until you know exactly how they respond.

Exercise Swap Protocol

If an exercise feels off to a client, there is always an alternative that hits the same muscle group. Offer it without hesitation. Trying to force an exercise that isn't working is a waste of everyone's time.

Example

Client reports knee discomfort on slant board squat in week two. Swap to hack squat machine with a higher foot position. Same quad stimulus, different loading angle. Document the swap and note it for the next session.

Exercise Rotation

Exercises rotate on an 8-12 week cycle. Clients need enough exposure to an exercise to actually get good at it. Switching things up every session prevents skill acquisition and makes it impossible to track real progress. Stay with a movement long enough to see adaptation, then rotate. In-person clients can get bored, so 8-12 weeks is the window. Closer to 8 if they need variety, closer to 12 if they're progressing well and engaged.

Reading Stability

This is one of the most misread things a new trainer deals with. Most instability is not a problem. Knowing the difference between normal wobble and a real red flag is the whole skill.

Normal Instability (Keep Training)

A new or under-practiced movement looks wobbly because the body is still learning it. This is motor learning, not dysfunction. Day one of pressing might look shaky and day six might look clean with zero intervention. Do not react to a single wobbly session. Keep training, keep the load reasonable, and let the pattern smooth out with reps. Most instability resolves itself.

Red-Flag Instability (Respond)

Different animal. A movement that looks compensatory or structurally wrong, instability paired with pain, or the same wobble showing up across many sessions and not improving. This is when you slow down, swap the exercise, or address it. If it comes with pain or you can't explain what's causing it, flag it and text Mason.

The Practical Rule

Don't chase a wobble you saw once. Watch for a pattern that repeats. This is also why activation work is not a day-one reaction. You wait until you've seen something enough times to know it's real before you intervene. See the Activation Library for what to do once you've confirmed a pattern.

The Structure

The Skeleton

Open with the big compound lower body movement. Then alternate push and pull, usually supersetted. Shoulders in the middle. Arms supersetted near the end. Optional core finisher. Day A is quad-led. Day B is hinge-led. Same skeleton, different lower body anchor. Full body, run as an A/B split.

The Template Is a Skeleton, Not a Script

The A/B days below are a starting structure, not a locked program. Any exercise can be swapped for another as long as it matches the body part or movement pattern. Incline dumbbell press can become a different press. Hack squat can become another quad-dominant lower. Pulldown can become a different vertical pull. The skeleton holds: compound lower first, alternating push and pull, shoulders, arms, optional core. The specific exercises flex to the client and to keeping things fresh on the 8-12 week rotation.

Day A (Quad-Led)

1. Hack Squat

The compound lower body opener. Quad-dominant. Sets the tone for the day.

2. Superset: 30-Degree Incline Dumbbell Press + Pulldown

Push and pull paired. Semi-wide pronated grip on the pulldown. This is the main upper body block.

3. Shoulders

Y-raise or a lateral variation. One shoulder movement in the middle of the session.

4. Superset: Biceps + Triceps

Seated bicep variation using the leg anchors on the pulldown seat to drive the elbows into the back of the seat, then flip around for long rope tricep extensions.

5. Optional Finisher

Static hold on the Rogue Donkey for core. Client-dependent. Skip it for clients who have other priorities and can do core work on their own time.

Day B (Hinge-Led)

1. Romanian Deadlift

The compound hinge opener. On a first session this takes time to teach. Mason has specific cues and a plate-to-wall drill he'll show you in person. Don't rush the teach.

2. Press Variation

Kabuki bar flat press for most. For lower or moderate fitness clients, or heavier clients, flip the Kabuki bar and do push-ups instead.

3. Superset (push-up version): Push-Ups + Seal Rows

When you're using push-ups for the press, pair them with seal rows for the pull.

4. Shoulders

Y-raise or laterals. Can come before the arm superset, your call.

5. Superset: Biceps + Triceps

Cable curl paired with a straight bar tricep pressdown. Mason has specific cues for the pressdown he'll cover in person.

Supersets

Why We Superset

Supersets are part of the method, but the reason is time, not stimulus. Straight sets actually produce slightly better results. But sessions are 45 to 60 minutes and some clients want out in 35. Supersetting keeps the session on pace and gets the work done in the window.

The Rule

Superset by default to stay on pace. Break them into straight sets when time allows and the client isn't in a hurry. But never let breaking up supersets run a session long into the next client's slot. The schedule is the hard constraint. Pace serves the schedule.

Rep Ranges

Compound Lifts (Multi-Joint)

Hack squat, RDL, presses, rows, pulldowns. Keep these in the 6-10 rep range. These build the most overall strength.

Isolation Lifts (Single-Joint)

Bicep curls, tricep extensions, lateral raises, leg extensions. Keep these in the 10-15 rep range. These target one muscle directly.

Reps Are Reference, Not Instruction

These ranges tell you roughly where the set should land. You still never give the client a rep count. You watch velocity, cut at proximity to failure, and the rep number falls where it falls inside the range. The range guides your exercise selection and loading. It is not a number you announce to the client.

How to Progress

Progressive Overload

Stay within the rep range for the exercise type. When the client can hit the top of the range with good form and clean velocity, add a small amount of weight and they'll drop back to the lower end of the range. Then climb the range again. That cycle, repeated, is how people get stronger. You're tracking this on their sheet, not them.

Spotting Approach

The standard "hands under the bar, ready to yank it up" approach is not how we work. It is reactive, it telegraphs distrust in the client, and it does not actually produce useful training output.

The Standard

Spot through the sticking point. Fingertips or barely a hand on the bar. The goal is the minimum intervention needed to keep the rep moving through the hardest part of the range. Not to take over the rep.

Forced Reps

Forced reps are not for everyone. They are a high-intensity tool that works well with younger, more resilient clients who can handle the recovery demand. Do not deploy forced reps by default.

When to Use Forced Reps

Younger clients with established movement patterns who are clearly undertaxed after a clean set. The stimulus from a forced rep is significant. Make sure the client can handle what comes the next two days.

How to Execute a Forced Rep

Same principle as spotting. Assist through the sticking point only. The client is still doing the work. You are bridging the gap at the hardest point in the range. This is not you doing the rep for them.

Note

If you are unsure whether a client can handle forced reps, do not use them. The upside of pushing someone slightly harder does not outweigh the downside of putting them in a recovery hole for a week.

Wrist Stabilization Cue

Mason-Specific Technique

When a client lacks pressing stability, their bar path drifts backward, pushing the weight toward their head instead of maintaining a consistent vertical plane. This is a stability failure, not a strength failure. Standard spotting does not fix it.

The Technique

Do not grab the wrists. Instead, apply light manual pressure into the back of the client's wrists. You are not lifting the weight. You are giving them something to stabilize off of. That tactile contact is enough for most clients to find the correct plane and stop drifting. It teaches the pattern without verbal instruction.

When to Use It

Any pressing movement where you observe backward bar path drift or visible instability through the wrists and elbows. Most common on dumbbell press and Kabuki bar pressing. Use it early if you see the pattern, not after it becomes a habit.

What It Is Not

This is not a forced rep assist. You are not adding to the lift. Light pressure only. If you find yourself actually supporting load, you are doing it wrong. Back off and let them handle the weight themselves or reduce the load.

Tool Selection

The standard barbell is the hardest implement to execute properly and produces the least benefit for the average client relative to the technical demand. We have better options.

Default Hierarchy

Machines and cables first. Specialty bars second. Dumbbells and unilateral work throughout. Standard barbell only when there is a specific reason it's the right tool.

Lower Body Priority Equipment

Slant Board Squats

One of the primary lower body tools. Removes ankle mobility as a limiter, shifts load onto the quad, and produces excellent stimulus without heavy spinal loading. Most clients: 1-2 sets max until you know their recovery profile.

Hack Squat Machine

The other primary lower body anchor. Quad-dominant, controllable load, joint-friendly with proper setup. Foot position changes the emphasis. Higher foot placement takes more quad and less low back. Lower foot placement the reverse.

Safety Squat Bar

When a barbell squat movement is appropriate. More upright torso, reduced spinal loading, more forgiving for clients with shoulder mobility issues. Almost always the correct bar when free bar squatting is actually called for.

Posterior Chain

Rogue Donkey

The primary posterior chain machine. Reverse hypers decompress the spine and build the erectors and glutes simultaneously. GHD work builds the spinal erectors and hip flexors. Glute-ham raises are one of the best hamstring exercises that exists. Know how to operate all three functions of this machine.

Cable Work

Cables provide constant tension through the full range of motion, which free weights cannot do. Rows, pull-downs, flies, curls, tricep work, and face pulls all have a cable variant that is often superior to the free weight version for the purpose of building muscle. Use the cable system regularly.

Landmine

One of the most versatile tools in the space. Landmine presses are joint-friendly and can substitute for most pressing patterns. Landmine rows, landmine squats, and rotational work are all accessible for clients who can't handle the more demanding free weight alternatives.

6

Stations

12

Max Participants

3

Sets Per Station

The Format

6 stations. 1 minute on, 1 minute off. 3 sets at each station before the class rotates. Every station is built so people can progress (more weight or reps) or regress (lighter load, shorter range of motion). You set it up so anyone can use it safely and anyone can be pushed by it.

Station Composition

Four stations are mandatory every class. The remaining two slots are flexible and change based on what makes sense that day.

Mandatory Stations

1

Pressing

Upper body push. Military press, landmine press, dumbbell press. Emphasize that on pressing exercises it is better to do 8 hard reps than fill the minute with sloppy reps. This station should have a weight-out option for people who are progressing. Always in the class.

2

Sled

Rogue sled push or pull. Adjust weight based on participant ability. Sled work is low skill, high output. Good for people who are newer to training. Very hard to do wrong. Always in the class.

3

Lower Body

Squat-based or hinge-based lower body. Slant board squats, box step-downs, goblet squats, kettlebell deadlifts. A second lower body station can replace one of the flexible slots depending on the class design. Always in the class.

4

Back / Posterior Chain

Row variation, face pulls, banded pull-aparts, or reverse hyper if available. Most clients are chronically weak in the posterior chain. This station is not optional and should be treated as seriously as the pressing station. Always in the class.

Flexible Stations (2 Slots)

The remaining two stations are your call based on the class design. Options include:

Ropes

Battle ropes. Upper body conditioning and grip. Works concurrent with the aerobic system. Adjust tempo as a regression or progression variable. Good option but not required every class.

Dynamic / Conditioning

Ball slams, kettlebell swings, box step-ups, or other movement-pattern work. Keeps heart rate elevated between the heavier strength stations.

Second Lower Body

A hinge or carry to complement the primary lower body station. Useful when you want more posterior chain lower body volume in the class.

Recent Class Example

Slant board squats, ball slams, ropes, box step-downs, sled, military presses. Every major pattern covered: quad-dominant lower, explosive conditioning, upper body conditioning, eccentric lower, locomotive pushing, pressing strength.

Intensity Standard for Group Classes

The 1 minute on / 1 minute off format is not easy mode. The rest exists so people can work hard during the work interval. Do not let people pace themselves into comfort. Push them during the on interval. The rest is where they recover.

Progress and Regress

Every station should have a clear way to make it harder and a clear way to make it easier. You communicate both at the start of each station. This is what makes a class with 12 people work without running 12 different programs.

Dedicated to Class Space

Rogue Sled

Push and pull variations. Load with plates. One of the highest-value pieces of equipment in the class for intensity without technique risk.

Kettlebells

Multiple weights. Swings, goblet squats, cleans, carries, farmer's walks.

Battle Ropes

Bilateral and unilateral work. Alternating waves, slams, circles.

Boxes

Step-ups, step-downs, seated starts. Step-downs are often preferred to jumps for reduced joint impact.

Bands

Multiple resistances. Warm-up activation, loaded movements, pull-aparts.

Moveable From PT Space

Any PT space equipment that is not bolted down or impractical to move can come into the class space when the session design calls for it. Dumbbells, slant board, mats, sandbags, and weight vests all move between spaces as needed.

Setup Rule

All stations are set up and tested before the first participant arrives. Every load is confirmed, every implement is in position, and every regression and progression option is pre-staged. You do not figure out station setup while 12 people are standing there.

A well-designed class covers all major movement patterns, balances intensity across stations so nobody is fried before they reach the next one, and gives every participant a way to succeed and a way to be pushed.

Movement Pattern Checklist

Push (Upper Body)

Military press, landmine press, dumbbell push press, chest press. One pressing variation per class.

Pull (Upper Body)

Row variation, face pulls, banded pull-aparts, rope pulls. This is always the posterior chain station. Never skip it.

Quad-Dominant Lower

Slant board squat, goblet squat, step-up, box step-down. One per class minimum.

Hip-Dominant Lower / Hinge

Kettlebell deadlift, good morning, hip hinge with band, suitcase carry. Sometimes this doubles as the second lower body station when a dynamic movement is replaced.

Conditioning / Dynamic

Ball slams, battle ropes, sled, kettlebell swings. High output, low technique. These keep the heart rate up between the more skilled stations.

Load and Difficulty Management

With 12 people in a class, you cannot program to a single fitness level. The station design handles this. You set a base load and communicate a heavier option and a lighter option at the start of each station.

Example: Military Press Station

Base load is set. Anyone struggling with the base goes lighter. Anyone who completes their reps well inside the minute picks up the heavier option for the next round. They progress within the class. You do not need to stop everything and reprogram.

On Rep Pacing in Classes

On pressing and other strength exercises: push for quality reps and call it when form breaks, even if the minute isn't done. Do not let someone grind out 60 seconds of deteriorating reps. Better to finish 30 seconds strong than 60 seconds of junk.

Activation work is not a warm-up routine. It is a targeted intervention for clients who show clear signs that a muscle group is not firing correctly. The best warm-up is warm-up sets of the actual exercise. You will know within the first two exercises whether a client needs additional activation work based on what you observe.

The Rule

Activation exercises are inserted into a session when you see a specific trigger. They are never programmed in advance as a default. If you don't see the trigger, you don't need the exercise.

The Two Triggers

Trigger 1: Posterior Chain Shutdown

Signs: client cannot feel their hamstrings or glutes working, anterior pelvic tilt is present, quad takes over in deadlifts and squats, knee dominance throughout lower body work. Route to hook lying bridge and 90/90 pelvic tilt on the box.

Trigger 2: Shoulder Instability in Pressing

Signs: one-sided difference on dumbbell or Kabuki bar pressing, visible shakiness, bar path drifting backward toward the head. Route to banded W's and the double-loop band external rotation exercise. Insert between pressing sets.

Refer to Mason If

The activation exercise does not produce a noticeable change within one or two sets. If the pattern persists after targeted activation, something deeper is going on. Do not keep adding volume trying to fix it. Flag it and route to Mason.

Hook Lying Bridge

What It Addresses

Hamstring and glute activation in clients who are quad-dominant or functionally disconnected from their posterior chain. Also engages the adductors when a ball is used.

Setup

Client lies on their back. Feet are flat on the floor, out in front of them at a comfortable distance. Not tucked close to the glutes. If feet are too close, the exercise becomes glute-dominant and the hamstrings drop out. Place a light squishy ball between the knees to engage the adductors throughout.

The Cue That Makes It Work

Bridge the hips up toward the ceiling. Once at the top, cue them to try to pull their butt toward their heels without actually moving their feet. That isometric pull is what engages the hamstrings. Without it, most people will just be doing a glute bridge and missing the point entirely.

Breathing

Full breath in through the diaphragm. Stomach and chest both expand. Full breath out through pursed lips, like blowing up a balloon. Breathing is not optional here. It sets the intra-abdominal pressure that makes the exercise work properly.

What You're Looking For

The client should feel tension through the back of their thigh at the top of the bridge. If they only feel it in their glutes, their feet are too close or the cue did not land. Reposition and re-cue before adding reps.

90/90 Pelvic Tilt on the Box

What It Addresses

Anterior pelvic tilt, hamstring activation, and the mind-muscle connection for clients who cannot feel their posterior chain working in loaded exercises. The box setup is what makes this work. It is not the standard floor version.

Setup

Client lies on their back with legs elevated on a plyo box. The goal is a true 90 degree angle at the hip and at the knee. Adjust the box distance from the client until both angles are correct. This is not approximate. The position is the whole point of using the box over the floor.

The Cue

Have the client drive their heels down into the top of the box. This is an isometric contraction. They are not lifting or moving. The heel drive engages the hamstrings and pulls the pelvis into a neutral or posterior tilt. Hold the contraction and breathe through it.

Breathing

Same cue as the hook lying bridge. Full diaphragmatic breath in, stomach and chest expand. Full breath out through pursed lips. The exhale helps release the anterior tilt and deepen the posterior pelvic position. Coach the breathing actively on the first few reps.

Why the Box Matters

The box forces the 90/90 angle that most people cannot achieve on the floor due to hamstring tightness or hip flexor dominance. Without the proper angle, the exercise loses most of its effect. Do not skip the setup.

Banded W's

What It Addresses

Posterior delt, mid and lower trap, and rotator cuff activation. Used when pressing looks asymmetrical or unstable and the client shows weak external rotation or poor scapular control.

Execution

Client holds a band with both hands, elbows bent to roughly 90 degrees, arms in a W position. Pull the band apart and drive the elbows back and down, squeezing the shoulder blades together at the end range. The motion is external rotation with scapular retraction. Control the return. Do not let it snap back.

When to Insert It

Between pressing sets when you observe instability or asymmetry. One to two sets of 10 to 15 reps is usually enough to get the posterior shoulder complex firing before the next pressing set.

Double-Loop Band External Rotation

Mason-Specific Setup

What It Addresses

Posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, and the full rotator cuff external rotation complex. This is the deeper activation exercise for clients who need more than banded W's or who have a significant pressing instability pattern.

Setup

Tie one band to the rig. Loop a second band through the first one. Client holds the second band with both hands and steps back to create tension. Arms come up into a field goal post position, elbows at roughly 90 degrees, upper arms parallel to the floor. The band pulls them into internal rotation. Their job is to resist that and hold external rotation.

The Hold

30 seconds to one minute. The isometric hold is the stimulus. It is not a rep-based exercise. Spend time getting the position right before starting the clock. If they are not in the correct position, the exercise is not doing its job.

Optional Press-Out

Once the hold is established and the position looks solid, the client can press their hands forward from the field goal position. This adds a pressing stimulus from an externally rotated starting point and reinforces the correct shoulder mechanics under a small load. Use this variation when the basic hold is easy and you want to progress the stimulus.

Timing and Dosage

One to two sets inserted between pressing sets. Start with the hold only. Add the press-out in subsequent sets if the position is clean. Occasionally used at the start of a session for clients with a known shoulder instability pattern, but the default is between pressing sets, not as an opener.

Spend Time on Setup

The position has to be right or the exercise accomplishes nothing. Elbows at 90, upper arms parallel to the floor, band tension pulling toward internal rotation. If any of those three things are wrong, stop and reset before starting the hold. A bad position for 60 seconds is just wasted time.

...a client is in pain

Stop the set or exercise immediately. Figure out if it's pain or just discomfort (burning, pump, shaking is fine). If it's real pain, that movement is done for the day. Note it, text Mason. Keep the rest of the session moving with other exercises if it's safe.

...a client wants to skip an exercise

You lead the session, not the client. Hear them out. If there's a real reason (pain, something feels off), swap to another exercise that hits the same muscle. If they just don't feel like it, decide whether to hold the line or adjust. You're the lead, but you're not rigid. Don't let it become a negotiation every set.

...a client asks what the DNA kit is

Talk about it. You're a salesperson as much as a trainer and the kit is the foundation of everything Rebuilt does. Know it cold. For the deeper material, talking points, and objection handling, that all lives in the Sales Intelligence Panel. Engage, don't deflect.

...a client asks about pricing

Tell them what things cost. Standard pricing is not a secret and gatekeeping it makes you look junior. Quote it confidently and hold it. What you cannot do is change it: no discounts, no negotiating, no deals on the spot. Anything about lowering or customizing a price goes to Mason.

...a client doesn't show up

No-show forfeits the session, it counts as used. Apply the cancellation policy consistently. Don't make an exception in the moment. If they push back, "I have to apply the policy consistently" and escalate to Mason if needed.

...a client asks a question you don't know

Say you don't know. "I'm not well-read on that, let me find out." There is zero shame in it. Guessing on genetics, protocols, supplements, or anything medical is not allowed. Find the answer or route it to Mason.

...a client brings up politics

Don't engage. Doesn't matter what side. Redirect to training. Inside this gym you're Project Rebuilt and nothing else.

...an exercise looks unstable or wrong and you can't tell why

Don't load it further. Slow down or swap the exercise. If you can't identify what's causing it, note it and text Mason before pushing that pattern again. Don't guess and don't push through something structurally off.

...you're not sure about anything at all

Text Mason. There is never a wrong time to ask. Asking is always better than guessing.

The Standard

Clients are paying for reserved time in the schedule. Missing that time without adequate notice forfeits the session. This protects your schedule, Mason's revenue, and the professionalism of the operation.

The Rules

Cancellation Window

24 hours notice required to cancel or reschedule without penalty.

Late Cancellation (under 24 hours)

Session is forfeited. Counts as used. No rollover.

No-Show

Session is forfeited. Counts as used. No exceptions.

Emergency Allowance

One emergency cancel per rolling 30-day period. Valid emergencies: sudden illness, family emergency, unavoidable work emergency. Invalid: running late, forgetting, fatigue. This is discretionary but should be tracked consistently.

High-Frequency Clients (3-4x/week)

Missed sessions do not roll over, stack into future weeks, or convert to longer sessions. Missed equals forfeited, full stop.

Travel or Planned Time Off

Client notifies before the start of the affected week. They can pause or shift in advance. No retroactive adjustments.

How to Enforce It

The Script

"I have to apply the policy consistently." That is the sentence. Use it. Do not negotiate in the moment. Do not make exceptions that are not already in the policy. If a client pushes back hard, escalate to Mason. Do not create a carve-out on the spot.

What You Control

Session Structure

Exercise selection within the programming logic established here. Session pacing. When sets start and end. How hard you push clients.

Client Experience

Creating a focused, professional, quality session. Holding the standards established in this portal. Being the face of Rebuilt in the training space.

What You Do Not Control

Pricing and Offers

Any question about pricing, packages, or offers goes directly to Mason. You do not quote prices, negotiate terms, or make commitments on behalf of the business.

Protocols and Genetics

You do not interpret, modify, or add to what a client has been told about their DNA results or supplement protocol. If they ask questions about their protocol that go beyond what Mason has communicated, say "that's a Mason question" and mean it.

Medical Guidance

You are not a clinician. You do not give medical advice, diagnose movement dysfunction, or promise outcomes. If something looks like a real injury or a real medical issue, refer out. Do not try to solve it in the gym.

Clients Outside This Engagement

While under contract and for 12 months after, do not solicit or service Rebuilt clients independently. All client relationships built inside this engagement belong to Rebuilt.

Content and Social Media

Client Content

Do not post client identities, testimonials, training footage, or anything that identifies a Rebuilt client without prior Company approval and client consent.

What You Say About Rebuilt

Do not make unapproved claims about genetics, protocols, supplements, outcomes, or health conditions in any public content. If you want to post something that mentions Rebuilt, run it by Mason first.