---
title: "Training"
description: "Hypertrophy mesocycles that plan next week's sets, reps, and load from what you lifted and how you recovered."
---

skcal runs hypertrophy training blocks (mesocycles) modeled on Renaissance
Periodization. You pick a split and lift. After each session you say how each
muscle felt, and skcal writes next week for you.

## Plan a mesocycle

Open **Train → Mesocycles** in the app and start a new one, or ask the agent
("plan me a 5-week upper/lower block"). Choose a split template or build your
own days from muscle slots.

| Template | Key | Days per week |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Body | `full_body_3` | 3 |
| Upper / Lower | `upper_lower_4` | 4 |
| Upper Body | `upper_focus_4` | 4 |
| Push / Pull / Legs | `ppl_3` | 3 |
| Push / Pull / Legs | `ppl_6` | 6 |

A mesocycle runs 3 to 8 weeks (5 by default), and the last week is always a
deload. Only one mesocycle is active at a time. Each slot gets a default
exercise from the built-in library. You can swap it for another exercise or one
you add yourself.

## How each week is planned

1. **Week 1 starts at minimum effective volume**

    Each muscle starts at its MEV (minimum effective volume) for the week,
    split across the slots that train it, at 3 reps in reserve (RIR).

2. **Effort ramps across the block**

    The RIR target drops evenly from 3 in week 1 to 0 in the last week before
    the deload.

3. **Volume follows your feedback**

    After a session, rate each muscle's soreness, pump, joint pain, and
    workload. Recovered muscles with a weak stimulus get up to 2 more sets next
    week. Muscles that were still sore, at their limit, or in pain hold or lose a
    set. Volume never goes past the muscle's MRV (maximum recoverable volume).
    With no feedback, a muscle you trained gets one more set.

4. **Load and reps progress from what you lifted**

    Hit your target reps and next week's target weight goes up about 2.5% (at
    least 5 lb). Bodyweight and band moves add a rep instead. Miss by 1 or 2
    reps and you keep the weight and aim for one more rep. Miss by more and you
    keep the weight and match what you did.

5. **Deload**

    The final week keeps half the sets at the same load for half the reps.

## Log sets

In the app, tap through each set's weight and reps. A number you type fills the
sets below it until you type a different one, so straight sets are one entry.
**Train** shows a live rest timer and your average rest for the session. You can also just tell the agent
what you did: "bench 185 for 8, 8, 7" fills in the matching exercise's sets in
your next session, and adds sets if you did more than planned.

Over the API, the same thing is one call:

```bash
curl -X POST https://app.skcal.fit/api/training/log \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer skcal_your_key_here" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"exercise": "bench", "sets": [{"weightLb": 185, "reps": 8}, {"weightLb": 185, "reps": 8}, {"weightLb": 185, "reps": 7}]}'
```

`GET /api/training/current` returns your next session with its targets and last
week's results. API keys need the `training:read` or `training:write` scope.
See the **Training** section of the [API reference](/docs/api-reference/introduction)
for every endpoint.