Tools
Grease the
Groove calculator
Get your personalized Grease the Groove plan in seconds. Enter your max, set your day, and get six easy sets timed across your waking hours.
Betterhabits.
Stronger
days.
Your details
Tell us a few things and we’ll build your plan.
Your plan
Your personalized schedule, plus a shareable plan.
Your Grease the Groove plan
6 sets · 8 reps per set (40% of max)
Do one all-out set when you’re fresh. Enter your new max to update your plan.
Example
Here’s what a plan looks like
This is an example for someone with a 20 rep max, waking up at 7:00 AM and going to sleep at 11:00 PM.
Your Grease the Groove plan
6 sets · 8 reps per set (40% of max)
- 18 reps
- 28 reps
- 38 reps
- 48 reps
- 58 reps
- 68 reps
Do one all-out set when you’re fresh. Enter your new max to update your plan.
The method
How the numbers are chosen
This calculator uses the same principles as the Light Work app and Pavel’s description of Grease the Groove: small, submaximal sets spread throughout your day, practiced while staying fresh.
Learn more in our guideEasy sets
40% of your max, rounded down and capped at 10 reps.
Spaced throughout the day
Six sets evenly distributed across your waking hours.
Retest and adjust
After 7 days, test your max and update your plan.
Why it works
A simple idea. Real results.
Stay fresh
Keep sets easy so you can practice consistently.
It fits into real life
Six short sets that fit between the things you already do.
Progress adds up
Small, consistent efforts build a stronger habit.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many reps per set does the calculator use?
40 percent of your current max, rounded down, with a floor of 1 and a cap of 10. A max of 20 gives sets of 8. A max of 30 gives sets of 10. The cap keeps sets easy once your max passes 25.
How many sets a day should I do?
The calculator schedules six, spaced evenly between your wake and sleep times. Fewer is fine on a busy day. Do not stack missed sets into one hard set. That turns the method back into a workout.
When should I retest my max?
Every 7 days. One all-out set when you are fresh, ideally first thing. Enter the new number and the plan updates. If the number did not move, keep going. Two flat weeks in a row means you are probably going too close to failure on your daily sets.
What if I cannot do a single push-up or pull-up yet?
Enter 0. The calculator switches to incline push-ups or band-assisted pull-ups and prescribes 3 per set. Find a variation where you can do about 8 in a row, use that for your sets, and come back when you get your first full rep.
Does it work for other exercises?
The rules transfer to any movement you can do for reps with bodyweight or a fixed load: dips, pistol squats, kettlebell presses. Use the push-up setting and treat the numbers as reps of your movement. Pull-ups have their own setting because most people start with a much lower max.
Why does the app exist if the calculator is free?
The calculator gives you the plan. The app gives you the timing. It rings or notifies when each set is due, logs the set with one tap, snoozes a set when you are in a meeting, and reschedules your day when you wake late. Push-ups only for now.
This tool gives general training guidance, not medical advice. Stop any set that causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a heart condition.