22 sets total per workout 5-6 days per week – From marshmallow squish to steel-plated abs, build your body and armor your mind with this program.
This is a hypertrophy-based program. Your main lift sections will be higher reps and you will focus on 2-3 muscle groups per session.
Main Lift – Progression Scheme
3×10 – 72.5% 1RM – rest 1 minute 53 seconds
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×10. The other two sets of 2×10 drop down to the previous week’s weight used.
Weekly Split – Weeks 1-4
A Day 1 – Quads and Hamstrings Low Volume
B Day 2 – Aerobic Cardio
C Day 3 – Chest and Shoulders
D Day 4 – Rest Day
E Day 5 – Quads, Hamstring, Calfs, and Tibials High Volume
F Day 6 – Aerobic Cardio
G Day 7 – Back and Arms
H Day 8 – Rest Day
A Day 1 – Quads and Hamstrings Low Volume
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Air Bike Sprint 2×2 minutes
Superset
Floor Sweeps 2×14 steps
Superset
Standing Quad Pull 2×5 per leg
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Barbell High Bar Squat
1×21 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×5 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
Working Sets
Barbell High Bar Squat – follow your RIR per the week of training. These should be hard intense sets.
3×10 – 72.5% 1RM – rest 1 minute 53 seconds
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×10. The other two sets of 2×10 drop down to the previous week’s weight used.
Accessories Compound
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats 2×8 – use moderate weight
Superset
Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts 2×8 (8 per leg) – rest 2 minutes
Leg Press One Leg 2×8 – dropset – 2×10 – dropset – 2×20 – use both legs on the last drop set of 20 reps – rest 3 minutes
do 2 sets per leg.
B Day 2 – Aerobic Cardio
Keep your heart rate between 65%-75% of your Maximal heart rate. You can use a smartwatch or subtract your age from 220 to know your maximum rate. Then multiply .65 and .75 by your maximal rate and that number would be your goal to stay in between for the duration of your cardio session.
30-45 minutes of low-impact cardio – Swimming, Biking, Elliptical, Walking, Incline Walking, Hiking, Slow Jog, Yoga,
C Day 3 – Chest and Shoulders
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Banded Pull Apart Supinated 2×15
Superset
Banded Pull Through 2×10
Superset
Y-hold/Superman Plank 2×30 seconds
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Barbell Overhead Press
Warm-Up Sets –
1×21 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×5 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
Working Sets
Barbell Overhead Press
3×10 – 72.5% 1RM – rest 1 minute 53 seconds
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×10. The other two sets of 2×10 drop down to the previous week’s weight used.
Accessories Compound
Assisted One Arm Push Up 4×8 (8 per arm)
Superset
Standing Cable Machine Two Arm Up-right Row 4×12 – rest 2 minutes
Flat Cable Fly Crossover Neutral 3×12 – dropset – 3×15 second ISO hold
Superset
Standing Cable Machine Crossover Rear Delt Row 3×15 – rest 2 minutes
Flat Cable Fly Crossover Neutral 1×10 – dropset – 1×10 – rest 2 minutes
Standing Dumbbell Front Raise Neutral 2×12
Superset
Standing Bent-over Dumbbell Reverse Fly Pronation 2×15 – rest 2 minutes
D Day 4 – Rest Day
Rest up and Recover!
E Day 5 – Quads, Hamstring, Calfs, and Tibials High Volume
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Air Bike Sprint 2×2 minutes
Superset
Floor Sweeps 2×14 steps
Superset
Standing Quad Pull 2×5 per leg
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Barbell Front Squat
If front squats are uncomfortable do Barbell High Bar Squats instead.
1×21 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×4 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
Working Sets
Barbell Front Squat
Only for the main lift of this workout, the RIR will stay at 4-3 the whole program. Save your effort for the low-volume leg day’s main lift.
3×10 – 62.5% 1RM – rest 1 minute 53 seconds – since the weight is lower % you may try a brief pause in the bottom of the squat.
Accessories Compound
Tibial Raises 3×21 – do these standing on a platform with only your heels on so you can lower your feet and raise them up
Superset
Kettlebell Swing 3×10 – rest 2 minutes
Barbell Romanian Deadlift 2×8 – dropset – 2×20 – rest 3 minutes
Go light on these if needed. Although your hamstrings and lower back will burn, have good form while using a controlled tempo for each rep.
Hip Adduction Machine or Copenhagen Plank Side Dips 3×12
Superset
One Leg Calf Raises 3×15 – 2/2/2 – do these standing off a platform for extra range of motion, these will burn bad! take a break mid-set limited to 15 seconds to let the burn subside and then finish the set-out.
Hip Abduction Machine or Banded Goblet Squat/Seated Hip Abduction 2×12
Superset
Bodyweight Reverse Lunges – 2×16 (8 per leg) – 1/1/2 – rest 2 minutes – each rep should take 4 seconds to complete, follow the tempo.
F Day 6 – Aerobic Cardio
Keep your heart rate between 65%-75% of your Maximal heart rate. You can use a smartwatch or subtract your age from 220 to know your maximum rate. Then multiply .65 and .75 by your maximal rate and that number would be your goal to stay in between for the duration of your cardio session.
30-45 minutes of low-impact cardio – Swimming, Biking, Elliptical, Walking, Incline Walking, Hiking, Slow Jog, Yoga,
G Day 7 – Back and Arms
Warm Up
Foam Roll Back 1×2 minutes
Foam Roll Thoracic Rotation 1×5 per side 2/5/2
Banded Pull Apart Supinated 2×15
Superset
Banded Pull Through 2×10
Superset
Y-hold/Superman Plank 2×30 seconds
Main Compound
Warm-Up Sets
Chest-Supported Incline Bench Dumbbell Row Neutral
1×21 – 45% 1RM – rest 45 seconds
1×8 – 60% 1RM – rest 1 minute 30 seconds
1×5 – 70% 1RM – rest 1 minute 45 seconds
Working Sets
Chest-Supported Incline Bench Dumbbell Row Neutral
3×10 – 72.5% 1RM – rest 1 minute 53 seconds
Add 2.5-5 pounds to the 1RM% every week to only one set of 1×10. The other two sets of 2×10 drop down to the previous week’s weight used.
Accessories Compound
Cable Machine / Dumbbell Pullovers Standing or Lying 3×12
Superset
Seated Incline Bench Dumbbell Curls Neutral 3×12 – rest 1 minutes 53 seconds
One Arm Cable Machine Half Kneeling High Row 2×5
Superset
Cable Machine Two Arm Curls Close Grip Supination 2×12
Superset
Cable Machine One Arm Pushdowns Pronation 2×12 (12 per arm) – rest 3 minutes
Two-Arm Seated Cable Machine High Row Pronation 1×10 – dropset – 1×8 – rest 2-3 minutes
Two-Arm Seated Cable Machine High Row Pronation 2×10
Superset
Cable Machine Two Arm Curls Close Grip Supination 2×15
Superset
Cable Machine One Arm Pushdowns Pronation 2×8 (8 per arm) – rest 2-3 minutes
G Day 8 – Rest Day
Rest Day – Rest up and Recover!